A hidden Japanese gem

A Second Serving reviews Itadaki Zen in Kings Cross...

Itakaki Zen is a vegan Japanese restaurant with a menu that focuses on organic ingredients and seasonably grown veggies. The food is wonderfully prepared, fresh and super delicious. Despite operating from a narrow pool of ingredients - mostly noodle, tofu and seaweed - the dishes have a range of tastes and textures. You'd be a fool if you thought this place was just for herbivores!

Why go?

It's a quiet, intimate restaurant, perfect for a date or cosy dinner. As the menu is rather long (and slightly confusing) I opted for one of the £15 set menus which seemed to come with a bit of everything. Service was quick and it wasn't long before a steaming bowl of udon noodle soup was placed in front of me. The noodles were thick and the soup was wonderfully flavoured, if a little difficult to eat. I also had some crispy spring rolls, which came with a zingy dipping sauce, and a huge dish of vegetable tempura which was wonderfully crispy and not greasy.

Downsides?

The tables are very close to one another - so you may hear your neighbour slurping on their udon soup!

Location?

139 King's Cross Road, London, WC1X 9BG

A place to impress

A Second Serving reviews Plum + Spilt Milk, Kings Cross...

My first thought upon entering the main room at Plum + Spilt Milk was 'oooh fancy.' The interior of the restaurant, which is located inside the Great Northern Hotel overlooking King's Cross square, certainly has the wow factor. Of course, that may have something to do with the 150 hand blown glass lamps that are suspended from the ceiling! Saying that, they really do create an atmosphere of luxury. Fortunately, the food turned out to be pretty damn impressive too. 

Why go?

The Plum + Spilt Milk is a beautiful and decadent restaurant celebrating everything British. To start, I went for the cream soaked haddock, poached hen's egg and hollandaise. This turned out to be a fabulous choice. Words cannot describe the explosion of fishy flavours in my mouth. For my main I opted for a veal chop with sage butter and a side of beef dripping chips. I didn't think I'd need the chips but I somehow couldn't stop picking at them. Thick, crispy and oh so greasy, I could have tucked into them all... day... long. Somehow, I managed to leave a little room for the chocolate and honeycomb mousse which was a sweet gooey mess of pure heaven. 



Gone in seconds!

Downsides?

If you're looking for a cheap eat then this isn't the place for you - the main dishes cost from £21-£32 but they're very good.

Value for money?

Ignore the above and treat yourself! If not, find an excuse for a special occasion and go book.

Location?

Great Northern Hotel - King's Cross St Pancras Station, Greater London, N1C 4TB

All about the meat

A Second Serving reviews Dip and Flip in Tooting...

If you love burgers then you have to go to this place. Seriously, I'm going to put it out there, I think I might have just eaten the best burger I've EVER had. For that reason alone I can totally justify going back at the next available opportunity, obvs. While Dip and Flip have a short but beautiful menu, (and another secret menu if you care to ask for it!) they've kept it simple and come up tops.

Messy. Very. Messy.

Why go?

I opted for the Dip and Flip cheeseburger which consisted of a burger topped with slices of roast beef dipped in gravy. This was served in a brioche bun with mustard and ketchup. The burger arrived, as requested (medium rare) and was juicy and full of flavour. You get a gravy pot with each meal so you can dip your burger in and get munching. I also shared a portion of cheesy chips with my foodie companion and this was big enough for two. Word of warning: it gets VERY messy.

My boyfriend and I high on life (and wine) after that burger

Value for money?

Only £10-£15 with a drink. It's a perfect spot for a casual lunch or dinner and miles better than all the chain burger places you get in London.

Downsides?

You may consume 500,000,000 calories during your meal. OK, I'm lying, I'm sure they're not that bad but I did leave feeling like I wouldn't need to eat again for a very long time!

Location?

115 Tooting High Street, London, SW17 0SY

Get on your bike!

A Second Serving reviews the The Dynamo in Putney...

If you're a cyclist and you live south of the river then you need to get along to this place sharpish! The concept behind the Dynamo is pretty damn cool - it's a cafe, a pizza restaurant, a workshop and a home for locals and cyclists in Putney. In the mornings they serve great coffee and awesome breakfasts then from midday their wood-fired oven sparks into life to start cooking the most wonderful sourdough pizzas. The pizzas are named after some of the world's most famous cycling climbs too, which is a nice touch. 

Why go?

People are already riding in from all over the city to pick up breakfast so that meant when we were there a lot of the customers were lycra-clad (not that I'm not complaining!) The breakfast, which I tried, was utter perfection. I went for the Full Dynamo for £10.50 which consisted of corn fritters, bacon, haloumi, avocado and Sriracha aioli. It was super filling and super tasty so I felt like I'd got real value for money. A pot of Earl Grey tea on the side was the perfect accompaniment.



Downsides?

While the staff are very helpful the service felt quite disorganised. Hopefully this was a one off.

Value for money?

Yes! The breakfast options are between £5-£10 and the pizzas, which I've heard great things about, are less than a tenner.

Location?

The Dynamo, 200-204 Putney Bridge Road, London, SW15 2NA

High dining in the city

A Second Serving reviews Fenchurch Seafood Bar and Grill Restaurant in The Sky Garden...

As a treat my boyfriend took me to what we call 'the posh restaurant' at the top of The Sky Garden - the famous enlarged glass dome of 20 Fenchurch street. After an airport style examination of our bags we headed up in the lift to the 35th floor. There, in the bright and airy City Garden Bar, we enjoyed a snazzy cocktail while snapping photos of the 360 degree views of the city... an experience in itself.


Check. Out. That. View.

Why go?

One level higher, and reached via a beautiful sub-tropical garden, is Fenchurch Restaurant. From the moment we stepped inside it felt like a little oasis of luxury and calm. On the recommendation of the chef I skipped a starter and jumped straight into the Iberico pork, peas, potato terrine and wild mushrooms, and what a delight that was. The dish was beautifully presented and I wanted to eat it really slowly so I could relish every mouthful. Afterwards, I tucked into the delicious dark chocolate and passionfruit ganache, while my boyfriend opted for the selection of Neal's Yard cheeses which came with house chutney and oatcakes. It cost £14 for 5 cheeses but was well worth it - and I have to admit I was a little jealous! The waiter made a real charade of wheeling the cheese table over and describing each of the different flavours to us.


About to tuck in!

Value for money?

I'm not going to lie, it's on the pricey side. The pork main was £33.50 but for a special occasion it's worth the money as you really do get a five-star experience. Have a few cocktails in the main bar first as they're much cheaper!

View from inside The Sky Garden - to the upper left of the photo you can see Fenchurch Restaurant

Downsides?

While Fenchurch Restaurant was warm enough, the main Sky Garden bar can get a little chilly in winter so take an extra layer!

Location?

Sky Garden, 1 Sky Garden Walk, London, EC3M 8AF.

Ladies that lunch

A Second Serving reviews Villandry on Great Portland Street…

Now if there's one thing I enjoy it's a boozy lunch. Seriously, is there anything better than sipping prosecco, eating fine food and putting the world to rights with a close friend? If you're like me (and you have a habit of pretending your bank balance is OK when really it's not), then you go out for lunch far, far too much. So thank God for Villandry! For just £30 you get a main, dessert and unlimited Prosecco for two hours. Winner winner, chicken dinner.

Why go? 

It's pretty simple really: Last minute booking made the night before? Tick. Fab location? Tick. (It's right near Oxford Circus so would be perfect if you're shopping with a friend and need to re-fuel). Warm and welcoming surroundings? Tick. (We were put in the 'red room,' which made us feel rather posh… and a little bit naughty). Good food? Tick. The leek and potato galette came with poached eggs, spinach and red pepper hollandaise. Delicious! This followed with a pastry, a choice of tart or cake and of course that unlimited prosecco for 2-long-long hours.

Downsides?

If I'm being really picky then the toilets are a bit too dark. It's a kinda grope-your-way-to-the-ladies type affair but don't let that put you off. 

Value for money? 

Yes! Just £30

Location? 

170 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 5QB

The best of British

A Second Serving reviews Brasserie Blanc, Bath...

While on a girlie weekend away in Bath to celebrate my sisters birthday I was excited to check out Brasserie Blanc in the city centre. It's an upscale restaurant serving a classically French menu devised by celebrity chef Raymond Blanc, so I knew it was going to be good! We kicked off our leisurely lunch by bagging a window seat, the perfect spot for people watching from the corner of pretty Queen’s Square where the restaurant is situated.

Alllll the beef

Why go?

From the very beginning of our lunch the service was top notch – the staff were polite and courteous and nothing was too much trouble. To start I opted for the Mediterranean fish soup with the garlic and saffron rouille, croutons and grated cheese. It was a large, rich portion and set the standard for the rest of the meal. For my main I had boeuf bourguignon. The meat was possibly the most tender I’ve ever tasted. It was accompanied by a deliciously smooth mash and red wine sauce. To finish I chose the caramel souffle with rum and raison ice cream. The dish took 15 minutes to prepare but was more than worth the wait!

The soufflé was to die for

Downsides?

None! The portions were generous, prices were reasonable and the service was excellent.

Value for money?

Hell yes. This is authentic French food at its best. Go now!

Location?

6-12 Queen Square, Bath, BA1

What happened next?

After all that food, my sisters and I had a look around the nearby Roman Baths, one of the finest historic sites in northern Europe. It was incredibly atmospheric and we got a real feel for the history of the place as we listened to the audio guide. The weather was pretty awful but that meant the steam was even higher than usual as the heat of the water mingled with the freezing cold air.

 Of course, we also took the obligatory selfie(s) beside the water...



Say cheese!

If you're in Bath, definitely put the Roman Bath's on your 'to do' list. You can plan your visit, here: http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/