The Perks Of Being A Food Blogger

Last weekend, my friend asked me along to an afternoon of exclusive menu tasting at Comedor Grill & Bar. Having previously reviewed the restaurant, she was invited back with the objective to sample and feedback on 10 new dishes.

It was important to me to research the restaurant and read a few reviews before attending the tasting session. The least I could do was to understand the restaurants vision and values and understand why customers continue to return to this South American eatery in North London.

Reviews were hugely positive and after visiting the restaurant myself I now understand why...

We were welcomed by friendly staff and shown to our table, where we joined a small group of like minded people for the tasting session, along with complimentary drinks. I was very excited to hear about the vairety of dishes that were to be served, as I myself have never come across or considered tucking into any South American food.


Each dish came with its own introduction and not only was the focus group lead, Nicholas, interested in hearing our feedback, the Head Chef Frederico was also eager to hear our responses and share the story behind his unique creations.

Olive crisp bread, cheese bread, olives and homemade guacamole:

 

Pollack tiradito ceviche:

Creamy sweetcorn empanadas:

 

Large scallops wrapped in pancetta with smokey king prawns:

 

Anglaise steak with goats cheese mash potato:

Swordfish with sundried tomato and olive salsa:

 

Grilled beef and chicken skewers with chorizo and roasted veg:

 

All of the above have been created with the interest of incorporating all or some of the dishes into a new menu. With steak being their best selling dish (as most would expect), the team at the Comedor Grill & Bar have the aim to attract customers to other areas of the menu, and in doing so confirming that their high-quality steaks match that of other options such as fish and salads.

I couldn't find fault in any one of these dishes and that in itself is either luck on the day, or proof that this independant restaurant continualy serves a high standard of food. I believe the latter.

If you are tired of finding the same dishes on a menu and are looking for something new and interseting to try, I can now definitley recommend South American cuisine. Pleasantly surprised at the variety of dishes available, I can confirm South American food isn't just about rice and beans as many may think. The great quality and flavoursome dishes, relaxed dining experience with friendly staff, along with a extremley affordable menu, makes this is a restaurent that needs to be experienced by everyone. I myself cannot wait to return!

Follow the Comedor Grill & Bar @ComedorGrillBar

A Rival for Brick Lane Curry Houses?

You fancy a curry in London, so you think of that well-known road in East London...what's it called? Brick Lane. It's famous for its numerous curry houses, some a lot more popular than others, and the standard procedure for the owners or waiters to tout passer-by and offer a set menu or large discount that cannot be refused.

However, for some South West Londoners, Brick Lane can seem like a journey across the Atlantic, and there's no need to travel such a distance when we have a perfectly popular curry house here in Vauxhall. Similar cheap prices with local/native cooked curry, along with BYOB (Bring Your Own Booze), Hot Stuff is a new favourite of mine.

History
Set up in 1988, this independent family-run restaurant and take-away establishment offers affordable and delicious dishes to the locals of the area. Hidden away on Wilcox Road, it is located on a small parade of shops and restaurants. It had its 'big break' in Timeout Magazine in 1996 and, as many businesses find, appearing in this publication gave Hot Stuff the springboard to popularity and the great reputation it deserved. Read more about Hot Stuff's history.

As a group of 6, we were busy catching up and we didn't have the chance to even glance at the menu before the waiter came to take our order. We were offered the set menu, and for the ease of decision-making and splitting the bill later, we simply accepted, not really knowing what was going to be served. This really is the best way to explore a restaurant's menu, especially at a curry house, where we all know that, even after a full browsing of the menu, we will more than likely order our favourite Chicken Tikka Masala or Lamb Korma!




Food:

Starters

Poppadoms and sauces

Mixed bhajis (onion, potato, spinach)

Meat samosas

Chicken wings

Chilli paneer

Mains

Butternut squash and spinach

Karahi Chicken curry

Masala fish

(We had another 3 dishes or so, but I can not tell you what these were!)

Sides

Pilau rice

Unlimited naan bread (yep...unlimited!)

The set menu was priced at £15.00 a head and there was no corkage charge for any of the alcohol we brought along.

This is a small restaurant which seats about 30-40 people in sittings at 7:00pm or 9:00pm. I wanted to visit for the last six months and have now, finally, been able to experience the buzzing atmosphere, delicious food and very friendly service. How lucky am I to have this great little place as my local curry house?!