Revisiting local restaurants

[KidKruger]

What TAD said !

[Sue]

Revisited Monkatsu last night and again had a delicious meal.

Why revisited? It was open relatively late on a Sunday and we had just got back hungry, has good and good value food, and is just round the corner from my house.

[fishbiscuits]

The area has definitely become wealthier. But there are also many more families with young kids.. so exactly the type of people who will rarely eat dinner out, but will often get takeaways. Weekend breakfast/brunch/lunch is still busy anywhere half decent.

Peckham has a somewhat younger population, combined with a more "trendy" eating/drinking scene, so it stands to reason that it will be a bit more lively.

In answer to the OP, "what are the magic factors that make you return"... it's got to be somewhere good enough to make you put a date in the diary and book a babysitter. It's no longer a local impromptu dinner, it's an occasion, a treat, and the food and atmosphere need to match. Along Lordship Lane, The old ToastED was probably the only place that fitted that criteria, and I suppose arguably Franklins.

[DovertheRoad]

I'm not sure special night out places can last the distance. ToastED was very good but the food was a little bit too clever to have me going more than once or twice a year. There's only so much pureed beetroot charcuterie and unpasturised cheese a man can take. Which is why I think Terroir is much more of a crowd pleaser. I went last week and menu was reasonably priced and had stuff like steak hache and chips. Gnocci with peas. Lovely wine. Simpler, cheaper and will be back.

[fishbiscuits]

Terroirs is good. But more of a lunch-with-kids place for us (as is the new Japanese on North X Rd), rather than somewhere which justifies the palava of going out for dinner.

[DovertheRoad]

The point im making here is that I'm more likely to give regular, repeat custom to Terroirs than ToastED. Which might be why ToastED is no more.

For something special we probably do a Den Watts and go "up west" or perhaps to a new beard place in Camberwell or Peckham.

[Rosetta]

I like Theo?s Pizzeria in Camberwell and Nandine in the backstreets of Camberwell Peckham borders. Looking forward to their new Camberwell restaurant.

[Mick Mac]

fishbiscuits Wrote:

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> Terroirs is good. But more of a lunch-with-kids

> place for us

Have not thought of it as a place to go to with the kids. I think I'd send the kids across the road to GBK whilst I ate some nice Terroirs food. Not selfish at all.

Monkatsu however would be good for kids. Although theyd much prefer Wagamama, as would I.

[fishbiscuits]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> fishbiscuits Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Terroirs is good. But more of a lunch-with-kids

> > place for us

>

> Have not thought of it as a place to go to with the kids.

They have a kids menu! Steak hache and chips + ice cream. Monkatsu have a kids menu too.

Wagamama is not great IMO. I'm happier with Monkatsu.

[Sue]

DovertheRoad Wrote:

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> I'm not sure special night out places can last the

> distance. ToastED was very good but the food was a

> little bit too clever to have me going more than

> once or twice a year. There's only so much pureed

> beetroot charcuterie and unpasturised cheese a man

> can take.

The food at ToastED was fantastic when it first opened, but at some point that changed.

I believe the original chef or chefs left.

[Seabag]

Toasted now and Toasted then are two worlds apart. The early iteration was of the moment, with its wines, curds and ferments. It pushed the boundaries a little more than most, and was very much of that era, with a creative Australian chef doing his thing, unhindered mostly

But the owners are French and the food now reflects that, they didn?t really get it (though they went along with it) totally when Mike Hazel was there, but it was part of the package. Alex the GM went off to set up his place in Kirkdale and the team slowly went their way. It was a unique time, one made possible by an assembly of quite unique people. Each bought something to it, it made it very good fun at times, the place had a real energy.

I had something in there sometime ago towards the end of last year, French, spreadable on toast, meaty, with cornichons. It was nice enough, but also something I?d had a dozen times in a dozen (mainly French) places.

Would I go back?

Yeah for sure, when I?m fancying spreadable meats, with a few mini pickled cucumber type things and a little glass of wine.

[fishbiscuits]

Yep. Wot Sue and C-bag said.

[edcam]

Hmm, we used to go to ToastED pretty regularly, mainly because it provided something you couldn't get anywhere else. We went to Terroirs once and wouldn't bother again.

DovertheRoad Wrote:

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> The point im making here is that I'm more likely

> to give regular, repeat custom to Terroirs than

> ToastED. Which might be why ToastED is no more.

> For something special we probably do a Den Watts

> and go "up west" or perhaps to a new beard place

> in Camberwell or Peckham.

[DovertheRoad]

edcam Wrote:

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> Hmm, we used to go to ToastED pretty regularly,

> mainly because it provided something you couldn't

> get anywhere else. We went to Terroirs once and

> wouldn't bother again.

>

> DovertheRoad Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > The point im making here is that I'm more

> likely

> > to give regular, repeat custom to Terroirs than

> > ToastED. Which might be why ToastED is no more.

>

> > For something special we probably do a Den

> Watts

> > and go "up west" or perhaps to a new beard

> place

> > in Camberwell or Peckham.

Think you're misunderstanding me. All I'm saying is if I'm eating out every week (my type of regular trade here) I cant really do curds and puree on toast at that frequency. Sure it had a good run with the foodie crowd for doing something different but is soemthing so achingly "on trend" a recipe for a long term business success? Especially in a suburban location like LL?

[edcam]

The thing is that until the change of chef, ToastEd did really well. We'd go about once a month and it was always busy, even on a weeknight. Once it changed over, they did the same sort of thing , just nowhere near as well. Also, the service wasn't quite as good, so it became less of an attractive option. Unfortunately now, there's nothing special about the place.

DovertheRoad Wrote:

-

>

> Think you're misunderstanding me. All I'm saying

> is if I'm eating out every week (my type of

> regular trade here) I cant really do curds and

> puree on toast at that frequency. Sure it had a

> good run with the foodie crowd for doing something

> different but is soemthing so achingly "on trend"

> a recipe for a long term business success?

> Especially in a suburban location like LL?

[Seabag]

If we?re between curds and Frenchie food stuff, then the 3rd wheel on the cart is verging into Sunday Roast territory.

You know, that wonderful once a week thing that?s a bit like something between a school dinner and a Christmas dinner.

Some places just do 3 or 4 options on it, one meat free and one where you can?t fookin decide/or you?re a greedy guts/so hung over and want the ?mixed roast?.

Mid week to Friday/Sat you?ve got Franklins (or something like it) where some kind of fish/bird/cow based dish with an assortment of very nice seasonal things appear, or a side of mash/chips makes its way into the table.

Basically there?s a format, a window of items within it. Take a day, a location, and apply the formula. Occasionally change it up with something spicy/eaten with sticks.

Repeat.