Author Archives: Paloma Kubiak

Brooklyn Bowl At The 02 Review

Posted on by

Paulo Nutini may have cancelled his gig at the 02 on Thursday, but the stage was rocking at Brooklyn Bowl a few doors down. Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls and Daniel Jeanrenaud – the Camden Cat, belted out the tunes to drown out the clash of skittles in the bowling alley while they provided the perfect accompaniment as we sipped our way through the new cocktail menu.

 

Brooklyn Collins and Cuban mistress

Brooklyn Collins and Cuban mistress

Created by mixologist Tim, his drinks were a labour of love as it took him nine months of shaking and stirring before getting his way, and his cocktails onto the already commended menu. Brooklyn Bowl – the little sis to the institution over in the States – is busy in terms of every nook and cranny having a set purpose; from the bowling lanes, to the stage, to the dining area, even a mini viewing gallery from the ladies, but the cocktail collection was simple. Just five made Tim’s cut, but for the less adventurous, there’s option number six, a Margarita.

 

Basilico and wythe avenue

Basilico and wythe avenue

And as we were there to review them, we ploughed through the list, starting off with the most popular  –Brooklyn Collins, which included fresh ginger shaken with Beefeater Gin, lemon juice sugar syrup, lemonade and Brooklyn beer.

Brooklyn Bowlo2

With a distinct root beer taste, it was sweet and refreshing, though I couldn’t handle the whole glass as the mix of gin, ginger and beer was a little too rich for my taste buds. But with floating chunks of ginger, it made me feel like I was drinking for my health, fending off the onset of cold and flu this winter. My friend Nikki was immediately drawn to the Cuban Mistress which included a three year old Havana Club rum ‘shaken hard’ with passionfruit puree, pineapple juice, sugar syrup and passionfruit liquer. Rum being her firm favourite, she said it went down a treat, it was the perfect combination of sweet and fruity.

The sting and frozen strawberry margarita

The sting and frozen strawberry margarita

For round two, I chose Basilico which included Absolut Vodka muddled with fresh basil, half of lemon, sugar syrup and blackberry liquer.

Brooklyn Bowl, o2

For mojito fans, this is a great alternative. The sweet, sour and herby essence of basil infused to create a fresh concoction which I finished sipping even before the ice had started melting. Nikki opted for Wythe Avenue created with Buffalo Trace Bourbon shaken with fresh raspberries, sugar syrup, fresh lemon and cranberry juice. Not something she often drinks, the bourbon was strong and hit the spot after a long day at the office.

 

Already a little merry, my final choice was The Sting. Martell VS Cognac shaken with fresh mint, lemon juice and sugar syrup. The Cognac warmed my throat as the sweet and sour flavours broke down the richness of the brandy.Nikki played it safe with a Margarita. Frozen with strawberries and cream, her face cringed from its coldness but as it was an alcoholic smoothie-like drink, she savoured each sip.

 

 

Yauatcha Restaurant Review | Celebrating 10 Years

Posted on by

With a rainbow of macaron’s elegantly displayed in the restaurant window, Yauatcha immediately catches your eye and invites you in to sample the patisserie-come- Chinese dishes.

Yauatcha Yauatchamacaroons

We were led downstairs to the basement by a lady in red, where we were pleasantly surprised by the buzz of diners, faces lit by the centre-piece of the room – the horizontal fish tank running the length of the bar.

 

We were greeted by numerous servers and told that as part of Yauatcha’s 10th anniversary in Soho, we would be served secret off-menu items which would only be disclosed once the dishes came to our table.

 

The first dishes arrived in steaming bamboo baskets; a trilogy of dumplings and a prawn and bean curd cheung fun saddled our table too.

Yauatcha10anniversary Yauatchadimsum Yauatchareview

The wild fungus and pomegranate dumpling was squidgy and earthy and the fruit seed added a pleasant drop of sweetness to the palette.

 

Not being a huge fan of lychee, nonetheless, the flakes of the scallop puff oozed with freshness as the dry texture of pastry was drenched with the juices of the tropical grape-like fruit.

 

Unusually green, the seared spicy lamb and fig was the last dumpling to pass my lips. The meaty flavour of lamb was subtly mixed with the sweeter fig flavour, creating a unique explosion of flavours.

Yauatchadessert Yauatchareviewlondon Yauatchafood

But the real moment of heaven was with the prawn and bean curd cheung fun drizzled in soy sauce.

 

A firm favourite with Yauatcha diners, it’s easy to see why. Encased in a soft pasta-like shell (the bean curd), it protectively lined the plump, slightly salty prawns and contrasted with the crispy fragments separating the different textures.

 

For mains, we shared the Kung pao chicken with cashew nut and stir fry rib eye beef in black bean sauce.

 

The beef sauce gently pricked our throats with spice as we edged closer to the bottom of the plate. The peppers were crispy and charred with a smoky flavour and the chicken was tender with hints of garlic and onion.

 

For dessert, my partner opted for the cheesecake with lemon, blueberry and graham cracker which was impressively stacked and burst with zesty tangs of citrus.

Yauatchapatisserie Yauatchacocktails

I plumped for the apricot chocolate, jaconde sponge, curd, chocolate cremaux and chiboust. Again it was impeccably presented and the sweet chocolate and apricot was interspersed with spoonfuls of refreshing sour sorbet.

 

We spent a pleasant evening at Yauatcha, part of the Hakkasan group which includes HKK in Shoreditch, and I loved the unique way dishes were served. The waiting staff are composed of commis in black uniform and serving staff in white.

 

The commis carry the dishes to the table and the serving staff quickly appear by their side ready to present each plate with a complete description to the diner. To me, this seemed like an eloquent game of chess; each time black edged towards the target, the white pawn would quickly follow suit.

 

My only niggle is the seating; after a few hours sitting on the uber-funky but backless sofa, I did feel like I needed a bit more support, but overall, a fantastic experience.

 

Next time we’ll be nipping in for macarons and a cocktail, turning the Chinese dining experience into a modern European affair in Soho.

 

15-17 Broadwick Street, London, W1F 0DL. Email reservations@yauatcha.com

 

 

HKK Restaurant Review

Posted on by

“Intricate nests of deliciousness”

 

On the eve of Monday, coincidentally when the moon was at its biggest and brightest this year, we were welcomed into the Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant HKK to sample its two moon cakes as part of the 15 course tasting menu.

 

Centred within the crux of bustling Shoreditch, Liverpool Street and Old Street, HKK presents itself modestly on Worship Street, but its contemporary décor invites business types and couples.

 

One thing to emphasise before I get on to the culinary journey – this isn’t just a dining experience, it’s an experience in itself.

 

You’ll be immersed in Chinese culture as you sip on room-temperature Sake and partake in a tea ceremony, yet the beautifully presented intricate nests of deliciousness are perfectly aligned with modern day cuisine.

 

You’ll need to leave all allergies and intolerances at the door as the 15 course menu tempts your taste buds with fresh vegetables (and flowers), sea food, fish, chicken, duck, lamb, beef and even flakes of gold.

 

Each plate presented a prefect mouthful and each was introduced by our server, Marco, with a flair of expertise and personal experience.

hkk hkkreview

If you can’t remember the name of each dish (you will remember the flavour), don’t worry as towards the end of the meal, you’ll be handed a personal menu, including drinks, by the Manager, Mehmet, and Head Chef, Tong Chee Hwee.

 

The whelk salad and Shaoxing wine jelly started off our evening. The soft sweet jelly against the crunch of the cucumber and bitter flower infused effortlessly on the palette.

HKKreview2 HKKreview3 HKKreviewchef

The roasted Poulet de Bresse, foie gras and mandarin confit presented an assortment of textures and tastes. The sharp citrus crunch of the mandarin flakes contrasted against the gamey foie gras. The tender chicken slithered on the tongue.

 

The Cherry wood roasted Peking duck was a far cry from the imitations in other restaurants. For this course, we were asked to come to the serving table in the middle of the restaurant where the chef cut the plump skin and moist cuts of duck from the bone. The skin was unlike anything I’d seen before. It reflected hues of red, orange and bronze under the lights. This was a real highlight as the meat was juicy, the hoi sin sauce delicate and the brown sugar added a creative twist to the traditional dish.

HKKreview4 HKKreview5

The Dim sum trilogy will leave your mouth dancing with flavours. The squidgy dumpling with fishy freshness and speckles of caviar contrasted with the spice of the chicken dumpling, soothed with a dash of soy sauce.

 

The Sugar snaps, lotus root and water chestnut cleansed the palette and acted as a reprieve from the previous fish and meat dishes. It was immaculately presented and the crunch of the sugar snaps contrasted with the milky texture of the smoky chestnut.

 

At this point, our Sommelier – Almudena – selected a 2013 bottle of Rosa dei Frati, Ca dei Frati, from Veneto, Italy and its fruity smell and taste accompanied the dish perfectly.

hkk6 HKKrestaurantreview

The moon cake itself – a watermelon cake and green tea sesame ball served with Da Hong Pau tea was sweet and succulent while the full bodied and smoky flavour of the tea soothed the richness of the cakes.

 

One of the highlights was the Seared Wagyu beef with Enoki mushrooms. Perfectly rare but oozing with meaty flavours, it was served on a crispy and salty pancake- like bowl. It was simply divine.

 

With three desserts coming up, I was excited. The raspberry and dark chocolate delice with cocoa nibs was thick, gooey and rich and the popping candy and flakes of gold were a unique taste experience.

 

We had a wonderful evening, the quality of the food and the presentation far exceeded our expectations, though we were not surprised to learn the Michelin star was awarded within the first year of the restaurant opening.

 

You’ll leave satiated, relaxed and cultured from the HKK experience.

 

See the website for more information: http://hkklondon.com/

 

 

Fresh Off The Boat | Theatre Review

Posted on by

In the words of Fresh Off The Boat co-writer, Sarah Pitard, ‘the UK is fucked’.

 

As the economy struggles, redundancies are commonplace and the political parties are divided on a solution, the blame knocks on immigrations door.

 

And Sarah Pitard, a pretty, white American gal whose only vice was to fall in love and marry her UK man is one of them – an immigrant, an illegal alien.

 

A Border Story (the first act of Fresh Off The Boat) follows Pitard’s real-life story in a touching, witty and unusually comical way, but I can’t help but notice that behind her calm exterior, it’s also a chance to display ‘two fingers’ at the Immigration Officers.

 

Having been refused a marriage visa, it seems marrying a UK citizen is not enough to secure a place in Blighty.

 

From the airport scene with the questions about her dress bag which alluded to her being a whore, it is no surprise her stage double, Amy, tells the audience: “England’s not a very positive place for a person other than the British.”

 

Only having married on 12/12/12 and expecting a baby, (I sighed in relief when Pitard explained this was an addition for dramatic effect) the couple attempted to exploit a legal loophole to gain entry to the UK.

 

Amy and Brian would move to another European country where Brian would get a job (the only one was sans va va voom flipping burgers in Paris) to reach the minimum six-month threshold whereby they would then be eligible for UK citizenship.

 

Now the good news is that Amy, aka Sarah, and her stage hubby Brian, are able to spread the word on this loophole and somehow this production was pulled together while they were living in France.

 

The bad news is that they’re still stuck in limbo, still awaiting to hear their fate and still uncertain about their future in the UK.

 

Despite the serious content of this first act, Pitard shows her determination, and through sympathetic Amy (Lee Lytle) and Brian, played by Paul Tonkin, we saw the emotional fragility laid bare to the audience and no doubt, it acts as an open letter to the Immigration Officers too.

 

Act two can’t help but lift your spirits, again in a satirical, comedic way as it broaches the important subject of immigration.

 

‘The Utility People’, written by Michael Ross, is opened with a couple casually celebrating with a bottle of prosecco when all the noises from the rather large utility cupboard finally spills out into the living room in the form of an immigrant mother and her son.

 

Ironically, Jake (played by Mike Houlihan), who used to work for Amnesty International is far from welcoming, and Chloe (Antonia Reid) almost overcompensates saying £they are humanity” which is abruptly followed by Jake’s “humanity can go somewhere else”’.

 

As the British Empire plundered everyone in history, Chloe feels it is only right that the mother and son ought to be able to stay and she soon starts giving them chores so they earn their keep.

 

She even provides them with the nicknames Goldilocks and Bear (obviously named after Paddington).

 

In scenes that had me chuckling, Matt and Antonia played the couple with enough sense of confusion, surprise and nerve to pull off their treacherous steps towards slave labour and human exploitation in their own home. 

 

The son, played by Theo Ancient, really comes into his own as he’s given a real voice to proclaim damnation of the way immigrants are treated around the world.

 'Fresh Off the Boat' collage

As he eloquently sums up the moral and legal system of immigration in the UK, I was literally blown away.

 

Articulating and applying a magnifying glass to the situation, he underpinned the hopes, fears and realities of immigration against the privileges of those living here.

 

Richard, the narrator, punctuated each scene beautifully with spark and character which illuminated the harsh content with the right tones of comedy.

 

A very deserving play, well structured, rehearsed and it definitely had me thinking about the privilege associated with my British passport. Good luck to the Pritards.

 

PVT Wars Review

Posted on by

As the stage lights flick on and off to separate each scene of PVT Wars, we capture a glimpse of the mundane activities and conversations of three Vietnam War veterans recovering in hospital.

 

On the outside world, they wouldn’t have been friends, but circumstance has bought them together and their friendship is marked by satire, violence and a desire to get better rather than die or rot in hospital.

 PVT2

Gately, the most personable character, frustratingly slowly attempts to fix a radio piece by piece. 

 

But it seems his physical task also plays an important part in his mental psyche: ‘If a guy like me can make a radio work than the whole of America will work.’

 PVT1

Setting about this task helps restore Gately’s own mind as each screw, nut and bolt restored to the radio makes him believe he’s one step closer to helping America too.

 

But his colleagues Natwick and Silvio don’t lend themselves to helping him; each pockets different essential parts making it nearly impossible for Gately to accomplish his important job.

 

Somehow as the three men celebrate Silvio’s impending release back home, Gately pushes the switch and the radio starts playing music.

 

Silvio is the Italian Catholic predator going around the hospital wards flashing the nurses.

                       

He’s arrogant, cocky and torments Natwick. But we see his vulnerable side as he relates his concerns to Gately about wearing floppy underwear and kilts for better sperm count.

 

While the bravado and bragging underlies his character, we later learn shrapnel blew off his penis and testacles so in reality, he’s all talk and no action. 

 

Natwick is the thinker out of the trio. From a privileged background, he’s intelligent and sensitive, often heard reciting poetry.

 

While his family had high hopes for his career, he feels a failure in hospital and attempts a suicide bid as ‘when you’re rich you only have one way to go; down’.

 

Despite his wealth and intelligence, in hospital with the other men, he’s an equal in every sense and he’s seen as nothing more than an ‘asshole’. His recital of TS Eliot’s ‘peach on a beach’ may have been applauded back home, but here, it’s laughed at.

 

PVT Wars, a Bare Bones project, written by James McLure and directed by Naomi Wirthner is about fighting your own wars rather than interfering in others. Each character is fighting their own personal battle as well as helping others to fight their own demons. Slow in pace and filled with ramblings from each man, PVT Wars at The Space, gives an insight into the state of mind of soldiers following every war, not just Vietnam.

 

Gary Wright who played Gately portrayed him with a real sense of compulsion with just the right expressions of confusion. But Jim Pople (Natwick) and Laurie Wilson (Silvio) played their parts with equal triumph too. 

 

Festen Theatre Review

Posted on by

FestenTheatre ReviewA word of warning: Festen is not for the light-hearted. It will leave you sickened, violated and shocked and this is by no means a criticism but credit to the cast for pulling off such a raw production.

 

The title itself conjures up thoughts of a happy, joyous occasion and the audience in the intimate Space theatre almost feel a part of the 60th birthday celebration.

 

Successful patriarch Helge marks his special day with his closest family and friends but the evening itself becomes a platform for the party to confront ghosts of the past. 

 

As eldest twin, son Christian, stands before his proud father, we note there is no personal contact when they greet each other, only an exchange of words and then we learn that Christian’s twin sister, Linda, committed suicide.

 

Helge asks his son to say a few words at dinner as he fears he may be overcome with emotion if he has to give a speech.

 

During the first course, Christian stands before his relatives and gives his father a choice of two speeches; one in a yellow envelope and one in a green envelope.

 

As he picks the green envelope, Christian says he’s made a good choice as he recalls happy memories of the family. But then he reads out: “And do you remember when you continuously raped me and Linda on the green sofa?”

 

In a split second, the clean man, the man of steel, Helge, has his reputation shattered. Festen, as well as reminding me of a celebration, also brings to mind the word ‘fester’. And for Christian, the suicide of his sister and the painful memories of his childhood will no longer fester in his thoughts – he’ll vocalise them at his father’s 60th birthday.

 

The family attempts to continue the celebration but the moment has been lost forever. And just when we think there are no more surprises or incredibly awkward moments, Christian re-enters during the main course and reads out his sister’s suicide note. She couldn’t bear to continue her life anymore as her father had started to take her again.

 

The servants seem to forget their place and congratulate Christian for standing up to his father and finally revealing his monstrous character which he has hidden for so many years.

 

At breakfast the next morning, the family attempt to come to terms with the truth and as soon as Helge enters, the atmosphere becomes ice-cold. Michael, another of his sons gets up to take his baby girl away from the grips of his paedophilic, incestuous father.

 

Festen reveals how behind a loving, successful family, there are painful truths and soul-destroying secrets. The expert pauses of silence round the dinner table enabled the audience to breathe each breath and watch the family’s eyes dance round the room as the gripping storyline took hold.

 

There were also some incredibly uncomfortable scenes. First when Michael and his wife Mette have sex following a violent argument. Then the moment Christian reveals to the family that his father raped him and his twin sister when they were children and finally when Helene, another daughter invites her black boyfriend to dinner. Michael jokes that a monkey’s joined the party.

 

Rowan Finnegan who plays Christian was simply fantastic. We saw all his emotions in stages, from the calm demeanour as he greets his father; to his singing and dancing round the table to celebrate his birthday to the stern look as he reveals the sordid past and smashes his fist on the table in anger.

 

There are some plays you enjoy and there are some you’ll never forget. Festen is certainly one which had me gripped and will be remembered for years to come. It’s another notch to The Space Theatres brilliant production list.

The Significant Other | Theatre Review

Posted on by

Insignificant others theatre reviewThe Significant Other can be best described as flicking through the glossy pages of a real life-story magazine.

 

It portrays snippets of the relationship between two people in 10 different scenes played out within a strict 10minute window and each one is as far removed in terms of content as the previous story.

 

Performed at The Park Theatre in Finsbury, The Significant Other explores relationships from the hope, boundaries, friendship and passion experienced in every day life.

 

It expertly portrays the awkwardness experienced by two strangers, to the comforts of a long-term relationship and friendship and even tries its hand at the human interaction with an alien, guardian angel and ghost.

 

Each scene is influenced by a different genre from comedy, fantasy, crime and even a musical, spanning both the past and future ideas of the world.

 

The audience is kept guessing at each turn and the play certainly grips your attention.

 

Three scenes stood out for me:

 

Coyi – a fired up couple are watching their football team on the telly (they can’t be there as the boyfriend lost the game tickets).

 

She tells him that she went to the bookies and made a bet on their future if their team wins 2-1 and they get engaged to marry.

 

The audience feels each missed goal and penalty and enters the couple’s living room as they agonise the unpredictable nature of the football match and the hope they’ll win a fortune.

 

A Month and Five Days – Set in the past in a library, a visitor is attempting to study but keeps talking and distracting himself as he is told off and told to be quiet.

 

The librarian is actually in love with the visitor and in an aside, bursts into song calling herself ‘Julie Andrews’ after adopting his surname.

 

This shy librarian has hopes of marriage and the couple realise they are perfectly suited to each other, as long as he can respect the rules to be quiet.

 

Icebergs – A somewhat ditzy brother and sister plot to steal from their employer but at the last minute, the sister pulls out and we see them reveal their thoughts and feelings of being stuck in a little village, missed opportunities and tattered dreams of the future.

 

By far one of the funniest scenes, the audience sees the protective older brother nature towards his sister, as well as his mocking and arrogant character.

 

But in the end, there is no doubt that sibling love reigns rather than sibling rivalry.

 

Performed as part as a festival of genres, the play is unlike any I have seen, and despite their short length, strangely the audience was still able to bond with the characters and the personal impact was not tarnished.

 

Produced by Neil Byden, Serena Haywood and Laura Kim on behalf of The Pensive Federation, it was a light and refreshing performance on a Friday evening and it felt as if we were sitting among friends in the compact loft studio.

 

The Gut Girls | Theatre Review

Posted on by

Gut-girls-webSet in the grimy depths of Edwardian Deptford, The Gut Girls was unexpectedly one of the best theatre shows I have seen, easily rivalling the productions staged on the West End.

 

The six strong-spirited, feisty women slog for 13 hours a day in the cattle quarters, artfully removing the offal, entails and entrails of meat before it is fit for the butchers.

 

Their mouths are as sharp as the knives they use; often a defence mechanism to taunts that they’re lower in class than the common whores who run the night.

 

Wonderfully original in plot, the play launches into the hustle and bustle of cockney London life with Annie (Emma Laura Canning) starting her first day at the gutting sheds.

 

Only 16, innocent and a little naïve, she struggles to stomach all the blood, flesh and guts which is ‘enough to stagger a horse’, but the other five quickly take her under their wings and the girls all laugh and joke despite their gruesome work.

 

It is then that Aristocrat Lady Helena visits the girls, inviting them to her ladies club to teach them manners, etiquette, sewing and readings from the Bible to better their prospects should they find alternative employment as maids or nannies. 

 

In a twist of irony, the girls keep saying that as long as there are meat eaters, they would have jobs and they laugh off the ‘barmy idea that people will only eat vegetables’ in the future.

 

And as if on queue, when Maggie (Caitlin Innes Edwards) the oldest, unmarried member of the group resists the advances of Edwin, Lady Helena’s associate, he vows to have her removed from her post after she threatens him with a knife.

 

All the girls are laid off but those who attended the ladies club are given good references but Maggie, who failed to go, struggles to find work and does the only thing she can to survive – by marrying bar landlord Len.

 

Once the women are no longer ‘the gut girls’, their friendship declines, their strong, independent and somewhat feminist nature seems to crumble and they pass one another on the street like strangers, fearing for their jobs and improved reputations.

 

The Gut Girls masterly depicts the struggles of the social classes, the plight of women against their masters, the dim future they face if they fail to marry and it also highlights the political and religious thoughts of the day.

 

Performed at a converted chapel, The Space Theatre in the Isle of Dogs, the actors were faultless, the stage and audience seating area were used to maximum effect, making it seem we were part of the show and the change of scenes were seamless.

 

All the actors proved themselves on the opening night, but hats off to Kate Craggs who played cockney Ellen as well as Lady Priscilla, Emma Laura Canning, the lead of Annie and Catherine Thorncombe, who played Emily and Edna.

 

The show led my emotions perfectly, from tears at the moment when Annie reveal’s she was raped by her master’s son, to tears of laughter as the girls mimic the sounds of tea being poured in a role-play exercise at the ladies club.

 

Vividly entertaining, expertly executed, The Gut Girls should aim much higher than that of a fringe production. I certainly won’t forget this show.

 

The Gut Girls, a Rum and Monkey production by Sarah Daniels and directed by David England, runs till Saturday 25 May. Tickets (£14/£10) can be bought from www.space.org.uk or by calling the Box Office: 0207 515 7799.