I don't know if it's worth buying food there to eat, specifically, but probably buying things there is good as a general reward for their twitter account.
Well, this place is amazing (and their Twitter feed).
2 seconded. I liked that they include "actual restaurant" on their page; the twitter feed itself is good enough.
3 also seconded. Tanuki might win, because the other place probably doesn't show Japanese slasher flicks.
3: please refrain from posting off-topic comments so early.
I would avoid all Dalston kebab shops at all costs.There are some great Vietnamese places down the road in Kingsland Road.
The FB page for that restaurant in Portland is the best, though it seems very non-Portland-y.
It's on the edgy side of Portlandy. The owner is definitely keeping it weird.
In that she's actually aggressive rather than passive-aggressive, true, it's not especially Portlandy.
Right, I've only been briefly and a while ago, but I didn't really think of "fuck you!" as the city's ethos. Restauranteurs are generally so slimy and servile that I appreciate any place that tells customers to fuck off.
There was a chef here for a while who would permanently ban you from his (good) restaurant if he saw you taking a picture of your plate for social media. Like, staff would come over immediately, escort you out, and take your name. That was so awesome.
The place where I worked here was famed for rude waiters. People were sometimes disappointed if I seemed too nice.
I've been to this place and the food is genuinely fantastic. Go straight for the sweetbreads.
I'm sad I never got to go here when Bruno was alive.
Not least because the martinis were $2.50. What an age!
So are you going to London, neb, or is this just passing interest?
A more than passing interest in the twitter account.
I've not been to the Dalston place, but I second ajay's recommendation of Kingsland Road Vietnamese joints.
20: quite. You could pay £4 for greasy mystery meat, stringy lettuce and stale pita bread, which you have to eat in the street, or you could pay £6 to sit down and eat absolutely terrific pho. There's a reason why kebab shops cater mainly to the hopelessly drunk.
Can't speak to Mangal 2, but Hasan's Turkish restaurant is my go-to option on the Kingsland Road.
Which reminds me, I should be in London in early June (3, 4 & 5. Fly back to Arrakis on Monday the 6th.) Meetup very much desired.
re: 21
A good kebab is a thing of wonder, though. Big chunks of proper lamb or chicken, grilled on skewers over coals, in a pitta with loads of fresh salad and chilli.
re: 23
I should be around. 3, or 5th are both probably do-able.
24 is absolutely true. But if I want a good kebab, I don't start looking in a Dalston kebab shop.
23: aha! I am away most of that weekend but back on the afternoon of the 5th, if that fits in.
26.2 it certainly does. And I'll probanly be available each of those evenings (I've been thinking about a possible B&T meetup too though that great blog is sadly moribund.)
You, me and Alex pretty much would be a B&T meetup.
True that. But there's also Richard J, Charlie W, D2 (all of whom have commented here before), and Chris W.
In the future, everything will be Crooked Timber or Tumbr.
Crookedtimbr, the app that allows you to meet and have arguments with obnoxious libertarians and clueless academics in your area.
WHAT ARE WE? CHOPPED LIVER?
I am ignoring 32, using my ignoring app, Choppdlivr.
I actually met someone from CT the other day. It was delightful. Count me in for the BF meetup. What was B&T?
34 Excellent. Looking forward to meeting.
B&T was Jamie Kenny's fantastic Blood and Treasure.
Really sharp political analysis generally but especially on China, coming from a broad politics as gangsterism viewpoint with a touch of the grand guignol and home of the schlachtbummleriat. But I'm sure frequent commmenters ajay or chris y could say more and better.
But the twitter's taken Jamie and the blog away. I miss it.
https://twitter.com/jkbloodtreasure
Yes - the B&T crew is in the main on the Twitter now.
Barry - drop me a DM. I'm starting a new job for some guys near Arrakis about that time, so not sure if I'll be able to see daylight, but would be good to finally meet.