Showing posts with label London eating. Show all posts
Showing posts with label London eating. Show all posts

Saturday, September 26, 2009

24 Hour Beigel People

Fyllemat. A Swedish word that begs for an English equivalent. Roughly, it translates into "food that one eats whilst drunk on a night out". I'm not talking about the Taco Bell fourthmeal grotesqueness; that is more a lifestyle choice made by the severly obese. I'm talking about the 3 am, postclubbing I-am-drunk-and-have-no-self-control food whimsy.

As I spent two weeks interrailing Europe and am therefore wise in the ways of European generalizations, I'd like to take a moment to muse about the best and worst of late night eating. Best drunken meal goes to the kebabs of Berlin. Crispy warm freshly toasted bread, kebab that is slowly roasted and carved on the spot, that pool of orange grease around the crust - kebabgasm. Worst goes to the langos of Budapest. Bland and beige deep fried shit with shit on it. Major disappointment.

Nevermind continental Europe. I'm in London now, let's talk about London's finest - Brick Lane Beigel Bakery. Not only is it open 24 hours, it's also fresh and dirt cheap. The prices start at £0.30 for a buttered bagel, and I bought an egg-mayo bagel for £0.95. A horde of bagel fans ranging from Shoreditch twats to neon-vested builders loiter outside. It's well worth visiting.

24 hour bagel people 4

They also sell baked goods, for equally ridiculous prices.

24 hour bagel people 3
24 hour bagel people 1
24 hour bagel people 2

For being late-night food that isn't deep fried or reheated to the point of nuclear waste, it was pretty fucking fantastic. In fact, all around Brick Lane you will find late night food. Curry houses have very generous opening times, and at 2 am people were still being served. Kebabs, falafels, shawarmas reign supreme at this hour.

I've been hearing a lot of place for a 24-hour diner in Farringdon called Tinseltown, and I'm just dying to check it out. Milkshake at 3 am? YES PLEASE. Alright, so maybe I am making lifestyle choices of the severely obese. But it's alright, eat now diet later.

Monday, July 6, 2009

London eating: Borough Market's finest.

The first thing you should know about Borough Market is that it's only open on:

Thursdays: 11am - 5pm
Fridays: 12pm - 6pm
Saturdays: 9am - 4pm

Ignorance about Borough Market's opening times causes a lot of frustration and disappointment.

Borough Market is an excellent place to sample food. It's very easy to have a whole meal for free; starting with the freshly squeezed apple juice shots, move on to the friendly/foreign Turkish snacks vendor (sometimes baklava, sometimes Turkish delights). Then, sample your way around the different cheeses, dip tiny portions of pita bread into meze, and do not miss the truffle oil on the way out.

Unfortunately, most of the food requires money in exchange. Sometimes you have to give a little to get a little.

borough market cheese melt
borough market cheese scrape
borough market cheese pleasure