Okan

I have always been fascinated by Japanese culture and cuisine. Since a manga phase when I was around 11 during which I wanted to be Sailor Moon and watched every Studio Ghibli film out there, I have preserved a special interest for anything Japanese and still view a visit to Tokyo as a future goal. Of course when one thinks of Japanese cuisine one instantly thinks of sushi but it is a lot more diverse than that. There is a whole ramen culture that is increasingly appearing in London's restaurant scene but also the rather delicious okonomiyaki ( a japanese style omelette/pancake) that I had gotten my first taste of at Abeno Too not too long ago. Having absolutely loved the flavours completely new to me and the and handicraft that goes into making each one of these, I was more than excited to try Okan, an apparently slightly more affordable though in no ways inferior place to have okonomiyaki south of the river. Nestled in the heart of Brixton market, a market that is quickly becoming the place to find the most diverse collection of different cuisines to decent prices in a fun and unpretentious environment, I couldn't help but fall in love with Okan from the minute I walked in.  

Tiny and sparsely furnished, with only a few wooden tables, it feels more like a living room than restaurant. This homely atmosphere continues with the warm and attentive service and I could not help but smile watching the all female cooks singing Japanese songs while preparing our okonomiyakis. And boy were these creations worth waiting for. Whether filled with meat, fish ( I had the prawn one) or cheese and sweetcorn, their more interesting veggie option alongside a tofu one, and whether topped with noodles or not (a great value £1,50 addition to your okonomiyaki if you desire), they without question top the Abeno Too effort in their freshness and flavour. With no okonomiyaki over £10 Okan with out a doubt is one of the best value, authentic and welcoming restaurants that have been to in London and will definitely see me return and indulge my love for Japan for some time to come!

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Pizza East

Pizza is one of those foods that everyone likes but hardly anywhere does particularly well. After having been to Rome last year and growing up in Germany with an abundance of authentic family run Italian restaurants I know what good pizza should taste and look like- simple ingredients (dont even get me started on pineapple, sweet corn or other "creative" toppings), good stretchy dough and ideally no layer of processed rubbery cheese a la Dominoes. Of course I have had some decent pizzas in my time in London, Vapiano and Polpo for example serving fresh and flavourful versions, but until stumbling upon Pizza East had not found a restauarant that convincingly and justifiably made pizza their main focus. Run once more by the Soho group, who as I have stressed many times in other reviews truly commit themselves to a  concept and translate it with out fault into the London restaurant scene (Chicken Shop and the Electric diner being other great examples of this) , once more succeed- here creating a truly Italian eating experience in a slightly  barren and industrial inspired environment. The menu is concise ( a choice of 8 or so pizzas and a few pasta and meat mains) yet each pizza comes with interesting flavours and textures, my taleggio, spinach and egg one, though simple in its ingredients, probably the best pizza I have had in London and not too far off from the ones I sampled in the cobbled backstreets of Rome. Sides are equally fresh and authentic and will please meat eaters (lots of cured meats)  and veggies alike, our side salad a delicious combo of goats cheese, an italian type of pumpkin and grains. Reasonable priced, always delivering in terms of quality and service and now in two additional locations in London to the Shoreditch original ( one is just around the corner from me in Kentish town, the other in Notting Hill) Pizza East is  the perfect place for casual dinner that will leave even the most fussy eater satisfied, it may not be earth shattering stuff but sometimes finding a place that does a staple food amazingly well can be better than any new food craze or haute cusine place. One last tip- leave room for dessert.  Even though on this visit I refrained myself from having a slice, their salted caramel tart with mascarpone is simply divine and one of those slightly perverse combinations of sweet and salty-  gooey caramel,chocolate and sea salt beautifully combined in a tart, that makes me want to drool just thinking about it! 

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Baozi Inn

I have only ever had Chinese food once since moving to England, an experience as you may gather from the absence of this particular cuisine from that point onwards that was rather unpleasant. The Chinese takeaway my family and I naively ordered for a Saturday night in was of course in terms of authenticity the furthest you can possibly get away from an incredibly diverse cuisine that differs greatly from region to region, the greasy and flavorless variants of Chop Suey and Chicken Chow Mein served in cardboard boxes hardly a flavor experience I wanted to repeat. This is why I had been rather hesitant to try any of the establishments that line the streets of Chinatown since moving to London, especially not really knowing which were tourist traps and which actually served authentic food. This where my friend Chu came to the rescue who originally from Singapore and of Chinese decent was the best guide I could have asked for to introduce me to “proper” Chinese food. Baozi Inn, hidden in a little side street of Chinatown, was the perfect way to do exactly that. With a concise menu focused on  Sichuan cuisine which Chu warned me would be rather spicy ( me however loving chilies was more than prepared to put this to the test), it was incredibly light and flavourful and offered  some completely unexpected and new flavours. I already loved the interior, a hybrid of traditional Chinese culture with a hint of its Communist past (and arguably present), with Mao looking down on us from a poster adorning the wall and although not the most friendly service is offered her, you are expected to decide pretty quickly what you want, it offered a homely and authentic environment far away from the swarms of tourists just around the corner on the main Chinatown strip. Chu had one of the signature dishes of the region, the Mapo tofu, tofu in a spicy, warming sauce over rice which was incredibly moorish while I had the shredded chicken over cold noodles with a sesame sauce, full of deep flavours from the sauce and interesting textures yet not fatty or too filling. We also shared their amazing dumplings in a garlic and chili sauce that had just the right ratio of dough and filling and finished off a meal that while definitely spicy was not overpowering in its flavor, perfectly complimenting the ingredients and making me want to go back very soon to try what else the menu has to offer. With great prices (you will be hard pushed to spend over £15) and authentic fare in a nice environment this is the Chinese food I have yearned for so long, good thing that Chu finally showed me it exists in London. 

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