Basement Barbers at Exmouth Market (Qype does London)

Basement Barbers at Exmouth Market
Chris Osburn
Qype does London
January 12th 2009



Having just posted a glowing review of Basement Barbers on Qype, I figured I’d take advantage of the Qype does London blog to rave about this Exmouth Market gem a little more.

Read the complete Basement Barbers at Exmouth Market post at Qype does London.

Takeout Stakeout: Santoré (Londonist)

Takeout Stakeout: Santoré
Chris Osburn, Food & Drink Editor
Londonist
November 11, 2008



With wintery weather starting to really crimp our style and the festive season frenzies rolling out regardless of our being prepared, a pizza and a bottle of wine at home sounds like a brilliant idea (especially when the Santoré peeps to add a little fresh buffalo mozzarella ontop). We’ve been ordering pizza from Santoré for ages and have yet to be disappointed.

Read the complete Takeout Stakeout: Santoré review at Londonist.

Health Nut: Keenwah (Londonist)

Health Nut: Keenwah
by Chris Osburn, Food & Drink Editor
Londonist
May 19, 2008










Keenwah, a whole food salad company, prides itself on preparing “fresh, wholefood and natural quinoa salads,” which are “unusual, extremely healthy and really delicious.” And, Londonist is quite keen to spread the good news about their wholesome yumminess.

Click here for complete article.

Three Times More Gujarati Rasoi Goodness at Exmouth Market!!!

Just a quick note to let folks know that one of the yummiest meals I've ever had (Gujarati Rasoi's samosa chatt) is now available at Exmouth Market on Wednesdays and Thursdays in addition to their mainstay Friday street vending. Rejoice! (I reckon they're still on at Broadway Market on Saturdays too, but I haven't been round there in quite awhile.)


Photography by Chris Osburn © 2008

London Daily Photo: As Seen on Exmouth Market

London Daily Photo: As Seen on Exmouth Market
Photography by Chris Osburn © 2008
Interested in contributing a photograph of London to this blog? Click here for details.

London Daily Photo: Exmouth Market Lights

London Daily Photo: Exmouth Market Lights
Photography by Chris Osburn © 2007
Interested in contributing a photograph of London to this blog? Click here for details.

Londonist asks "What's for Lunch?" Jollof Pot

Here's another What's for Lunch? post for Londonist. Stayed tuned for subsequent instalments on Tuesdays around noon.

Londonist asks "What's for Lunch?" Jollof Pot
by Chris Osburn
Londonist
November 20, 2007










We particularly like the spinach and agushi stew as well as the black-eyed peas with tomato stew … and we particularly love dousing a little (mega-super-wow) hot sauce on the side of whatever Jollof Pot item we’re eating.

Click here for complete review.

Overheard: Flanked by Corpo-Coffee Outlets

I had to stop, shake my head and sigh when, the other day, I heard myself saying the following to a friend whom I was to meet at Exmouth Market:

There's a Starbuck's end and a Caffè Nero end. I'll be coming from the Starbuck's end.

























Photography courtesy of King Coyote's photostream on Flickr

























Photography courtesy of Iain Ferrell's photostream on Flickr

Londonist asks "What's for Lunch?" Nando's

Yet another What's for Lunch? post for Londonist. This one garnered a number of interesting comments. Stayed tuned for the subsequent instalments on Tuesdays and Thursdays around noon.

What's for Lunch? Nando's
by Chris Osburn
Londonist
June 12, 2007

With over 50 locations throughout greater London, we’re sure many of our readers know the drill at all-pervading fast-casual chicken joint, Nando’s: decide where to sit and take a number; after deciding where to sit, place your order at the front counter and then sit back down; wait for it to be brought to your table. This model works well except, perhaps, if you’re dining alone and carrying bags.

Click here for complete post.

Madonna at Exmouth Market or Don't leave home without your camera!

Note to self: Always always always take your camera with you, dummy!

A lesson that's been impressed upon me many times (especially over the past year) but that I still can't seem to heed, is this: if I leave my camera at home, I'm sure to happen upon a very photogenic moment. Case in point: Friday around midday, I needed to go out to run some errands. Before leaving, I took a good long look at my camera bag, wondering if I should sling it across my shoulder for my brief outing. 'Nah,' I thought, 'I'm not going to be out that long or going anywhere interesting.'

So, I walked up to nearby Exmouth Market where I happened upon a huge crowd gathered around some vans, camera and lighting equipment, people walking around with clipboards, and ... Madonna, who was working on an upcoming film. Just a few minutes from my flat, I made a U-turn, heading back for my camera. Less than 10 minutes later, I returned to a much more mundane scene: no crowd, no vans, no clipboards, no Madonna. Oh well. Click here for some photos by some Flickr folks with a little more luck than I had.

Anyway, I took being out with the camera as an opportunity to take some shots of a couple of Banksy pieces, one of which has been getting an awful lot of publicity (like this, this and this) as being a new piece. However, I can verify that it's been there at least a year when I first noticed it. The other (the rat) seems to have fallen victim to a zealous but ineffective art collector.

Photography by Tiki Chris © 2007

Green Light Pharmacy in Clerkenwell

I just wanted to say that the folks at the Green Light Pharmacy at Exmouth Market in Clerkenwell are super nice. I've had to go there a couple of times recently and have found them to be really helpful. I'm sure there are plenty of other good pharmacies in the area, but I just wanted to mention that Green Light runs a friendly business.

Queuing up for pie and mash at Clark's

The following photo is certainly not among my best, but it does illustrate the almost regular scene outside Clark's around lunchtime. Since January, Clark's has been buzzing with patrons eager for some pie and mash on their lunch break. It's a yummy lunch option; I can't blame them for waiting.

Photography by Tiki Chris © 2007

The holy king of London pizza delivers!!!

Early last month, I wrote a review about one of my fave London restaurants, Santoré (click here for that post). Well, just recently Santoré started delivering. This, my dear friends, is fantastic news. In addition to some of the best pizza I've had outside Napoli, they deliver a good assortment of pasta dishes etc ... as well as beer, wine and cigarettes. I love it.

Photography by Emiana © 2006

I'm not sure if you're able to order from the restaurant's website, but here it is.

Santoré for proper pizza

I recently got a gig writing for the entertainment section of Crumbs for Men, a new monthy online magazine. Here's a link to a review I wrote for them.

Santoré
by Chris Osburn
Crumbs for Men
February 2007

There have been plenty of honourable mentions along the way, but it was when I took a chance on a margherita at Santoré in Clerkenwell that I felt my desire to find a superb pizza in London had been satisfied.












Visit the Entertainment section of Crumbs for Men for complete review.

Daily Photo - December night at Exmouth Market

December night at Exmouth Market
Photograph by Tiki Chris © 2006
Interested in contributing a photograph of London to this blog? Click here for details.

Local Pie and Mash

I've gotten in the occasional habit of grabbing lunch at a nearby restaurant called Clark's, where ordering the standard fare of one large pie and two mash covered in liquor (a non-alcoholic clear sauce with parsley) is one of the most filling and homey ways I've found to spend £2.85. In addition to the foodie satisfaction, it's worth paying such a small price just to sit in Clark's austere tiled setting, which some long-time Londoner friends have confirmed is a real deal, old school pie and mash establishment (I'd love to take my camera to Clark's but the place is so Englishly quiet and reserved that I really don't want to make a scene and disturb the owners or their clientele, but one of these days I'll muster the courage).

Last time round, I was asked by the kind lady behind the counter (Mrs. Clark?) if I wanted "sauce" with my pie and mash - I guess she figured that, with my American accent, I wouldn't know what she meant by liquor. My response - 'Oh yes, and plenty of it' - took her a bit off guard. She lifted her head with a slight look of alarm and declared, "You're starting to sound like a local!"

All I could say was "thank you" as she handed me my plate nearly overflowing with liquor. Finding an empty bench, I sat down and doused my lunch in ample vinnie ... and savoured every bite.

Clark's

46 Exmouth Market
London EC1R 4QE
See on a map
Telephone 020 7837 1974
Open Monday-Friday 10:30am to 5:30pm

Saturdays 10:30am to 5:00pm

Exceptionally delicious regional Indian food at Exmouth Market

Ever since the recent return of a Friday/Saturday street market to Exmouth Market (giving this street's name some meaning), forgaging for yummies in Clerkenwell has markedly improved (and it wasn't bad to begin with). Among the savories available at the street market is Gujarati Rasoi's "100% Authentic Vegetarian Gujarati Food." The idea behind Gujarati Rasoi is "to present food that is authentic, a true taste of Indian food from Gujarat ... As we say to our customers, Its exactly what we eat at home."

Soon after my first bite, I became an avid fan and am now a lunchtime regular. In particular, I've come to love their Samosa Chatt, which consists of the following:

One samosa served combined with delicious chick pea & potato sakh dressed with sev momra, chopped coriander, onions and two chutneys (date and tamerind), sweet and sour yoghurt, and coriander - fresh and cooling.

Not only is the Samosa Chatt delicious, it's also one of the most filling meals I've ever had. I can eat one of these for a late breakfast/early lunch and not even think about food until well into the evening. Very impressive considering the Samosa Chatt is under £5!














The Exmouth Market street market is every Friday from 11am - 6pm and every Saturday from 9am - 4pm.

Gujarati Rasoi vends at Exmouth Market on Fridays and most Saturdays. According to their website, they also vend at Broadway Market in Hackney and are available to cater events and private parties.

Click here to check out Gujarati Rasoi's website.
Click here to visit the Exmouth Market street market's website.

Jollof Pot full of goodness at Exmouth Market

A few weeks back, I came across the Ghanaian food vendors, Jollof Pot, at the end of the Architecture Week's Sheep Drive. In a previous posting (click here) I commented on how much I enjoyed the 'heaping plate of blackeyed peas and tomato stew with rice' that I ate and how I hoped 'to run into Jollof Pot again.'

Well, lo and behold, the other day while running an errand, I passed through Exmouth Market (not even five minutes from my flat), where a nice Jollof Pot lady was busy getting things prepped for lunch. I had noticed other Exmouth Market food vendors at lunchtime on other occasions, but had never noticed Jollof Pot.

I went and ran my errand, then returned to a building queue at the Jollof Pot stand. When my turn to order came, I asked if they were there during the week. "Monday to Friday - maybe on Saturday," was the response. I got the impression that Jollof Pot might have other stands throughout London, but I can't verify that. So, if you like spicy, yummy, stews, I recommend making it to Exmouth Market sometime during the week or, at the very least, keeping an eye out for these folks next time you find yourself at an event with food vendors.