Song Que Cafe

[Tonyfinch]

Don't worry Simon. In didn't know what it was to have such good enemies until I joined this site. Ain't it fun? And you're especially lucky cos you know what they say

"The old enemies are the best enemies"

[Gavin Jones]

In the end it was another evening of dining disaster for the Majumdar Bros. 

As in Robin the brother of the Evil Hood?

And if so was he wearing tights?

[Tonyfinch]

Matthew,there's a PhD thesis in that site somewhere. Or maybe a blockbusting novel: "Dead Man Eating" ??

[Vanessa]

I note a positive review of Song Que by Fay Maschler today. Also, I have a friend staying next week who likes to eat out well in London. Looking at the '5 more Pearls from the Orient' at the end of Maschler's reviews today, the following are listed: Ecapital (the Soho Shanghai place), Hunan, Nipa Thai in the Royal Lancaster Hotel, Singapore Garden at Swiss Cottage and Han Kang in Hanway St. Does anyone have particular recommendations for any of these? - I'm most attracted by Ecapital or Hunan.

Also, has anyone been to Phoenix (or some such name) on the Lower Richmond Rd. I heard a rumour that Franco Taruschio was cooking there but am not sure this is still the case.

[Simon Majumdar]

ECAPITAL is excellent. If you stick to the Shanghai specialities. The cold plate of Shanghai starters are wonderful and the main courses of pork knuckle, clear prawns in vinegar and Beggars Chicken were very good indeed ( although John Whiting tells me it is far from authentic )

I recommend HUNAN more than I go there these days ( rather too close to South of the river for me!!! If you do go, let the owner choose for you. He will anyway. Last time I was there about 3 months ago, we ordered and the food that came was entirley different. It turned out all to be wonderful ( Hunan food tends towards the spicier side ) and he said " I knew that you would prefer this, so i changed your order" He apparently does this to everyone.

The other one that often gets over looked is a place in Station Rd in Harrow which has superb reviews. John Tseng goes there more often than I do. embarrassingly enough I can't remember the name. John will though

havn't tried the others

S

[Vanessa]

Thanks for the feedback Simon. But as for Harrow - well out of the range of my radar!

[Tonyfinch]

I'm afraid I'm a dissenting voice on Hunan. I've only been the once.It was very hot and we were sat next to a group of chain smoking Chinese businessmen. We asked if we could be moved and were told no,even though there were still empty tables.

The food came in no particular order that I could see,slapped down by a miserable looking hag. There was no balance to the meal. Maybe Mister didn't like the look of me because we were getting tepid versions of very mundane dishes whereas all around people were getting completely different and much more interesting looking food.

I don't like the system whereby you get what you're given depending on what Mister decides. If everyone's getting the same then that's one thing but why should he decide that someone gets a special dish and others get slops?

We were rushed through and presented with the bill before we asked for it.

I know I'm in a very small minority in disliking this restaurant but I'd far rather go to Harrow than go there again.

[circeplum]

i LOVE the hunan. i have never had a bad meal there, ever, and am quite happy to leave myself in the hands of the masterful mr peng. last time i went (about a fortnight ago) he gave us an extra dish of lobster, ginger, chilli and garlic on crispy noodles because we said we weren't full. you get about 6 or 7 courses anyway and the value is excellent.

i quite liked the phoenix; because taruschio has a thai connection (can't remember what) there's an interesting eastern flavour to some of the dishes. i ate his famous dish of lasagne and truffles which was magnificent, but i thought the place a little cold and snooty (i was with a pair of liverpudlian lushes which might have had something to do with it ...)

[Hasmi]

Whats the name of the restaurant in Harrow ???

Living in that vicinity. It is mighty nice to know there is some where that Simon approves of that I can try locally.

A hidden gem I have not discovered.Or maybe I have?

Please try and get me the name.

Hasmi

P.S Harrow really isnt on the other side of the world guys. Plenty of cool and hip people live there ummmm...........

[peterpumkino]

Alright.....you got me.....I'm going.....where exactly is Hunan though as it sounds great?

Incidentally where was I when Simon and Tyke were fighting? Sounds like a great Rumble in the Jungle.

[jayrayner]

The restaurant in Harrow is (drum roll)...

The Golden Palace and it is rather fine, particularly for Dim Sum. 146 -150 Station Rd, tel 020 8863 2333

Also give big up on hunan. I think, Tony, Mr Peng took an instant dislike to you (to save time.)

[Simon Majumdar]

Alright.....you got me.....I'm going.....where exactly is Hunan though as it sounds great?

Incidentally where was I when  Simon and Tyke were fighting? Sounds like a great Rumble in the Jungle.

Nah, just rumblings from a distant past

Do go to the Hunan though well worth it

S

[Simon Majumdar]

Whats the name of the restaurant in Harrow ???

Living in that vicinity. It is mighty nice to know there is some where that Simon approves of that I can try locally.

A hidden gem I have not discovered.Or maybe I have?

Please try and get me the name.

Hasmi

P.S Harrow really isnt on the other side of the world guys. Plenty of cool and hip people live there   ummmm...........

Harrow is a mere 20 mins from Baker St on the Metropolitan line

The Golden palace is about 5 mins on the right as you come out of Harrow on The Hill tube.

I used to live in Harrow on the Hill and would much rather head up there than West of Marble Arch/East of Hackney/South of The River/North of Camden. Harrow doesn't count as London, so I don't consider it leaving " The Safe Zone"

S

[magnolia]

...Also, has anyone been to Phoenix (or some such name) on the Lower Richmond Rd.  I heard a rumour that Franco Taruschio was cooking there but am not sure this is still the case...

If memory serves, Taruschio is consultant to the chef - who used to work at Taruschio's former restaurant in Wales. I'm sure someone will pipe up if this isn't the case ! I was there pre-Taruschio et al. and it was a decent, and very pretty, local restaurant at the time. I always wondered why it didn't get more 'buzz' at the time - so association with Taruschio can only have improved things ! If you go, please do let us know how you like it !

[peterpumkino]

Wonderful, but unless I'm losing my sight (which is possible considering......) is STILL DO NOT HAVE THE ADDRESS OF HUNAN, and I desperately want to go!!! Thanks.

[Simon Majumdar]

Here is the link

Pretty spot on apart from the woeful Song Que

S

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/html/food/ea...top_direct.html

[Thomas Secor]

Vanessa, one of the restaurants you asked about was Han Kang on Hanway Road (down the street a bit from Hakkasan). I go to Han Kang on a relatively regular basis and find it to be a solid and respectable choice for korean. I dont think its brilliant, in that the dishes are not particularly unusual (for a korean restaurant, that is), but it is certainly not a place that tailors for western tastes either. For those on the board who are not well versed in korean, or who may be hosting any such, I think Han Kang would be a nice introduction, as it has an "authentic" feel to it. In addition, the owner and the staff are very friendly and welcoming, and although many of them do not speak english very well, they will do their best to be helpful in ordering. It is also quite reasonably priced. For the price, it is certainly the best korean I have been to in London.

If you are at all interested in cooking your own food, there is a korean grocery on Store Street, just up Tottenham Court Road from Hanway Road, which has a wide selection of korean (and japanese) ingredients. Much to my delight, they not only sell a range of kimchi, but they also sell pre-marinated bulgogi which I like to take home and cook. The only problem is that I cant get the rice right. Oh well.....

[Simon Majumdar]

Thomas

apart from the famous Bibinbaps and Kimchi, I have no idea what would comprise a korean meal

I may try the place on Hanway St on Saturday, can you give me any idea of the sort of things you try?

S

[Akiko]

Thomas,

Does the shop on store street sell those stone bowls that you make dolsot bibimbap in? Ever since Jinmyo put that picture on her posts, I've been craving it and my husband has sent me several emails with just the words "bibimbap" written over and over, simply to end in, "I think I'm dieing from lack of bibimbap".

So, I'm looking for a place where I can buy those stone bowls... It's a nice easy thing to do for dinner.

Have you tried Kikuchi's which is next door to Han Kang? I once heard that they have decent sushi... and in my quest to find good sushi in London, I've filed it away in my head.... but I miss good Korean food too, so I will definitely be trying Han Kang.

Simon... if you go on Saturday and they have - jap chae (vermicelli noodle stir fry type of thing liberally seasoned with hot sesame oil), pajang (vegetable/seafood pancake things), duk bokki (rice cakes in very hot bean paste), kim chie chigae (kim chie soup), those things are standards and almost on all Korean menus and are very good... Thomas, do they do these dishes well at Han Kang?

[Vanessa]

Thomas - have you ever tried any of the Korean restaurants around New Malden? I once had a wander around there - didn't go to a restaurant - but poked around in a couple of Korean grocers and bought some lovely pickled stuff - but never worked out what on earth it was, other than fish rather than vegetable - possibly a kind of dried, spiced squid?

[Miss J]

I'm starting to really enjoy this thead. Akiko, when you get your stone bowls would you consider running a photo story on how to make bibimbap?

[Simon Majumdar]

Thomas - have you ever tried any of the Korean restaurants around New Malden?  I once had a wander around there - didn't go to a restaurant - but poked around in a couple of Korean grocers and bought some lovely pickled stuff - but never worked out what on earth it was, other than fish rather than vegetable - possibly a kind of dried, spiced squid?

Vanessa

Someone was telling me the other day about all the Korean places around New Malden

can someone explain the geo- history to me.

I read recently about the history of the Vietnamese in Shoreditch ( all to do with the rag trade so I am told ) but would love to know how NM became Koreatown.

S

[Vanessa]

I just did a quick Google search and came up with this: Koreans in New Malden. Answers your question quite nicely.

[Thomas Secor]

Vanessa, I have not been to New Malden (not even sure I know where it is, embarassingly enough), but I imagine the faux vegetables you had were pickled cuttlefish. Its also quite common to get pickled fish themselves, I never know what kind they are, but they look like the minnows I used to use for bait. Anyway, you eat them whole, and my wife finds them disgusting (often an indication that something will be particularly tasty).

Akiko, I dont remember noticing the stone bowls, but I bet they know where to get them if they dont have them. They certainly sell all the things to cook in them. With respect to Kickuchi's, I have never been there, and have heard mixed things. However, it is usually full (mostly japanese middle aged men with the requisite clouds of smoke). If you want to check it out sometime let me know, maybe you will have an expertise in ordering that I certainly lack.

I havent had the japchae at Han Kang, in fact I almost always go for the barbequed meats which they do quite well. Like Simon, I am a voracious carnivore so I can seldom resist just cutting to the chase. The pancake things (particularly with scallions) are a favorite of my wife and I thought they were quite good. The bibimbop is not my favorite, but does have a stronger taste of sesame than most, which I do enjoy. The soups are all very good, in particular there is a very spicy beef soup (cant recall the name) which I get almost everytime (can you identify a theme here?). The gyoza are a bit crap, but I have seldom had good gyoza in a korean restaurant. They do some very good seafood dishes.

Simon, usually I would recommend you ask the hostess, but I am not certain how the women at Han Kang would respond. I would be curious as to whether you could convince them not to steer you to the more mundane dishes. Its well worth a try. Another favorite of mine is to look around and point at what I want on the other tables. I know these are not particularly helpful hints, but much of my korean food experience stems from fast food countertop type places in Hong Kong where I could never read the name of what I was eating and the selections were relatively limited. I just came to know that I was really diggin it.

[Simon Majumdar]

thanks for the link and the advice guys

I may have to break the rules of my own signature and head south-ish and give it a try

S