Nancy Lam’s Enak Enak - Restaurant Review

Cuisine:  Indonesian

Cost: 

Rating: 

Where?:  56, Lavender Hill, London. SW11 5RQ.

Closest station(s):  Queenstown Road, Battersea Park, Clapham Junction,  

Telephone: 0207 924 3148

Website: www.nancylam.com

I can’t say that I have seen Nancy Lam on television for a long time, I am not sure this is a bad thing as I remember having to turn the volume down every time she came on as her presentation style generally involved screaming at high pitch. I certainly felt sorry for dogs sitting near televisions when she appeared.  

Following its 2004 refurbishment Enak Enak (yummy yummy in Indonesian) reopened much larger and allegedly more modern. Having walked in I can’t imagine what it looked like pre-2004 as it looks decidedly dated now.

The food took quite a while to arrive and the service was generally poor, I don’t mind waiting if I have a drink to help me through the time however it took an age for wine and water to be brought to the table. The portions were not massive, however with hindsight I think they are pleasantly sized – having finished the meal I left satisfied however not horrendously full as I often seem to find when eating in a high street Chinese restaurant.

The food throughout was good but little more, the meat certainly tasted fresher than it often does when eating dishes such as satay or an Oriental curry; however the whole thing just seemed a little dull. The presentation is straight from the 1990s and lacked anything to make it memorable.

 It certainly isn’t somewhere to avoid at all costs, however it all just seems to be to stuck in a time warp – luckily the prices a relatively low at £8 for starters and £10 for mains. I have heard from many others that it has lost a magic that it used to have back in the 1990s. 

The Fox & Hounds - Restaurant Review

 

Cuisine:  Gastropub

Cost: 

Rating: 

Where?:  66, Latchmere Road, Battersea, London. SW11 2JU.  

Closest station(s):  Clapham Junction, Queenstown Road, Battersea Park.    

Telephone: 0207 924 5483

Website: www.foxandhoundspub.co.uk

Finding myself on the incredibly dull street that is Latchmere Road I decided to give the Fox & Hounds a go, a traditional looking English pub that I heard served food. Inside it is all wood with an appealing layout of non-uniform tables.

The antipasti platter with which we started was a rather bizarre assortment of bites and considerably larger than would be wanted for two people as a starter. Everything was reasonable though not amazing, the highlight being the fried polenta. Luckily the mains really hit the mark, in a pub like this I hope to be able to order something like sausage and mash, which I could, and did. The Italian sausage, mash and red onion marmalade was great; a filling serving (there really had been no need for the starter) including good quality meaty sausages and a thick red onion gravy. At £6 for starters and £12 for mains it was reasonably priced for the quality and house wine was under £15.

The staff are friendly and there is a healthy mix of clientele; it remains primarily a pub so there is a decent atmosphere but also plenty of people choosing to dine.  

If ever on Latchmere Road then the Fox & Hounds is a relaible place to stop for a pint, a glass of wine or a plate of food – it certainly lacks some of the pretention that you find in many of the pubs closer to Battersea Park.  

Mien Tay, Battersea - Restaurant Review

Cuisine:  Vietnamese

Cost: 

Rating: 

Where?:  180, Lavender Hill, Battersea, SW11 5TQ.   

Closest station(s): Clapham Junction, Queenstown Road.  

Telephone: 0207 350 0721

Website: www.mientay.co.uk  

There is something about bring your own (BYO) restaurants that I love, it is such a pleasant surprise to come across them as I know that I can enjoy a decent bottle of wine or two with a meal and not have to pay the earth – the great shame is that the majority of BYO restaurants are, frankly, crap. I was therefore intrigued when I heard about Mien Tay, a Vietnamese BYO restaurant with great plaudits from those I trust when it comes to food.

The outside of the restaurant is not very appealing to say the least. The colour scheme includes a decidedly unpleasant green and I don’t think they have done themselves any favours by sticking up newspaper cuttings of reviews they have received. Inside it is pretty bare; white table clothes adorn closely packed tables with little of interest on the walls.

You will generally find Mien Tay packed. When seeking to go for the first time I was surprised to be informed that they were fully booked for the first two attempts. The food in Mien Tay is largely very good. The spring rolls were exceptional and the sesame prawn toast were delicious, without a hint of grease. The clay pot prawn curry with which I followed was also excellent and came as a very generous portion. On the occasions I have been the only culinary disappointments were a decidedly average Singapore noodles.

The menu is long and interesting, including slightly less mainstream dishes including quail, eel and frogs legs – I look forward to returning to sample more dishes. The service can be hit and miss; it always seems rather rude and dishes often don’t come out together. Mien Tay is often set upon by large groups – this has meant on a couple of occasions that it gets very loud in there; fine sometimes but if not in the mood it can ruin a meal.

Overall I would highly recommend Mien Tay – the food is top drawer and you can take whatever you want to wash it down with. I would certainly recommend for when anyone wants a relaxed but reliable meal. Don’t go there however if you are a stickler for good service.