Saturday 30 January 2010

Postcard Teas - Mayfair


"I've got a big idea - Let's put tea in a sealed envelope"
 "then people can scribble a message & post it to people"
"love your thinking big man"
"Cool, lets phone the bank"
"we'll be open by Christmas"
"........ know anything bout tea?"
"sod it - we'll hire well"


Luckily Postcard Teas is not the result of a hedge managers drunken daydream.

In reality it's a store with charm, stunning design and more than a little finesse. The store feels a little like a modern museum, simply desinged and well thoughtout, downstairs they have an 'exhibition space' of hand made tea paraphanalia and of course everything is for sale.  A real browsing nirvana.
Tim is a shopkeeper that clearly thrives on love. Tim loves his girlfriend, he loves Japan and more than anything he loves Tea. We talked at length about Naoshima (the worlds best art gallery slash hotel slash art Island) and we talked at length about which teas go best with chocolate. Not an easy question to answer but Tim was refreshingly honest about his own chosen products. I settled on a 2nd Flush Darjeeling from Junpanga and asked to pay. Tim wandered off and came back with a free sample of an amber Oolong from Taiwan, suggesting I try this one, for free, and then call him with the results. I honestly believed him to be interested in my opinion. Or maybe he is a master salesman
Truly caring and thoughtful service is often thought to be a thing of the past. Postcard Teas is a hopeful signpost for the future. Small, independent & perfectly formed.

As I left I felt strangely calm, maybe it was the thought of a great cup of Tea. Maybe it was Tim.



The BrIdge - Shoreditch



Settling down for a coffee and a tart on a Sunday morning, newspapers under one arm and my wife hugging the other, should be the easiest thing to arrange. The simply gorgeous Bridge in shoreditch however gets the basics wrong.

Taking over one of London's prettiest and narrowest pubs, full of gilt mirrors and aged wooden paneling then adding kitsch curtains, modern-retro chandeliers and a coffee machine has resulted in a wonderful place to sit, smile and ponder. It's a cross between a Dutch Brown bar and Les Trios Garcons.

So what went wrong? The service.

It all looked so promising; as we walked in, hoping for a seat at the busy bar, we were grumpily greeted by the barista (owner?) He suggested we sit upstairs on one of his comfy sofas. We took a look upstairs, so cosy & so shoreditch, but fancied the bar. As we walked downstairs a pair of hipsters left and we grabbed two seats right in the middle of the bar. Sunday morning heaven awaited. And waited and waited.  For 15 minutes we were completley ignored, as over a dozen other customers were greeted and served we sat and watched. Inexperince was overflowing. I've seen so many shops and restaurants failed by managers who never look up. On a busy day they constantly run from one thing to another without thinking that It may be better to take a deep breath and compose themselves. Serving half the customers well then upsetting the other is a recipe to failure. If he stood and composed for a while he'd realise that working hard is not enough and he needs more than 2 staff to cater for thirty covers. Creating the admittedly limited  dishes on offer (panini / toast & Jam etc) behind the bar is too much to do.

A man two down from me ordered six paninis and six coffees, the manager-less manager turned and started to make them all at once and straight away.

We walked out and idled over to Conran's always good Albion. The young guns may be ambitious but the old bucks seem to have the skills.

Comptior Libanais - Marylebone

Quite why they choose to serve fabulous drinks in plastic or paper cups, when the bar is fully stocked with glass and china, is a disappointing mystery. None the less the refreshing offering tempted and then pleased. As always I went for one of the five lemonades - Toufaha - apple mint and sugar. Oddly for a Saturday morning I was not hungover but next time I am Ill be back. These simple treats are a perfectly balanced cure I'm sure.

I also took a pretty good (24 seconds / delicate crema) double espresso and a bag of sugared papaya for less than a fiver; the price being a lot more agreeable than the rather stodgy and cloying papaya.

I'd usually say that bad service, and yes it was bad, coupled with paper cups would put me off; but this place is too good to quibble over. Maybe its just a London thing, after all it took me thirty years of living here to find a publican who greeted me by name. Maybe it's the heavily nationalistic array of grocery on offer. Maybe I was just in a good mood.

Friday 29 January 2010

Sourced Market - St Pancras














Oliver Williamson didn't get a lot of press for wining his Nobel Prize (for Economics) in 2009, I can't imagine why Obama! Yet here is a man whose 'Transaction Cost Economics: The Governance of Contractual Relations' sums up how I've always felt about shopping. It's a long and impenetrable read but fundamentally Oliver believes that trust is everything in business - more so that trust actually lowers transaction costs. Simply put 'If I trust you it will cost me less money to do business with you, therefore I am more likely to do business with you'.

Very simple but retailers often forget.

Which brings me to Sourced Market. I'm not sure why I trust them, but I do. Yes, they have the appearance of another city boys first foray into food retailing, yes, the first shop is overtly and heavily branded, yes, the website already boasts of intentions of expansion and yes, somehow, I still trusted them. The product selection is second to none and far far better than my instincts suggested. Every product has integrity and many surpirses were discovered.

It even made me feel a little jingoistic - how wonderful that all those Eurostar tourists will see this store as they descend the escalators. How wonderful that Kings Cross, the biggest city centre rejuvenation development in the whole of Europe, now has something else to be proud of.
Proud of for as long as we continue to trust them.

Peyton & Byrne - St Pancras Station

I'm sure the manager of this store would blame the weather, the location or a late delivery, but when 'Le Pain Quotidien' has over a hundred seated and contented customers and Peyton & Byrne has only two - don't you think they'd smell a rat?

The basics are so good at Peyton  & Byrne, they have long been a favourite pitstop of mine, the offer is intriging, the layout thoughtful, the product tempting and I love all the English cosiness.

The problem with this stunning little store is service. I asked a question about the bread that nobody could answer - but that everybody should've. A lady in large red hat wanted to buy a ceramic teapot - but nobody could find the box. I wanted to pay - a nearby colleagues response "I'm not on tills today, just hang around a while".

No smiles, no hint of an apology - no fun - I walked out.

Wednesday 20 January 2010

Gallo Nero - Stoke Newington

Something that's missing from the retail experience, something you never notice till you sense it once again, is aroma. Gallo Nero smells so adorable, it smells like a local Italian Deli should.  It smells of all those wonderful delis you've stumbled across on lost afternoons, when the museum was closed or the beach was overcast. It smells of Santa Margarita.
Every inch of this tiny store is covered with produce and product. Panettone hangs from the ceiling, hams are draped across the counter, fresh pesto, Neopolitan sausages, incredible Marine Ice Creams and intelligent advice; everything you'll need for a feast.
Pop in and say hello, the service is always wonderful.
Just don't get caught with your eyes closed, your nostrils flared and a smile on your face - it's considered odd in this part of the world.

Tuesday 5 January 2010

Casa da India - Lisbon


I've no idea what the Indian connection is but the back streets of Lisbon came alive when we walked into this treasure trove of meat. Full to the brim of men in suits lunching, it's the ideal introduction to a Lisbon way of life. It's where local council office workers, union officials, friendly faces and busy bodies alike go to take a two hour lunch. Firstly they have a few large glasses of wine (or more) then perfectly cooked steak and chips (with rice on the side of course - this is Portugal) followed by a very very large whisky. Presumably they then go back to the office and sleep through the afternoon. Wasn't the world a better place when people didn't eat at the desk? When drinking in the afternoon was encouraged? When I wasn't even born.

The photo on the right is just a sexy little sign I fell for. An incredible example of stone-masonry. Hopefully guns are no longer on sale.

Saturday 2 January 2010

Cafe near the market - Las Palma, Gran Canaria

Finding this little folly of a cafe adjacent to the artisan market in Gran Canaria was a joy. I choose a Coffee Bonbon; quite possibly the sweetest drink I've ever drunk! It was simply a single espresso plus condensed milk. Decadent in the extreme.
I'm not sure if I'll ever have the courage to serve one in London, far too many calories, but surely it's the antidote to all those skinny lattes we're forced to create for the fashionistas and yummy mummies of East London.



La Despensa Del Sur - Las Palma, Gran Canaria













On the backstreets of Gran Canaria is a wonderfully modern litltle cafe  called La Despensa Del Sur. It's evidently been a long established favourite amongst the young and lithe (we snuck in through the back door!) serving make-overs of all the classic pinchos. But what really excited me was the cute little grocers attached. Without question it's one of the most beatiful selections of foodstuffs I've ever seen. Almost every product was stunningly packaged. Some would say food is not about the packaging - Bollocks to them! If the buyer of this store takes that much care and attention to sourcing - I'm sold. With limited edition bottles of Catalan water, the sexiest tins of Bloc de Foie Gras, charming little ribboned ready meals and a product I bought, but have yet to try, Solid Cava; like a jelly and apparently great with cheese.
Plus in the far corner is a selection of European essentails. From Italy ... great pasta, from France ....Ile de Re Salt and representing the UK.... Jars of Sharwoods Curry Sauces!

Bodegon Lagunetas - Las Palma, Gran Canaria.

When faced with only a few hours in a new town, what do you do? Where do you eat?

The guide books for Gran Canaria were sketchy at best and recommendations far and few.

I like to just wander. We found a little backstreet place that seemed to be buzzing and later, on one of the main drags, we found a busy little place.  We choose the back street one - it seemed more authentic. After queueing to be seated we were walked through endless corridors of contented diners until we came to our table. My wife smiled her knowing smile. The two favoured places were one and the same. Both our choices were spot on! The food was simple but fresh, tasty and perfectly cooked. A joy to find and a joy to dine.