food for thought: for huw.

my friend huw has just recently moved to london on a super-exciting scholarship to kings college. he's brilliant.

in a recent fly-by, post-marriage catch-up, i promised huw that i would write him a list of good, cheap places to eat in london. i didn't eat particularly well in london (when you look up heathrow injection on urban dictionary, there's my picture looking back at you), but in this list, i'm trying to steer huw away from some of the really really bad stuff. i'm sure there's a proper cheap-eats guide, but nothing beats recommendations from someone you at least know... (and if doddsy gets an art guide to NYC, this is nothing)

and huw, next time i'm there, we'll do yum cha. or something.

so, following on from my last post about designing places to eat privately in public, here's my
top 10 cheap-ish eats in central-ish london. ish. (ooh, loose segue)

1. the dumpling/dim sum carts on gerard st - they're ace and hella trad. cheaper than ping pong (even though ping pong is pretty ace)

2. ping pong dim sum. on great marlborough st (parallel to oxford) not quite so cheap, but still good place to get great dim sum and funky interiors.

3. asian grocers. there is an amazing asian grocers, near waxys little sister and they have great stuff you can buy. i recommend doing that - you can boil water and have a steamer in your office and eat at work, even :)

4. tai cafe. greek st, soho. on the shaftesbury side of soho square.£3 for a take-away buffet of vegetarian goodness. it's more if you eat in, but why would you when you can sit in nearby soho square and eat out. ok, so maybe at this time of year, the extra couple of quid is worth the warmth. i think there are a couple more of these venues around soho too (maybe beak st? anyone?), but keep an eye out for them.

5. chinatown. i reckon most of the restaurants in chinatown are ace. we went to a great one that is not far from whitcomb/wardour st on the right hand side of gerard. quite narrow and does a fantastic peking duck - if you're into that kind of thing.

6. vietnamese in soho.. i think it's on d'arblay st? it wasn't the cheapest place i've ever eaten in, but it really was that good that it's worth spending the extra. go with a few people and it will be worthwhile. and maybe it's not there anymore 'cos when i went searching for it, i couldn't see the listing.

7. falafels... everyone goes on about maoz, but we have much better falafel places here. you can get better elsewhere i think... just felafs is great, just for the name. they have great wraps, but, as muas, you've had much better here and it's a bit of a let-down. head to edgeware rd instead (and visit lisson gallery on the way).. they have good mezze there.

8. ecco. if you wanna pizza treat - £4 pizzas on goodge st, near tottenham court road. they have ok coffee too apparently -trad italian.

9. berwick st market. buy food there - fruit and vegies are fresh and there is a great nut stand.. it's perfect for lunch-y type things.

10. 1001, truman brewery. it's pretty basic sandwich/salad type food, but the vibe is halla chilled and the wi-fi is free and the people are all pretty lovely. except on sunday afternoons.. then it's cashed-up bogan city. warning: do not eat the donuts from here. they are the best donuts you will ever taste and you'll get a habit as fast as you can say 'one jam donut, please'.

so, there you go.. a little list of cheap-ish places to eat kinda near kings college...this is what the internet is for, isn't it? if i think of any more, i'll post em. and to all my friends in london, can you add to the list please?