Tag Archives: soho

Bar Termini, Soho

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Coffee and cocktails are my two vices. When I travel a decent cup of caffeine in the morning keeps me happy till nightfall when I like nothing better than a strong, perfectly mixed, old-fashioned cocktail. London has plenty of exemplary establishments to taste the best of both bean and spirits. The new Bar Termini in Soho combines coffee and cocktails in a Italian inspired hazy little café, that evokes memories of summers past.

The bar is named after Rome’s main station in homage to the Italian capital. Its purpose is to provide locals and thirsty visitors with a place to pop in and grab a refreshing or revitalising drink. On weekdays they have particularly long and accommodating hours, opening the doors at 7.30 am and closing up shop at 11.30 pm.

Inside the joint there is a laid-back vintage vibe with an alluring bar with leather stools and circular wooden tables for perching at whilst sipping your drink. Set up by cocktail connoisseur Tony Conigliaro and coffee expert Marco Arrigo, the bar was bound to be a success! We enjoyed a couple of Negronis from the menu, the Rosato (rose-petal infused) was my favourite… the floral flavour softening the harsh bitterness of the spirit. For a more spicy drink, try the Superiore Negroni (pink-peppercorn infused). Alongside our drinks we nibbled on the £1 mini ham and cheese paninis.

Coffee fans can choose to stop by for an authentically Italian espresso at the bar, or can sit with a more leisurely long milky drink.

There’s no shortage of cafes and cocktail bars in Soho, but a place that does both so successfully is a winner in my eyes.

More information here: www.bar-termini.com

Bone Daddies Shackfuyu, Soho

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Bone Daddies made a relatively quiet entrance onto the Soho restaurant scene a few years ago. Since opening the ramen bar has gradually grown in popularity, serving up steaming bowls of goodness and satisfying sticky meaty treats. I found the food very salty, but cannot fault the concept.

It seems the trend for this oriental cuisine continues to soar… Shackfuyu is the recent pop-up from the Bone Daddies team, and London’s top foodies are falling over each other to taste the Japanese fusion food.

The space is big and allows for a dinky bar downstairs where hungry guests wait patiently for a free table. While we were down there, we took the opportunity to trial a few of the pre-bottled cocktails. This pre-mixed method usually perturbs me, but the concoctions at Shackfuyu are good enough to withstand a bit of fridge time, and are served in stylish little glass milk bottles. I loved the ‘Orenji What?!’ a whisky based drink with triple sec and orange misu, a slightly sweeter version of an Old Fashioned. We also tried the zestier ‘Ringo Starr’ a mix of gin, sake and apple juice.

Eventually we were seated upstairs, at this point we were ready to devour the entire menu. There is a tempting selection of small snacky plates so you can order a selection, share your way slowly through the feast. Aubergine with miso and babu arare is a sticky sweet delight and Prawn toast a delicate treat. The highlight for us was the Korean fried wings, coated in layers of treacle textured sauce and a sprinkle of sesame seeds – they are a messy dish, but once you’ve delved in you’ll barely want to come up for air. I enjoyed the theatre of the hot stone rice with goma tare, chilli and beef, delivered to the table with a raw egg on top, it is stirred rapidly and sizzles with excitement. The rice tends to stick to the side of the dish but this makes the dish crunchy and even yummier.

Sadly we didn’t have space for the solo dessert on the menu (kinaki French toast) but I will definitely be returning to try it soon. I’ve heard it is not to be missed.

Shackfuyu sounds rather rude when you say it aloud but with food this tasty, who cares? Settle down in one of the comfortable booths, order generously and enjoy.

More information and see the menu of Shackfuyu here: www.bonedaddies.com/shackfuyu

The Crown and Two Chairmen, Soho

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There are a lot of loud people in the Crown & Two Chairmen pub. When we arrived I wondered where on earth we would sit, and indeed if they even served food. Centrally located on Dean Street in Soho, this rowdy inn has recently been refurbished and is busier than ever. Fighting our way through the crowd, we were led by the multi-tasking barman to a small table at the back as the restaurant area upstairs was booked out for a private party.

What I could see of the interior was warm and cosy, dark traditional colours and comfortable materials. The pub was full of pre-dinner and post-work drinkers, and around eight o’clock the venue began to calm. Although the atmosphere was jovial and pleasant for a friendly catch-up, we found ourselves shouting across the table to be heard by each other, within minutes my throat was sore.

The menu features well-loved pub dishes like fish and chips and burgers, and there are delicious craft beers and a carefully curated wine list to drink your way through. We began to feel more at home once our drinks arrived and we’d decided our dishes from the tempting options. Warmed hummous with bread and vegetables was a healthy and tasty platter to start the meal. The homemade hummous had a coarse texture with a hint of garlic and was particularly nice with the lovely sweet baby carrots. We also tried the Salt and pepper squid with spicy mayonnaise – the seafood pieces were fresh and soft but the coating could have been crispier and warmer.

The staff were extremely friendly throughout our meal, attending to our every need. After energetic gossiping we were ready for our main course. The fish cakes looked a bit sad on the plate, but were well seasoned and carefully cooked. They were served with a punchy lemon crème fraiche, paprika potato wedges and coleslaw. I opted for the 21 day aged rib-eye steak with fries, watercress and peppercorn sauce. It was a good but thin steak, lightly grilled to give a delicious chargrilled woody edge. The peppercorn sauce was very creamy with whole peppercorns adding spice and crunch.

Desserts rotate regularly and we weren’t over-excited with the options. Raspberry and peach crumble with apple sorbet was a strange dish. Presented flat in a bowl with an excess of crumble it was overpoweringly sweet and the sorbet had a slightly fake taste. I think we had bad luck as I’d spied some delicious sounding salted-caramel dishes on the pub’s website prior to visiting.

There is a surplus of pubs in Soho and The Crown & Two Chairmen is a rare venue which pairs a lively ambience and good food. This winning combination would explain why it was so busy when we visited.

More information here: www.thecrownandtwochairmenw1.co.uk