GrumblingGourmet's Qype reviews
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168 Bellenden Road, London SE15 4BW
Its bright, open corner location opens up wonderfully in the early January light and large open windows and outside seating will be a godsend in the summer and will near double its capacity. Fashionably small wooden tables and communal bench seating are lovely, but we were left with little room for the multiple small plates of food (yes, that again) once water and a cute little pot of Jasmine tea were stacked up.
GrumblingGourmet
wrote on 20 January 2013
There's not much delineation between plates that would be starter or would be main other than the price, so it helps if you're happy sharing. Prices vary from £5.50 to £12.50 and with a recommended 2-3 plates per person it can get pricy for a neighbourhood restaurant. Thankfully they include the rice in that price. While there are a few staples featured, there isn't a focus on the thick curries many will associate with the region, instead more is made of subtle and steamed melanges of exotic vegetables, herbs and fruit like galangal, morning glory, krachai and the rarer members of the aubergine family. On our trip there weren't too many dishes on the regularly changing menu, but still enough to construct a reasonable selection from.
One of the best Pad Thai dishes I've had was a smashing demonstration of how unctuous and satisfying this often bland noodle dish can be. Soft and pillowy pork belly in a light peanut sauce came with a sharp papaya salad, though the portion size was a little disappointing for the price. The only disappointment were a handful of satay pork skewers, cooked, but not charred, and without enough texture or flavour correspondingly.
There's easily enough here to bring me back, and it's a fantastic new local spot for the local lads and ladies who lunch. Given Bellenden Road's firmly cemented position as an extension to East Dulwich's Lordship Lane, I don't think that they've got anything to worry about. -
67 Peckham Rd, London SE5 8UH
GrumblingGourmet
wrote on 3 October 2010
The slightly too cool for school gallery attached to the slightly too cool for school Camberwell Arts College finally gets the slightly too cool for school gallery it deserves.
That sounds slightly disparaging, and I don't mean to be, it's actually a lovely place to pass an hour over coffee, cake or a healthy, organic, locally sourced bite, if you can get a table. Great coffee, a selection of quality home made cakes and a selection of light bites; salads, quiches, risottos and the like. The also have an excellent sounding 'Spanglish' breakfast that I need to try at some point. As you'd expect from an art gallery, the design is excellent, it's a pity there are so few seats and the arty crowd of Camberwell (with attendant babies) have to queue for so long.
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62 Gowlett Road, London SE15 4HY
GrumblingGourmet
wrote on 23 May 2010
See the full review at www.grumblinggourmet.com
Much is said around SE15 / SE22 about the wonders of the Gowlett. It's an unreconstructed boozer. Pool table in the corner, multiple dogs wandering round trying to half inch crisps, local 'characters' happily mingling with art students, t-shirts and haircuts that wouldn't feel out of place in Shoreditch. That kind of thing. I bumped into a random colleague there who proudly informed me that she had just moved to the road to be near the place... it inspires loyalty and reverence.
You also know that it's no ordinary pub pizza when people, hungry, booze filled exuberant people, are all very happy waiting AN HOUR for a few simple toppings on a dough base.Crispier than I was expecting, the base was almost like a pitta bread around the edges. My Chef's Special came with a topping led by bacon and peppers and despite a (slightly) excessive char on the base was mighty tasty. My friend had their signature Gowlettini, a cheese heavy combination that comes with a lot, and I mean a large man's handful, of rocket over the top. A lazy-boy salad combo if you will.
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119 Grove Lane, London SE5 8BG
GrumblingGourmet
wrote on 25 April 2010
Especially worth going for one of their glorious noodle dishes. It's a great option in an increasingly foodie part of town.
See the full review at www.grumblinggourmet.com