Restaurants in Focus: TSF’s Favourite Places So Far

We’re halfway through 2018 and what a year it’s been thus far! Hopefully, yours has been wonderful with a dash of enjoyable experiences…In my foodie realm, 2018 has not only seen me dine at some very lovely locations, but has enabled me to revisit recipes I’ve previously created and improve upon them allowing for tastier results.

This post however, will highlight some dishes I’ve loved at a handful of restaurants I’ve visited so far. I encourage you to visit these gems and test them out for yourself (don’t say I didn’t tell you!)

MADE IN BRASIL

Situated within the notorious Camden Town, Made In Brasil brings the best of Brazilian culture, food, drink and music to London. Since its opening in 2004, Made In Brasil has been dubbed ‘The House of Caipirinhas’ (a word I’m still yet to grasp its pronunciation) boasting an excessive cocktail list including the classic and several variations of the well-known lime Caipirinha. The restaurant serves tasty homemade traditional and modern Brazilian dishes and their selection of street food can be enjoyed tapas-style, offering a wide variety from meats, vegetables and seafood.

TSF Recommends: Bolinhos de Bacalhau (salt cod fishcakes with lime mayo)

These fishcakes are appetising, moist and soft on the inside with a crispy light coating and is served with a creamy mayo dip. The lemon slice garnish adds zing and freshness to this bitesize goodness!

      Moqueca (coconut and seafood stew)

This stew is rich, creamy, coconutty and very well-seasoned with a little heat. It’s not too thin or thick, containing an ocean of seafood treasures like king prawns, flaky cod, mussels and clams. The stew is served with perfectly steamed rice, farofa (grated cassava crumbs) and a sprinkling of sweet pomegranate seeds.

     Classic Caipirinha

A delicious cocktail consisting of Velho Barreiro Cachaca, white sugar and muddled fresh lime juice served over crushed ice. Upon the first sip, this cocktail blankets your mouth in a taste sensation of sweetness, tang and alcohol; it’s a delicious drink that doesn’t pack too much of a punch!

Location: Made In Brasil, 12 Inverness Street, Camden Town, London, NW1 7HJ

Pricing: £2.95 – £16.75 | Main course spend: £12.95 – £16.75

Rating: 4.2/5

LUPITA

The story of Lupita began 50 years ago, with El Farolito – a taquería (a tacos restaurant) in a little corner of Colonia Condesa, located west of the historic Mexico City. In 2010, UNESCO declared Mexican Cuisine an ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ making it one of the first world cuisines to receive such an honour. Later that year after becoming Mexico City’s leading taquería, El Farolito came to the UK and opened its doors in London as Lupita! Lupita serves a selection of tasty traditional Mexican dishes along with refreshing margaritas, cocktails, smoky mezcal concoctions and much more!

TSF Recommends: Crab Tostada (Crab meat, chipotle mayo, lettuce and red onion salad on a crispy corn tostada)

A slightly sweet, creamy layer of fresh crab meat sits on a crispy corn-flavoured tostada with hints of pepperiness from the scattering of the red onion salad. I highly recommend this dish as a starter to truly appreciate it!

      Seitan al Pastor Burrito (homemade vegetarian wheat marinated in a blend of chilies, herbs and fruits)

This veggie marinated meat alternative is yummy – not too heavy with the filling or over seasoned. It’s well balanced, not lacking in portion size and is swaddled in a large, soft flour tortilla wrap.

      Mexican rice (rice cooked in a tomato broth with peas and carrots topped with crème fraiche and avocado)

Al denté grains of rice (I prefer rice cooked this way, not too soft and not grains of bullets either) with a pleasant tomato flavour dotted with soft sweet peas and crunchy carrots. However, the dish could do with a dash of salt and without the topping of avocado (avocado is highly unnecessary).

     Emmoladas (corn tortillas stuffed with slow cooked chicken in a tomato sauce bathed in rich Mole sauce)

This for me was the winning dish at Lupita and what an unusual dish too! Three soft corn tortillas stuffed full, with slow cooked chicken breast in a tomato sauce with chipotle chili and sliced onions, doused in a rich Mole sauce. It’s hearty, rich and thick with notes of chocolate – a must try. The topping of creme fraiche and crumbled cheese adds a lovely creaminess too.

         Mezcal Pitcher

This exceptional drink is one I suggest going big for by ordering a pitcher! It’s a smoky and tantalising drink that will probably hit you, by gently caressing the insides of your oesophagus as you sip on it whilst devouring that scrumptious crab tostada.

Location: Lupita Restaurant, 13-15 Villiers Street, London, WC2N 6ND

Pricing: £2.95 – £16.75 | Main course spend: £12.95 – £16.75

Rating: 4.5/5

CHAMISSE

Chamisse is a well-established Lebanese restaurant located in the heart of London, along Grays Inn Road. The Lebanese restaurant delights in a range of dishes that are made using traditional standards of preparation to preserve the taste and quality of the food.

TSF Recommends: Moutabal Baba Ghanouj (purée of smoked aubergine with sesame seed oil and lemon juice)

For me, whenever I visit a Middle Eastern restaurant, baba ghanouj is a must have! I love, love, love the creamy and smoky notes of this dip, and the one served at Chamisse does not disappoint at all.

       Moufassakh Batenjjan (grilled aubergine with lemon, garlic and bell peppers)

This dip was probably the best I tried at Chamisse (hard to say especially with hummus and baba ghanouj being served) it’s unlike anything I’ve had. It’s sweet with lasting tangy notes on the palate, well-seasoned and the addition of the fresh peppers adds a nice crunch to the smooth texture. Delicious!

     Tabouleh (Lebanese parsley salad)

Up until my visit to Chamisse, I’d never known there to be such a type of salad consisting mainly of parsley. This dish is one I recommend due to it’s freshness and sharp flavour that interestingly doesn’t overpower it; there’s also a slight sweetness from the tomato garnish resting on top.

      Hummus (chickpeas, tahini and lemon juice)

As previously stated, hummus is amongst my all-time favourite dips. The one served at Chamisse is very good indeed; creamy, thick and rich – qualities that contribute to good hummus. The only critique I’ll offer is that for my personal taste, it’s blended a tad too fine; I would much rather prefer it chunkier in texture .

      Kibbeh (minced lamb and pine kernels)

This is a mouth-wateringly scrumptious mezze to opt for. You’ll be met by a super crunchy dark brown exterior garnished with off-white pine kernels before biting into a tender and tasty minced lamb core. It’s such a shame there aren’t about 5 served!

      Falafel (bean croquettes with chickpeas, garlic and sesame oil)

My experience with falafels has not been pleasant. I’ve previously endured a tasteless, bone dry ‘falafel’ and was sucked in thanks to its appetising aroma and appearance. However, this wasn’t what I was presented with at Chamisse after having cut a mouse-size morsel to gauge whether I should consume the entire thing. A crunchy coating with a soft, moist centre produced a surprisingly happy expression – I could not believe it! My stance on falafels has changed and I now understand the hype surrounding them thanks to Chamisse!

Location: 55 Grays Inn Rd, London, WC1X 8PP

Pricing: £2.95 – £17.95 | Main course spend: £9.95 – £17.95

Rating: 4/5

HALA

Hala was established in 2002 and is a family owned Turkish restaurant located in the vibrant heart of Haringey. It is a restaurant that prides itself on serving authentic homemade Turkish cuisine using locally sourced quality ingredients. Hala has a wide reputation for specialities such as Manti (Turkish dumplings), Icli Kofte (minced lamb, onions, spices and bulgur) and Gozleme (Turkish pastries).

TSF Recommends: Humus (crushed chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil)

The hummus served at Hala is the best I’ve had this year and top 2 I’ve ever had. Unlike the one served at Chamisse, this one is chunky, more flavoursome and super thick. I think that by crushing the chickpeas it allows for such a texture, which is where others might differ. It’s best enjoyed as a starter or along with other dishes.

      Sarma (vine leaves stuffed with rice, onions, pine nuts, seasoning and mixed herbs)

This cold mezze is a delicious way to begin your Turkish feasting at Hala. The fact that the vine leaves are stuffed with rice is great because it’ll fill you up a teeny bit (not that you’ll leave the confines of a Turkish restaurant hungry anyway…hopefully) it’s very well-seasoned and not overly sharp as I’ve previously had. The rice is well cooked and the vine leaves are sufficiently stuffed (just like I was upon my departure). I find the addition of the natural yogurt unnecessary, but the tomatoes provide a nice freshness.

      Kalamar (breaded deep-fried squid)

Calamari ranks highly as a favourite go-to starter and I’ve had a fair share. At Hala it’s within the top 5 due to a light, golden-brown coating that is super-duper crunchy encasing a very tender ring of squid. If I wasn’t as full, I would have finished the entire plate, I still think about them though when I scroll through my gallery…

Location: 29-30 Grand Parade, Harringay, London N4 1LG

Pricing: £3.00 – £62.95 | Main course spend: £8.95 – £62.95

Rating: 4.5/5