Meatball Rice Box – Leon, Bankside

Got off my lazy butt and took a walk to continue my forage for lunch. Headed out to the Bankside development again to give Leon a try.

I have came across Leon quite a few times during my other gigs in Canary Wharf as well as in the Fleet Street area. Never thought to give it a try though they have quite an interesting breakfast menu. Was told by others that the food is good but portions are a bit small for the money.

The format is basically a few savoury options where you can have with rice, as part of a salad or in a wrap. There is also a fridge area where you can pick up drinks and pre made salad if you are in a rush. The decor and seating looks pretty cosy I have to say.

Been awhile since I had rice and I have always favoured brown rice. So it’s the Meatball Rice Box for me today. At £6.30, it’s slightly on the steep side.

In all, I counted 6 meatballs and I really enjoyed them. Slightly on the lean side but they are nice and moist. The rich, tart and tangy tomato sauce goes very well with the brown rice and the yoghurt dressing gives a nice creamy touch. The coleslaw combined very well with the meatball, sauce and brown rice. It’s crunchy, slightly sweet and the ample mint and parsley was very refreshing. Perfect companion to the rich tomato sauce.

Enjoyed this lunch, the portion was just right but could be slightly cheaper.

Leon
7 Canvey Street
The Blue Fin Building
London SE1 9AN

Chicken Risotto and Wild Mushroom Ravioli – The Daily Grind, Old Spitalfields Market

Seeing that my tenure in the East End is coming to an end, I can either concentrate on eating the things I love here or I can blog about places I have yet to try. I’m going with something new today.

The Daily Grind is a small little cafe tucked in the corner of the Old Spitalfields Market. I walk by it frequently and looking at the menu, it’s a typical cafe serving toasted sandwiches, a selection of pastas, baked potatoes with choice of filling and some pastries. I went with a mix of 2 pastas as I did not feel like have a sambo. Got the server to make up a mix of Wild Mushroom Ravioli and the Chicken Risotto. At £5.50, not as good value as Mangiare but we shall see how it taste.

Did not have high hopes as most pastas at cafes are a thrown together affair, purely to fill the tum. Was pleasantly surprised though. The risotto was tangy but velvety smooth on the palate with each rice grain still intact and had plenty of shredded chicken scattered throughout. Most raviolis I have tried are either overcooked or with areas of the pasta underdone. This one was cooked perfectly with still a slight chew. If only the mushroom filling has a stronger woody taste and more courgette in the sauce, this would have been perfect.

So, I’m pretty glad I gave this small cafe a go. Hopefully I’ll have a chance to make a repeat visit but I highly doubt that.

The Daily Grind
71 Brushfield Street
Old Spitalfields Market
London E1 6AA
0207 247 2418

Ackee Saltfish with Rice and Peas – Caribbean Cafe, Old Spitalfields Market

I’ve tried Caribbean Cafe a couple of times at the Old Spitalfields Market before and have always went for the Mutton Curry. Can’t resist mutton especially when you don’t get it often elsewhere. But the Ackee Saltfish was highly recommended by Mr CSS so I decided to give it a go.

Who is that on the left I wonder?

With a name like Caribbean Cafe, it’s obvious what cuisine they serve. You select from a range of dishes like Jerk Chicken, Curried Chicken, Oxtail with Butterbeans, Stew Beef etc. All dishes are served with either plain rice or rice and peas with a small side salad. Cost range from £5.50 to £6. Portion is generous, don’t be fooled by the small box, they really pack it in. There are also some side dishes but I’ve yet to try any of them. I might give the Mac & Cheese a go one of these days. Both Mr CSS and I got the Ackee Saltfish at £6.

I have absolutely no idea what ackee is so checked it in the trusty old Wikipedia. How did we get by pre Wiki? I have no idea. Apparently ackee is related to longan and lychee! I’m very familiar with both fruits having grown up eating them. You can find lychee in the UK now but the longan is more rare. Also, Ackee and Saltfish is the national dish of Jamaica! Another piece of knowledge thanks to Wiki.

I was expecting the Ackee Saltfish will be stronger in taste but it was not. It’s quite mild with a slight fruity tinge from the ackee. The salt cod has broken up into small pieces but when you do get a bite, the saltiness comes through. I think the ackee is the yellow pulp in the dish but it’s difficult to isolate a pieces as its mixed in with onion, tomatoes and peppers. In all, it’s not too bad but I still prefer the Mutton Curry.

Caribbean Cafe
Old Spitalfields Market
Commercial St
E1 6BG