What is East Dulwich Missing - Food Wise

[tonyh]

At the moment, isn't Lordship Lane a bit of a Northcote Road wannabe, a Mark Wahlberg to Northcote's Matt Damon? It's doing pretty well, mind. You've got your upmarket butcher and fishmonger, your bakeries, a couple of delis, a Caf? Nero, a good wine shop, a kitchen shop selling the most ridiculously overpriced stuff, a Gourmet Burger Kitchen, a decent gastropub and one genuinely good restaurant (Franklin's). The Bobos have a rather touching, if fragile, pride in their SE22 postcode. The mummies with the superior weaponry of their three wheel attack buggies occupy the area's caf?s in much the same way that the Wehrmacht occupied France.

But can the Lane's current demographic support much more in the way of restaurants? I'd suggest there's two factors precluding against it. Firstly, there's not enough money there, really, is there? The area's middle class are a little too, erm, 'crusty' still (no offence, I'm more than a little crusty myself, as well as completely potless to boot). Secondly, it seems to me that there isn't enough office/business activity around to sustain a really vibrant lunchtime trade. Maybe the Lane's current restaurant owners would tell us otherwise.

But if I had my 'druthers, there would be:

1. A really good italian deli (think the wondrous Gazzano's on Farringdon Road). Coppa di testa, tomino, capacollo, burrata, luganega, torta di alpina, cotechino, asiago, guanciale, caciotta, zampone...lord have mercy!

2. An independent coffee bar like Dose or Lantana. Caf? Nero are arguably the best of the chains (and sell their espresso beans for a more than reasonable ?4.95 for 500g), but somewhere serving coffee from the Square Mile roastery would be very heaven.

3. A vietnamese of the standard of Song Que and the others in Shoreditch.

That would do me I think.

[SimonM]

1. The EDD started out as a really good Italian deli, stocking all/most of the items you list I think? In fact for the first couple of weeks it only had fresh pasta and cherry tomatoes in the window IIRC. Clearly ED won't support the purist approach?

2. There are loads of good independent coffee bars around. In no particular order, Jack's, Blackbird, the French cafe, Blue Mountain, the Peckham Rye cafe...And do Caffe Nero really sell 500gms of their espresso beans for only ?4.95? It does sound a bargain, unless it is actually 250gms, in which case the 250gm bags of Monmouth espresso from the French Cafe is pretty good too..

[tonyh]

Yes, it really, really is 500g.I used to get Monmouth coffee all the time, but now I buy Square Mile - their Spring Espresso is brilliant. Check out their website:Square Mile Roasters

And no, I don't believe EDD do stock things like zampone, coppa di testa and guanciale - but I haven't been in there in a while.

[katie1997]

tonyh - I completely agree but you do know that Gazzano's is in a traditionally (London-) Italian area?

So I guess they expect - and receive - fantastic quality from their local deli.

Maybe if we all ask nicely the people in EDD will stock those items too? (btw, I have no idea what they are but they sound great) :)

[SimonM]

And no, I don't believe EDD do stock things like zampone, coppa di testa and guanciale - but I haven't been in there in a while

Oops sorry - I meant they sold this sort of stuff when they first opened and were very much biased to being an Italian deli.

350gms of Spring Espresso from that company would be ?9+ with delivery charges...

[tonyh]

katie1997 wrote:

'do [you] know that Gazzano's is in a traditionally (London-) Italian area?'

Yeah - they've had a shop there since (I think) 1901! They were actually mentioned in a fascinating book I read a month or so ago about immigration in Britain through the ages - Bloody Foreigners by Robert Winder. Similarly, Song Que and the other vietnamese restaurants I alluded to also grew out of a local community. I know there's no chance of places like these opening on LL, but a chap can dream, can't he?

SimonM Wrote:

'350gms of Spring Espresso from that company would be ?9+ with delivery charges...'

Errr...true. Which is why I wouldn't mail order unless it was with friends to spread the cost of P&P. As I happen to often be in the Smithfield/Barbican area, I tend to buy (at ?7 for 350g) from either Dose on Long Lane or the coffee cart in Whitecross Street. This cart is run by, among others, Gwilym Davies, who was the 2009 World Barista Champion (and their single espresso is 60p if we're talking costs). In fact the last three WBC's have all won using coffee roasted by Square Mile. It is expensive coffee (and similar in price to Monmouth's I think?), but that doesn't mean it isn't good value.I'll happily pay a surcharge for excellence. But I didn't mention them because of cost, but because they roast my favourite blend.

You mentioned in your earlier post 'Jack's, Blackbird, the French cafe, Blue Mountain, the Peckham Rye cafe'. Fine places all, I'm sure (I'm ashamed to say I've only tried Blue Mountain) But I was thinking about the kind of hardcore bars set up by obsessive baristas with years of experience in the industry; the type who source a La Marzocco FB-80 espresso machine from Florence and compliment it with an Anfim Super Caimano burr grinder, who know that the milk should be microfoamed at 70?C and who travel the world in pursuit of the 'godshot'. If any of the above fall into that category, then I apologise for not championing their cause.

[jonathan11]

Why not try Locale on East dulwich road, they have amazing pizza.the best Italian rest in the area.

[Moos]

What's crusty mean? I thought it meant old and cranky*, but that doesn't make sense in this context.

*other than when you're talking about bread, I mean.

[david_carnell]

Moos....darling...a crusty:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bristol/content/images/2005/08/17/7_350x470.jpg

But I think what tonyh is getting at is that a large number of East Dulwich-ites just aren't that wealthy to sustain any more fab restaurants. Have you seen the house prices in Primrose Hill? That's the sort of area that's chock full of high end, chi-chi, pretentious, foodie-twaddle that ED can only aspire to.

*sigh*

Unfortunately, to get there we would have to up our city-banker/barrister/architect wanker-quotient to unbearable levels to the point where anyone not dressed head-to-toe in Bamford&Sons cashmere has to throw themselves under the nearest Range Rover.

We'll survive with just the one deli I suspect.

[tonyh]

david_carnell Wrote:

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'But I think what tonyh is getting at is....'

Spot on, David. But I couldn't have explained it as succinctly as your good self.

[Moos]

Hmm.

[SarahMeynell]

A Haitian restaurant - something to rival www.taptaprestaurant.com - random I know but it was one of the best restaurants I have ever been to!

[sofaRunner]

as long as East Dulwich continues to discourage chain resturants I'll be happy! I love the locally owned places that you find in ED & Herne Hill but are so lacking in Dulwich Village

[SarahMeynell]

Agree, Dulwich Village is for some reasom really lacking - really good opportunity there for someone to start something! Even a good everning bar, more like Green and Blue in East Dulwich.

[cate]

sofaRunner Wrote:

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> as long as East Dulwich continues to discourage

> chain resturants I'll be happy! I love the

> locally owned places that you find in ED & Herne

> Hill but are so lacking in Dulwich Village

What about Romeo Jones and the Italian deli? Those are independent. You cant really compare ED to Dulwich Village as the Village is much smaller. There are only two chains there - Pizza Express and Cafe Rouge.

[sofaRunner]

Cafe Piaf is a chain as well. You are absolutely right about Romeo Jones & the blue deli both of which are great as is the tea shop next to the book shop, however it is in the evening that I need a decent resturant. Dulwich Village has 3 resturants all of which are chains, Herne Hill is small & on Half Moon Lane alone there are also 3 resturants (Lombok, Cafe Prov & No 22) all of which are independantly owned & are a joy

[cate]

I didn't know Cafe Piaf was a chain. Where are the other restaurants? I had a bad meal in there once and never went back. Don't forget the Trini Roti Hut in Herne Hill. Dulwich Village is heavily restricted by the Dulwich Estate as to who can set up there. You could always stay home and whip up a good meal yourself!

[sofaRunner]

there is a Cafe Piaf in Wimbledon & I think Richmond. You are right, I could stay home & whip up a good meal but it kind of defeats the object of eating out

[cate]

I am more inspired to cook these days. There is such a wealth of information available on the net. I also subscribe to a lot of food blogs. I am not a vegetarian but am making a lot of meat free dishes now. Spicing and herbs are fun to play around with. You can get pretty much anything down in Rye Lane.

[Sue]

SteveT Wrote:

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> Ganapati had succulent chicken but at forty quid

> for two of us,

> a touch expensive and for Peckham it was top whack

> really.

>

> We arrived at sixish and it was empty except for

> two couples, the waitress said loudly and

> accusingly "have you booked", the place was packed

> full of empty tables, so that irritated me.

>

>

xxxxxxxxx

Ganapati is small and they have two sittings. The first is not as early as six, hence I presume the empty tables. But obviously they need to keep tables for people who have booked for when they do arrive!

Ganapati is very popular and it would be unusual if they had a free unbooked table, so you were lucky if you got one.

Their prices and menu are on their website, so the cost need not come as a surprise. They are not as cheap as the Indian restaurants in Lordship Lane, but they are in a totally different league foodwise, and I think are excellent value for money.

I am surprised you talked about an "obnoxious" waitress - we have always had excellent and friendly service at Ganapati.

[tallulah71]

david_carnell Wrote:

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> Honestly, and this isn't an attack on James or

> anyone else in particular, but if I hear one more

> person ask for an M&S I'm going to suffocate

> myself in some excessive cardboard and

> shrink-wrapped clingfilm. Argh!

>

>

> Exactly....this isn't Bromley. Bad enough we got Tescos and Sainsbury's....

Would love new steak restaurant (although Palmerston / The herne Tavern, and Franklins are pretty unbeatable I'd say.) A Good fish restaurant that isn't posh fish and chips...and a decent veggie one too. Looking forward to developments!

>

> I really can't think of anything that we don't

> have or that isn't a short journey away.

> Cajun/soul food would be lovely but can't see it

> surviving. I'd like Le Chardon to be a bit more

> rustic bistro-esque and have prices to match.

> Otherwise I'm pretty happy.

>

> Edit: I see a NYC style steak-house is being

> mooted. Witha proper brolier then it could be

> good. But no wagyu or USDA meat please, we can do

> amazing beef from British farms.

[Lebanums]

I think a Spanish or really good tapas restaurant would go down a treat, Barcelona is a little dated...

[thebestnameshavegone]

Somewhere that commodifies working-class food would be ideal.

I want to pay over a tenner for a pie.

[SeanMacGabhann]

ClockHouse will happily oblige you on that score

[Louisa]

How about a good quality deli that sells decent sausages eh Sean? >:D<

Louisa.