Billy & Me Quest for Eats

Glas
3 Park Street,
London,
SE1 9AB

Twas a special night for littl’ Billy. A reunion had been organised for our old workplace (for escapees and ‘those who remain’ both). So the little guy got to meet the people who discovered and christened him again. A momentous occasion.

We didn’t, and still don’t, know the area around London Bridge very well at all. Which may seem odd, as our main route into the city centre stops there. But, outisde of the occasional foray to the wonderful Borough Market (where fruit smoothies, ale, and whole bleeding deer vie for your consumer attention), it always seems like there isn’t a whole lot there. The walk between Tower Bridge and London Bridge along the South Bank is magical, and the eateries down by the Design Museum have rather magnificent views…. but, once you’ve done that, you’ve done it, and there isn’t much to bring your interest back again.

In that, it seems, I was mistaken.

One of our dining companions, from a larger than usual group had worked in the area around Borough Market a few years previously. He knew the area well and spun wonderous tales of cuisines and booze-joints to make littl’ Billy’s head spin.

We finally decided upon a Swedish dining establishment; Glas. Now… I don’t know Swedish food. Billy makes lewd claims about a student exchange programme he once went on; but I think he’s just making it up. My complete ignorance of the cuisine encouraged me to go.

The food is a tapas menu of sorts; very small portions of which you are advised to order two or three each. We ordered reindeer (twas Christmas after all), venison, vodka and lime fish (I was a bit drunk by this point… it was a white fish… hrrmmm), a fish soup, and a variety of vegtables. Testicles were also offered but I couldn’t summon up the courage by myself unless being dared or goaded into it, and no one had the heart (or perhaps the cruelty) to do so. The less adventurous among us had potatoes… very nice potatoes, but potatoes nonetheless. Which was fine; as it left more for the rest of us.

The meats were excellent; thick, succulent slices of rare meat. The Venison which came spiced and with liquorice jus was especially opulent. However; the portions were indeed too small to really savour it as a meal and the other offerings ,while interesting for novelty value, wouldn’t tempt us back.

In any case, a good night was had by all. As always with such reunions, it ended with tearful goodbyes and a drunken flight for the last train (which was mercifully attained); but it was a very enjoyable evening.

Eoin: 7 (just for the rare meat; probably 6 without)
Billy: 8 (though that might be because he had everyone else’s as well)
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Bakko
172-174 Muswell Hill Broadway
London
N10 3SA

This was our first introduction to what will soon be our new area of London; the north east. We were delighted. Muswell Hill seems lovely and we’ll certaintly be reporting on more eateries in the area.

There’s a wonderful attention to detail, fun, and opulence! Just little things that make your meal far more enjoyable. Ordering a desert between two; it arrived neatly sliced, so Billy and I didn’t need to fight over it. Turkish coffee comes with a selection of Turkish delights.

The staff are attentive and good-humoured; cheeky but just on the right side of obnoxious (a fine line). A slight slip up by the waiter in delivering food is highlighted as comedy and adds to a very relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.

The food is fairly straight forward fair; we had kofte and iskander; both excellent, filling and fresh from the grill.

Very nice. Very nice indeed.

Billy: 7
Eoin: 7
Link to gmap here

22-24 Donnybrook Road
Donnybrook
Dublin 4
Ireland

Billy and I were back visiting the motherland some weeks ago and were brought to a new (well… new to us anyway, and that’s all that counts) eaterie called Yo Thai. It’s placed a fair distance from the city centre; so it’s an unlikely visit unless you live near the area. Which is unfortunate as it would, we feel, be better received around Grafton St or its environs.

Surprisingly, given the name, its real expertise is Japanese; sushi. Good sushi is not easy to come by in Dublin since Aya began to serve mashed potato and the occasional hamburger (WTF!!!) on its conveyor belts.

Yo Thai certainly seems incongruous for Donnybrook. It’s a fairly pleasant area; with beautiful Georgian residences and small greens and parks; but hardly known for its cuisine. This is one of two difficulties that Yo Thai has; exemplified by our going in a quiet family group on the night of a rugby game. Yo Thai is a large well-kept restaraunt over one of the larger pubs in the area, and was crowded to breaking point with tables of gregarious drunken lads laden with plates of chips and ketchup. Not in itself a bad thing if we were looking for a loud night out; but one generally doesn’t choose Japanese food for the singing drunken craic. We had to feel bad for the waiter who was forcibly pulled down to a table beside us to sing Happy Birthday, or another who had difficulty containing her distaste when delivering aprons/bibs to one table a moment too late…

The second problem with Yo Thai I’ll mention later.

The food came, course upon course upon course, and was of a very high standard. It was a set menu, selected by the main chef upon recognising one of our companions; a Japanese girl who had been there before. One of the most interesting things about Yo Thai is the flexibility and genuine enthusiasm of the chef; who will happily produce items not on the menu if requested and will even suggest such items if he feels the customer would appreciate them. We had excellent sashimi; tuna, sea bass and salmon. A very high quality of fish; cut into pieces thick enough to relish every bite. This was followed by steamed sea bass & pak choi in soy; onigiri; udon and miso and finally azuki bean ice cream, which is excellent.

The green tea was rejoiced even by littl’ Billy when it finally came to announce an end to the generous courses in the form of a much needed digestive aid.

The main chef, coincidentally also named Billy, is certainly the best and worst thing about the place simultaneously. Though, it should be stated immediately before going further; ‘worst’ for the best possible reasons.

He’s Thai and this certainly shows through in the menu and in the crisp tastes her serves. He also trained for a few years as a sushi chef in Japan. He’s incredibly enthusiastic about his customers (you feel more like an honoured guest), proud of the food he serves, and almost a floorshow in the whirlwind of smiles, laughs and chat he creates about the restaraunt. Like some crazed dervish delivering great food and a genuine smile to each and every table.

He is however, in doing so, one of the problems I think Yo Thai faces; Billy is stretched far too thinly in his workload. He engages in conversations that he is forced to cut short before they’ve really begun, his food gives the impression that he doesn’t quite achieve as highly as he could (this is meant as a compliment), and the menu is largely limited to dishes that can be quickly and efficiently prepared.

He’s aware of this and even apoligised several times while delivering genuinely fine fare. A new restaraunt and a menu were mentioned and we’re both very much looking forward to trying it out sometime in the New Year.

Eoin: 7
Billy: 9
Link to gmap here