Honest Burger.

Honest Burger is a growing chain of burger joints with restaurants scattered over London. The other night I went to the one in Camden, which is half a restaurant, half a street food stall. We were sat at the bar/seats-looking-directly-into-the-kitchen and told that we could order, etc. and would be reseated in the restaurant proper once seats became available. This did eventually happen, though it took some time, but we were happy: there is something fascinating about watching chefs cook, though it rather puts a damper on the conversation.

The menu is small, but covers all bases – beef, chicken, veg. All burgers come with rosemary salted chips and you have the option of making all the burgers gluten-free by opting for the gluten-free bun. Also, the onion rings are gluten-free. I love onion rings.

I had the cheese burger, gluten-free of course, and a side of onion rings to “share”. The burgers are not huge, but they are ample and you get loads of chips, too many to finish actually. The burger was juicy and cooked, as promised, pink. I would have liked a little more cheese on my cheeseburger, but I’m a cheese fiend. And the bun was pretty tasty; it didn’t have that sponge quality gluten-free bread so often has. The onion rings were crunchy and sweet, delicious, especially when doused in a plentiful amount of mayo.

Finally, the cocktails, of which there aren’t many, are…OK. They are mostly gin based and very strong. I had the “Honest Cocktail” which had cucumber and lemon and was very fresh tasting, almost salad-ey. Good though, perfect for summer. My boyfriend had the “Gin Special” which apparently had orange and elderflower in it but just tasted like straight up gin to me. But they came in sweet, mini tankards with those pink and white striped paper straws that are so trendy now. It was cute. It was fine.

Fresh and zingy cocktails that pack a punch.

Fresh and zingy cocktails that pack a punch.

We will definately be going to Honest Burger again, and not just because they make gluten-free food but because the burgers, honestly, are awesome.

Banana Tree: Review.

Banana Tree is somewhat reminiscent of a canteen.  Perhaps it is the slightly distant staff, the minimal decor or the closely packed grey tables.  Nonetheless, walking into this small chain restaurant, one feels immediately as if one is at the centre of something.  The atmosphere is buzzy and vibrant and the air is filled with the sound of chatter and laughter: there are people on first dates, groups of girls giggling, trendy looking men in pork pie hats, discussing beards.

It’s a Thursday and we are seated immediately under a bizarre phallic looking light bulb dangling over our table.  It takes some time before anyone comes to take our drink orders: a lychee mojito, light on the rum, and a glass of underwhelming pinot grigio.

The menu, however, is promising.  As a coeliac, it is good to see that about half of the menu is gluten-free.  After much consideration of all the options, a real luxury, I settle on the sticky Thai chicken wings with chili and basil, to share between us, and the “Legendary” beef rendang with the palm leaf sticky rice.

The starter arrives fairly promptly.  I’m glad we decided to split the starter because there are loads of wings, piled high and looking spectacular in their glazed glory.  They do not disappoint: they’re sweet and tangy and the chili packs a punch but you can still taste the basil.  Chicken wings are always messy but I found myself swallowing these down with such wild abandon that I ended up covered, face and fingers, in sticky sauce.  Thankfully, we had been given wet wipes.

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My curry came in an individually sized frying pan with lots of coriander and crispy coconut on top, adding some much needed lift to an otherwise dull looking dish.  The taste, however, was fantastic.  The meat fell apart, a clear sign that it had been slow cooked, and it was beautifully tender to eat.  Although it was rich and, after a while, quite heavy, the meat was so well spiced, savoury and satisfying, that I just kept on eating.

The sticky rice was good too but, because my curry was quite dry, I wish I’d had one of the fried or steamed rice sides.  The sticky rice went far better with the stir-fried dish ordered by my partner.  The rice came in eight little parcels, which were cute but really annoying after a while: you had to unwrap the pandan leaf from around each parcel every time you wanted one, so we ended up with a ridiculous pile of curly leaves on the table.  And we had to order more because, though we were told one portion would be enough, it wasn’t.

sticky rice

My partner’s meal was lovely too, he said, although I couldn’t taste it because he had thoughtlessly not ordered something gluten-free.  However, he reported that the sautéed beef with Karl Patta (whatever that is) and cashew nuts was fresh and zingy, with lots of different textures and plenty of heat; he also said it went really well with the sticky rice.

Overall, I think Banana Tree is a great place to go for a no-frills meal: there’s lots of choice if you’re eating gluten-free and the food is definitely exciting but don’t expect to be blown away.  You’re unlikely to have a lingering romantic meal there, but if you’re into spice and something a little exotic, this is a great place to grab a quick dinner.