London: The belly of the beast

[Wilfrid]

Good Friends is the Limehouse Chinese which was once, at least, most worthy of a visit. Beware the many other restaurants in the area called "New Good Friends", "Best Friends", "Old Friends", etc.

I hear Gilbert and George are concerned that the value of their work on the international art markets may plummet as a result of Simon's remarks.

[Tonyfinch]

The best part of Bloom's Whitechapel was when the waiter schlepped you over to his table (their sole source of income was commission and tips)

Which is why they overcharged on every bill. They had a system whereby the waiters "bought" the food from the kitchen and then "sold" it to the customer. They'd stick extra charges on every bill and present the bill as an illegible scrawl hoping the customer wouldn't notice. They used to long for Gentile customers because they either didn't notice or, if they did, they were too embarassed to say anything. Every Jew went over the bill like it was his final will and testament and when challenged the waiters would shrug that "so what do you want from me" shrug and smile and change the bill immediately.

Jews shouting at the waiters and telling them they were "Gunufs" (theives) was all part of the fun. Meanwhile the Gentiles were so mortified they were hiding under the tables.

[Gavin Jones]

Thanks for your ongoing suggestions. I believe G&G ('We like Gordon's, it makes us drunk') now dine in Stoke Newington at a Turkish Grill place.

I shall shortly organise some of your excellent ideas into more definite itineraries (though the Peter Langan memorial thread is sorely tempting). I will have to do some background reading too.

[macrosan]

...Covering all three categories may be difficult to achieve.

Not for Gavin.

[peterpumkino]

Peter, when you were running for Hammer, was that because someone was chasing you ?    And of so, why ? 

that used to be my "fancy bird" place, where I used to take young ladies with whom I thought I stood a chance. So that would mean I went twice    It looked and sounded very romantic, with those rcessed booths under vaulted arches in the cellar. In fact, it was pretty dank and smelly, but with a fancy bird who cared 

Because I owed the Bortscht 'n' Tears money, that's why!

Your right, at seventeen years old it was a great place to impress some young babe, especially with the 'Russian cuisine' bit - Borscht soup, Stroganoff (not a cliche then) etc - very impressve! I think I went three times before I discovered Inigo Jones. Even then I was living WAY beyond my means!

[Matthew Grant]

Back to the House of Commons, the report I read said that it was likely to open to the public but it was still undecided on the charging and whether to leave prices subsidised as they are now - could make for some interesting drinking!

On another note, I remember some time ago reading a restaurant review of an old art gallery restaurant, food nothing to write home about but the wine list was meant to be amazing and very cheap due to them cellaring the wine themselves over the years ahving bought them very cheap (sorry if this is off topic) anybody know where it is?

[Vanessa]

On another note, I remember some time ago reading a restaurant review of an old art gallery restaurant, food nothing to write home about but the wine list was meant to be amazing and very cheap due to them cellaring the wine themselves over the years ahving bought them very cheap (sorry if this is off topic) anybody know where it is?

The Tate. The old one, not the new one. Not that I've been there.

v

[AdamLawrence]

On another note, I remember some time ago reading a restaurant review of an old art gallery restaurant, food nothing to write home about but the wine list was meant to be amazing and very cheap due to them cellaring the wine themselves over the years ahving bought them very cheap (sorry if this is off topic) anybody know where it is?

'An old art gallery'? 'Brahms Third Racket'?

Tate Gallery, Millbank. I posted on this just before Christmas. List is very good, though perhaps not as cheap as it used to be. Lunchtime only though.

Tate Gallery restaurant

The wine list is available on the Tate web site, though it is a bit out of date and not every bottle on there will be available (eg the Roumier Chambolle-Musigny was gone when we went there):

Wine list

Adam

Edit: links

Edited February 26, 2003 by AdamLawrence (log)

[Escoffier]

Ah, memories. Mind you I went a couple of times to the Bortsh 'n' Tears in Beauchamp Place when I was seventeen and it's still there!

Bloody hell, the Borstch on Beauchamp Place, staggered out of there a few times. I used to live round the corner on Ovington Sq. the Bortsch was the only place close by that didnt mind late night drinkers, used to do the most magnificent Kiev as well.. A guy called Cofi used to run the bar with his mate Brett who was in a TV series early 90's but that was so exciting I cannot remember its name.

[peterpumkino]

Ah, memories. Mind you I went a couple of times to the Bortsh 'n' Tears in Beauchamp Place when I was seventeen and it's still there!

Bloody hell, the Borstch on Beauchamp Place, staggered out of there a few times.

Just for the record it was me that made that quote!

Yes, Escoffier, quite a place. The Kiev was good. Were you there when the inmitable Benny was alive? Does anyone know who owns it now.

[Charlene Leonard]

don't worry Peter, I am sure Martin has no intention of trying to pass himself off as you.

Edited February 26, 2003 by Charlene Leonard (log)

[Wilfrid]

This must be the thread for Borscht 'n' Wotsit anecdotes. I was somewhat older than seventeen when, seeking to impress a first date, I took her first to the Tatty Bogle (extra points anyone who knows where that is), then offered - doubtless with a grand sweep of my arm - any cuisine she could name for dinner.

"Russian" she said. Unexpectedly.

And that is where we ended up.

[Simon Majumdar]

I took a woman to see Bert Janch at The Tatty Bogle ( Kingly St ) way back when.

We then went on to dinner at a place on Vauxhall Bridge road called the New Maple Grill Trattoria ( now long gone ) and found ourselves eating next to a dishevelled old man in a grubby raincoat who turned out to be ex-Prime Minister, Harold Wilson.

S

[Charlene Leonard]

This must be the thread for Borscht 'n' Wotsit anecdotes.  I was somewhat older than seventeen when, seeking to impress a first date, I took her first to the Tatty Bogle (extra points anyone who knows where that is), then offered - doubtless with a grand sweep of my arm - any cuisine she could name for dinner.

"Russian" she said.  Unexpectedly.

And that is where we ended up.

Tatty Bogel's is still there, my boss goes there all the time for the karaoke!

[Miss J]

Hey, I've been to the Tatty Bogel too - some mates of mine discovered it, and insisted everone go for the name alone.

[macrosan]

...a dishevelled old man in a grubby raincoat who turned out to be ex-Prime Minister, Harold Wilson.

Presumably that was after his mate the raincoat maker fell out of favour

After the B&T I graduated to Nikita's in Ifield Road. Very good restaurant downstairs, where they served carafes of vodka encased in ice. Wonderful bar upstairs where they served in excess of 100 varieties of vodka. Not far from La Croisette, a superb French fish restaurant.

I haven't been to either for years, but if they're still there then I should go again --- though not to both on the same evening

[Audrey]

I believe Gilbert & George now take the bus up to Dalston, to the original Mangal, the tiny one on Arcola Street. Before that, it was the Market Cafe which they ended up buying for the owners so that they could eat there every day. But eventually the owners got too old and decided enough G&G we want G&T.

Maybe G&G should do S&M which has just opened up round the corner from them.

Ax

[Escoffier]

Were you there when the inmitable Benny was alive?  Does anyone know who owns it now.

Dont know who owned it when I used to go. That was 85 to about 87.

I last passed by the place last march when I did a fireproofing job on a rather large house at the end of Pont St. It does not look like it has changed at all.

[peterpumkino]

I last passed by the place last march when I did a fireproofing job on a rather large house at the end of Pont St. It does not look like it has changed at all.

I went there in 1965 would you believe!!! It was really great and a Russian guy called Benny owned it (he coined the phrase 'the onions are for crying' B & T geddit!!!) , when he died his wife ran it but that was a LONG time ago. Still, I have a friend who lives behind Harrods and every time I walk up Beauchamp Place I get nostaglia pains as it really looks exactly the same! Maybe I should go in one day for old times sake. If I do I'll put a post on this thread.

[Wilfrid]

Tatty Bogle's not on Kingly Street. It's down a narrow, covered passage parallel with Carnaby Street, and hidden in a deep, unventilated cellar. Maybe we're talking about some different places here.

Another point if anyone knows what the name means.

[Escoffier]

I got the nostalgia pangs too, next time I am down that way I will go just to see if a non vodka induced view of the place is the same!

I cant remember the name of that celeb hangout across the rd is it San Lorenzo? Went there once too and decided it traded rather too heavily on the 'Dianas fave restaurant' tag far too much. Overpriced and crap.

[g.johnson]

Tatty Bogle's not on Kingly Street.  It's down a narrow, covered passage parallel with Carnaby Street, and hidden in a deep, unventilated cellar.  Maybe we're talking about some different places here.

Another point if anyone knows what the name means.

Some bucolic idiocy for scarecrow, no?

[Simon Majumdar]

In fact it is on Kingly court between Carnaby St and Kingly St

Pedant

S

[Wilfrid]

Bingo.

Bert Jansch, eh? I saw him in a bar above either the Wheatsheaf or the pub a little further south on Rathbone Place - the Black Horse? - about eight years ago. He was singing a song to an absolutely hushed room about how the English had stolen all the trees from Ireland to build their wooden navy. Nifty guitarist though.

Last time I stuck my head in the Tatty Bogle (last year) it had been taken over by thumping disco club nights. Sadly.

[peterpumkino]

I cant remember the name of that celeb hangout across the rd is it San Lorenzo? Went there once too and decided it traded rather too heavily on the 'Dianas fave restaurant' tag far too much. Overpriced and crap.

Yes it's San Lorenzo and that's been there for years and years. It's everything I hate in an 'Italian' restaurant in London. Terrible food and very expensive - good for stargazing though.