London
Issue One
Editor’s Note
Dear Reader, Today marks the day of the first Men’s Health London issue! The wait is over and I am pleased and excited to share this zine with you, designed to fish out the city explorer in us all, I ask you to flick through these pages as you walk the streets of our beloved London and explore the articles for yourselves. Enjoy!
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Eating Out
Som Saa London Fields Sitting on small communal tables, throughout our meal we had often shared brief conversations with the couple sitting next to us, mostly in the way of “oh I wish we’d ordered…”, “can we squeeze our plate in that gap” and “sorry, that’s our bottle of wine”. All spirited and well humoured excursions. Midway through our meal things changed. “Oh! What’s that dessert you’re eating? It looks great…” they asked. At that moment, I happened to be crunching on the remnants of a deep-fried sea bass head. The crispy cheeks and gill covers had been devoured, and I was contemplating going in for the eye. I couldn’t help but smile a little as their faces dropped, horrified at this revelation. And that was that from them for the rest of the meal. I wouldn’t normally excuse such Hannibalistic dining habits, but it is exactly what Som Saa brings out in you. You want to dredge every single crumb of flavour from every single plate. With their year-long residency at Climpson’s Arch in London Fields within a hair of completion, Katie and I hopped across the park on a clear chilly evening last week for one final meal. Situated no more than a 5 minute jaunt from our front door, it has been the perfect option for that last-minute, spontaneous date night; the no-booking system often allowing us to slip in with little or no wait.
On nights when heaving and faced with a flustered hostess and long list, we were able to soften our bad luck and simply try again another night. Thankfully last week we spied a couple of vacant seats in the glow of the warm yellow light and jumped.
Our food last week was as good, if not better than on previous encounters. Crunchy school prawns started things off, before tender cuttlefish, a truly gorgeous off-menu curry of sweet, autumnal gourd, papaya salad and the dish that started the piece, the deep-fried sea bass. Each dish came bathed in its own unique and fragrant flavourings, and each was utterly delicious.
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The space is a magnificent example of Hackney-esque ingenuity, carving a working roastery for the excellent Climpson and Sons coffee during the day before stoking up the outdoor (literally a shipping container) kitchen for Andy Oliver and Mark Dobbie to work their magic in the evenings. As you sit there surrounded by coffee sacks, roasters and polished extractors you are interrupted mid-conversation every 10 minutes by the rumble of trains above. It’s creative and charming, especially considering that such a place exists hidden in an otherwise ramshackle, dark East London street. Yet somehow such a concept has sparked waves of talent; before Oliver and Dobbie it was Tomos Parry, who went on to run hugely celebrated Kitty Fishers in Mayfair. During their residency, Som Saa have found their own unbelievable success, and in their bid to open their first permanent site, managed to raise £700,000 through crowd funding in just four days.
The philosophy behind all of the food was so refreshing; instead of falling back on tired and diluted Westernised classics, the menu is more of a reference point, an introduction to something new. I had never heard of any of the dishes before, and I have never eaten Thai food like that in London, or indeed outside of a few trips to Thailand. The whole balance of flavourings was judged to perfection, fireball hot yet tempered and addictive. It was sadistically satisfying to feel your lips burn and swell with heat whilst shovelling such brilliant food. Endless sticky rice was on hand for fire blanket duty, and for the new (and strangely wonderful) sensation of squeezing the warm grains out of each bag. During the savoury courses your taste buds were brought to such a peak of acute sensitivity, that it was almost a joke when desserts were handed out. Suddenly everything was flooded with soft, evercomforting grilled banana, palm sugar ice cream and sesame. It was like that moment a fairground waltzer finally grinds to a halt. I could have almost melted off my chair (stool).
Food aside, the front of house, lead by Tom George, seemed to effortlessly run what must be a difficult room of randomly seated parties, and the throng of people waiting to jump on the next ledge, gap or corner. They all seemed genuinely excited about what was to come.
Words BySam R i c h a r d s
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It will be sad to see Som Saa leave the Arch. From a purely selfish perspective, it sounds like I’ll have to travel a little further east in search of their food when they re-emerge next year. But also in the way that the food, venue and atmosphere fused together so well. I really hope that they adopt some of these stripped-back, communal surroundings in their next venture. It will be very interesting to see how Leandro Carreira gets on with his residency, he certainly has big shoes to fill. And with Portuguese food on the bill, Climpson’s Arch yet again revolves into an exciting new chapter.
Eating In
Spaghetti alla gricia Two weeks ago it was my birthday; I finally turned the grand old age of 30. In an attempt to trick time and escape reality, Katie and I hot-footed to City Airport and jumped on a plane to spend a lovely long weekend in Rome. It was the perfect getaway; blue skies and temperatures approaching 30 degrees made for perfect square and balcony lounging. Sure we saw the Colosseum and the Forum, but let’s face it, this was always going to be an eating trip, and we encountered these places enroute to dinner. I hadn’t visited Rome or the surrounding Lazio region before, and I was excited to try the local specialities. One of my favourite things about Italian food and cookery is the diversity, which changes dramatically from North to South, from state to state. In Rome, I was more than happy to discover, it is all about the pizza and the pasta. Happy days. We walked miles across the city in search of wonderful pizzas, and were rewarded with crispy, thin bases and rich tomato topping. When it comes to pasta, Rome is renowned for rich, creamy sauces such as carbonara. But whilst there, I really fell for the carbonara’s even simpler counterparts; cacao e pepe and spaghetti alla gricia. It was amazing how just some good pecorino and freshly cracked black pepper could create something so delicious. For someone like me who likes to cook dishes with multiple complicated elements, it was a real eyeopener.
I ordered these dishes nearly everywhere I sat, and it was interesting to see the subtle differences. Some restaurants would prefer a looser sauce, some would prefer more gently cooked, softer guanciale etc. One thing that was pretty common in all, and frankly unexpected, was that for something listed as a ‘primi’, all pasta course were MASSIVE. We got caught out a few times, thinking that we’d have a cheeky little bowl of pasta before our main. We then sat in shock as the waiter pretty much wheeled out bulging plates, before bringing out practically half of a cow for the main. It’s been a long time since I couldn’t physically finish a meal, and it pained me, beads of sweat forming, to give up.
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When I returned to what seemed like freezing cold September London, I carried as much as possible back with me. Slabs of cheese, cured meat and olive oils jinglejangled in my bag as I wheeled it through Hackney. It was so lovely to create this dish again; looking out of the window into a garden cluttered with auburn leaves and smashed conkers. Although a simple meal in principal, it’s all about getting the balance right for you. I like a lot of pepper to counter the rich cheese and pork. I cut the guanciale thickly to give some differentiation in texture. I prefer the sauce to cling to the pasta, instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl. The ingredients below will give you scope, and allow you to create a dish to your personal liking. The trick is the ratio of cheese and pasta water, and moving the pasta as soon as it hits the pan, to release the glutens and thicken the sauce.
Serves 2 Ingredients: For the spaghetti: 200g ‘00’ grade strong pasta flour 2 medium eggs 1 pinch of fine salt 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil For the sauce: 200g guanciale, roughly sliced into strips about 2mm in thickness 80g Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated 1 tbsp black peppercorns, coarsely cracked with a pestle and mortar
First make the pasta dough. Tip all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon until a dough is formed. Transfer to a clean worktop and knead for 5-10 minutes, until soft and springy in texture. Wrap the dough well with cling film and put into the fridge to rest for at least 30 minutes. Remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap. Roll out to roughly 1cm thick, then pass through the thickest setting of your pasta machine. Repeat 8-10 times, or until the texture of the dough is very elastic and dry. Work the dough once through each setting, until you get to number 5 (on an Imperia machine). Lightly dust the pasta sheet with flour, and cut to the required length for spaghetti. Pass each sheet through a spaghetti cutter, then set aside while the rest of the dish is prepared.
Words BySam R i c h a r d s Fill a large saucepan with water, sprinkle in a generous amount of salt and bring to the boil. Set a large, heavy frying pan or skillet to a medium heat. Pour in a little oil, then add the guanciale. Fry for 10-12 minutes, until a lot of the fat has rendered away and the meat has crisped up.
Pile the pasta onto each plate, making sure that each portion contains a good amount of the crispy guanciale. Finish with more black pepper and grated Pecorino.
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Add the fresh pasta carefully to the boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes, until al dente. Use some tongs to transfer the cooked pasta to the frying pan, and add in 2-3 large spoonfuls of the cooking water. Sprinkle in a good pinch of the black pepper and most of the Pecorino, reserving a little for serving. Toss the pan really well to combine all of the ingredients together, the melted cheese, pork fat and water should emulsify into a glossy sauce that coats every spaghetti strand. Add more water/ cheese if the sauce is looking respectively dry or wet.
Life & Leisure
Tired Of London Tired Of Life
If your idea of London is crammed trains, rude people and gridlocked roads you like me must be a commuter! London seems to conspire against us, slows us down, sometimes stops us on our tracks. It’s so unfair to judge a place by its ability to move millions of people into and out of its business districts twice a day. During the 2012 Olympics there was a concerted campaign to get people walking to venues and a number of people I spoke to where amazed at how quickly they could get to the places they had been travelling to by tube for years. Well let me share a secret with you some of the most breathtaking walks can be had in less than 25 minutes. One of my regular strolls is from Waterloo to St Paul’s as an alternative to the dreaded ‘drain’ which at rush hour might as well be Wembley after the FA cup final! Coming out of Waterloo onto Waterloo road and crossing into Sandell Street you go past the Union Jack Club then bear left under the railway lines onto Cornwall Road and take Roupell Street on your right. The first place for pastries and coffee called Konditor & Cook, well worth stocking up for elevensies. Walking along Roupell street is like a trip back in time for me as a child when my weekends were spent visiting my Nan in Balham, Roupell Street has the same old London feel about it.
Words By Neil Harding
Time willing there are some fantastic newly developed restaurants and coffee shops in the Bankside area my current favourite is called Albion, staff always seem happier than your average London cafe. Once you have had your fill the main event awaits you find your way around the Tate Modern onto Jubilee Walkway, dependent on time of day and time of year you will either see the street artists setting up, playing or talking through the plan for the day. My favourite time is early morning on a clear day the view across to St Paul’s is the best in London and half way across the Millennium Bridge look down-river to Tower Bridge in the morning or the sunset looking up-river towards Westminster a breathtaking view on a good day. Once you are over the bridge you have many choices around St Paul’s a favourite for me is the Apostrophe cafe opposite the front steps of St Paul’s which always seems to be a place where you can relax with your coffee and morning yogurt. If you have room for a final treat find your way round the front steps of St Paul’s along to the churchyard garden and you will find a lovely coffee house I forget it’s name - maybe you should discover it for yourself happy commuting!
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It’s only a few yards before you pass The Kings Arms always popular on the way home, right to the end of Roupell Street across into Meymott Street a quick dog-leg right then left into Colombo Street and you are out onto Blackfriars Road. Ignoring the beaten track cross Blackfriars into Burrell Street and bear left onto Southwark Street.
Shopping
London Charity Shops A lot of people think charity shops are dirty, dingy, disorganised places where dead people’s clothes are sold. And often they’re right. But dismiss them altogether and you’ll miss out. As the recession continues to affect the country, more and more shoppers are looking to charity shops. In turn, these shops have come to realise they’re now in genuine competition with the high street, and they have upped their retail game accordingly. If you know where to go, you can find unique designer or vintage pieces for a fraction of their original price, or even brand new clothes in pristine condition. Store interiors have improved too, and many are now bright, breezy and bustling rather than dark, dank and depressing. It’s turned out to be one of the more consoling success stories to emerge during these straitened times. The United Kingdom’s charity shops now receive £670m in revenues per annum, and their profits have risen by 12 per cent in the last year. That’s good news for the causes the shops support, be they cancer research, children’s hospices or animal charities. There are hundreds of charity shops spread across London, but, handily, some of the best lie in clusters near suburban shopping districts. Pick a Tube stop and start bargain hunting.
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Pimlico - A good way to find the best charity shops is to head to the most affluent residential areas. A stone’s throw from the ridiculously upmarket Eaton Square (it’s quoted as prime real estate in Tom Wolfe’s Bonfire of the Vanities, no less), well-positioned, well-heeled Pimlico locals won’t think twice about chucking out sack loads of bespoke suits or handmade Italian shoes to make way for their new-season spoils. It’s not unusual to find Chanel ballet pumps, Balmain suits and DKNY knitwear on the rails round these parts. Nearer to the Victoria Station end of Pimlico, you’ll find Sue Ryder Cancer Care, Hospices of Hope, Oxfam shops on Warwick Way and Fara on Tachbrook Street. Best of the lot, though, is Trinity Hospice on Wilton Road, which seems to have an endless supply of aged-toperfection Barbour jackets for £30 to £40.
Highgate - On a leafy avenue in Highgate, a string of lavish mansions are said to be among the most expensive homes in all of London. That might explain why the neighbourhood’s charity shops are populated with clothing from the likes of Hugo Boss and Nicole Farhi. Walking onto Archway Road from Highgate Tube station you can’t miss the RSPCA shop – look for the shop front finished in blazing yellow and with a huge sign proclaiming: ‘Neutering stops AIDS in cats and dogs.’ Unintentionally comical multi purpose signage aside, there are some great designer cast-offs to be found within. Next door is Mind, which is especially good for men and women’s outerwear and has a book shop attached. Further down the road, the Green Room (which serves an environmental charity) secrets vintage between piles of precariously balanced books. Shimmering, one-off vintage pieces can be picked up here for less than a fiver apiece. Up the hill on Highgate High Street, the bounty available is even more desirable. The Cancer Research and Oxfam shops have something of a monopoly on designer clothes and shoes, but, wise to their discerning clientele, they price accordingly. While you can expect to spend a bit more here than elsewhere, goods are still a steal compared to their original prices. On my visit I spotted an immaculate vintage Yves Saint Laurent blazer on sale for £45.
Clapham - There’s a glut of charity shops in Clapham. By Clapham Junction you can visit the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research shops, while there’s a nifty trio of stores near Clapham Common station. Trinity Hospice is great for men’s workwear (look out for Thomas Pink and Jaeger shirts for £10). Just down the road, the contents of Age UK reflect the tastes of the young professionals who live in the area. It also stocks some brand new homeware, like cushions and candles, with their original prices heavily discounted. Further down the road, the Save the Children shop is truly something to behold. Huge, sprawling, and rammed with old luggage, soft furnishings and sporting equipment, it’s like a giant junk shop. Clearly, visual merchandising isn’t a strong point here, but amidst all the mayhem there are some real steals to be found, like £1 belts and £5 blazers. Roll up your sleeves, get stuck in and see what treasures you can unearth in between the badminton rackets and broken suitcases. During this time of austerity, a little perseverance could yield great returns.
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WordsBy K a t i e Wright
With Thanks To Hope Harding - Editor Sam Richards - Words & Images Neil Harding - Words & Images Katie Wright - Words & Images
London