Sebright Arms (with Lucky Chip) Bethnal Green 16/20*

Location: 31-35 Coate Street, E2

Website: www.facebook.com/Luckychip and www.sebrightarms.co.uk/

Visit: Wednesday Evening

To Note: Tucked away off Hackney Road but regular buses from Liverpool Street, Old Street and London Bridge, worth the schlep  

Scores (for the pub)

Ambiance 3/5

Design 3/5

Drinks 5/5

Staff 5/5

Extra LBC star: * for getting the fabulous Lucky Chip in for residence

I don’t often review pubs, normally stick to the cocktail bars, but with the additional of my one true love – BURGERS – to this one I thought it worth a few words.

A bit of a schlep from South of the river for me but I think this was well worth it. On finding the pub (A to Z and GPS at the ready but totally unnecessary, it was right by bus stop) I was tempted by the benches outside in the lane that runs by the pub since it was a warm night but since we were eating and I do hate people smoking over food I explored the inside options instead. And there are plenty. You can take a leather couch like we did (not practical for eating), perhaps curl up in the smaller room set behind the bar, gather round a barrel in the main room or take a table up a few stairs by the windows. It is all traditional but with that feeling particular to London that I love – this is not an “old mans pub” but a local.

There was an extremely impressive range of beers and ales. As a side note I am often asked what wine or cocktail to order in a pub. My answer: don’t. You would certainly find something for every palate and in this case the helpful bartender guided me to Camden Pale Ale whilst my friend had Meantime. Then onto the food.

I do not know what they did before but now they have LUCKY CHIP. I went for the “Kevin Bacon”, my friend the “Royale” and fries to share. Mine was a delightfully pink patty with beautiful slab of bacon and gooey cheese with pickles all held together in shiny bun that held to the very end. The Royale – I though strangely – came in a seasame seed bun but there were no complaints from my friend, in fact very little talk at all, before we turned to the fries that were clearly hand chipped and very tasty.

There is regular live music and although it got louder as the night went on, I can safely say that I will return to The Sebright Arms – I like their style – and my friend is delighted by her new “local” too. 

Presenting...Patty and Bun Joe

Just look at it. It is a tower of oozing, tasty perfectly cooked meat and cheese piled with fresh salad into a melting brioche bun and served alongside a pot of downright tasty rosemary salt chips.

Good news: This is food porn at its best (and yes, Joe is as tasty as his burgers!)


Bad news: This particular Battersea pop up spot with Street Kitchen is over for now but follow @pattyandbunjoe on twitter for the next project

Hawksmoor Spitalfelds - Downstairs 20/20

Location: Commercial Street

Website: http://www.thehawksmoor.co.uk/locations/spitalfields

Visit: Monday evening - soft launch

To Note? Restaurant upstairs bar downstairs

Score

Ambiance 5/5

Design 5/5

Drinks 5/5

Staff 5/5

Extra LBS star: It got 20/20 - it doesn't need it!

I am writing this from the point of view of someone who has never actually been to Hawksmoor before – and I LOVED it. We descended to what was previously a store room and entered through a heavy steel door to a sleek world of green leather banquettes, high tables and stools and aged mirrors to reflect the gentle candle light.

Although we were the only two in our area on arrival it soon filled up though the atmosphere remained intimate. Perhaps this was to do with the service. Now I know that although this was a “soft launch” this is not a brand new company or team however it was flawless throughout from the water on arrival to the waitress who was happy to explain the menu (and some of it needed explaining – Bermondsey Friar anyone?) finishing with the bar man who promised a “party in the mouth” with our last cocktail! I would genuinely like to thank the staff for being awesome at every point during the evening – and especially as we outstayed our time slot by 45 minutes. (Time slots are also only for the soft launch period.)

So, the cocktails. Their Ginger Brew which has been with them from the start was so fresh and full of flavour, the Old Fashioned blew my socks off and the Manila Julep was outstanding – even if under all that ice it disappeared very quickly. The prices vary wildly from £7.50 to £11 but it is good to know that each month the list will change and the Desert Island Drinks Section will feature five favourites from different barmen.

As for the food I had high expectations and really was not disappointed. Hawksmoor have pointed out this is a bar – there are no steaks here people! – but the single page of food offers more than enough choice. Starting with spiced up lamb in lettuce leaves, the cheeseburger was declared perfectly cooked, a chilli cheese hot dog hit the spot and accompanying triple cooked chips and coleslaw (which our waitress kindly agreed to request spiced up) were fabulous. And even better was all this left room to share a lemon meringue pie which had a perfectly thin crispy base, an oozing liquid centre and delightfully chewy meringue on top. Yum!

So three cocktails and plenty of food for two would come to (outside soft launch prices) around £70 including service which I really do not think is an issue for this quality of food and drink, this environment and for London full stop.

The crowd was mixed and will inevitably get some business from the nearby city institutes but like its upstairs restaurant it remains unpretentious and a really enjoyable place to spend an evening. I am already looking forward to the next visit – there is a chocolate malt cake with my name on it!

MEATLiquor, Oxford Street: 17/20*

Location: Welbeck Street, just behind John Lewis

Website: www.meatliquor.com

Visit: Thursday afternoon

To Note: the huge queuing system gives away how popular this place already is

Scores

Ambience 5/5

Design 5/5

Drinks 5/5

Staff 2/5

Extra LBS Star: an extra star for making me want to handcuff myself to the banquette and never leave!

“Ya, ya, it’s called Meat and Liquor” I heard drawled behind me as I nipped through John Lewis to this recently opened joint. Can I really criticise having called it Meat Liqueur for an embarrassing amount of time?

Is it hidden? No. It is inconspicuous on the ground floor of an old car park but the queue barriers reinforce that this place has really landed, and people are prepared to wait. And clearly from the people I heard discussing MEATLiquor its not just the tattooed and hair dyed amongst the ol’ smoke who are clamouring to get in.

We went at 3pm on a Thursday and not only was there no queue but with a maximum of 10 people in the place we had to almost scream to get the waitress’ attention for a seat. Being my first visit it took quite a while to order. I was so busy staring at the “art”, spotting new quotes or a face coming out the wall and tapping my feet to the music (and Shazam-ing a lot of it too, it was awesome) that I was grateful for the simplicity of the menu: food outside, liquor inside.

A green chilli cheeseburger and a straight up cheese burger were ordered with fries and slaw and duly noting the “20 minutes to cook” note at the bottom of the menu. 5 minutes later (?) the food arrived…and here I need to hold back from raving!

A metal tray with checked paper lining - in a McDonalds mockery - caught the burger juices which were profuse and a clear example of how good this burger was. Cooked medium rare it was succulent and loaded with chilli that were really warm and a tasty surprise (after years of Indian restaurants and their “3 chilli but not actually hot” warnings). The fries were skinny, crisp and demolished in minutes and the slaw was some of the best I’ve had and utterly necessary as a cooling agent! I would have allowed my companion a bite, maybe, but you need to hang onto these bad boys till they’re all gone or the delicious shiny burger bun will collapse on you. Oh god. This was good.

When these had disappeared we took to the bourbon based cocktails and both were absolutely divine and served in old jam jars. We struggled through two – each – before deciding that dessert was in order and opted for Pecan Pie (apparently excellent) and Quack Pie – which the waitress clearly had no idea what it was so for all those thinking of going – it’s a treacle tart on a flapjack base and its GOOD!

From the former street food Meat Wagon, it seems that the transition to restaurant lacks one fairly key point – service. We spent far too long with empty glasses, had to beg for the bill and in the end went up to pay at the till. The barman was constantly shouting at the waitresses to get the drinks out (and avoid over melted ice) and I’m not surprised that service is not automatically added – I would complain!

However I will be back again. And again. And again. Until I get a plaque on the wall for dedication. Burgers simply should not taste THIS good, nor cocktails, but keep them coming please MEATLiquor and I’ll keep handing over my bank card!

And next time, I’m bringing a bib.