Platform

A relatively new addition to the Tooley street line up, Platform is one of the new breed of gastrobars hitting London. It's about 2 years old now (hence the relatively part) and is proving to be very popular as a drinking spot and moderately intriguing as a place to dine.

The menu is mostly British with a slight European influence. It's not terribly extensive (or expensive for that matter) but it has sufficient variety so that everyone can find something to suit (even my picky housemate!). I opted for the deep fried pig's cheeks in order to keep to the goal of trying something new and usual if it's on the menu. The waitress's enthusiastic endorsement of the choice further enhanced my excitement for trying this out. For my main, I opted for a seared chard with polenta cakes and a creamy mushroom sauce. I had no idea what chard was but more on that later.

Deep fried pig cheeks

Unfortunately, the pigs' cheeks turned out to be the McNuggets that don't make the cut. Small pieces of dark meat, they are battered in plain flour and deep fried to an inch of their gastronomic life. All flavour was sucked out and even the creamy sauce they were served with seemed to lose its taste to the oil soaked void of the batter. I couldn't even finish the small serving I had from sheer boredom and the feeling each bite was taking 6 months of my life.

Seared chard with polenta cakes

The mains arrived and I discovered to my surprise and disappointment that chard is a vegetable. Why oh why didn't I google this first? Still, undeterred (and very hungry) I dug in. I'll admit, the chard and polenta were actually quite good and filling. It probably needed a bit more salt (and a lot more spice) but that's more my personal taste. Despite the lack of meat, I did enjoy this dish and would recommend it, especially to my veggie friends. The chicken my housemate had looked pretty damn good and the thick cut chips were deliciously crunchy.

Chilli Mojito

Other thoughts: The old fashioned was excellent but the bellini the housemate had tasted like Miller Lite. So it's hit or miss on the cocktails apparently. The atmosphere is nice with the dining room being sufficiently high to allow for conversation. The soft rumble of the trains overhead is not much of a distraction until you realise that means many tons of metal are right above you and you hope they got the strength of the roof right!

Chocolate fondant

Overall, pretty good value especially for the location. I think I'll opt to stick with the drinks and head to  Suchard for my food fixes when in the area!

Cocoro

RAMEN! It's been a long time, my friend, and I'm happy to get you back in my belly. 

I've had a long history with ramen, starting with those rectangular packets of dried interwoven cardboard masquerading as noodles that came with a little pack of seasoning we learned to call MSG. At a couple of bucks for a 36-pack, you can't really expect much quality but a starving highschool student doesn't really care for quality. You could make it in a kettle that you kept hidden under the bed (for some reason they were convinced we would burn the dorms down with it) for those last night snacks in between rounds of Cstrike.

Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen

College came along, and I branched out into 3-minute ramen noodes that came in Styrofoam cups and bowls. Better, but not by much. Then I was introduced to Naruto, and the sheer joy this anime character has at devouring huge bowls of steaming ramen noodles and meat intrigued me. What was this dish that looked like real food and not something akin to the leftovers from a recycling plant?The US (and my asian friends) provided many opportunities to sample ramen (and Pho) yet when I moved over to London a few years ago I couldn't find a decent place to feed my addiction. Luckily, Josy A joined the Yelp community and jumped to our aid when Kevin L called for a Ramen outing. And now (Finally! I heard you say it...don't deny it) to the point of the review: Coroco.Tucked away on Marylebone street a stone's throw from Dover Street Market (that cool set of shops just behind HMV across from Bond Street Station), Coroco's is a haven of Japanese goodness. It's easy to walk past (as we did) and at first glance looks incredibly small. There are actually three different areas so don't be dismayed if the front area looks packed as there is seating downstairs (more traditional style with cushions around a low table) and also another area that requires you to go downstairs, through a door past the sole bathroom, and up another flights of stairs.

A very realistic looking Dragon Roll

The menu is anything but small though. There is a special Ramen menu with 4 types of broths (Pork, spicy pork, veggie, and something else). Sadly, they only had the regular pork broth so not sure why we were given a choice. There is also the usual spread of sushi and sashimi and hot Japanese favourites like katsu curry. There are a couple of unique items like deep fried camembert although I have no idea why.The vast majority of our group ordered the pork Ramen and some edamame and gyoza (dumplings) to share. The edamame was delightful and cooked just enough. I would have preferred a heavier sprinkling of salt but not a big issue. The gyoza came out pan-fried and tongue-burning hot but once cooled down had plenty of flavour to enjoy (assuming you hadn't burnt off all your tastebuds). 

Takoyaki!

The ramen arrived fairly quickly and in two parts: i) the bowl of broth with noodles soaking just below the surface and ii) a plate of add-ins which included chopped scallions, julienned mushrooms, sesame seeds, half a softboiled egg soaked in soya, and a couple of slices of pork. I tossed it all in (carefully having learned when Uli went too quickly and splashed all over his tshirt) and let it warm in the hot broth. The textures and flavours from the various ingredients provided a variety of sensations from the crunchy sharp scallions to the mellow tang of the sesame and the fatty decadence of the pork. The noodles were soft and surprisingly easy to collect with the chopsticks and spoon provided. The broth was phenomenal and I could have easily drank that all day. I can see what Josy meant when she said it would be an excellent hangover cure! The hot house sake was slightly sweet and an excellent accompaniment to the dish. Service at Cocoro's is a bit hard to get despite there being a number of waitresses just hanging around (maybe only one spoke English?) and Uli and Linzi had to almost yell to get her attention for us to pay. But a relatively minor item. Also the bathroom is very small (and there is only one!) to the extent I had to duck my head to wash my hands and I would never consider myself a tall person at 5'9". The drinks menu is incredibly extensive with page after page of various Shochus (a potent Japanese liquor) and quite a few types of Sake and other fruit liquors.Overall, for £12-14 for Ramen and a total bill of £25pp (for Ramen, drinks, and the appetisers) it's a fairly affordable dinner outing especially for groups. I'm definitely keeping it mind for next time and I've also got to try Tomoe which is just down the road.

Benito's Hat - Yelp Elite Showcase Dinner

12 Great Castle St
London W1W 8LR
020 7636 6560

Feel the burn! Usually something you hear from a personal trainer trying to get you to go just that little bit further. However, as I discovered last night at the Showcase Dinner (it’s good to be an Elite!), this also applies to the special Diablo salsa on offer at Benito’s Hat. But more on that later.

This was an intimate gathering of 8 Elites, our valiant leader, one of the owners (Ben), and a representative (Stewart) from the PR firm which helps craft Benito’s Hat’s image. We had the run of the downstairs which is perfect for small groups to sit, chat, and stuff their faces full of quality Mexican food.

Quick shout out: Yelp is a review website with a massive social aspect. I'm fortunate to be one of the Elite members which means invites to great events with free food and drink where we get to meet the owners and learn more about the place beyond the usual visit.

Tortilla chips with (left to right) pico de gallo, sour cream, salsa verde, and salsa brava

A quick blurb about BH. A relatively new entrant to London’s burrito business, they’ve brought a winning combination of home-cooked flavours (quite literally just like Mama used to make) based on old family recipes of the head chef (who we sadly didn’t get to meet). Added to that, BH provides a colourful welcoming setting, pretty reasonable prices for the food, and a selection of delicious margaritas. There are four central locations (Goodge St, Covent Garden, Oxford Circus, and King’s Cross) which just begets the question: when are you coming East?

Traditional margarita (left) and Watermelon margarita

Back to the event! We started of with some classic margaritas that were on the slushy side of frozen. I actually prefer them this way as they are cold enough to give some texture to your drink and balance our the fiery salsa with the chips but not so cold that you feel that your teeth are acting like mini-ice picks just to get a sip. You can also order them on the rocks with an optional salt rim if you are so inclined. This was quickly followed by a strawberry marg which was absolutely delicious. I’ve had many flavours of margaritas in my time (in fact I had many just last night), but this was exceptional with the sweetness of the strawberries, the  tanginess of the lime, and the bite of the tequila blending together in a perfectly balanced and refreshing drink. I could knock back a pitcher of this on my own and will likely do just that in a couple of weeks.

Ben (the owner) serving up my burrito. Now that's what I call service!

After a quick Q&A where Ben shared some of the history of BH (and also the challenge and cost of sourcing avocados – never will I complain about the small guac surcharge again!), we ventured upstairs to order our food of choice. BH offers the street food staples of burritos, tacos, burritas (at some locations and I’m not sure how this differs from a burrito), salads, and soups. Being a burrito guy, I had to opt for it and, on Ben’s recommendation, selected the slow-cooked braised pork. A full array of cheese, lettuce, rice, beans, and guac filled out my tortilla and then I took the plunge and asked for both the salsa brava and salsa del Diablo to really knock it up a notch.

The delicious meats. Bottom right is the slow-cooked pork.

The meat was delightfully tender and had a rich smoky flavour that I crave in my slow-cooked meats. I’m guessing a mix of adobo and chipotle chillies to give it a depth of flavour without overwhelming heat but I can say for certainty it’s the best Mexican shredded pork I’ve had in London (sorry Freebird). The guac didn’t make as much of an appearance as I would have hoped and could have used a bit more lime before fading into a creamy background. It’s possible it merged with the taste of the black beans which were suitably soft and are cooked with avocado leaves. The dual salsa choice was perfect however with the salsa brava kicking in at the start with its bold in-your-face heat and the salsa del Diablo being a more slow burn that builds with each bite. 

A variety of toppings. And doesn't beer make such good decor?

Even more food followed us downstairs in the form of tofu tacos and chicken tacos as Ben has noticed we had gone wholeheartedly for the beef and pork. The tofu tacos, served with sour cream, pico de gallo, and salsa verde, were delightfully refreshing as the meat and spice feast I had just demolished. I never thought I’d say this, but I’d consider getting tofu tacos again. The chicken was tasty but didn’t stand up to the pork in my opinion but was still a welcome addition to my belly (along with an unhealthy serving of salsa del Diablo).

Pomegranate Margarita. A bit pink but delicious!

Ben also demonstrated how to make the perfect margarita by following a 1x1x1 ratio of tequila (use a good tequila blanco made from 100% agave), fresh lime juice, and triple sec. You can up the tequila amount if you want a more potent drink but two simple rules to follow: 1) a margarita must have tequila and lime juice, and 2) you should never have a larger quantity of any ingredient than you do of tequila!. Simples!

Ben told us the history of the name, Benito’s Hat. I thought it was perhaps a term of endearment (the Spanish are forever adding –ito or –ita to the end of names to make them cuter…perhaps the Mexicans do too) for him but it turns out that Benito Juarez, the first Mexican president of Mexico, used to be a very sombre dresser until one day he rocked up with a truly flamboyant hat. Although he went back to his all-black dress code, that story is immortalised in folk tales ever since.

A trio of desserts. Tres Leche cake in the center.

And we finished off with a trio of classic Mexican desserts. The Tres Leche (3 milk) cake was moist and soaked in a rich sweet caramel sauce. The flan (essentially creme caramel with cinnamon) had a great robust and slightly bitter flavour with the silky smoothness you'd expect from such a dish. And finally, there was a crispy wafer covered in cinnamon sugar that would make an excellent movie snack or really good for any time.

More desserts!

Overall, an excellent time and one that I really felt I got more of a feel for the place and our gracious hosts rather than just eating and drinking my fill (not that I’d ever complain about that)! Oh also they just released a cookbook which is beautiful and full of delicious Mexican recipes and will be signing at Covent Garden Waterstones this Thursday!