Dirty Burger - NW5

Burgers - what a year it's been for burgers in London eh?  Seems like every corner you walk around there is either a food truck selling a burger (a la Mother Flipper), a cool diner style eatery selling burgers (a la Honest Burger) or just some dude wolfing down a burger (a la me).  It is the time of the burger, the era of the beef patty, indeed the golden age of the bun.  Anyway, before I whip myself into a frenzy, let's re-focus on Dirty Burger, one of the more recent burger joints in town and certainly one that has been getting a lot of attention, not least because it is located behind Nick Jones' new Kentish Town foodie destinations, Pizza East & Chicken Shop.  And when I say it's located behind, it would be more accurate to say "in a lean-to in the car-park" which I suppose adds to the rough 'n ready burger ethos these guys are trying to establish.  I liked it - the corrugated iron shack vibe made me a bit homesick for Australia, where corrugated iron abounds (not sure where I am going with this, back to the burgers....)  Dirty Burger is a pretty simple proposition - after 11 am the choice is limited to one burger, a cheeseburger and a choice of either crinkle-cir or onion fries (before 11am they do a "dirty breakfast" which I am really keen to sample).  There are the usual soft drinks and shakes but given we were in NW5 we were forced (willingly) by Ben to imbibe the local Camden Pale Ale, which is a mighty fine brew.

 The burgers were on the small side (which I think is actually a good thing - they were just right) and friggin' delicious.  The onion fries were a bit of a revelation - I could have happily chowed through several bags of those.  The shack is so small that the seating area was full (it was 7.30 on a Saturday night so no surprises) so the four of us sat outside on the metal steps, happily munching away at our burgers and slurping down our pale ale.  It was pretty fine actually - happy days.

NESWFLASH - Hewett St Block Party 22/09 EC2

If you are a fan of East London, if you are a fan of Banh Mi 11, Big Apple Hot Dogs, Elliot's burgers or Dunne Frankowski's coffee then head down to the Hewett St Block Party on Saturday 22 September 2012 for all this and more, delicious and hip!  Organised by brand-gurus Protein and supporting childrens' charity Hackney Pirates.  Details here:

http://www.hewettstreetblockparty.com/

Blewcoat School - Brewers Green/Caxton St SW1

One of the (many) things I love about London is when you stumble across a "survivor" building - a relic of times past.  Of course I love it when whole streets or neighbourhoods are preserved but there is something about a lone building, centuries old, looking pretty much as it always has but surrounded by the modern world.  The tower of St Alban in Wood St in the City is a good example and the former Blewcoat School in St James is another.  The other half and I were having a lovely wander from the Tate Modern to the West End and cutting north off Victoria Street, up Buckingham Gate, we came upon this gem.  Built in 1709 by William Green, a brewer, the school was established to teach pupils "to read, write, cast accounts and the catechism" - basically the key skills to get by in early 18th century London (maybe they could have added "avoid syphilis, the plague and cheap gin").  It operated as a school right up until the Second World War and was then used as an army store and also by the Girl Guides.  The National Trust owns the building and it is now their London Information Centre & Shop.  A little early to be Georgian, the architecture is, I believe (and I cannot claim to be an expert on British architecture), English Baroque - the local version of the baroque styles being built on the continent in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.  I think it's quite lovely and I particularly like the blue coated youngster above the door.  The building is completely surrounded and over-shadowed by some of the modern monstrosities of Victoria St and St James but this sturdy little survivor of a building stands proud - as it should, after seeing off the trials and tribulations of over three centuries.

Artisan - Upper Richmond Rd SW15

You know the London coffee revolution is spreading when leafy SW15 has not one but two places to go for a decent flat white.  If you are Putney river side (perhaps having just downed your oar and needing a restorative coffee with the other member of your eight) then Grind is your place - a lovely cafe that was a breath of fresh air to the rather tired Lower Richmond Road when it opened.  However, for coffee addicts from the southern reaches of Putney, the pickings were slim and chainy until the arrival last year of Artisan on the Upper Richmond Rd.  Except for the fact that Artisan is on one of SW London's worst traffic roads (oh how many traffic jams I have been stuck in on this road - if only I could have those hours back...) the cafe is really chilled.  The requisite friendly Antipodean staff, some cool seating and lighting, tasty food and a pretty decent flat white (a little weak for me but perfect for the other half) made with Allpress beans all adds up to a top spot for residents of SW15 - every neighbourhood should have at least one place like this.

Hampstead Ponds - N6

Oh what a lovely weekend it was in London - as often seems to be the case these days, September is shaping up to be the best month of all weather wise and I am putting my money on the weekend of the 8th and 9th being the loveliest weekend of the year.  We managed to get the balance right this past weekend between lounging around in our own back garden and getting out and about - always a tricky decision when the sun comes out (mostly we err on the side of lounging in the garden all weekend - which is not necessarily a bad thing).  Addressing the getting out and about part, we met various friends on Hampstead Heath on Sunday and what better part of the Heath to appreciate a late summer Sunday than the Ponds?  I have a recent obsession (and a latent blog post that will get written one day) about the lost rivers of London and chief amongst them is the River Fleet, a major river flowing into the Thames in Roman times but pretty much an open sewer by the 18th century (also a dead dog dumping ground amongst other things).  By the 19th century most of the Fleet was covered over and unsurprisingly (given the name) a large part of it runs under the environs of Fleet St.  The Hampstead/Highgate bathing ponds came about as a result of the two headwater streams of the Fleet being dammed in the 18th century.  What has resulted are three freshwater swimming ponds - a mens' pond a womens' pond and a mixed bathing pond.  I have only swum in the mens' pond and I love it - there is something really liberating about swimming in open water (as opposed to a pool) but also slightly disconcerting, that feeling of not knowing exactly what is below you.  I also like the old school back to basics nature of the Ponds - concrete changing rooms, hooks to hang your towel, a single jetty sticking out into the pond and old guys who look like they come here every day of their lives, regardless of the weather.  In 2004 the City of London Corporation tried to close the Ponds but supporters challenged the decision in the High Court and won, which makes me incredibly happy (although there is some further issues around plans to rebuild the dams themselves - read about it here).  The Ponds are a gem and an integral part of not only Hampstead Heath but London, so if you are not squeamish about swimming as nature intended (I don't mean naked by the way - although if you do like getting your kit off there is a nude sunbathing area in the mens' changing rooms) and you want to spend a lovely, quintessentially London morning or afternoon, pay the Ponds a visit.

Caravan - Kings Cross N1

I love love love Caravan in Exmouth Market - amazing coffee (with beans roasted on site), great food, lovely staff, cool space, great street - what's not to like?  So I was super excited to learn that the Caravan crew were opening a new gaff in King's Cross.  I was meeting my friend Neil for lunch on Sunday so thought it would be a good chance to check it out.  Once again, I was struck by the transformation of the area behind King's Cross station - and even though I am nostalgic for my old clubbing days in the area, so far I like everything that is happening back there - Eat St rocks, Shrimpy's is ace and the new Granary Square development (where Caravan is) is a really cool redevelopment of an old Victorian warehouse and manages to keep the character of the old rail yards/Regent's Canal area whilst feeling very "now".  My only worry is that Eat St and Shrimpy's are both temporary happenings and I wonder what this area will be like when the entire redevelopment is done - however if Granary Square is anything to go by, it may be spectacular.  If I was pushed, I'd probably still opt for

 the somewhat bleak, abandoned warehousy vibe that used to characterise this locale, but that's just me, I'm a sucker for urban dereliction.  In front of the huge Granary Square building is a large open space, with water fountains shooting jets of water into the air and on Sunday there were hordes of little kids running round in their undies (and in one kinda gross case, what looked like a very full nappy...ewwww).  It was super cute and was topped off by the fact there was an Ice Cream festival going on so there was a real fairground vibe.  It took us some time to work out where Caravan was - if you are looking front on at Granary Square, look for the green hedgey thing on the left, the entrance is behind there.  Before we worked this out, we had an interesting wander through the Central St Martins campus that is also in the building (I tried to adopt my best Brit-art face and not look like I was lost).  The first things that strikes

 you about Caravan is that it is vast, a massive barn of a place but as with Exmouth Market, the fit-out is done really well and it feels welcoming and buzzy rather than cavernous.  The place was chock-a block, so we were given a bag off coffee beans with a number on it and advised to wait at the bar, which we did, having a magnificent flat white while we were at it.  The wait to be seated was quick (maybe fifteen minutes) and then we were seated on a communal table (I couldn't help but think of Wagamamas!) to peruse one of the best brunch menus in London (IMHO).  Neil was up for us both ordering different things and sharing,

 which is always an excellent way to try out more of the menu - so I went for the Jalapeno corn bread, fried egg, black beans & green tomato and Neil chose the Smoked haddock & keek rarebit with poached eggs & rocket.  And yes people, they were both friggin' delicious - not sure which one I would rate more highly, we did the plate swap thing a couple of times and each time I thought "oh yes".  Seriously good brunch food and a world away from the standard greasy fry up (which obviously has its place but not here, oh no, not here).  Being a couple of booze-hounds we decided that Bloody Marys were in order - well to be accurate, I ordered a Bloody Mary and Neil got a "Sunshine Mary", made with Kamm & Sons (a botanical spirit made with ginseng, grapefruit and manuka honey!), yellow tomato and capsicum.  The bloody Mary was fierce - great but almost

 too much for me.  The Sunshine Mary was delicious - we did the swapsies on drinks also.  We couldn't manage a pudding each so shared a super sweet and super delicious Ginger Treacle Tart with Clotted Cream, which was a perfect end to a perfect meal.

Lamb & Flag - Rose St WC2

Today's post continues my recent alleway theme (I used to write mainly about coffee and Bloomsbury, now it seems to be alleyways...).  If you are sashaying down Floral St (one of Covent Garden's better shopping streets) then take a tuen into the rather cramped Lazenby Court.  If you are over 5'8" then get ready to duck to avoid a dong to the head - as you emerge on to Rose Street you will find yourself out the front of one of central London's most charming and dinky pubs, the Lamb & Flag.  Whilst the facade was rebuilt in the 20th century, there are relics of an 18th

 century house frame inside and there has certainly been records of a pub on this site since 1772.  But it's not really about the history here - it's more about finding what feels like a secret pub, sinking a few pints of London Pride with good friends outside (weather permitting) and hopefully avoiding the bare-knuckle fighting that was de rigeur at this establishment in the 19th century - earning it the sobriquet "The Bucket of Blood".

Ceviche - Frith St W1

I was (as I often am these days) late to the party with Ceviche but had been aware of the buzz and was really keen to check it out.  Another common failing of mine (wow I'm really beating myself up this post) is going somewhere I plan to blog about and then leaving it so long that I have forgotten what I ate and what I wanted to say about it.  That is the case with Ceviche but luckily I took some good photos and also I

 liked it so much that the glow is still with me.  It was a fun lunch, with my friends Lucas and Kylie, so even though it was mid week

 we got stuck in to the Pisco Sours, which were mighty fine.  We ordered a selection of food to share - lots of ceviche of course (sea bass, salmon and scallops) plus a funky beetroot salad and even some beef heart (which was super tasty).  It was all really good - the ceviche was amazing and everything looked so beautiful.  I haven't been to Peru so can't comment on the authenticity but whatever they're doing at Ceviche they are

 doing it really well.  Service was great and the place is really fun - it definitely felt like somewhere to have a raucous night, but was equally fun for a mildly boozy, Aussie crew lunch time get together.  I will definitely be back - not least because I am a sucker for raw fish and good cocktails (particularly the latter).

Elms Lesters Painting Rooms - WC2

Given my propensity for wandering down alleyways and my love for the Phoenix Garden (which I think would make it into my list of all time favourite central London spots), plus the fact it is pretty much opposite where I work, I have walked past the Elms Lesters Painting Rooms many time and have always admired its late Victorian style.  Plus I loved the Space Invader stuck on the side.  I was never quite sure what it was however - I had heard about someone going to a party there so assumed it must be some funky venue.  It wasn't until a couple of weeks ago that my friend  Don clued me in on the history, which is fascinating.  Purpose built in 1904, ELPR is one of the last of its breed and for decades was used to paint backdrops for west end theatres (hence the tall narrow green door you can see in the picture).  The digital age has obviously meant there is less need for spaces such as this but luckily ELPR has reinvented itself as a gallery and the building itself is listed.  I love the fact that this characterful building represents a piece of theatreland history - I would have loved to have seen gaudily painted back-drops being carried out and carted off to nearby theatres.  So next time you are in the area, grab yourself a coffee from the lovely folk at Damson or the nearby Flat Cap coffee cart and take a closer look at this historic building.

Honest Burgers - Meard St W1

 It's always cool when two previous blog posts come together.  I have written before about the absolute kick-ass burger deliciousness of Honest Burgers in Brixton Village Market and I have also waxed lyrical about Meard St, the jewel in the crown of Georgian Soho.  Well blow me down if Honest Burgers hasn't gone and opened a snazzy new joint on Meard St.  Praise be.  I went with some colleagues today and sat outside in the sun, eating one of the best burgers I have ever eaten (see pic below) - a special, with a beef and black pudding patty, apple tempura (how brilliant an idea is that??) and tarragon & caper mayonnaise.  It was awesome...just friggin' awesome.  Accompanied by the usual Honest Burger rosemary salted chips, this was the lunch of champions.  These guys know what they are doing and this new outpost is really lovely.  Top it all off with great service and what is there not to love?  What are you waiting for burger lovers?  Get down to Honest Burger, soak up the Georgian vibe of Meard St and take a moment to appreciate that sometimes two great things come together and make the world a little better.

Tooting Bec Lido - SW16

Even though I have lived in sarf London for 9 years I had never made it to Tooting Bec Lido until a few weeks ago.  Then the next thing I hear is that Ian "Thorpedo" Thorpe, my fellow countrymen, is giving people free swimming lessons there - I imagine the regulars at the lido were more excited by the second Aussie visit than the first.  The other half and I thought we would celebrate the arrival of summer (which has taken its bloody time this year) by visiting one of London's oldest open air pools.  Opening to the public in 1906, the lido is enormous - almost 100m long and 30m wide, this pool is as wide as most are long and as such there is plenty of room for the great and the good of SW London to get their swim on.  I felt like I had stepped back in time to the 60s - the brightly painted changing sheds and the old-school cafeteria were right out of my childhood (which just to be clear, was the 70s not the 60s).  Firmly un-pretentious this is not a place to see and be seen but more a place to suck on a popsicle and then splash around in the clear blue water surrounded by rowdy teenagers and swimming senior-citizens.  I loved it and will definitely be back.

Leather Lane Market - EC1

I have written before about two fine coffee establishments on Leather Lane in EC1 - Department of Coffee & Social Affairs and the mighty Prufrock - both well worth a visit and both making Leather Lane one of London's coffee destinations.  OK let's pause for one second - (i) wow - amazing to think we now have multiple coffee destinations in this town and (ii) do I sound like a complete wanker by using the term "coffee destinations"?  Anyway, moving on.  Visiting Leather Lane recently I realised it deserves a blog post all of it's own.  Not only because of the aforementioned caffeine possibilities, but also because it has some kick-arse food vans and street food and it manages to have all this whilst

 retaining it's character as a slightly down at heel, traditional London street market.  You still have the stall selling batteries and cheap cleaning products, you still get racks of sketchy looking clothes and the shops along the Lane are (thank God) only mildly "trendified" - and that is exactly as it should be.  How much better it is to find your gem of a cafe or street-food vendor in the middle of a normal street rather than be spoon-fed your culinary experience as part of some horrible artificial "artisan's enclave" (shudder).  So - on to the food options, in the past I had already tried the Lamb & Halloumi wrap stall at the top of Leather Lane which is amazing, so on my recent visit I reluctantly walked past it to try some of the others stalls.  I had been aware of Daddy Donkey for some time (how could you not with that name) and their Leather Lane van has been there for some years but I had yet to try them.  Their tagline is "kick-arse Mexican grill" and my burrito lived up to that description.  I went for the "Daddy D Burrito" with Picadillo (slow cooked beef in garlic, onion, spices, tomato and chipotle salsa - oh yeah) and it was a big helping of tasty, spicy deliciousness.  As I was with the other half we were able to get two lunchtime dishes and share them and we went from Central

 America to SE Asia and had a steamed pork bun from Kin.  Kin's stall sits in front of their restaurant - which I haven't been to but looks good and has that typical "pan Asian" menu that most westerners demand and which I always think is unfortunate as  it means the chefs can't concentrate on being really good at one particular Asian country's dishes. However I'm sure that Kin does all their dishes well and there were several things on there that I definitely want to go back and try.  The stall was manned (womaned?) by two friendly lassies who served us a pillowy steamed bun chock full of pork, herbs and chilli sauce.  This is one of my favourite dishes and whilst nowhere can match the brilliance of Momofuku Noodle Bar in New York, this pork bun was pretty damn tasty and we wolfed down alternate bits of burrito and pork bun with great pleasure (don't judge and don't knock it 'til you've tried it).  Leather Lane market has been around for about 400 years and does not actually derive it's name from some past life as as the centre of London's leather trade (ooh-ah) but according to this fascinating site the name derives from one of the original traders, La Vrunelane.  This site also claims the market's origins came from the settling of a gambling debt of King Charles II in the 17th century, which whether or not it is true is a great story.  So whilst you are wandering the Lane munching on your burrito, lamp wrap or pork bun or whilst you are looking cool sipping your flat white or piccolo in Department of Coffee & Social Affairs or Prufrock, know that you are one of a long line of Londoners who have spent time on this slightly shabby but rather charming street in Holborn.