The Long Table

The Long Table, Dalston

It was four weeks before Christmas, and it was cold. Most people were busy doing their Christmas shopping, or relaxing somewhere warm with a glass or two. This certainly did not apply to the crowd queuing outside a disused car park on Abbot Street in Dalston. The Long Table is a joint venture by the Bootstrap Company and Nuno Mendes, the man behind The Loft Project and Viajante. It is an outdoor food market featuring live music, visual art and the best food stalls in London.

I grew up in South East Asia, so street food is in my genes. There is no better environment to bring people together. I love the noise, the interaction with the vendors, chatting with people in the queues, and of course the delicious food. The Long Table is a great way to experience the vibe of East London. Expect to queue for at least an hour if you cannot make it before six o’clock. But do not be put off by this, as it is well worth the wait...

Several communal tables were set up under a huge marquee, where people were chatting away while tasting varieties of food and drinks. Log fires were set up to keep us warm, which together with the live music, created a very cosy atmosphere.

Graffiti covered walls, London Fields Brewery, Okonomiyaki by Sho Foo Doh 松風堂

Big Apple Hot Dog, as good as the ones you can get in New York, if not better.

Yakimochi with sweet red bean paste by Matcha

Beef taco by L.A Suenos

Takoyaki (Octopus balls)

Barbeque beef short ribs with Shiitake mushroom, served with mushroom caramel by The Loft Project. The meat was so tender that it just fell off the bone. No wonder it had the longest queue!

Pork belly in steamed white bun by Yum Bun. It was another popular stall, but the fluffy soft buns were certainly worth waiting for.

Amazing cocktails by Alex Mckechnie. For the girls - Cucumber, mint, gin, elderflower and lemon bubbles. For the boys - Old fashioned handmade spiced rum. I had both :)

Bacon cheese burger by Lucky Chip. Hand pressed burger, melted cheese, strips of bacon and the steamy buns, this is possibly the best burger in the world. I am seriously considering travelling from South London just to have this burger again.

We did not get to try these but they looked really good - Home made Bengali curries by Gastrogeek, pizza by Home Slice Pizza.

Brave the cold and find out what East London is about!

The Long Table

Viajante Bar

Viajante Bar, Bethnal Green

I went to the Viajante Bar with two of my best friends a few months ago. I literally picked up the phone to make a reservation as soon as the bar posted the cocktail tasting menu on their Facebook page - only realised at the last minute that I had a first aid assessment on the following day... I vaguely remember practising bandaging on my friend, when a member of staff came over to see if we were ok. Oh well... things happen :P What I do remember was the wonderful cocktails, all carefully prepared by the friendly and attentive bar staff. I couldn't wait to go back.

So, I went back for 'seconds' last week. Here are the highlights:

The first drink we had is called 'Shiso-Lovely'. It was a new drink that was not available on the regular menu yet. Very refreshing - the fragrance of the Shiso leaf came through nicely with a bit of minty kick. 

Served with the drink was Tuna crudo, grapefruit, lemon and bergamot granita. The whole dish came together nicely, excellent quality tuna, the grapefruit was not overpowering. The sauce tasted like a very light soy sauce  with mirin and a hint of Shiso.

Next up was 'Galaxy'. This sweet and sour fruity drink was my second favourite of the night. It went beautifully with the lamb belly, artichoke and black olive.  

I had a bite of the melt-in-the-mouth belly, then a sip of the slightly sour drink, which cut through the richness of the meat, so I just wanted more meat to compensate the sourness, it was like a cycle, leaving me wanting more at the end of the course.

The next course 'Cordon Blazer' was the highest point of the night, not only it was the strongest drink, we were also treated to an amazing 'fire display'. 

This was a brandy based cocktail, with fresh berries and orange peel. Before serving, the alcohol was "flambéed", there was a wonderful fruity vapour coming from the glass. This would make a perfect Christmas drink!

The cocktail was served with pig's tail, tofu and barely broth. Although I didn't really think this dish went with the drink, I was extremely impressed by the tofu. It ticked all the boxes - soft, smooth and with a definite bean flavour. 

And finally the last course, 'Rosey Posey'. Isn't it the most beautiful cocktail? The drink was light and silky, full of the fragrance of roses. Just what we needed after the previous course. 

The dessert was an interesting combination. Celery granita on its own would be a bit dull, tasting just of - as you'd expect - celery. But somehow the brain behind the dish managed to make it work, by combining it with marzipan ice cream and rice crispy praline.

We had a great evening in the Viajante Bar. I can't think of anywhere else in London which serves a tasting menu like this, and it was simply amazing value for money. Just consider how much time and effort they put into the menu. I will definitely pay another visit, perhaps prior to a meal at The Corner Room.

Viajante Bar