Restaurant Review: Oldroyd

It was the day of the London Tube Strikes. I had a booking at Oldroyd at 7pm.  I had four options:

Option 1: Forget about the booking. But there was no way I was letting this one go. I was more excited to visit this restaurant than other in the past few months.

Option 2: Take a bike. I would have taken this option (even though I am scared stiff of riding on London roads - and haven't ridden a bike in 10 years) but I had two heavy bags with me, one bag on each handle? I would be never be able to balance myself.

Otion 3: Take a taxi. The last time there was a tube strike, the usual 30 minute journey took an hour in a taxi. I am not one to be late!!

Option 4: Walk. I walked 55 minutes from Soho to Islington with two heavy bags. All in the name of food eh? Definitely deserved the dinner after that.

Restaurant Review: Taberno Do Mercardo, Spitalfields

I'm going to lay my cards on the table right now. I am such a fan of Nuno Mendes. I loved Corner Room and I loved Chiltern Firehouse, so I was always going to look favourably on Taberno do Mercardo.

Portugese food intrigues me, I've never had it before and didn't know what to expect.

Taberno is probably the furthest you could get away from Firehouse, which I'm sure was a very conscious decision. The restaurant decor is very simple: whitewashed, wooden tables and spindly chairs. It's all about the food here.