Lazy Bones Farringdon

Last week a new restaurant has it's sneaky debut without any fanfare or ribbon cutting. I've written about the Cowcross Street/Farringdon area A LOT, mainly because so many awesome food joints have been popping up in the short time I've been working in the vicinity (think Polpo, Byron... among others)

It's no secret I LOVE pulled pork and beef brisket, so naturally I was at the front of the queue to try Lazybones. Set just back off Cowcross Street, LazyBones is an awesome set up, welcoming for both a quick drink or two, lunch or dinner. The interior has an excellent vibe, even though it was quiet.

Lazybones Menu = Nom

Order here

Pick up here 

The order of the day (as written outside the venue) is 'Slow Meats and Long Drinks'. Those meats on offer, pulled pork, beef brisket, chicken wings, hot dogs and for the veggies among us, falafal wraps. Beers, a small selection of wines and cocktails are on the appetite whetting list.

Drink menu

We opted for beef brisket and pulled pork - accompanied by fries, both naked and cheesy. The food comes quick and is served with guacamole and coleslaw respectively. The portions are relatively 'lunchy', you won't be full after wolfing down a sandwich (or open sandwich in the PP case) and some fries. You will probably be happy though!

Pulled Pork

Beef Brisket

Beef Brisket with Guacamole

While the meats were nothing in comparison to Mighty Quinn's BBQ they were pretty good. Very finely pulled/sliced so you never feel like your getting a massive meaty mouthful (sometimes, you want one...in the pulled pork kind of way!)

Cheesy Fries

Popcorn Toppers

The fries were miles better with cheese on them. We drank a bottle of wine, which was a very reasonably priced £20.

I would definitely go back for either lunch or beers after work. I imagine when it gets off the ground it will be a popular spot for both. I hope the sandwiches get meatier and yummier...then you may not be able to keep me away!

Find them here 

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Got My Swag On

As well as lots of eating and drinking in New York, it was also my birthday (sort of) so lots of shopping was also on the cards. I came back a very happy lady...

First, I have been coveting a red Prada bag for longer than is probably healthy - second only to my desire for a Lady Dior. Having toyed with buying one for a good two years, it was high time gave in. Look at my new baby -- isn't she gorgeous?

Now another thing you may notice in this photo? My bad ass coat. This winter I fancied a faux fur, but didn't find one in London that looked (and felt) good enough, with winter being almost over (we pray) I had pretty much given up the ghost on this one.

We were in Elie Tahari innocently shopping for other things when this beauty caught my attention. I'm a bit of a fabric magpie and can't resist touching lots of things in shops. I copped a feel of this and thought it must be real, it is so incredibly soft. A quick glance at the price tag confirmed it was in fact faux fur, and had to be mine.

Wearing my new Prada and Elie Tahari pretty much made me into a New Yorker...in my mind. We're also not calling 'coincidence' that doormen started being much more on call, and someone stopped me in the street and asked for directions - Literally got my NY swag on. This obviously made me very happy. I am such a poser.

Some other lovely purchases? My first ever pair of High-Tops from the Converse store and a selection of Michael Kors clothes (which are my new spring wardrobe staples)

My Michael Kors cardigan 

So, what's your favourite piece?!

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Mighty Quinn's BBQ: Pulled Pork Perfection

Since Pitt-Cue no slow cooked pulled meats have been able to live up. In New York I figured this was all about to change. In the East Village on the corner of 7th Street and 2nd Ave you will find a neighbourhood joint filled with university students lapping up amazing cooked meats and cold beers.

We went on a Sunday evening and the place was packed. You queue up and choose your meat, the favourite two choices are beef brisket and pulled pork. Naturally we went for one of each. The meats are served naked or in a bun. We went bun, but this turned out to be a mistake. This is way too much meat and messy to even entertain the idea of eating it like a sandwich. Go naked laden with slaw and pickled cucumbers and tomato. Heaven.

Try getting that in your mouth

The beef brisket was so tender and soft, with a slight crisp on the outside. The pulled pork was cooked to BBQ perfection. They don't mess around with their portions either. The selection of beers is a great mix from all over the States. We went local for an NY flavour.

The seating is all family style, we sat next to some NYU students who also recommended a bar around the corner called McSorley's Old Ale House, which is the oldest bar in New York. One of the main differences of London vs New York the people are so friendly.

I could go on with pictures like this all day

Highly recommend Mighty Quinn's for the food and getting out of the normal touristy places in the City. We've also been for brisket and pulled pork since being back in London and it didn't even come close. 

After a night eating like locals we went back to the hotel with some enormous cans of Mike's Hard Lemonade and dessert, it was literally as big as my head! It's class all the way with us!

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New York Restaurant Review; Tao

It feels a bit bad calling this a 'review', Tao was until very recently my favourite restaurant in the world. It also houses my most-favourite cocktail ever. Despite knowing all of the ingredients and quantities have never been able to recreate.

Tao, another semi-hidden gem on E 58th Street never fails to be fantastic. We opted to go for lunch, the lunch menu is not just spectacular food but ridiculously good value. We were lucky with our seating, grabbing a bench along the back wall near the all-seeing Buddha. I didn't even look at the cocktail menu - two Tao-tini's were soon whisking their way to us. I really don't get how they can make it so consistently good in New York and Vegas, years apart. I'm baffled that I can't do it too!

These aren't as pink as they look! M's flash making the lovely lighting

The lunch menu has a selection of best selling dishes on, and comes at an incredible $27.50 for three courses. For starter we opted for satay of chicken with peanut sauce and spicy Thai seafood dumpling soup. One thing about some set menus that represent such amazing value - the portions are really small. Not in Tao. The portions are enormous.

After M spent far too long savouring the chicken and peanut satay (I was jealous...my dumpling soup was demolished in about 15 seconds) it was onto mains. M had opted for kung pao chicken with steamed rice. Moi? Asian BBQ fried hangar steak with pepper spiced fries. One of the interesting about having basically steak and chips is eating them with chopsticks. Not your common bed fellows...

The steak was absolutely delicious, so tender and the sauce was amazing, perfect for dipping my chopstick powered fries into. If one thing would have made it more perfect, it would have been more sauce to dip into.

The kung pao chicken was absolutely huge. Enormous pieces of chicken and lots of them. The rice was sticky and easy to manipulate with the chopsticks, and yes I did dip my fries in here too...After this, even I was pretty stuffed.

We had another tao-tini to let the first two courses settle. For dessert there was a chocolate parfait and a banana pudding. M couldn't decide which to go for, so we went one each. The banana pudding was warm and super bananary. The chocolate parfait was like a chocolate ice cream sundae. Both were excessive based on how much we'd eaten, but we gave it our best shot.

Those who say 'yes' have more fun! Too true

Time to burn off some of those calories. 

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New York Restaurant Review: L'Artusi

We all know in London that the best restaurants aren't those with Neon signs outside, but are subtle, unpresuming and darn good inside. In New York, the great places throw you off as they have these 'lean-to' type door frames outside (to keep the cold out). They can also throw you off.

One such place is downtown Greenwich Village, on West 10th Street. You will find, if you know what you're looking for the most un-presuming restaurants of them all...on the outside that is. L'Artusi is a bustling authentic Italian restaurant - with a modern twist.

Arriving at 8.30pm, knowing there was going to be a wait we were told it was roughly 1.5 hours. We could wait in the 'standing' area by the door in L'Artusi, or go to a bar nearby and come back. I love it when restaurants allow you to leave the premesis when you are on the waiting list rather than keep you trapped. Luckily fairly nearby is the Hotel Gansevoort. Will blog the rooftop bar here at a later date. We dived here for cocktails then came back for 10pm for our Italian feast.

L'Artusi Kitchen

Family style Italian dining

If you are lucky - like we were, you will be seated at the bar. From here you get a great view of the kitchen, cheese bar and family style dining that is happening all around. The place was literally booming, the atmosphere is fabulous. First things first, the wine bible. L'Artusi has a walk in wine cellar of over 2,500 wines. This needs a hefty piece of tome to hold this.

The wine 'list' / tome / bible

As we were in Italy (almost) you will expect a lot of great Italian wines. We opted for a delicious Valpolicella. The wines start really reasonably priced and go up to the extreme - with a lot of delicious flavours in-between. There is something for everyone.

Our Valpolicella from Northern Italy

Wine decided it was on to more important things. I basically fancied everything on the menu. The wait staff are luckily very helpful and I asked for recommendations. One of the best selling dishes is their twist on traditional Spaghetti bolognaise. Sold. M opted for lamb shoulder gnocchi, both dishes were topped with pecorini cheese. We had only just began delving into the wine when the fresh food was ready. For a busy kitchen they don't mess around!

L'artusi Menu

Amazing food on offer

The portions are relatively small - probably the right sized portion, but the food is so good you could easily eat two dishes each...and we were VERY tempted. The spaghetti bolognese was fresh, incredibly flavoursome and satisfying. I could have eaten it again. M literally couldn't get enough of the slow cooked lamb gnocchi saying it was possibly the best meal EVER. Mains savoured we pored back into the wine.

Lamb shank gnocchi with pecorino cheese

There was bread too!

Tagliatelle bolognese

After perusing the main menu again contemplating ordering more mains, we thought better of ourselves. We would not be little piggies...just bring on the cheese please! The cheese selection was perfect. As we were in the states, we wanted American cheese, but not your typical. We went for prairie breeze cheddar from Iowa and Quadrello Di Bufala from Italy...when in Rome!

Perusing the main, dessert AND cheese menu

Sensibly opting for cheese

The cheese is served with flaky crackers, a pickle and almonds. The pickle is more for the cheddar, with the almonds complementing the Bufala. The cheese was possibly the highlight of the meal. To be honest, we savoured it. We had wolfed down our mains so didn't want it to be over too quickly. The Valpolicella was it's perfect companion. M was literally in cheese heaven, and still goes a bit funny on reviewing the photos of the cheese! We tried recreating this magic at the airport and failed miserably...no cheese anywhere EVER is as good as L'Artusi.

This is making me hungry

We finished up and chatted to the staff, the restaurant is open until 2am! incredible. You would literally walk by this place in the street if you didn't know it was there, that is what i LOVE about London and New York, these hidden gems. Even after going to Italy last year, this food was perfection. L'Artusi is definitely up there with the best restaurants we've been to.

Atmosphere: 5/5
Food: 5/5
Drink: 4/5
Overall: 5/5 - love

Check it out for yourself here

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