Taking an “f” out of the caffè in his sister Priscilla and brother-in-law Antonio’s Carluccio’s chain, Sir Terence Conran announced plans to open a string of British cafes based on his successful Albion formula: “Typical British caff food, nothing challenging or complicated, just straightforward hearty ingredients and recipes.” In a word, contrived.
An Albion breakfast bap on every London high street
29 October 2009 By 4 Comments
Knightsbridge woman walks out on pork belly sandwich
Picture a one-armed South Bank street performer juggling pumpkins while being sprayed from the Thames by a naked Duke of Edinburgh skidding by on a jet ski and you can begin to appreciate my astonishment upon seeing an elegant Knightsbridge woman walk out of O’Shea’s of Knightsbridge butcher shop without one of its incomparable pork belly sandwiches in her possession. “Is that the queue?” she whined towards the single line of 5 or 6 punters ogling the platter of fat-glistening pork belly. She was outta there within seconds, sans un sandwich au poitrine du porc. [Read more...]
27 October 2009 By 2 Comments
Chucked from Borough Market, De Gustibus takes salt beef to the street
When the old hall of London’s Borough Market was shut a month ago to facilitate construction of a new Thameslink train line into London Bridge station, the baker De Gustibus was one of four traders suddenly forced to give up their stalls. That was a devastating development both for the DG employees who would likely lose their jobs as well as devotees of the salt beef sandwiches they assembled with thick, tender slices of house-brined, hand-carved brisket. At first I felt angry and disillusioned. But when, during a visit to the food market last Friday, I observed that the DG meat carvers Genti and Andrea had been thrown out on the street I no longer felt sad. Truth be told I was elated. [Read more...]
22 October 2009 By 4 Comments
