Dinner out in London

Dining out in London is fraught with risk. There are thousands of places to choose from. Prices can be very high, and even the cheap spots are expensive. Often the food is very mediocre (what do you expect when chips are generally served with everything from fish to curry). The reviews and comments online can be very deceiving; they are often posted by the restaurant owners themselves. The one thing you really need is someone with good taste, a similar budget to your own, and a sense of adventure, in order to point you in the right direction when you get hungry in London. Rob and Jess were just that. These two recent graduates from Goldsmiths' Masters of Fine Arts program were our foodie tour guides for an evening of restaurant adventures.

Our evening started with a tube and "overground" train ride to Peckham Rye far to the southeast of London city centre. When we got off the train we were a bit taken aback by the sights and smells of this corner of London. Rough I would say.

We spent a few minutes wandering around the area near the train station wondering what the dining experience was going to be like. Rob arrived shortly after us and quickly whisked us away (on foot) to Frank's Cafe for drinks and to wait for his partner in gastronom, Jess.

http://frankscafe.org.uk

Frank's Cafe was pretty unique. To get there we walked around the back of an abandoned multi-story car park and entered through a beat up steel emergency exit door. It looked more like the kind of place where a drunk would piss than the entrance to a trendy eatery.

We climbed the stairs to the floor just short of the roof where we were met by a well-dressed security guard who gave us the once over then let us through. We walked through the abandoned parking stalls to the point where cars would be driving up onto the roof and walked up the ramp where we wre again given the once over by security.

Again we breezed through purely on our good looks. When we got to the roof this is what we saw:

It was the most unique spot for a place to drink and eat ever. The views were fabulous, the Shard, the Gherkin, Olympic Park, the Ferris Wheel, St Pauls and all the rest of London was at our feet. Jess joined us shortly after we arrived. We chucked back a couple fine ales and got up to go, but not before a quick visit to the loo:

Yup! That's what they were, outhouses on the top of a parking garage in London. 

The adventure had begun. Our young tour guides were doing a fabulous job.

Dinner was next. Down through the empty parking stalls we went, back through the alleys and back onto the train. We went even farther out of town to the Catford Constitutional Club.

http://catfordconstitutionalclub.com

I'm not sure where we got off the train. I'm not even sure what train we were on! 

A short walk from the station, down a short back alley, took us into the most rundown building I have ever legally entered.

The paper was peeling off the walls, a chunk of the ceiling had collapsed, and the stairs looked like only one person should go up at a time.

But, the joint was full of people enjoying what looked to be great food. Another nice surprise.

Jess and I ordered Broiled Bream and veggies with a side of posh fries (yes, "posh" fries. Fries covered in parmesan cheese and sprinkled with truffle oil - to die for). Nancy ordered papardelle with cabbage, peas and cheese, and Rob went for some kind of chicken dish. It was all fantastic. We swilled a couple bottles of Viognier and finished with shared brownies and peanut butter ice-cream. 

What a night! Our dining out experience, expertly guided by Rob and Jess, was superb. It made one realize what great things can happen in urban wastelands if creative people are given room to work. 

If you ever are in London and want a unique dining experience, don't go to these restaurants. They probably won't be there any more, but Rob and Jess will, and they can take you to the next "special" place to pop up.