Franco Manca

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Address:

Unit 4 Market Row,

Brixton Market,

Brixton, SW9 8LD

telephone: 020 7738 3021

website:   http://francomanca.co.uk/

Franco Manca is in a spot where there has always (as far as I remember) been a pizza restaurant. Previously run by an Italian family, their pizzas were delicious and there was always a good crowd at lunchtime. This is similar but definitely not the same. The restaurant has now expanded, so it is has an extension across from the cosy place with the ovens and it has opened out into the main market thoroughfare. This is not where the difference stops.

This is not just a pizza restaurant – it is a sourdough pizza restaurant and that is not where the differences between these pizzas and ones served in most pizza restarants stop. The toppings are culturally eclectic too with Gloucester Old Spot ham and Spanish chorizo to choose from. There is an organis label to many of the ingredients and I also heard our waitress advising on the addition of other toppings to the number 1 to 6 list of pizzas. She was definitely against adding tomato to one of them and said it really spoiled the taste of the mushrooms (and she was probably right).

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Khamsa

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KhamsaAddress: 140 Acre Lane, Brixton, London, SW2 5UT

Telephone: (020) 7733 3150

Khamsa resides in a little oasis of shops and restaurants in the middle of Acre Lane opposite Upstairs (french) and a coffee shop. It still looks like a corner shop but inside it has turned into a warm dining area with wooden floor, ceiling and Algerian knick knacks over the walls. We visited this restaurant in the evening as part of our plan to visit restaurants from countries around the world. We thought it wouldn’t last as it is in a place without too much passing trade. But it has lasted and that must be because it has a following in the local area.

North African food is pretty easy to get hold of in London but it is mainly from Morocco so it was a treat to visit something rarer and so close to home.  All the food is made on site and include as starters selections of Algerian salads. The names are definitely confusing but consist of vegetables e.g. carrots with lots of cumin and coriander. There is the usual merguez (spicy sausages) and more familiar things such as houmus. The main courses you may think you have seen in a Moroccan restaurant such as tajines and couscous but there are definitely some differences with more roast vegetables and unusual ingredients such as salmon or with sauces thickened with ground almonds. But after all these choices you really need to leave room for the pastries. For instance the dried figs dipped in chocolate and filled with almond or the pistachio macaroon-style biscuits. If you are too full to consider then consider taking home a sample for later. The chef originally trained as a pastry chef and so you really shouldn’t leave without trying something.

It doesn’t have a drink license but the mint tea is cheap and delicious and they also make their own juices – like pear and basil. I had the apple and mint which went down all too easily. If you really want to bring a bottle they are happy for you to do so and do not as yet charge a corkage fee.

The reason that we thought it would fail early is that the nearest thing pulling in likely passing trade customers was Lidl on the other side of the street. That went with our view of how they had pitched the prices – about £25 per person for 3 courses. That is reasonable but we thought might be a bit steep next to the fish and chip restaurants and the take away Chinese. Clearly the word is now out and perhaps Khamsa is here to stay.

Restaurante Santafereño

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SantaferinoAddress: Brixton Village Market, Coldharbour Lane, London SW9 8PR

contact:

Santafereño is the name of a soup in Colombia made up of some broth and then bits of egg, meat etc. It is more like a stew than a soup and when it comes as only the first course of three you know you’ll never reach the end of the meal. This is the ideal place for lunch if you are very very hungry and want to fill up on the cheap. But it is not gourmet food but it is definitely authentic – many people don’t even speak English and the menu is in Spanish. Eating on tables surrounded mostly by families and friends who are definitely part of the local Colombians provided colour and confidence in its authenticity – the tourists I noticed are now swelling the crowd sitting outside. There are a couple of rooms and a spillover in the market itself and it is certainly the largest restaurant in Brixton Market with a capacity for about 40 inside and probably the same outside. The decor is basic – in fact I think the word decor is out of place. There are unmatched chairs and tables, plastic table cloths on most of them and an unfinished air about the place. This is despite this being one of the old school restaurants with a much longer history than the newer places after Brixton Village was founded.

When we were perusing the menu we decided to have just a little something and we thought we had ordered a bowl of soup but what we hadn’t realised was that this was the appetiser. It was huge with a choice of various meats in it – I had pork. Then came the main course lots of meat again as well as rice and peas and a vegetable. Either course alone would have been enough to prevent most people from doing anything afterwards but doze off.  We decided to deny ourselves and didn’t even attempt the pudding which was a small jelly or a flan. Our Sunday lunch meant we were unable to move for the rest of the afternoon and slothlfully walked home to digest.

Restaurante Santafereño is open throughout the day and I have heard good news about the breakfast – but can anyone start the day with eggs, meat, rice, peas and plantain followed by coffee and cake. If you can it is the place for you.

The service is orderly and very friendly. They showed us the fresh green salsa to eat with the main course and even tried to press us to have a taste of the pudding but we were firm. The whole three courses came to about £7.00 per person and we even had a soft drink thrown in. No wonder it always has customers.

Curry Ono

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Curry OnoAddress: 14BC Market Row, London SW9 8LD

Contact: curryono@yahoo.com

Web: www.curryono.com

I really, really like Curry Ono, which describes itself as a “Japanese Kitchen” and as providing “healthy, home-made Japanese food”. So it’s not really clear to me why there always seems to be so few people eating there, particularly compared with other places in the market. Partly, I guess, is that the Japanese food it serves isn’t trendy, i.e. no sushi and few noodle dishes. Instead, as the name suggests, it focuses on Japanese versions of curry, which it describes as being based on the curries that British sailors introduced to Japan in the nineteenth century. I guess that part of the problem is that this is a description that is unlikely to get people excited. The only solution is to go there and actually eat the stuff.

The place itself is a bit like a works canteen but not unwelcoming. As mentioned, there’s always plenty of room and you get personal service. There are non-curry starters, and we enjoyed edamame (green soya beans) and seaweed salad. Other starters include tebasaki (sweet soya sauce marinated fried chicken wings) and niku-jaga (slow cooked pork belly with potatoes in a sweet soya sauce).

But the mains are what it is really about, with nine different sorts of curry. All of them come with steamed rice, pickles and the same deeply flavoured but relatively mild curry sauce that we are told has been made from a mix of up to 20 different natural spices and has been simmered for more than 12 hours to provide “a truly authentic taste of Japan”. We’ve had the katsu (breaded pork escalope), the menchi katsu (breaded minced beef croquette) and the kara-age (Japanese fried chicken) and enjoyed them all. Other choices available include roast vegetable and prawn, with the latter being an exception in that it also comes with yuzo-koshu (Japanese chilli paste). The only real non-curry option is cold udon noodle, which is a favourite of mine, particularly when served with seaweed salad. Desserts are limited to a choice between green tea, red bean and vanilla ice creams.

The prices are reasonable compared with other places in the market. And unlike the places in Brixton Village it is fully licensed. I will keep going back and urge other people to go there, if only to ensure that it stays open.

Etta’s Seafood Kitchen

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Etta's Seafood KitchenAddress: Unit 46 Brixton, Village, Coldharbour Lane, London SW9

Contact:  sheryldon1@yahoo.co.uk

We are always glad to give restaurants a second chance and this certainly saved Etta’s. We first visited when it had just opened and things were a bit chaotic and the food wasn’t really that good – lots of bones to work around and the curry sauce was the same on everything. So what has changed? The tables and chairs are the same (beware of some chairs as they are a bit
rickety). But it is all brighter and flowers have appeared on the tables and some are even outside in the middle of the alley. They are as helpful and as laid back as before but now they seem to know what they are doing.

It still looks a like a work in progress but perhaps that is what a pop-up restaurant has to feel like. The interior is bright and cheerful with a new mural of giant fishes. We think the menu has changed a bit and the food has certainly improved. We chose the fish and chips, fish curry and a large crab. The fish was definitely in Etta’s tasty batter (light, squidgy and
with something like chives or cayenne) and all the chips were crispy. The fish curry said it was “mild” – curry isn’t supposed to be bland but it did have a chilli bite to it. The crab choice was not for the faint hearted and probably not for someone with little patience and a lot of hunger but it was tasty and again had curry sauce lingering. Only rice and peas give away that
this is a Caribbean restaurant.

It was all rather jolly – even a large birthday party on the day we went. There is no alcohol but they offer fresh sorrel or fresh ginger beer. There is a one pound cover charge for BYO and they do provide appropriate glasses so wine doesn’t need to come from a tumbler. Again remember to bring it from home.

The price is right about £10 to £20 per person

Honest Burgers

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Honest BurgersHonest Burgers: Unit 12, Brixton Village, London SW9 8PR

Having heard so many good things about Honest Burgers a friend and I decided to check it out for ourselves this Thursday lunchtime. Surprised to get a table as usually when you pass there is often a queue, (HINT: perhaps lunchtimes are a good time to go). We were met with a smile by the staff and much like the rest of Brixton village the chefs are on show so you can see your burgers being assembled in front of your very eyes.

The menu is short but sweet with chicken, vegetarian option (cauliflower fritter), a special and then three types of beef burger. Thrice cooked chips with rosemary salt come with every burger but can also be ordered as an extra for those who are greedy. Limited drinks menu (they don’t have a license, although I’m sure comply with the byob system that most of the market adheres to) but the homemade lemonade was delicious.

We opted for the beef burger options, the standard cheese filled with cheddar or stilton, lettuce and extra yummy onion relish and the house favourite ‘the honest burger’ with bacon, pickled cucumber, cheese and the same delicious onion relish. The meat comes medium rare and melts in the mouth and every extra, such as the pickled cucumbers and glazed bun, gives them that special something. Good portion sizes ensure that you can use your hands without too much mess, something they appear to suggest by only supplying you with a knife. Personally the icing on the cake was the thrice cooked and rosemary salt chips. Crunchy on the outside and with a fluffy centre these are like your grandmas best roast potatoes in chip form.

With such a hype surrounding it we were not disappointed with our visit. Cost was around the same as the rest of the market (£17 for two burgers, chips and a lemonade). This place knows what it wants to be, so if its variety you’re looking for this may not be the place for you however this is by far the best burger I have had south of the river.

http://www.honestburgers.co.uk/

Mama Lan

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Address: Unit 18, Brixton Village Market SW9 8PR

As dumplings are fast becoming one of my favourite foods the news that a dumpling restaurant was to open in Brixton Arcade came with much excitement.  With our first visit at prime time for lunch we were worried that due to it only opening a few days before we would be out of luck however we were surprised to see that we had a whole bench to ourselves free.

With minimalistic decor and straightforward menu this place knows what it’s about and doesn’t seem ashamed by it. With three different types of dumplings (Beef and carrot, Pork and Chinese leaf and Dill and spiced tofu) , chilli oil chicken, slow cooked beef with Chinese herbs and spices as well as a smattering of vegetarian options the fact that you can pick 2-3 dishes brings variety to your meal. We chose a few dumplings, the seaweed salad and the chilli chicken between two of us. Although the salad was lacking in flavour, the abundance of it found in our other choices more than made up for it.

Aside from the food the cosy atmosphere created by sharing your meal with both your neighbours and the chefs brings me back to the backstreet dumpling houses I experienced during my time in Beijing . You can watch as ‘mama lan’ creates her dumplings with quick fingered precision as well as spy on your fellow diner’s food to see what looks good. Service was great and came with a smile.

Price came in at just over a tenner each, a little pricier than some of the other places in the arcade. However we left with satisfied and full tummy’s. Will definitely be visiting again.

They also run a supper club: http://www.mamalan.co.uk/index.php

Casa Marita

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address:Unit 9, Market Row, Brixton Market, SW9 8LB

This is a new restaurant in Market Row serving Mexican food. It is a hole in the wall with little decoration, just a cupboard piled high with tins and some pictures on bare walls with seemingly schoolroom castoff tables and chairs. But it all adds to the sense that it could actually be in a relatively salubrious part of a large Mexican town. There is an open kitchen with a large, shiny extractor and everything is on show – as there is little really to see. We speculated on where, if they had any, was their stock.

We went at 7.00pm and got a table relatively quickly but by 7.30 the place was full with even the tables set out in market row being full. The big rush was hard for the two waitresses who raced from table to table trying to ensure everyone had drinks  – you can pick from beer, wine and Mexican inspired soft drinks. The staffing issue is also a problem as we waited a time for the desert – well worth the wait but perhaps they need to consider their shift system.

There are all the usuals – tacos with fish or meat or vegetables and mole negro – a black sauce made from “30 ingredients” which was poured over chicken.  I thought that mexican food was really like tex-mex ….. hefty on chilli, refried beans  and guacamole and sour cream on the side. However this was not on the menu, a fact which we were quite pleased with as it allowed for experimentation.

The food was light and not overly hot as they serve hot sauce on every table so you can make it to taste. Beware of the odd mouthful of sauce as one bottle of beer disappeared trying to sooth the tastebuds. The mole negro was served lukewarm (not my favourite way of eating) and was not as tasty as I thought it might be. Perhaps warmer temperatures might bring out the chocolate and spices. It was served with what was described as rice and sweetcorn and as I hadn’t had any vegetables or fruit that day I thought this was a good option. However, they really fell foul of the trades description act as there were barely one or two kernels of corn in each plateful. The quesadilla and the pescadilla (with fish) came with a side salad. We had both kinds of sorbet – lime and passionfruit and there were thumbs up for both.

Defintely one to recommend for the things with fillings – I was not that keen on the mole negro which at £12.00 was a bit steep.  Portions are smaller than average but actually we eat too much and the portions are probably the right size for the cost (about £7.00). An excellent addition to the market.

Asmara

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Address: 386 Coldharbour Lane, London SW9 8LF

telephone: 020 7737 4144

 

This is an Eritrean restaurant on Coldharbour Lane with a very unprepossessing entrance. Peeping in through the window you can see a couple of low circular basket weave tables and then the usual more cafe like seating in the remainder of the restaurant. The walls have a few african adornments but it is not overwhelming cultural. But this is an experience place where you effectively eat the tablecloth so if you want the whole feel try for the low circular”ethnic”  tables. The menu is heavy on meat although there are vegetarian options. The reason for the reference to the tablecloth is the food comes on the bread that you eat with. It is called injera and it is a large circular  sourdough pancake. This is fine when warm but as it rapidly cools becomes more like trying to eat a large piece of felt.  If you don’t like sourdough you can choose rice or cracked wheat.

This is a meat heavy cuisine with spicy or not so spicy choices like kulwa ( lamb with tomatoes) and derho alicha (mild chicken stew).  There is an option for the Royal feast but actually this looked far too much for a mid-week evening meal so we didn’t venture that far. The portions for each option are not large so you need to share a few. Our companions on the most recent visit found it all a bit too much but they were teenage girls – one of whom was a recent reformed vegetarian.

The prices for a  neighbourhood restaurant were surprisingly high and although we have been several times we think that these need to be widely spaced. We do, however, recommend sitting on low stools for any first visit and to try the delicious flavoured coffee which is delivered in a surprising way – we don’t want to give this away but just to say that the smell is wonderful

Kaosarn

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KaosarnAddress: Granville Arcade (Brixton Village), Coldharbour Lane Brixton, London

Telephone: 020 7095 8922

This is a new Thai restaurant named after the bustling street in Bangkok and it has made a name for itself in Brixton Village with reviews by Jay Rayner in the  Observer (http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/may/01/jay-rayner-restaurant-review-kaosan) and Time Out (http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/venue/2:30398/kaosarn).  This is a tiny family run restaurant and with all this attention is full every evening and mostly during the day so book well in advance.  When we say tiny we really mean – only a few tables inside supplemented by five to seven outside. With autumn soon making it chilly these outside tables are likely to be difficult to fill unless they come with a blanket and hot water bottle.

The menu is short and cheap (about £15.00 per person for a full meal) with most main dishes costing less than £8. They serve all the usual Thai specialities – curries, salads and pastries filled with varieties of prawn or minced meat. There are not many vegetarian meals but the staff are willing to cook some up on request with tofu and vegetables. We used this restaurant before the Observer review. It is good but it isn’t great  – the Phad Thai was tasty with all the different flavours and with chunky prawns and a good blast of lime.  It is unlicensed so bring your own alcohol – remember this in advance as the options for buying it near to the restaurant are not that varied unless you just want beer. We would return there – if only we could get a table.

Under £20.00 for dinner and the portions are good so probably much less if you are not too greedy.