AUTHENTIC MALAYSIAN FLAVOURS IN THE HEART OF LONDON

Tukdin, a family run restaurant in Paddington, offers a choice selection of authentic dishes that demonstrate the best of Malaysia.
Malaysian cuisine is the original fusion food, bringing together culinary influences from native Malay, Chinese and Indian cooking.

For starters why not try Chicken Satay Goreng (£6.50), tasty bite-sized chicken marinated in oriental spices with a delicious peanut sauce, served with rice cubes, cucumber and onions; or Sup Asam Manis (£3.90) a delicious prawn and squid sour soup garnished with pineapple and tomato.

Meat lovers can indulge in a traditional beef Rendang (£9.50) cooked in coconut milk with spicy Malaysian spices and herbs; or a delicious chicken Masak Merah (£6.90) cooked in spicy tomato sauce. Nasi Lemak Kosong (£2.90), coconut rice; and Tukdin’s crunchy mixed vegetable pickle Acar Rampai (£4.50) complete the meal.

Fish and seafood dishes include traditional Ikan Sos Mangga (£18.90/£15.90) of either grilled sea bass or mackerel served with a savoury mango sauce; and Udang Sambal Tomato (£7.90), prawns cooked in chilli, tomato sauce.

Tukdin also specialises in traditional street food. The Masakan Warung (Hawkers Delight) Menu includes Nasi Goreng KPG (£7.50), traditional spicy fried rice strongly flavoured with dried shrimps; Mee Goreng Mamak (£6.90), savoury fried egg noodles with beancurd, eggs and shrimp fritters; and Kway Teow Goreng (£6.90), stir fried rice noodles with seafood.

Vegetarians can choose from tasty dishes such as Terong Berlada (£4.50), aubergine with chilli paste flavoured with lime leaves; Sambal Tauhu (£5.50), beancurd cooked in chilli sauce; or Pajree Nenas (£4.50), pineapple sweet curry.

All desserts are priced at £4 and diners have the choice between delicious Bubur Pulut Hitam, black glutinous rice pudding served with coconut milk and vanilla ice cream; Malaysian style Pisang Goreng Aiskrim, fried banana fritters with vanilla ice cream; or Pengat Pisang, banana with sweet coconut sauce.

Not to be over looked is Tukdin’s thirst quenching selection of traditional Malaysian drinks including Sirap Bandung Muar (£2.20), rose syrup with soda water and milk; Lychee with lychee fruits (£2.50); and delicious Soya Bean with grass jelly (£2.50). A selection of teas and coffees are available including Misai Kuching (£2.50), a traditional Malaysian brew hailed for its cleansing properties.

Tukdin entices with an exquisite melting-pot of flavours and provides an hospitable welcome to its customers. The friendly staff are always ready to help those in need of assistance, whether seeking a recommendation for particular preferences or choosing the perfect accompaniment.

To find out more about Malaysian ingredients and recipes, visit www.malaysiakitchen.co.uk

Maria Elia at JOE’S Draycott Avenue.

Formerly known as JOE’S CAFE?, the JOSEPH owned restaurant JOE’S on Draycott Avenue announces the arrival of chef Maria Elia. JOE’S is a personal project, initiated and directed by JOSEPH CEO Sara Ferrero. Sara sought out Maria Elia and determined the design for a new look JOE’S with comfortable, red leather chairs, a background palate of mocha and brown marble, striking black and white portraits and a dramatic wall of wine on lovingly restored, reclaimed oak shelves.

Open throughout the day from breakfast through to dinner, anyone expecting the familiar dishes of the former kitchen brigade will be taken aback, for Maria is very much her own chef and has turned the menu on its head. Her concise and eclectic cooking has flavour at its heart and an underpinning of sustainability. A meal courtesy of Maria is light and yet nurturing, at times intriguing, at others comforting.
Despite its first class location, the prices are indisputably down-to-earth with starters comfortably below £10, all main courses under £20 and a ‘small desserts’ menu with an average price of £3.50 a plate. With anticipated menu changes occurring fortnightly, JOE’S opens with the likes of Pigeon, orange lentils, bitter leaves, pistachio aioli (£8.50) and Sea bream, broccoli couscous, pine nuts, sultanas (£15.95). The lunchtime set menu (2 courses £15, 3 courses £17) changes daily.

Although her official title is executive chef, Maria will not conduct from afar. In the kitchen at least three days per week, she’s the type of passionate, energetic chef who writes books, appears on TV, but most importantly cooks. From the age of four, Maria knew that she wanted to be a chef.

Through travelling, Maria has become practiced in many food cultures. She spent time cooking at some of Spain’s most legendary modernist restaurants, experiences which were to prove invaluable in her first head chef role at London’s DELFINA restaurant. Prior to taking charge of the South Kensington kitchen of JOE’S, Maria opened the WHITECHAPEL GALLERY DINING ROOM where she gained rave reviews and two AA rosettes.

A whirlwind of ideas, Maria has always enjoyed playing with people’s palates. These days however she has left molecular cuisine behind her and with the use of a flavour-obsessed imagination creates menus comprising of deceptively simple, multi-layered dishes.

Whilst preparing for the launch of JOE’S, Maria has been dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s on the manuscript of her second book – Create with Flavour – to be published by Kyle Books in September 2011.

JOE’S FACTS ADDRESS: 126 Draycott Avenue, London, SW3. TELEPHONE: 020 7225 2217

NUMBER OF COVERS: 70

OPENING TIMES: Monday – 9am to 5.30pm Tuesday to Saturday – 9am to 11pm Sunday – 10am to 5.30pm

Coco di Mama offers the experience of high quality Italian cucina at very economical prices. Altogether a very satisfying meal served promptly without sacrificing quality.

Coco di Mama
90 Fleet Street
London EC4Y 1DH
Tel: 020 7583 9277

When it comes to a lunchtime bite, sometimes a sandwich just doesn’t cut the mustard. Around the City’s square mile the office worker is somewhat spoilt for choice with a plethora of up-market take-outs to choose between. Coco di Mama (Mummy’s Boy in Italian), is a newcomer to the area offering a fresh approach to fast food for those short on time but who won’t comprise on taste.

The interior is bright and clean, with welcoming staff who will serve you quickly and efficiently so you can be on your way. There are places to eat inside but it is a functional setting and not somewhere to linger and the prices reflect this. The main focus here is good quality pasta dishes served in smart containers which can be easily eaten back at the office without spillage. In fact, as I commented at the time, this is wonderful hangover food, hot and tasty, with some substance and energy for the afternoon ahead. There is no license here but there are some very tasty homemade smoothies, fruit juices and Italian branded fizzy drinks to enjoy.

The specific pasta used here is Al Bronzo which is a name new to me but for those connoisseurs of Italian cuisine I believe this is something of a blue chip variety. Pretty much everything they can make on site they do, including all their homemade sauces. These ranged from classic pomodoro, slow cooked bolognaise, garden pesto, puttanesca, and pollo bianco. There is also a daily changing lasagne – on the day we visited it was Portobello mushroom and spinach. Every day fresh soups are prepared and we tried some authentic and flavoursome minestrone. If all that doesn’t grab you there are plenty of other options. Very fresh looking salads included an Italian charcuterie, a tricolore and a goat’s cheese and butternut squash. As well as artisan baguettes and stone baked pastries. All the food tasted very fresh whilst the pasta and sauces were very well cooked and appetising to eat. For dessert there is a whole range of gooey looking treats, including a terrific tiramisu, and a wonderfully creamy lemon Sicilian cheesecake which was rich and authentic and no doubt highly calorific. If coffee’s your thing then you are in for a treat! The coffee is Climpson and Sons which is known for its authentic and rich taste serving up a coffee that would please even a homesick Italian.

To conclude, Coco di Mama offers the experience of high quality Italian cucina at very economical prices. Altogether a very satisfying meal served promptly without sacrificing quality. A firm recommendation to try if in the area.

http://www.cocodimama.co.uk

Louise Elgin. July 2011.
Pasta range from £3.70 – £4.90.

INTRODUCING WATATSUMI

Take a culinary journey that goes beyond sushi and sashimi at the recently opened Watatsumi restaurant on Northumberland Avenue.
With a fantastic ‘raw bar’, elegant restaurant and stylish cocktail bar plus a range of menus, from the full ‘omakase’ tasting experience and Watatsumi’s a la carte to the highly affordable bento boxes, there’s something for all tastes and budgets.

Highly skilled chefs and husband and wife team, Peter and Hili Makohus (who met in the kitchens of Nobu Park Lane), offer exquisitely presented dishes that marry bold new recipes with contemporary flavours.

As elegant as the menus, the opulent, high-ceilinged, marble-pillared dining room is a stunning backdrop to drink, dine or entertain in. A sleek and simple interior of comfortable white leather seating and dark wood tables complement the space with a beautiful light sculpture made up of hundreds of hanging white fish taking centre stage and casting shadows.

THE RAW BAR

Purists should pull up a stool at the raw bar and watch the highly skilled shokunin (sushi technicians) in action. As well as the classic sashimi, nigiri, maki and temaki rolls one would expect, Watatsumi offers a range of tantalising ‘tartars’ and ‘tataki’ dishes that include tuna with spicy miso and salmon with yuzu, all prepared in full view of the diner.

For an affordable casual lunch, Watatsumi offers a range of delicious bento boxes featuring miso soup, sushi, sesame stir-fried vegetables and Japanese steamed rice with a choice of chicken, beef, salmon or tofu tepanyaki for just £14.50 with a glass of wine.

THE RESTAURANT

For a more formal dining experience, book a table in the stunning restaurant. Start with a platter of expertly executed California rolls with a selection of hot appetisers including tempura, yakitori, gyoza and their signature Watatsumi crispy calamari.

Must-try mains from the hot kitchen include pan fried seabass in shisho butter; Gressingham duck breast marinated in mikan miso with a spicy kumquat compote; roasted red tilapia grilled in cedar wood and, for committed carnivores, US grain fed beef with sansyo teriyaki.
Puddings include classics like a chocolate fondant and speculoos white chocolate cheesecake as well as more characteristically Japanese desserts such as mochi ice cream served with a lychee liqueur and a cranberry and yuzu tartlet.

For the full Watatsumi experience, discerning diners can indulge in the ‘omakase’ chef’s tasting menu and explore the restaurant’s stunning signature dishes for £65 for seven courses.

The drinks list at Watatsumi features a carefully chosen selection of over 15 sakes and sakamais from all over Japan and beyond. Wines have been chosen with consideration to complement the cuisine with the house selection starting at just £19 and, for real bon vivants, there’s a range of fine wines with choices such as Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru and Meursault as well as a budget-blowing Chateaux Margaux 1998 Premier Grand Cru Classe?.

THE BAR

Cocktail connoisseurs will not be disappointed. The Bar at Watatsumi offers an interesting and innovative list of bespoke concoctions as well as the usual classics. Sip on an Asian-inspired Shiso Martini made with fresh shiso leaves, yuzu and wasabi, shaken with Disaronno and Honjozo sake; or the Chic Nashi, a champagne cocktail muddled with fresh nashi pear and Xante pear cognac – the perfect aperitif with a bowl of spicy chilli-salt edamame.

Watatsumi 7 Northumberland Avenue, London, WC2N 5BY T: 020 7036 8520 www.watatsumi.co.uk

Fresh food, Italian style, in just a minute

The Square Mile is having a gingham tablecloth thrown over it with the opening of Coco di Mama. Flashes of red and white are in evidence up and down Fleet Street as workers carry the brand’s trademark bags to their offices for breakfast, lunch and all the bits in between. Buon Appetito!

Coco di Mama (a play on the Italian for ‘Mama’s boy’) combines the finest ingredients from Italy and closer to home with a little but of fun, offering a fresh alternative to humdrum high street sandwiches, soups and wraps.

Join us for lunch and enjoy a freshly prepared pasta dish with homemade sauce. We use the finest Al Bronzo pasta from the heart of Sicily – it has been slowly drawn through bronze dies to create the tiny ridges that our sauces cling to – and our recipes have been painstakingly compiled and feature only the very best ingredients.

Choose from a variety of pasta shapes with classic sauces such as slow-cooked Bolognese with juicy pancetta, rich Portobello Mushroom or fiery Arrabiatta. Set to cause a real stir though are Coco di Mama’s less familiar choices including a decadent Blue Cheese Carbonara, a smoky pepper and Kalamata olive and a playful Bloody Mary with a splash of vodka. Daily-changing sauce-free ‘naked’ dishes, where the flavour of the pasta speaks for itself, are complemented with fresh herbs, spices, extra virgin olive oil and a choice of seafood, meat or vegetables.

All our pasta dishes cost between £3.70 and £4.90 and are freshly prepared in less than a minute; perfect for lunch- on-the-run, picnics in the City’s green eating spaces or just some time out from the office in the unique, contemporary 20-seat venue.

Coco di Mama may be kick-starting a pasta revolution in the Square Mile, but diners have been equally delighted by its range of freshly prepared lasagnes, artisan baguettes, inspired salads and decadent dessert pots.

Lasagnes are painstakingly layered by hand every morning and individually baked at lunchtime with flavours ranging from a classic beef and tomato to the more original courgette and Parmesan or mushroom and pesto. Baguettes are stone-baked daily and filled with delicious ingredients including Taleggio cheese, salami Napoli, Prosciutto and perfectly chargrilled vegetables. Salads fulfil more than just a supporting role with choices that includes Italian charcuterie, crumbled goat’s cheese and butternut squash and the ever-popular tricolore. Soups are either rich and hearty or simple and flavoursome, with choices such as farmhouse chicken and Tuscan vegetable or Portobello wild mushroom amongst others.

For a touch of Italian indulgence, a selection of dessert pots and cakes are the perfect sweet treat to accompany an espresso. Enjoy a Sicilian lemon cheese cake with zesty lemon curd on a crumbly base of ginger nuts, hazelnuts and flaked almonds; apricot zabaglione pot with fruity apricot compote topped with a deliciously light zabaglione cream; a very cherry brandy trifle with a cherry on top (of course!); or an unbelievably intense Valhrona chocolate pot.

Italy would not be Italy without its love of great coffee and at Coco Di Mama we are fanatical about the bean. We serve our own unique espresso blend – full-bodied and intense – created for us by the award-winning independent East London roasters, Climpson & Sons. Whether you like it straight or milky, our coffee perfectly complements our delicious breakfast dishes featuring delights such as oven-crisped pancetta rolls with spicy ketchup, stone-baked pastries and fabulously fresh fruit pots and yoghurts.

Leading interior designer Afroditi Krassa (Itsu, Dishoom) has created a distinct and striking look for the brand. Combing the classic with the modern by playing with stereotypical trattoria elements such as the trademark gingham, wooden fencing and mosaic flooring. The result is a re-imagined version of the Italian classic, without a Chianti bottle in sight!

Coco di Mama – a fresh approach to Italian food – mama would be proud!

Coco di Mama, 90 Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 1DH

www.cocodimama.co.uk