Ekachai Showcase their Brand New Spot in Flat Iron Square

scallop-prawn-siu-mai

Smack bang in the middle of Bankside you’ll find brand new foodie hub, Flat Iron Square, and we think this is just the tonic Bankside needs. With a fresh, urban in/out vibe, this is a spot you’re more likely to find in East London but now it’s accessible South of the river too making it handy for all the city dwellers looking for a unique and vibrant new hangout. Made for pretty much everyone with a good appetite, Flat Iron Square will feature food stalls and trucks from well established and quality kitchens from around London as well as a flea market which will run alongside it on the weekend. We were lucky enough to have a tour around the site prior to opening and as you can imagine we are met with… a building site but amongst the hubbub of vendors frantically fixing up signage and getting their kitchens in order, there is one kitchen which is ready for business.

flat-iron-square-menu

Ekachai, the kitchen famous for South East Asian cooking have been operating a truly Zen ship since 1999 and it’s no different today. Opening their first site in Liverpool Street, more and more outlets have opened throughout the country and it’s no surprise really. Speaking to one of the co-owner’s, he explains the ethos is to create honest and authentic cooking which is true to South-East Asia and moving away from mixing five different kinds of Asian food into one take out box. Well we think the proof is in their fluffy Bao Bun’s, this has certainly warmed up our cold October morning and with a simple but varied menu, they want customers to enjoy quality cooking which promises to be evocative of the street vendors of the Far East. From what we’ve tried the Dim Sum is absolutely dreamy and a refreshing take on street eats so try for yourself. Ekachai is now open for business at Flat Iron Square but also operate outlets in Selfridges London and restaurants in Wandsworth and Liverpool Street.

fullsizeoutput_cbc
www.ekachai.co.uk

www.flatironsquare.co.uk

Flat Iron Square
68 Union Street
Borough
London, SE1 1TD

The Noodle House London Restaurant Review

I love Asian food so was absolutely delighted when we were invited to review the newly opened Southeast Asian restaurant The Noodle House on Shaftesbury Avenue. The decor looks great and it is busy. It may be newly opened but it already has found plenty of customers. It is not a tourist trap however, it has enough calm to be an enjoyable experience. We start off with some cocktails. We have the Moonshadow: vodka, lillet blanc, chrysanthemum, jasmine tea syrup and a Hit The Rojak: tequila, kamm & sons, star fruit juice, apple juice, Rojak syrup and lime. Both cocktails are great. Delicious and unique.

hittheroadjak prawns thenoodlehousecalameri thenoodlehousecocktailsweet thenoodlehousestsrter

For starters I have the Crispy Calamari: Crispy fried calamari seasoned with sea salt and Szechuan pepper served with chilli dipping sauce and my colleague had the Si Racha Prawns: Tempura style prawns served with our signature spicy mayo. The crispy calamari is delicious and comes with a great sauce. The prawns are amazing, very generous in size and the sauce is great. It has a bit of a kick to it. Both starters are great and the portion size is generous. The waiter is good at recommending food and really knows his stuff. Although he didn’t realise what a wimp I am when it comes to spice!

 

BqCtKyHIcAAvC6P noodlehouse thenoodlehouse2 thenoodlehouse1 thenoodlehouserice thenoodlehousecocktailFor our mains we have the Javanese Nasi Goreng: Wok-fried rice with prawns, chilli, spring onions and Sambal Belachan, topped with a fried egg, served with two chicken satay skewers and prawn crackers and the Bakmi Goreng: Udon noodles with chicken, prawns, bean sprouts, cabbage, pak choi, eggs and a sweet chilli ginger sauce, garnished with spring onions and fried banana shallots. For our sides we have the Broccoli: Tenderstem broccoli with oyster sauce and Fried Jasmine Rice: Wok-fried jasmine rice with chicken, prawns, bean sprouts, eggs, chilli and Thai basil. 

The Javanese Nasi Goreng is something to behold. It has absolutely everything in it and a fried egg on top. The chicken satay skewers are tasty, as are the prawn crackers, the fried egg, the whole shebang. This is also spicy although there are plenty of things you can order at the Noodle House which are not spicy. The Bakmi Goreng is a great noodle dish which also has a generous amount of ingredients. It is amazing. Really great.

I also loved the Fried Jasmine Rice we have for our side and the broccoli is also good. If we thought the starters were a decent size, the mains and the sides were even more generous. We could just have had those and nothing else. We end up taking what we don’t eat away in a doggy bag.

We order more cocktails. The amazing Bayside Bellini: Kamm & sons, spiced Asian pear, orgeat & prosecco. and Spice Island Iced Tea: Gin, spiced tea gin, lemon, abbots bitters & ginger ale. The Bayside Bellini is absolutely brilliant. All you need to know is that it is a champagne cocktail with an Asian twist. Wonderful.

thenoodlehousedessertFor dessert we have the Sweet Sharing Plate: a sample of the Lime &  Ginger Cheescake, mango coconut pudding and banana spring rolls. Each one is amazing and unique. Just incredibly good and comes with a brilliant ice-cream.

We then finished with some tea. Fruity Fresh Hibiscus: an infusion made from a blend of Hibiscus, orange flowers, rosehip, sea buckthorn berries & lemon verbena. A pink brew that is sweet, fresh and hydrating. A mix of flowers and fruit. This is great tea, I could drink it everyday. Downstairs there is more seating and a bar and you can see all of the Noodle House’s amazing tea in large jars.

The Noodle House is a great restaurant. The service is amazing, the waiters are friendly and knowledgeable, the food is amazing and unique as is their cocktails and tea. Prices are reasonable, from low to high. I highly recommend The Noodle House and will be going back.

 
The Noodle House, 117 Shaftesbury Avenue,  London WC2H 8AD  /  0203 725 5777