London Food & Drink News: 22 March 2012

By tikichris Last edited 144 months ago
London Food & Drink News: 22 March 2012

The Socialmusic venue, bar and Fitzrovia's answer to East End hipster-itis – has teamed up with New Cross foodie favourites, The London Particular, to provide a new quality all day food menu. Hepping up the menu with items that are homey, generously sized and nicely priced (especially for such a central location), the Social/London Particular mash up is a winning combination. Merguez sausages, caramelised onions and roast garlic mayo in a sourdough bun (£5.90, plus 80p with added Cheddar) is substantial and tasty value. Veggie and fish options are just as satisfying. And, if there's anything served with crispy kale when you visit, get it. It's yummy, healthy and mildly addictive.

Cinnamon Soho is now open to the public at 5 Kingly Street. If the official launch earlier this week served as any indication of dining experiences to come, guests should expect the same quality Indian fine dining that exec chef Vivek Singh does so impeccably well as at sister venues (Cinnamon Club and Cinnamon Kitchen) in a more centrally convenient but unfortunately much less gorgeous space.

Paradise by Way of Kensal Green will launch a new “Sunday Bloody Sunday” Sunday brunch giving customers the chance to “create their very own bloody Mary at the table, to the soundtrack of Paradise's eclectic music”. Upon ordering the cocktail, it will be delivered to the table on a tray with “the compulsory vodka and tomato juice”, along with ingredients of Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, crushed black pepper, lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, sherry, sea salt and celery sticks. The food's just as “bloody” with head chef Tim Payne coming up with bloody Mary meatballs, fillet of halibut with buttered spinach and bloody Mary sauce and even bloody Mary sorbet. Yuck or yum? A “Sunday Funday” kids club for ages six to 12 with a qualified nanny on hand, a range of entertainment and activities and a kids menu including fish finger sandwiches and beans on toast (no bloody Mary for the wee ones though) will be available too. The Sunday Bloody Sunday lunch and the kids club start this Sunday the 25th.

Tsuru Bishopsgate will host a Japanese whisky tasting with the guys from Cask Strength whisky blog on 27 March. Priced at £40 per person, the event will offer five whiskies of varying age paired with dishes from the restaurant's menu.

Saturday 31 March, West Norwood will celebrate its first ever Slow Food Festival. Centred around St Luke's Church and Beamish&McGlue, the free event will feature celebrity chef workshops, cook-offs, talks, tasting sessions and a food market blending “the joys of street food and pop-up dining with the wholesome pleasures of slow food – locally sourced, organic, fair trade, sustainable ingredients delivered with the love, care and home-cooked style central to the slow food ethos”.

Photo/Chris Osburn

Last Updated 22 March 2012