Bamboula

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BamboulaAddress: 12 Acre Lane SW2 5SG

Telephone number: (020) 7737 6633

http://www.bamboulas.net/

You would have thought that Brixton was full of Caribbean restaurants but it isn’t and they only really began appearing as real restaurants rather than jerk chicken take-aways about ten years ago and only relatively recently have they been well used and not on a knife-edge of bankruptcy. Bamboula is someone’s Caribbean dream with its green and yellow bamboo and grass hut decor. Unfortunately it was raining and not the warm shower but the relentless stuff that wets all the way through. However, the restaurant made up for that by being cheerful and with welcoming staff. It was a Friday evening and reasonably full – not difficult as it is small with about 8 tables and a bar. The clientel were couples and groups of young women with  high proportion of people from the Caribean which gave us the confidence that this was the real thing. The menu was short enough to be interesting but not overwhelming and it has an unusual list of soft and mixed, mostly rum based, drinks that the Friday nighters were quaffing.

There is the usual Caribean fare of jerk chicken and ackee and saltfish. We chose goat curry and chicken but there are vegetarian options too. The curry was tasty and was accompanied by callaloo rice (like spinach) but the chicken was a bit dry. The portions were large, so large we could only manage a main course. Not particularly expensive – about £12 for a main course and a soft drink (soursop juice). So if you are intending to go to the Ritzy stop in for a quick and filling meal. If you are around for lunch they offer an all you can eat  – I don’t know if that would not be much of a bargain as only a little goes a long way!

This is a quick addition to the review – we do not want to change any of our views on the food in this restaurant but on our last visit we saw a change in the service so thought it should be noted. We visited just before Christmas with a group of six people early in the evening before going to the theatre for the festive outing. We wanted something quick before hopping on the tube. The food was fine and we got to try more chicken and lamb options but the service was definitely not with a smile. Given the time of year we would have hoped for some facial expression and all we got was surly which was enough to put you off your meal. Restaurants are a service industry and they rely on   return custom. Good service doesn’t overcome bad food but if there are two restaurants which are equally good then service may make all the difference. We want you to thrive so please make sure that this improves.

Boqueria

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address: 192 Acre Lane, Brixton, London, SW2 5UL

telephone: 020  7733 4408

info@boqeriatapas.com

A new restaurant on Acre Lane this is the last in a trio of eating places just past Lidl that we would definitely recommend. The restaurant consists of a bar which can be seen from the street and a restaurant area at the back which spans two shopfronts. The decor is minimalist and we really mean minimalist. This is not like the pop-ups in Brixton Village with their borrowed furniture. This restaurant has modern wooden tables for two people, pale wooden floors and few pictures.

Boqeria opened just before Christmas so we went for a family outing for six and this was only a couple of days past the opening. We usually give restaurants a little time to settle down first but in their case the food was good and we thought we should alert people to the opportunity as it is easy to miss among the empty shops in that stretch of the road.

As this was part of our Christmas celebrations we started with cocktails – not our best decision. The martini was mostly vermouth, the special mojito had too much sugar in it and the other drinks were even less like what we expected. However, the beer and the wine are fine – we had a reasonably priced Rioja.

As we cook a lot of Spanish food and visit Spain regularly – particularly Andalusia which is the home of the tapas, we feel we know a lot about the cuisine. The food at this restaurant compared well. You choose from a menu of tapas, specials (on the board), rice dishes, like paella and arroz negro, and salads. As there were six of us we chose two dishes each and a few extras so had lots to try. The croquetas were a hit although we preferred the ones with ham rather than cheese, but the patatas bravas needed a little extra spice. The Fabada (beans and bacon), tortilla and calamare were also very delicious. We were delighted to see the inclusion of Iberico ham, a family favourite and hard to come by in South London. Unusually for any tapas restaurant we were not provided with bread as part of the meal, particularly with the ham. Pudding was complimentary with traditional Spanish sweets such as turron, a most enjoyable touch.  Overall we would rate this restaurant highly for the food but here is the but ……

Tapas can be a slow meal – its really a discussion interspersed with food and that’s what makes it enjoyable. If there are only two of you in the party then having the food come two dishes at a time is fine. If there are six of you then the two dishes are emptied almost immediately and everyone is still famished and getting drunker. So our advice for the restaurant is to consider the size of the party and provide the dishes a few more at a time so. If this had happened then we would have probably ordered a few more but no-one was in the mood given the time each one took to appear and we did wait some time for an interesting pork belly dish that came alone about 20 minutes after all the other food had disappeared. An explanation of each dish would also have been helpful so we didn’t have to guess.

Meal came to about £25 a head, but we were over indulging in the lead up to Christmas so that may have upped the price.

The service was not as attentive as it should have been, however the staff were extremely friendly when they appeared. But we know they will improve and we still think it is well worth the effort of walking a little further from Brixton to  experience this Spanish home cooking and I am looking forward to our next visit with my fingers crossed that they would have ironed out the kinks by then. Another culinary delight added to Brixton

YUM-D

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YUM-D

14d Market Row

Brixton

SW9

YUM-D calls itself a Thai deli and cafe and, for my money, is now serving the best Thai food in Brixton. Positioned next to Rosie’s cafe in Market Row it’s in the space that was briefly Good Bench Coffee House. It’s an intimate space but it looks and feels authentic, with the emphasis on the food and the flavours. It also sells a few Thai foodstuffs including some spicy prawn crackers and, rather randomly, t-shirts and hats that I presume come from Thailand. I feel that this review should have been done a few visits back but as Kaosarn is lauded as the best Thai in South London we felt that a few visits could only justify the fact that we believe YUM-D is both more interesting and enjoyable than the former.

On my first visit I had the special, Soo-Ki-Ya-Ki, which is glass noodles with vegetables in a spicy sauce with a choice of chicken, beef, prawns and tofu. The spicy sauce is really a soup and is apparently made from chilli sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, a few hot chilli, lime juice and chopped fresh coriander. There was even more chilli if required but it was hot and tasty enough for me without. I chose the prawn version and was rewarded by a good portion. I returned a couple a days letter and checked out the pad Thai just to make sure the place was as good as my first impressions had suggested and the answer was, yes, it was. We also tried the chicken satay and the green Thai curry with coconut rice. The curry was creamy, spicy and tangy, everything a Thai curry should be. After spending some time in Thailand myself I am always trying to find the same quality of green curries thatI enjoyed during my visit and I think I may have struck gold. It is also excellent value for money, particularly given the quality of the food and the good size of the portions.

The menu includes all the Thai standards as well as starters and the interesting additions of Thai salads. The staff are friendly and the atmosphere is cosy. Meal came to about £20 for two of us with one starter, two mains and tea, great value considering the quality of the food. Tables were available at lunch time, not sure about the evenings but please head down here if the queues at Kaosarn are ridiculously long and you want a traditional and delicious Thai meal.

Hive bar and restaurant – NOW CLOSED

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This place is now closed

address: 11-13 Brixton Station Road, London, SW9 8PA

telephone:  020 7274 8383

email gm@hivebar.net

website    http://www.hivebar.net/

This is a small restaurant near the recreation centre which has been a long term fixture in Brixton in various guises. Its current incarnation is as a bar upstairs (not visited) and a restaurant on the ground floor. The restaurant is cosy, although  the position of the table leg requires three or four people to negotiate how to sit in relative comfort. We didn’t book on this Thursday night but we arrived relatively early – just after 7.00 – and within half an hour it was full and many people popping their head round the door who had to find sustenance elsewhere.

The food is simple.. There is a menu and almost as many things on the specials list on the wall. There are also a variety of different ways of eating – tapas, “boards to share” as well as the usual starters and main course. Being traditional we went for main courses and chose a burger, beef pie and greens and crispy pork belly and extra chips with a starter of mixed olives. The olives were not a great start which is a great shame as there is a Portuguese delicatessen just round the corner that provides some of the best olives in London.

Our main course were much better. The piping hot beef pie came with a spoon as well as a knife and fork. The beef was soft and the gravy unctuous and the spoon was definitely required. The pork was as described – tasty and crispy and the chips were flavoured slightly with garlic and even though we didn’t need them we were glad we did. The only problems were the burger which was described as a bit boring (probably in comparison to Honest Burger). No-one asked how to cook it but it seemed ok and not too overdone. The greens were just that different kinds of cabbage. The problem with that is although steamed some parts need more cooking than others so the darker cabbage was a little chewy.

It was £15.00 per person inclduing wine and beer and so very reasonable for the quality of the food. You can eat much cheaper as at the beginning of the wek they have specials. The cheap dates section (e.g. 4 tapas and a bottle of wine for £10.00) all seem very good value. The bar has music nights but we didn’t explore that. We thought we would visit again especially as the weather will certain deter us from sitting in Brixton Village and then we do intend to order the cocktails.

SW9 bar

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address: 11 Dorrell Place, Brixton, London SW9 8EG

telephone: 020 7738 3116

email: info@sw9bar.co.uk

website: http://sw9bar.co.uk/

This bar has had many incarnations and is usually full to the brim of people who are going to Brixton Academy. But on a cold and blustery Monday evening it is almost empty and by 10.30 it is empty. The bar is small inside and they have increased the space with a temporary canopy outside with tables, chairs and heaters – although it must have been pretty nippy for even the most desperate smoker on the evening we visited. The decor looks like a throwback to the 80s – shiny walls and low lamps. The toilets are communal and they looked like they were in the middle of a refurbishment. The music is loudish and I suspect when there are a lot of people crammed in, you just have to expect a sore throat if you want a conversation.

But on to the food …. starters, main courses and desserts are available as well as a breakfast menu (served until 2.00pm) but we went for main courses. There is a variety and I chose sea bass which arrived on top of some sautéed potatoes with asparagus and another green vegetable. The fish was cooked well and the vegetables were crisp although there was a bit too much oil on the plate from the potatoes. My companion fared less well on an order of fish and chips. When it arrived it was rather darker than usual for fish and chips – not twice but thrice cooked! We were hungry so cleared the plate together with several glasses of good wine.

The service was jolly and helpful but I don’t think we will be venturing back there soon. The bill came to £20 per person including a lot of wine so I guess it is about £10-15 if you are hungry for more than one course.

Brixton Space – NOW CLOSED

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Brixton Spaceaddress: 30 Brixton Water Lane, Brixton, London SW2 1PE

telephone 020 7501 8606

email: brixtonspace@gmail.com

www.brixtonspace.co.uk

The menu describes this neighbourhood restaurant/bar as a late 60s post Mad Men designed interior with lots of red lights and wallpaper. The lighting is really interesting as they have 20 long tentacle-like flexes ending in lightbulbs across the ceiling. This is really a feature rather providing light as even with the candle on the table I realised that I should have brought the stronger reading glasses. Tables are small and for two with a bench on one side and a stool on the other but from the bench side were really comfortable but the stools perhaps not so much for longer lounging. It is a small restaurant and there is probably only room for about 20 people in a small but cosy atmosphere. There are lots of suggestions of how to book and I guess that is important over the weekend.

The menu says it is tapas fusion and that is certainly true. The small plates are a bit bigger than most tapas and some are definitely not the sort you would find in Spain. There are the usuals  – patatas bravas, serano and manchego as well as bread, olives etc. but then it stretches into goats cheese and fig tart and finally to the more creative with polenta and mozzarella (Italy) followed by the ultimate in creativity quesadilla and humous (Mexican and Greek??).

It was a Thursday and we were feeling boring so we plumped for three tapas – patatas bravas, lentils, chorizo and roast vegetables and goats cheese with marinated olives to start and it was a good start. The various types of olives really complemented each other – some salty, some juicy and others just … well just lovely. A freezing glass of manzanilla would have been a good accompaniment but it was a bit on the rough side although very cheap (£4.00). The goats cheese and fig tart with salad was a great success and so was the lentils with spicy chorizo. We weren’t as happy with the patatas bravas as we were expecting something a little more firey but it had just a little salsa on top which was cold and so cooled the rest of the potatoes.

We noticed that others in the restaurant were picking up takeaways and others were just having coffee and a croissant so it is really a local place for meeting people and chilling out with the bar menu of cocktails including One Love made of Gin, Blackberry Jam & Lemon, topped with soda and Josephine Avenue which is a blend of Scotch Whiskey, Lemon, Framboise & Rose. Sounds like the sort of thing to drink early and retire for the evening.

We were full  after sharing only three tapas and the bill came to just £22.00 which we thought was reasonable value.

Elephant

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Elephantaddress: 55 Granville Arcade, Brixton Village Market, Coldharbour Lane, Brixton SW9 8PS

Telephone: 07590 389684

website: www.elephantcafe.co.uk

This bills itself as Pakistani street food – halal but not too spicy. I suspect it is an anglicised version but nonetheless tasty. Get there early, as with most restaurants in Brixton Village, as it opens at 6.30pm and by 7.30 its is full but that’s ok. You get put on a stool, told it is only 10 minutes to wait for a table and even if it was a little longer you get to see what everyone else is eating. This is a restaurant which lives in the aisle of the market and has little space inside with the usual mismatched chairs and stools surrounding this small pop up cafe.

The menu is very short. Starters are pakoras, chaat and samosas. The mains are thalis – vetable, chicken or keema which all come with daal, raita, salad and naan. There are, of course, curries but as we waited we noticed that most people were having thalis so they were our choices with pakora and samosa to start. That was probably our mistake – always assuming we can finish what was a relatively large portion with raita and salad before heading into the thalis.

Both the starters were delicately spiced with just enough heat for my own taste. The samosa’s lived up to their reputation with the delicate pastry while the pakora’s were just plain yummy. Again the keema and chicken curries were delicately spiced but really interesting but the best part of the thali was the daal. I have heard he makes his own garam masala and if this is what is in the daal then I want the recipe. It was so good that we asked for a box to take the remains away for the next day’s lunch. They were very obliging and gave us a plastic lunch box to take it away as they don’t actually do takeaway. We wanted to try the chai or a dessert but no room was left to even consider it for research purposes. Elephant also offer a variety of non-alcoholic hot and cold drinks but we chose a simple glass of tap water and mango lassi.

This is a charming restaurant where the service was helpful and jolly. The noise and the busy comings and goings in the alleyway may be reminiscent of Pakistani streets but probably the cold isn’t. Like all restaurants that have tables in the alleys in the market they will suffer in the winter so wear a coat scarf and possibly gloves. We thought we would pay further visits to this unpretentious cafe but perhaps during the day or when spring sets in. This is also a BYO restaurant so don’t forget your beer or wine.

It all came to about £25 for the two of us with two sets of starters, mains and mango lassi’s.

Cornercopia

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Cornercopiaaddress: 65 Brixton Village Market, Coldharbour lane, London, SW9 8PS

telephone: 07919542233

emailt: Brixtoncornercopia@googlemail.com

http://brixtoncornercopia.ning.com/

This was a small restaurant but it has grown and grown into the surrounding shops and now has more than 30 spaces. Also acting as a deli, Cornercopia uses locally sourced products not just including buying from the market but also foraged from local allotments. Even the honey comes from South London bees although we have no idea how they can be certain they haven’t made it across the river.

We chose to sit inside the main restaurant rather than the aisles of the market as the winter chill has obviously settled in at the market (bring a coat!). All the seating is meant to be shared but they do ask for permission before seating extra people. The walls were covered in pictures but unusually I didn’t take much notice as I was drawn to investigating the food and drink menus both proving to be interesting enough to keep us talking until the first course arrived.

As it was a Sunday lunchtime they were only serving two or three course meals from a blessedly short menu. Our two courses were  a starter and main course and all three of us chose the sweet potato and squash soup with hazelnuts and truffle oil. It was served in a blue and white enamel bowl as was the whole meal. The truffle oil on the soup was delicious but there were mixed comments about the hazelnuts. It also came with a piece of sourdough bread from Peckham. This whole course was really filling and I made the mistake of eating the bread which was very good but left little room for the immense main courses.

We chose pork, a shallot and Blackstick blue cheese tart and a fillet of grey mullet. The pork was succulent and came with a very large faggot and there was no remote chance of finishing it. The faggot was made of all things pork and was wrapped in caul fat (don’t ask just believe it is delicious). It was the size of a tennis ball. The mullet was served on a bed of capers, saffron and smoky vinegar and was perfectly cooked and although the contrast of hot and cold was surprising, it too was designated a success. The tart had immense roasted shallots on top of a cheesy base of flaky pastry.  But in addition to the large portions there was also a big bowl of roast vegetables. This was a meal for three in itself. There were roast carrots (black, white and orange), kale, huge roast parsnips as well as roast potatoes. This course was a definite hit and as we had no space to put the vegetables we asked for boxes to take the food away for heating up for the next day. They were delivered to the table by the chef who said he was so glad he didn’t have to throw anything away.

Ultra-local food also includes ultra-local beers from Kernel’s micro-brewery in Bermondsey and we chose pale ale which although as bitter as pale ale also smelled and tasted fruity. Wine is English which we can’t vouch for and, very surprisingly, they offer an organic gin and tonic. The gin is also local and is distilled in Clapham. You can now see why we spent so long reading and not looking at our surroundings.

The meal was a little on the pricey side for the market – £18.00 per person for two course and three course for £21.00 without drinks –  but it was certainly well worth it for the quality of the food. Next time I might try the main course and dessert. because I am never going to be able to work my way through the gargantuan three courses, particularly when the desserts are sticky date pudding and spotted dick. Even after turning off the hyperbole key on my computer I can say that this is the best restaurant in the market and….it is certainly value for money.

ps  There is a deli attached to the restaurant which has a selection of chutneys and jams made by local people with the furthest being from Croydon. But it also sells more exotic fare.

Breads Etcetera

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Address: 88 Brixton Village Market, Coldharbour Lane, London SW9 8PS

telephone: 07717 642812

www.breadsetceterabakery.com/

This is a bread shop with a difference. It isn’t exactly a restaurant but you can eat so we decided to review anyway. It is a small offshoot of a place in Clapham so they do have some experience which was lacking in many of the restaurants in Brixton Village.

The inside of Breads Etcetera allows about two people room to breathe and a third means you have to shuffle around to see the breads on sale. It is essentially a bakery with a couple of ovens. But you can sit down – outside the shop on a few tables.  As you can imagine that means it is a bit chilly in the aisles of the Village so they thoughtfully provide a blanket which is definitely needed in all months except a sunny day in July. So is your coat.

Food is, of course, bread based but you can get eggs (soft or hard boiled) and side orders of ham or cheese. The staff are really very helpful and cheerful which you need first thing in the morning. Coffee is very good and comes with a design on top to make you smile. But the main deal is the DIY breakfast with toasters on the table and butter and spreads provided. You can go for English breakfast with sausages etc. and at the moment this is only on Sundays but that can change. The charm is in the toast, always hot and ready to take the melting butter, and the coffee. So what about the bread. It’s sourdough – wheat or rye .

This is a good product but…… we usually save discussions of cost to the end of the review but I have moved it forward as this is its drawback. It is expensive. We would eat breakfast here as but we wouldn’t go back for the bread and I really like sourdough.

Breakfast is about £5 to £6 per person if you have side orders.

Brixton Village Grill

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Brixton Village Grilladdress: 43-44 Brixton Market; Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, London SW9 8PR

telephone: 07894353561

http://www.brixtonvillagegrill.co.uk

This is a fusion of Portuguese and English cuisine – so says the trendy website which also has funky music. We decided to write this review after our second visit as the first was early on when they were just learning the ropes. It was a Saturday and we were worried that we wouldn’t find a table anywhere in Brixton Village but on this Saturday we got lucky with an inside table at BVG. This allowed us to investigate the banksyesque pictures- Winston Churchill with a mohican hairstyle, Thomas the Tank Engine being grafittied and a cute take off of Bart Simpson (but we’ll let you see for yourself). The decor is plain (I’ve given up on the word minimalist) apart from the pictures and the two extra large black chandeliers.  On our first visit we missed all this because we decided to sit outside as the atmosphere inside the restaurant caught at the back of your throat –  burnt fat. But we are glad to report that they seem to have sorted out their kitchen extractor and it was absolutely fine inside this time.

The service was very helpful and pleasant from all the waiters and waitresses as they seem to share responsibilities. This meant we never had to try to attract someone’s attention as someone was always on hand. When we arrived they checked whether we wanted a leisurely meal or to cut and run to our next appointment and then chose a place for us – that made us feel they were taking an interest but also means they can turn over tables quickly.

The food – a short menu which is always a blessing –  is a fish and meat paradise but not much except olives and one main course for vegetarian.It is after all a grill and exactly what you would expect from a Portuguese/English restaurant. There’s steaks, chicken, ribs, and fish – relatively plain but there is peri peri chicken as a starter which may be spicy but we didn’t try it on either of our visits. So for starters we had the rock salt sardines which were good but perhaps could have done with a bit more salt. For main courses we had the ribs,and the fish of he day which was whole sea bream both with chips and salad. The bream was delicious and worth negotiating the bones. The ribs were tasty but a bit chewy. They were washed down with Sagres beer. We asked another table for their views of the red wine and they were in favour of the middle one on the menu – Casa Antiga. For dessert we shared a dime bar cheesecake – a good decision as they don’t go in for meager portions.

Overall we would visit again despite the wealth of choices in Brixton Village. It offers simple well cooked food which they can turn out quickly to a good standard and the relaxed ambiance where you can talk without shouting but still feel a buzz means we will take more friends next time. Later reports suggest that the vegetarian dish was very disappointing so perhaps they need to work on extending their menu to attract all types of customers.

The price per person is probably around £15 – 20 without too much alcohol but a welcome addition is their loyalty card which means that your 6th meal will have a 50%  discount –  so you can save yourself for the future blowout.