Chin Chin Laboratorists
49-50 Camden Lock Place, Camden, London, NW1 8AF (map)

Chin Chin Labs is the UK’s first ‘Liquid Nitrogen’ ice cream parlour. They create ultra smooth ice cream almost instantly by adding -196°C liquid nitrogen to their ice cream mixture. Google Local kindly invited us to join Chin Chin Labs at their home in Camden Lock Market for an #IceCreamExperiment to ‘have-a-go’ for ourselves.

Separated at birth? Katie Poole and ‘Po’ of the Teletubbies

The last time I played with liquid nitrogen I froze grapes and threw them across a room to show how freezing turns soft fruit into easy-to-shatter fun. This same process is used by Chin Chin Labs of Camden to create ice cream in seconds, rather than hours. After a safety briefing, goggles, protective gloves and signing a legal disclaimer we were let loose to experiment with toppings, ice cream mix and lots of dangerously cold nitrogen. Choosing from a caramel, vanilla or chocolate base most threw on multiple combos of “Chocolate Dipped Chips”, “Hazel Crunch”, “Heather Honeycomb”, “Raspberry Sauce”, “Grilled White Chocolate” and “Fizz Powder”.

Kudos to everyone who made weird and wonderful concoctions. Especially Katie Poole who provided the photo of the night against the Google Local ‘Pin’ icon.

Many thanks to Google Local London for the invitation and especially Ahrash Akbari-Kalhur and the team at Chin Chin Labs for opening late for us.

RELATED POSTS:

VINE VIDEO: Making liquid nitrogen ice cream at @ChinChinLabs

VINE VIDEO: How to make Ice Cream by @KatherinePoole @GoogleLocalLDN #IceCreamExperiment

PHOTO ALBUM: @Camden_Lock Night Market (26 Pictures) feat @ChinChinLabs & @TheFrenchieUK

PHOTO: @ChinChinLabs “Liquid Nitrogen” #IceCream, OlympicToasted #Marshmallow Edition!

PHOTO: NEW SPECIAL: Fried Apple #Doughnut #IceCream @ChinChinLabs

BREAKING NEWS: ChinChin Labs – New Ice Cream Special! Deep Fried Apple Doughnut Ice Cream (07-13 Jul)

Chin Chin Laboratorists
Ad: 49-50 Camden Lock Place, Camden, London, NW1 8AF (map)
Ww: www.chinchinlabs.com
Fb: www.facebook.com/pages/The-Chin-Chin-Laboratorists/133267400038990
Tw: @ChinChinLabs

Google Local London
Gg: +GoogleLocalLondon

Street Feast
Merchant Yard, 317-319 Kingsland Road, London, E8 4DL (map)

Congratulations to Street Feast London on their first anniversary of trading. One year ago this was a small street market of eight traders, and a simple bar. Now there are over 20 traders, plus cocktails and beers by Rotary Bar of The Rushmore Group

I was at the first Street Feast in Scalter Street Car Park, and the contrast is huge. From a small collection of vendors on a Friday night to a sprawling home in Dalston this celebration of food from ex-club promoter Dom Lartigue has taken a life of its own and brought together some of the best streetfood traders to be found in London.

PHOTO ALBUM: In order of first appearance:

Kimchinary – Kimchi tacos

The Rib Man – Ribs and rib meat rolls

Mussel Beach – (Pop up from The Cornish Grill and The Clarendon Pub ) – Mussels

Van Duke – Thai Food

Kimchi Cult – Kimchi Burgers

Meringue Girls – Meringues and related sweets

Rotary Bar – Drinks

Big Apple Hot Dogs – Hot Dogs

Yum Jungle – Spicy Chicken

Sweet Tooth Factory – Cupcakes, cakes and all things sweet

Vinn Goute – Seychelles Cuisine

Street Feast
Ad: Merchant Yard, 317-319 Kingsland Road, London, E8 4DL (map)
Time: Fridays 17h00-00h00 (Check with website for up to date details)
Ww: www.streetfeastlondon.com
Fb: www.facebook.com/streetfeastlondon
Tw: @StreetFeastLDN

Homeslice Pizza
13 Neal’s Yard, Covent Garden, LONDON, WC2H 9DP (map)

Homeslice, the popular streetfood pizza vendor has opened its new permanent home in the colourful Neal’s Yard, Covent Garden. Known for their appearances at StreetFeast Food Market and occasional ad-hoc experiments with other streetfood vendors. Can the team succeed in this quirky location?

Homeslice – Finocchia & Rocket Pizza Slice

Homeslice – Pizzas attract photographers

There are a handful of good new pizza specialists in the London streetfood scene. Homeslice is one of them. Most recently seen at Kings Cross Filling Station and a common sight at several streetfood locations last year. (Note that Shrimpy’s restaurant has now taken this area and will be opening ‘Shrimpy’s Outside Grill’ from Thu 16th May 2013). These guys were known for their interesting ingredients including blue cheese and walnuts, plus experimental combos including ‘Bone Marrow, Spring Onion and Watercress’ (available at the new venue).

The site in Covent Garden was the site of former pizzeria ‘La Piazzetta’ which frequently featured in restaurant discount schemes such as Tastecard. However, I don’t know anyone who visited the venue in that incarnation.

MENU (as of 07-May-2013)

By the slice (£4) or as a 20″ pizza (£20)

• Margarita
• Finoccia & Rocket
• Courgette & Artichoke

As a 20″ (6 slice) pizza only

• Caprese Pizza
• Bone Marrow, Spring Onion & Watercress
• White Anchovy, Chard & Doddington Cheese

Obviously it is too early to give a verdict on the restaurant as it’s only just opened. However, the space looks great, the oven looks fantastic, the pizzas are of the same high standard we expect of Homeslice and they promised that the menu will change regularly. Get down and let me know what you think!

Homeslice Pizza
Ww: www.homeslicepizza.co.uk
Tw: @HomeSliceLDN

BOOKINGS: TAKEN FOR TABLES OF 5+

Em: info@homeslicepizza.co.uk
Ph: 020 7836 4604

Campo Viejo ‘Streets of Spain’ Festival
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX (map)

This is the 4-day ‘Streets of Spain’ festival on the South Bank, “a four day celebration of modern Spanish food, wine, art and culture”. Traders from Barcelona’s La Boqueria Market will be selling their produce; wine tasting will be held by sponsors Campo Viejo; breakfasts will be served to early risers and Michelin-starred Spanish chef, Angel Pascual, is serving dinner at a pop-up restaurant.

Streets of Spain – Chocolate Dipped Orange Slices by ‘Fruita Seca Morilla’

Unlike some of the other festivals held in this area recently, a lot of effort has been put into this event. Bringing 11 of the market traders from the world famous ‘La Boqueria’ market in Barcelona to London is a great feat itself. Most fascinating for me were offal specialists ‘Menuts Rosa’ with their offerings such as “Hot Pie of Meat” and “Cake of Cow Head & Tongue with Pistachios”

For those more squeamish, ‘Fruita Seca Morilla’ have an eye catching display of candied fruits while several vendors will be selling Jamon.

Streets of Spain – “Cake of Cow Head & Tongue with Pistachios”

The principle sponsors Campo Viejo are offering Spanish wine tastings and blending sessions for the oenophiles among you. In the “Introduction to Spanish wine” sesssion they serve their Cava, Cava Rosé, Tempranillo 2011, Dominio 2007, Gran Reserve and Reserve 2008.

Well worth visiting if you are a fan of Spanish food and drink. Especially as the Real Food Festival is running concurrently next door. If you intend to go to a testing or the dinner at the pop-up, book online below.

Streets of Spain (Fri 03rd May – Mon 06 May 2013)
Ad: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX (map)

Ww: www.streetsofspain.com
Fb: www.facebook.com/CampoViejo/app_560105637356714
Tw: @CampoViejo / #StreetsOfSpain

Bunga Bunga
37 Battersea Bridge Rd, Battersea, London, SW11 3BA (map)

[L-R] Cherry Wine, Pistachio Cream Liqueur, Aquavite

“Cherry picked cocktails with Supercherry!” The London Cocktail Society returns to Italian themed party bar/restaurant, Bunga Bunga, with ‘Supercherry‘ an importer of artisanal Italian food and drink.

Rob and Jane Stephany are the husband and wife team behind Italian importers Supercherry. Presenting for the London Cocktail Society members they showcased three products, a cherry wine, an acquavite, and a pistachio cream liqueur.

• Visciolata del Cardinale (Cherry Wine, 14% ABV)
  Made with Sun-dried visciole sour cherries and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.
• Acquavite del Cardinale (40% ABV)
• Pistachio Cream Liqueur (17% ABV)

The cherry wine (visciolata) started sweet on the palate but surprisingly ended up with a lovely dry finish. Rob explained the sour visciole cherries provided this lovely twist on a cherry wine and it proved to be a crowd favourite with the LCS members. I could imagine this served drizzled across vanilla ice cream.

The Acquavite (del Cardinale) is deceptively smooth, dangerously hiding its 40% ABV. Interestingly enough it ends with a lovely clear almond finish without a hint of a burn.

Pistachio Cream Liqueur has a pale yellow/green colour with a taste which reminded me of liquid pistachio ice cream. Sweet and dessert-like.

The evening was topped off with Bunga Bunga‘s ‘Metre Long’ Pizzas and more cocktails specially created by Bunga Bunga‘s bar team for the event using Supercherry products.

LCS Special Cocktails

“Port/Tang” – Garnished with a dark chocolate spoon topped with pink grapefruit jam and a cherry.

• Pistacchiando
  Fresh Pistachio (muddled), Pistachio Liqueur, Russian Standard Vodka infused vanilla, Lime Juice, Gomme Syrup, Egg White
• Pinocchio’s Tea Party
  Bacardi Superior, Visciolata del Carinale, Lime Juice, Fresh Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice, Home-made Orange Bitter, Home-made Hibiscus Syrup
• Port/Tang
  Bols Genever, Taylor’s Red Port 2005, Home-made Cherry & Port Syrup, Egg White, Creole Bitter, Lemon Juice
• Cadri-Julep
  Viscolata del Carinale, Old Genever Van Wees, Lavender Bitter, Lime Juice, Gomme Syrup, Soda Water

EVENT ORGANISER: London Cocktail Society
WW: www.londoncocktailsociety.co.uk
Tw: @The_LCS

BRAND: Supercherry
Ww: www.supercherry.co.uk
Tw: @VisciolataUK

VENUE: Bunga Bunga
Ad: 37 Battersea Bridge Rd, Battersea, London, SW11 3BA (map)
Ww: www.bungabunga-<london.com
Tw: @BungaBungaLondn

The Rib Man’s “Holy Fuck” and “Christ on a Bike” Sauces

For those who have been following me for the last year, you will know one of my favourite characters of the London Street Food scene is The Ribman (Mark Geveax). This ex-butcher lost his leg (and consequently his former career) in a car accident, then turned to cooking ribs on the streets on London.

Mark has been dedicated in getting up when most other street food vendors are still in bed to start slow cooking ribs for lunchtime customers. Yes, his ribs and rib rolls are great, but his range of hot sauces have become so popular that he is looking to raise £10,000 to keep up with rising demand.

Hardeep Singh Kohli… suffering from Ribman hot wings

Kickstarter pledges start from £10 in exchange for 2 bottles of Holy Fuck, his “mildest” hot sauce, to £1,000 the hire The Ribman to come and cook ribs at your summer party for up to 50 guests! (UK Only).

Six days into the project he has over 300 pledges and is at 65% of his target. The money will be used to purchase and convert a shipping container into a kitchen and refrigerated storage unit.

Hardcore fans have been buying the £50 pledge for all the sauces including a one off ‘special’ for Kickstarter backers. However, for those of you “who think you’re hard enough” and have never tried these sauces, there is a £15 pledge which will get you the mildest and hottest sauce in the range to try. But bewarned. This is no Encona Hot Pepper sauce, this is a great deal hotter! If you can handle this you must have a lead lined mouth…

WARNING: This video shows you what happened to people who consumed just two hot wings coated with Judas It’s Scary Hot sauce from last year’s Blue Kitchen “Wings Eating” competition.

TO KICKSTART THE RIBMAN
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1475049250/the-ribman-kicking-it-up-a-level

Related Posts

The Rib Man
Ww: www.theribman.co.uk
Tw: @TheRibman

The Cheese & Wine Festival
South Bank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX (Map)

Friday 26 – Sunday 28 April 2013, 11h00 – 20h00 Daily (18h00 on Sun)

The Cheese & Wine Festival is self described as “a celebration of the best ethical and artisan produce from all over the world.” Held on the site of the “Real Food Festival” at the rear of the Southbank Centre, London. It appears to be part of the series of events including the “Real Bread Festival” and “The Chocolate Festival”.

Cheese & Wine Festival – Teifi Farmhouse Cheese – Caws Cenarth ‘Perl Las’

Regular visitors to The Real Food Festival Markets behind the South Bank Centre should recognise a good number of the faces here. Lots of ‘non-cheese and non-wine’ vendors such as Churros Garcia and Meantime Brewery are still serving their regular wares. However there is a selection of familiar cheesy (and cheese related) streetfood vendors such as The French Comté with their melted cheese offerings and Jacob’s Ladder offering Cheeseburgers.

However this market seems to be geared more towards those seeking to take-home. There is a huge selection of saucisson and cheeses from small producers. In particular seek out Teifi Farmhouse Cheese & Damhile Distillery who are promoting their gin and 12 year old organic whisky.

Cheese & Wine Festival
Ad: South Bank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX (Map
Ww: www.cheesewinefestival.com
Fb: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cheese-Wine-Festival/187611217977788
Tw: @CheeseWineFest

London Coffee Festival 2013, 25-28th April 2013
The Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL (map)

The London Coffee Festival returns for its third year. This four day event celebrates all things coffee related. From machines and bean to cakes and pastries for your coffee business.

London Coffee Festival 2013 – “Coffee Undine” by Laura Arten (2013)

The London Coffee Festival isn’t just ‘espresso-machine-porn’ for the caffeine addicted. In amongst the polished machines there is an exhibition of coffee related artwork, including a series of photographs titled “Coffee Undine” by Laura Arten of a nude woman reclining in a bath of coffee.

“Something like a hot bath is readily available at the end of the long day. It occured to me that to make a cup of coffee you need fresh water. So obvious, I never really thought about it before.” – Laura Arten

London Coffee Festival 2013 – Barista Championships

London Coffee Festival 2013 – Pork Anyone?

Additionally the UK Barista Championships and the UK Brewers Cup Competition are being held during the four day festival. On this first day the UK Cup Tasting Competition was in progress, contestants slurp three cups of coffee to determine the “odd one out”.

For the hungry, streetfood vendors were on hand with global food including Vietnamese, Spanish, German, and Seychelles cuisine. In particular the whole pig on a spit looked particularly impressive.

If you are a true coffee geek look out for the vacuum pot machines from Brewed By Hand, the Japanese importer of the Japanese manufacturer “Hario”.

(For those with the 6 second video app “Vine” see my feed “Wilkes888″ or this link for a video of their vacuum pot in action.)

If you like your steampunk style gadgets look out for the Rok Kitchen Tools manual espresso machine [vine video link] which resembles double lever arm corkscrew in reverse.

A word of advice, take it easy on the samples, there were a lot of buzzed visitors running around the venue!

London Coffee Festival 2013
Ad: The Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL (map)
Ww: www.londoncoffeefestival.com
Fb: www.facebook.com/TheLondonCoffeeFestival
Tw: @LDNCoffeeFest

Stripped Back (Fri 18h00-00h00, at Street Feast)
Merchant Yard, 317-319 Kingsland Road, London, E8 4DL (map)

Stripped Back is back for 2013. The surprise hit of ‘fine dining’ food, presented restuarant style, in a carpark! Chef Ben Spalding, who is more familiar working in the kitchens of Gary Rhodes, Gordon Ramsay and Simon Rogan, was extremely popular during his streetfood debut in 2012. This year Stripped Back returns bigger and with his own balcony area overlooking the crowds as part of streetfood market Street Feast.

Stripped Back 2013

Stripped Back is one of those ventures which was either going to work extremely well, or fall spectularly flat. Needless to say it worked fantastically, and is back for a second year.

Chef Ben Spalding, having worked for some of the best known names in the restaurant business started Stripped Back in 2012, serving beautifully presented and innovative dishes in the streetfood markets of ‘Street Feast‘ and ‘Broadway Market‘. The plates presented in the style of ‘Mayfair restaurant’ rather than hearty ‘streetfood’.

Stripped Back 2013 – Salmon, Treacle & Cornflakes

Last year, I remember sitting pleasently bemused at Stripped Back alongside The Rib Man sampling fantastic dishes from Ben, a Michelin starred restaurant chef… in an empty carpark in Dalston! (Pictures here). This was an intimate affair with only 8 seats, reminiscent of a chef’s table.

Stripped Back 2013 – Beef & Snail Lasagne

Fast forward to this year and the operations have expanded somewhat, instead of 8 there are 24 seats for dinner plus a bar area with Stripped Back bar snacks! A four course dinner is £27.50, with highlights such as “Salmon Treacle & Cornflakes” (Scottish Salmon, cooked in treacle, toasted cornflakes, amalfi lemon, ginger and seaweed broth) and “Beef & Snails” (Beef short-rib and snail lasagne, peas and powdered brown cheese from Norway). The meal ends with a salted caramel mousse quirkily served on the back of the diner’s hand!

Stripped Back is far removed from the stereotype of street food and it’s probably fair to treat it as a hybrid between a restaurant and street food. You won’t find anything else like it in London. Due to the huge demand last year, Stripped Back has instigated an online pre-booking system. So get online if you want to try out this unique concept!

BOOKING:
There are four sittings per evening of Stripped Back at Street Feast Friday nights throughout the summer, 19h00, 20h00, 21h00, 22h00. Book in advance through Everbright £27.50 + £1.22 booking fee

Related Posts:

• PHOTO ALBUM: @_StrippedBack Opening Weekend @StreetFeastLDN (33 Pictures)
• PHOTO ALBUM: The NEW 6 Course Menu! @_StrippedBack – @Broadway_MKT (31 Pictures)

Stripped Back
Ww: http://tickettostrippedback.eventbrite.co.uk/ (bookings)
Tw: @_strippedback

Street Feast
Merchant Yard, 317-319 Kingsland Road, London, E8 4DL (map)

Street Feast, the popular Friday streetfood market, returned on Fri 12-Apr to a new site on Kingsland Road, Hackney. Now with a ‘Gin Store’, a dedicated dining area by Chef Ben Spalding and a drinks by Rotary Bar Diner

Street Feast 2013 – Crowds

Street Feast is a successful streetfood market which popped up last year in car park near Brick Lane. It migrated nomadically every few weeks to various locations across Hackney until hibernating for the winter. This year it returns to a disused Travis Perkins site with a secret Gin Store, a bar from Rotary Bar Diner and 21 streetfood vendors. The hardcore-carnivore pleasers are back, including The Rib Man (Rib meat Rolls), Mama’s Jerk Station (Jerk Chicken) and Big Apple Hot Dogs. For those who crave cakes, SweetTooth Factory provide all sorts of cupcakes (or ‘fairy cakes’) and gourmet ice cream, sorbets and hard shakes are served from Sorbitium Ices. I strongly recommend their ‘Rhubarb and Ginger Ripple Ice Cream’ complete with chunks of ginger folded into the mix.

Street Feast 2013 – Sweettooth Factory… with Oreos

The hit venture Stripped Back by Chef Ben Spalding has expanded from a humble 8-seater table to a large 24-seater dining area with three new chefs. The covered dining area occupies a balcony overlooking the rest of Street Feast below. There is also a bar area serving Ben’s bar snacks menu (pictures to follow).

Now that the sun has returned to London I strongly recommend this as a Friday night visit for those who like to eat!

Street Feast
Ad: Merchant Yard, 317-319 Kingsland Road, London, E8 4DL (map)
Time: Fridays 17h00-00h00 (Check with website for up to date details)
Ww: www.streetfeastlondon.com
Fb: www.facebook.com/streetfeastlondon
Tw: @StreetFeastLDN