ncounty

I am also thinking of going to Boxwood cafe for lunch as a solo diner. Has anyone been there or know of it?

ekscrunchy

Caroline: We will go to London in May. Hopefully, I will have plenty of interesting food news to report. I only have 3 days so have to plan carefully!

ekscrunchy

Carolline: There is a Wally Shawn festival at the Royal Court this spring.

This is the one I will attend; Shawn wrote and Andre Gregory is directing:




http://www.royalcourttheatre.com/whatson01.asp?play=542

alya

Caroline,

Have you read "Hugh Fearlessly-Eats it all" the book? - interesting reading but I don't think it mentions the show where he cooked a placenta

I loved his programmes but we don't get them here in the US. Last year there was a day's worth of River Cottage on one of the cable channels while I was visiting England - My Mum and I stocked up on chocolates and nibbles, we stayed and watched the entire session.

Most fish is delicious if fresh and cooked properly and there really is nothing like the smell of a 'proper' chippie.

We've tracked one down in Rhode Island and our Australian friends have found another here in Massachusetts. We showed them ours (they liked it) they're going to show us theirs next month

caroline_edinburgh

Sorry eks, I should have remembered you said May - & I just didn't think of the possibility of >1 WS play ! All sounds good - if I were still living in London I'd go.

alya, I haven't yet read that book but I gave DH it for Xmas along with Hugh's big books of meat & fish cookery, which he now swears by and finds a fount of all knowledge re meat & fish ! Glad to hear you have found proper chippies there - I have never had good fish & chips here in Edinburgh ! Edinburghers seem to like their chips soggy, for some reason

thursdaysd

Just read this thread, and would definitely vote for Rock and Sole (you did mean Rock not Rack, right?) over North Sea Fish. I've eaten at both and thought North Sea was overpriced and pretentious, with no basis for the pretension. Plus their white wine had no taste. I grew up in the UK, and once worked briefly in a chippie, and I've always eaten plaice rather than cod, and still do when I'm in England.

eks - are you going to save room for cream tea? I know it's hard to work in with both lunch and dinner, but I hate to go to England and not get clotted cream and scones. (I eat it at the Orangery in Kensington Gardens, and hope to be there the end of the month.)

AppyGirl

Don't even think about skipping St. John. The quality of the food there is second to none and everything is so interesting. I always start with the bone marrow (usually in the salad) and get whatever the special of the day is. My last visit it was roast pheasant for two and my husband and I had to pick out the buck shot. No farm raised birds for Fergus. Everything is wild.
You'll love all the food. I'm in London about 3 or 4 times a year and am amazed at the quality and inventiveness of British cooking. It ain't your Daddy's british cooking. I must say, that of all the restaurants I've experienced in London, St John, Clark's, and The River Cafe are my favorites. There are plenty of small local declicious places to eat but the three listed never fail to deliver.

Cholmondley_Warner

What sort of wrong'un drinks white wine with fish and chips?

CW - Speachless.

thursdaysd

But not speechless? Beer in Europe gives me indigestion, and I don't think they had cider. In any case, if they're going to put wine on the menu, it should at least taste like wine, not water.

Cholmondley_Warner

The wine tastes like whatever it tastes like - they all taste different. In any case it's not something to drink with fish n chips. Unless you are a weapons grade wrong'un.

Beer in Europe gives me indigestion,>>>>

WTF? Most beer in Europe is lager - the same crap you drink in the USA. If you mean bitter - then order lager.

CW - Dumbfounded.

thursdaysd

I don't drink beer in the US either. I drink it in Asia. I have no idea why it doesn't give me indigestion there.

zeppole

ekscrunchy: do you have plans to visit Marylebone and its food shops in May? You might enjoy it. Even if you don't do the Sunday Farmer's market, you can go food shopping in the stores and take your purchases and eat them at the Marylebone on the high street (NO 93) which is a kind of wine bar. (It used to be a pub called the Tup).

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/lif...cle1394951.ece

And if you go up to Marylebone, it's nice to spend a moment browsing books in Daunt's:

http://www.dauntbooks.co.uk/Daunts_marylebone.html

Marylebone can make a great rainy day outing.

And you might enjoy this:

http://chewonthatblog.com/2009/02/16...erground-tube/

zeppole

By the way, I've had so many bad experiences with recommended fish and chips in London that I no longer risk it, but I will point out that the Golden Hind in Marylebone consistently pulls raves:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/lif...cle1908980.ece

ekscrunchy

topping for JS Green..

Cholmondley_Warner

but I will point out that the Golden Hind in Marylebone consistently pulls raves>>

Ask Flanneur of this parish......

ekscrunchy

I booked St. John for dinner using OpenTable.

Now I am thinking of a fish and chips lunch or dinner on our first day in London which will be a Sunday.

Golden Hind appears to be closed on Sunday and I am finding conflicting information as to whether or not Rock and Sole is open Sundays. Does anyone have opening times for these two places, or suggestions for great fish and chips on a Sunday. (Is Sunday the wrong day to be eating fish and chips??)

And does anyone know if Tayyab's is open Sundays? They do not give times on their website.

Therese

If you scroll down while on the "About Us" tab at Tayyabs you'll see opening hours listed at Mon-Sun 12:00-24:00.

ncounty

ekscrunchy, are you going to any of Gordon Ramsay's restaurants? I'll be there late next week and made reservations at two of his places. I may check out Tayyabs as well; definitely want to fit in a memorable Indian meal.

ekscrunchy

Therese: Typical! I don't know how I missed that. Thank you!

NCounty: I didn't even think about Gordon Ramsey. We only have 3 nights. But I will take a look at the menus online. Which ones are you planning to visit? One night we have St. John and Tayyabs another night. I originally wanted to do one of the fish places we discussed above but did not book either of them yet.

thursdaysd

This site - www.hollyeats.com/RockSolePlaice.htm - has hours for Rock and Sole, although it's not an official site. You could always call when you get to London. This isn't the kind of place where it would occur to me to book.