#60 Hot London Newbies pt 2
Where's for dinner this week?
Before we go head first into another round of excellent new openings, I give you an update fresh from Lai Rai.
This might be the latest I’ve ever scheduled a newsletter. It’s currently 00:19 and I’m finishing up the pre-spiel with one eye open, fresh from an excellent meal, and catching up on Charli at Glasto. Dream.
I loved everything about Lai Rai - who featured on last week’s must-eat-list. From the classic, yet different spin of Vietnamese flavours, the beautifully butter yellow & red interiors, to trying jelly fish for the first time, and the excellent £7.50 orange wine. More to follow on Insta soon.
But now, for this week, continuing from the newbies of last week, I’ve found another menagerie of options to add to your summer dining list.
But these are a little different.
One’s a restaurant, one’s a weekend-long food event, and another is a swanky supermarket. Let’s go.
1. Hello JoJo, Camberwell
Starting with the restaurant. Hello JoJo has burst onto the scenes of Camberwell, just a few short weeks ago, in the old Forza Win spot.
The place has been injected with gorgeous new blue and red decor, and as a sucker for good interiors, this alone was enough to get me interested.
But Hello JoJo isn’t just a restaurant. It’s also a daytime bakery (which opened yesterday FYI!) and a perfect spot for lunch, or even drinks (the wine list is small but impressive - including an AF Beaujolais).
The menu is very well labelled for allergens, and covers creative British classics, from Smoked chicken with chilli butter and roasted tomatoes, to their famous bunny chow doughnut.
Get me there, asap. Book a table here.
2. The Peckham Weekender, Peckham
Save the date! Next weekend marks The Peckham Weekender, where local restaurants rally together to offer special £10 dishes.
But what’s even better than a deal you ask? Well, £1 from every meal goes to Peckham Pantry, a membership community food club supporting low income families.
So just when you didn’t think you weren’t spoilt enough for good food in Peckham, peruse the restaurants and dishes part of doing something good, below.
Mr Bao - Brown crab rarebit croquette topped with citrus, daikon and white crab salad, sriracha mayo and pickled ginger.
Hausu - Scallop and prawn toast with a glass of Entero, Old Vine Macabeo.
Forza Wine - Cauliflower frittini plate (a small portion of the house classic cauliflower fritti) plus a glass of house wine (red, white, sparkling or orange).
White Men Can’t Jerk - Jerk Chicken Bun with smoked jerk chicken, coleslaw, salad leaves, jerk sauce and jerk spiced mayo.
The Begging Bowl - Sweet and sour chicken wings with crispy shallots, Thai basil and rice powder.
Ganapati - Seafood pickle served with pathiri (fine rice flour pancakes).
Messy Mary - Jerk chicken thighs, tzatziki, lettuce, red onion and chilli salad, rye lane hot sauce and Messy Mary signature chips, wrapped in a hand stretched pitta.
Taca Taco - Shrimp & Avo Nachos – Grilled devilled shrimp, tortilla chips, black beans, grilled Monterey Jack cheese, Mexican tartar, arbol salsa, pico de gallo & avocado slices.
Jurkish - Pulled Lamb Double (a homemade fried flatbread), Thai Honey, Cacik (mint yoghurt).
Rye Lane Bagels - Lamb Shoulder Melt with tender pulled lamb, lightly spiced with salt, pepper and chilli, nestled in a toasted bagel.
Made Of Dough - Margaritas and Margheritas.
Artusi - Olive Oil Cake with Chantilly and Grilled Peaches.
Gordos - Nonna Gordos Pie; a full 9inch Sicilian square pizza, with Mozz, beef bolognese, banana peppers and a heavy hand of pecorino romano.
Grab a plate from 4-6th July.
3. Corner Shop, The Strand.
And last but not least. The swanky supermarket.
Five days ago, Corner Shop, from the team behind Soho House, opened their doors at 180 Strand.
But of course, this is more than just a supermarket. It’s an all day grocer, bakery and wine bar.
Knock yourself with all your favourite deli items, grab lunch from the salad bar, or sit and enjoy the beautiful venue with wine and nibbles.
The team have also collaborated with well known local makers and bakers - so expect to come across pastries from Populations Bakery, bread from e5 Bake House, ice cream from Gelapo, and flowers by Sorelle.
*packs tote bag*
What’s “Where’s For Dinner?”
Every week I’ll be tempting you with where your next meal out could be - one in London, one in the UK, and one beyond. All places I want to try, but haven’t yet.I would love for you to subscribe (button below), so we can enjoy these places together. And if you have got any tips of your own, I’d love to hear them.
Love London for the pure scale, creativity and opulence of flavour. I’ve had the pleasure to work there regularly and experience some great food solo dining!
Dang! These places look hot hot hot!