Monthly Archives: October 2012

Who needs Venice when you’ve got Polpo?

31 Wednesday Oct 2012

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Last Tuesday, my friend and I met up after too long a time for a good old catch up and also to see a band called Foxes. Well, not so much a band really but a singer known as Foxes.  As Foxes wasn’t due to make an appearance on stage until 10p.m, , we had a few hours to kill, therefore we went in search for somewhere to get food. The first place we were going to go to was Leon, the healthy fast food restaurant, however we had been there a couple of times and it just didn’t have the atmosphere we were looking for. Wandering around Soho whilst chatting aimlessly we must’ve passed several restaurants that would’ve satisfied our hunger however it wasn’t until we stumbled upon ‘Polpo’ that we made a decision.

Polpo is described as The Venetian word ‘bicaro’ meaning a ‘humble restaurant serving simple food and good local wines’ It is situated on Beak Street in Soho, however there are two more, one in Covent Garden and one in Smithfield. Sister restaurants include Mishkin’s and the one I can’t stop hearing about called Spuntino.

Entering Polpo, just gone 7p.m. the place was already full to the brim with people and chatter.  The staff came up to us straight away and told us there was an hour wait, however they had a bar downstairs where we could order drinks and antipasti’s. Having a great feel for the place and seeing how popular it was, we definitely didn’t want leave. Plus it was cold outside and this place had a bar, we were sold!

The bar downstairs was also packed but there was room to stand at the bar. I ordered a glass of wine which came in a tumbler which I loved and after a few minutes a table became available. In the bar you can only order cinceti, small snacks or side dishes, so we went for the arancini balls.

Polpo Pinot Bianco

The hour’s wait in the bar passed quickly enough and we were ready to indulge in some tasty tapas. I always find when it comes to Tapas, you end up ordering far more than you initially set out to and the price tag speedily creeps up. However, although not the cheapest of places, I felt that the food and experience were worth the cost.

The menu offers a selection of Pizzette, meatballs,  fish and meat with prices ranging from £3 to £9.50. Both being lovers of goats cheese, we went for the Goats Cheese, roasted grape and honey bruschetta. Grapes with goats cheese was something I had never tried before but they worked together well to create a sweet flavour and I felt that half the bruschetta was the perfect amount. Along with the Goats cheese we had the calamari as well as the Chickpea, Spinach and Ricotta meatballs. The meatballs were absolutely lovely with thier crunchy texture and just the right amount of cheese; the calamari however was a tad disappointing. There wasn’t a huge amount of it and although healthy, we were quite disappointed it wasn’t deep-fried. Nevertheless it most certainly wasn’t left behind.

Goats cheese, roasted grape and honey brushcetta

Leaving room for dessert, we chose the Nutella Pizetta, which was slightly thinner than a crepe with a more floury taste.  I don’t think you can ever go wrong with ordering a dessert that contains Nutella, however a little bit more Nutella might have made it just that extra bit more satisfying. I was also slightly put off by the sugary crystal-like balls which gave it a crunchy texture, however yet again none was left on the plate.

Nutella Pizzetta

Two tumblers of wine  later and with a satisfied tummy , we headed off to our gig. By now it was 10p.m, therefore perfect timing to head to Madame JoJo’s for a good dance and listen to some new, fun music.

http://www.polpo.co.uk/

Bodean’s BBQ Feast

21 Sunday Oct 2012

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I was set the challenge of finding a good meat restaurant in London, something that had ribs I was told, so always liking a challenge, I set about to find somewhere where we could enjoy a good meaty meal. When searching the web, the first place that popped up was a place called Bodeans. The name rang a bell so I continued onto their website. An american influenced bar and grill, the menu sounded pretty tasty so there and then I decided it was a yes.  I’m glad I stuck with the decision as the place did not disappoint at all.

Situated halfway down Poland Street, just off Oxford Street, you can smell the place 10ft before you reach it. The Neon signs and the cue outside were a sure sign that this was the place. Although a cold night, being the beginning of October, at least fifteen people sat waiting to have their name called. After a few minutes we managed to squeeze our way in to get an approximate waiting time. We were told it would be 30-35mins. Although it seemed long at first, I knew I didn’t want to go somewhere else, not now, and being hopeful thought, ‘ah it won’t be too long.’

Luckily for us it was only a 15 minute wait before  two seats became available.

The restaurant is laid out as a deli upstairs, restaurant down stairs. Squashed in-between each other, if on a first date you might be worried that the person sitting next to you is listening in, however, once you sit down, the noises around you just become muddled into one and you can focus and listen to the people you came with.

The Baby Back Ribs and Buffalo Wings were pretty good too!

The menu offered a variety of ribs, chicken wings and a selection of pork, beef and chicken sandwiches, therefore you definitely can’t go wrong if you’re a meat lover. However, there are veggie options too such as the double veggie burger and a couple of salads to choose from. Being recommend the pulled pork I went for the Soho special  voted ‘the best sandwich in town’ by capital radio. It combined both burnt ends and pulled pork in a toasted bun with bbq sauce and chips. It didn’t take long to come and when it did it didn’t take long to eat either. The chips were hand made and absolutely delicious, although given a selection of sauces on the sides, they wasn’t a need for them. The first bite of the burger was delicious, filled with so much meat, the tastes were all consuming and powerful, however after 5 or so bites I found it became too much and had to take a break.

Bodean’s provides the usual beverages but what makes the menu stand out are the western themed cocktails such as Bodean’s Martini, the famous New Orlean’s Hurricane and Pit boss’ apple juice.

All in all it was a great spot for an evening meal. We headed downstairs to check out restaurant where I overheard the waitress saying to one group it was a two hour wait. Good job they provide a takeaway service!

http://www.bodeansbbq.com/