Monday 18 July 2016

Pitt Cue

 Not so long ago Pitt Cue were dishing out their popular plates within the streets of Soho but since then they've ditched the street look and given themselves a tiny makeover. Now, they're smack bang right in the heart of the city with a polished look and offering a more sophisticated menu.

Therefore, is the "new look" Pitt Cue worth visiting? Well if you're after big fat cuts of juicy meat and not bothered about having a heart attack, it might just be the place for you. As for me, it's a safe bet but it didn't set the world alight.


















First things first, lets get the crap part of the meal out of the way.

The green chilli slaw is simply a big waste of time. Once you tuck into this garlic fest, there's no point in eating anything else. Not even a bit of chewing gum will be able to save your ass. As for the grilled sourdough, perhaps not bother with it due to the lack of bone marrow it's meant to have and speaking of bone marrow, the mash was ruined by a dollop of unnecessary garlic butter. Why? just why?.

Pitt Cue do however slightly re deem themselves with their meat. I suppose after all that is the whole reason why I visited in the first place.
The house bacon is coated in a sweet glaze and just like the slow cooked ox tongue, is soft and falls apart with the slightest touch of the fork.
With the mangalitza pate, you wont be short changed, with a thick generous serving of fatty pork spread over homemade toasted bread. However it did lack seasoning.
With the mains and special, the cured and smoked jowl is a big bit of juicy meat with a thin crisp skin on top and as for the feather tip steak, its succulent and beautifully cooked medium-rare.

Pitt Cue is good don't get me wrong and certain aspects of the menu is worth while i.e. the meat they produce. But in the long run it left me somewhat frustrated. Parts of the meal were dense, heavy, under seasoned and way too rich especially for this time of the year. You won't go home disappointed but you wont leave thinking it was a meal to remember.











Potato Cake

Grilled Sourdough & Bone Marrow

Ox Tongue

Mangalitza Pate

Hpise Bacon

Cured & Smoked Jowl

Special - Feather Tip Steak

Artichoke & Fermented Celery

Bone Marrow Mash








Monday 4 July 2016

Dishoom

Dishoom certainly takes you back in time. Escape from the 21st century and walk through the restaurant's door and experience the hustle and bustle of a place that pays homage to Irani cafes in Bombay during the swinging sixties. Slow rotating fans, low level lighting and walls plastered with vintage records and pictures gives Dishoom that elegant and colonial feel.

Don't be alarmed by the mammoth scale of how busy it is. I managed to get a table within twenty minutes and even if you have to wait, head over to the bar and crack open a nice large bottle of Kingfisher. It'll be worth it.

Ordering food can be tricky because every dish on the menu looks and sounds so god damn tasty. The front of house staff recommend that each person should order around two to three dishes. Trust them, that's ample.














Small plates such as the lamb samosas, bhel (puffed riced surrounded by pomegranates, tamarind, lime, mint, onion and tomatoes) and the okra fries go down a treat especially when you have a variety of dips on the table. Try the garlic and chilli dip, it will literally blow your top, amazing stuff.

When it comes to the mains, The Carnaby special is a must have. Tender pieces of diced lamb slowly cooked in a rich, spiced gravy are accompanied with a couple of soft buttery rotis (which are made in house) to help mop up every bit of that delicious sauce.
If you like your grills, the murgh malai is a winner. Succulent, juicy chicken thighs marinated in garlic, ginger and coriander will certainly give you the wow factor.

You can't have mains without having a number of sides. The house black daal is rich and comforting and is undoubtedly a match made in heaven with any dish on the menu and if the rotis aren't enough, order a load of naans (cheese one for me) and fluffy, seasoned basmati rice.

If things do get too wild, the paneer and mango salad will certainly tone things down. Dressed leaves, thick slices of juicy mango and strips of marinated paneer will appeal to any vegetarian out there.

Let the food keep coming and the drinks keep flowing because Dishoom will not disappoint. At such affordable prices you won't be breaking the bank, so forget ordering a takeaway at your local as Dishoom will provide you with some tantalising curries.





Dishoom Carnaby special




Murgh Malai



Lamb Samosas


Okra Fries



Cheese Naan




Mango & Paneer Salad


Bhel ( Puffed Rice, Bombay Mix, Pomegrante, Tomato, Onion, Lime, Tamarind & Mint)



House Black Daal