Category Archives: Central Kennington

The top ten best places to eat in Greater Kennington – no. 3 – Prince of Wales

The number 3 slot is awarded to Kennington stalwart and our own little country pub ‘The Prince of Wales’ in Cleaver Square. The Prince of Wales is of course not open and they do not deliver. However. if our local pubs and restaurants are to survive this crisis they’ll need our patronage once they reopen, so stick this gem in your bejewelled pocket diary.

The Prince of Wales did the seemingly unthinkable last year by changing hands from being run by a major chain to being independently owned and operated. Armed with a a new menu and a spanking new chef, we decided to give it a twirl last year and we were duly impressed. In addition to the menu we were pleased to note that they also had new cask ales and an improved wine list.

My dining partner had the spiced buttermilk chicken burger on a glazed brioche bun. This undefined person got a nice spice hit from the chipotle mayo and the chicken was soft and made succulent with the creamy buttermilk. The chips were big, triple cooked and definitely not out of the freezer. The portions were definitely something to be admired.

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Your author had the cornfed chicken and chorizo hash. Mine was a mighty chunk of chicken served with a confident splash of bourguignon sauce. The hash was really more of chunky mash potato with very spicy, paprika punched chorizo. I never got to the bottom of the hispy cabbage affair, but it bulked up the plate and acted as a crunchy counterpoint.

The Prince of Wales and other independent pubs are certainly vulnerable, but we think they will make it. In conclusion, if you crave some excellent pub grub and want a place without music, shouting or people coming up to you every two seconds asking  ‘are are alright’, then the POW might be your thing. IMG_0054

The top ten best places to eat in Greater Kennington – no. 6 – Kuma

As  said previously, we’ve decided to plow on, bull like, with our top ten list but not with the intention that you will rush out tonight and put yourselves at risk. Rather, you might consider takeaway or indeed write them down in your bejewelled pocket diary for future attendance. Importantly, these venues are mostly small businesses which are in acute risk without our ongoing support at some time,.

The newest kid on the Greater Kennington block gets the number 6 prize due to its menu of Japanese and Korean fare at good prices. When it opened we had a mild panic that Kuma was going to feature fusion food (imagine the horror of kimchi sushi) but were assuaged when the menu featured a clear distinction between the cuisines. They were also able to pull off the two cuisines in equal degrees, which is no mean feat.

My dining partner had the tonkotsu bento box, the main feature being breaded pork katsu.   Said partner would have liked a bit more slop of the tangy sauce but it was very well proportioned and the sauce even managed to make the bean sprouts better than usual.  Your reporter had prawn gyoza which were grilled well and had definitely not had part of their lives wasted by a freezer. I then had the chicken bulgogi (say it like a pro…..Boo-GOH-gee) which are very thin strips of meat grilled on a BBQ. The chicken had a very good sauce and featured spring  onion. It was billed as ‘hot’ and it certainly was. And so generous that I couldn’t finish it.

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Korean and Japanese restaurants are the new gospel in London and don’t seem to be going anywhere, and Greater Kennington certainly has caught the bug (oops, sorry). Kuma holds its own by giving highlights of both cuisines without being too experimental.  I went downstairs to go to the toilet and ‘accidentally’ walked into the kitchen. I could not see any sign of notorious sous chef Mike(rowave) and it appeared that everything was made on site. The bill, with four beers, came to £50 which was reasonable. When the bill came we tried to pull the ‘but we’re Kennington INFLUENCERS’ trick, but they were having none of it.

 

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Lunch Box – Kennington Tandoori

The street food project at the Dog House has yet to materialise, but as we had our sights set on Kennington Cross today we decided to tick off tick another institution off our list, Kennington Tandoori.

KT has been entertaining the taste buds of local folk and Westminster glitterati since 1985 and we’ve been going for years. You might be aware that they had a foray into breakfast food a few years ago which didn’t go so well, and they are now trying their hand at the very competitive Kennington lunchtime trade with their £7.95 ‘lunch box’. Their dinners are so successful that they might even make our top 10 in a few weeks (last shameless plug alert), so we decided to check it out at noon.

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First off, the reason why KT is undertaking a ‘lunch box’ is pretty apparent when you collect your meal; the place is a ghost town mid day. There are four options (one veg) for the lunch box and we opted for the tamarind chicken. It had a very good balance of sweet and tangy with a bit of spice offset with caramelised onion in a rich tomato sauce. The onion bhaji was very big and tasted more like cauliflower, which was also good. There good have been a bit more rice but that is a small matter.

KT is a very solid and filling lunch option in central Kennington if you are looking for an alternative to sandwiches and quiche. If you find the excessive packaging an issue (and we did) then you can always achieve maximum confidentiality by having a seat with and being the only punters in the room.

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Getting a Bit Gassy in Oval

As your devoted public servants, last night we popped over to Montford Place with our almost alliteratively titled ‘Gasholder Building Public Consultation Invitation’ to meet with a group of chirpy Millennial Berkeley Homes Reps and one rather grumpy architect.

Regular Runoff readers are probably aware that we are closely watching and musing over the inexorable rise of ‘Uptown KenVo’ in Kennington Lane, and this consultation was about the high rises which will be erected inside the largest gasholder, located just behind ‘shipping container Tesco’. The other two gasholders will be pulled down in March (read about them here) and will be the site of the first stage of the development which will eventually have 1300 (!!!!) homes.

There will be 225 flats inside the gasholder, and grumpy architect mentioned that the plan had recently been altered to provide more green spaces for residents. Also, the building will have an arc shape which will reflect the very fine looking arc at the north side of the Oval. The gasholder will not be dismantled, and apparently construction materials will delivered underground (!!!!).

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When completed the whole site will be set between Kennington Lane, Montford Place, the Oval and Vauxhall Street, which is pretty huge. Apparently the elevation to Vauxhall Street will be retail, as will a strip that runs through the gasholder itself (at bottom). At this point a Millennial Berkeley Homes Rep joined the convo and this is when we decided to get a bit subversive. The conversation went accordingly:

Berkeley – We’re thinking that there could be some locally owned cafes in there, or maybe a crèche

Runoff –  Or there could be a Starbucks

Berkeley – Umm…or there could be a library in there.

Runoff – Or what about a Pret INSIDE a Starbucks?

Berkeley – Err….

If you want more information or your own chance to be a bit subversive, the next consultation is this Thursday (6 Feb) from 6-8 at 37 Montford Place. If you choose the subversive route you first might want to pop into the Pilgrim Pub for a swift one.

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Didi and Franc

We were frankly devastated when Oddbins Kennington closed last year. Lord knows we tried our best to keep them open, morning, noon and night. Our loss is what’s commonly referred to as a ‘first world problem’.

Courtesy of our friends at Vanilla Black,  the site is about to be reborn Phoenix like as a wine and cheese shop called ‘Didi and Franc’, also billing itself as a ‘deli/wine/bistro’. This information was garnered from Instagram, where they have established a presence.

We contacted Didi and Franc about their opening date and they conservatively replied ‘spring’. We will have a full, in-depth and extremely positive review after we receive an invitation to their launch party*
*This never works
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I Due Amici for a Change

On Christmas Eve we experienced an existential crisis as Loose Women wasn’t on, so we decided to fill the gaping Northern Line Extentsion sized hole in our lives by exploring the lunch items at local institution I Due Amici. We’re also aware that our annual ‘top ten restaurants of Kennington’ posts are coming up* and we need to make up for lost time by stuffing our faces.

I Due Amici is owned by the unflappable Houman Meskati, who also owns ‘Amici’ and the gone but not forgotten Persian/Vodka joint ‘Doost’. As Houman is himself Persian we decided to get our chops into Due Amici’s Persian stews, which are definitely the best things on the menu. Your intrepid writer had the khoresh ghormeh (number 1) which consisted of lamb, kidney beans, and fresh coriander. Served with basmati rice, the lamb was very slow cooked and virtually fell off my fork. The seasoning was a bit off but a good balance of other herbs were present, including fenugreek.

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My dining partner noshed on the khoresh gheymeh (number 3) which was also less slow cooked lamb but also with potatoes `and split peas. It had a nice thick, split pea yellow consistently with some interesting herbs in the mix.

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While not quite up to the Persian standards of Doost, the stews offer a real variety in central Kennington that is needed in terms of lunches. Due Amici also has your standard fare of sandwiches, salads, vegan food and even, bizarrely, burritos. It is at 310 Kennington Road.

*shameless plug.

Meet the Locals 2 – Caroline Butler of Earl of Bedlam

Last week we were invited into the verdant, sartorial wonderland that is fashion house ‘Earl of Bedlam’ to have a mint tea and chat with its founder Caroline Butler. In addition to being a Kennington based designer, she is also the bona fide Doynne of Kennington*, having lived in our hallowed patch for over 40 years.
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We have to admit that we don’t know a great deal about fashion. In fact, someone once referred to a male member of the KR team as ‘the muse of Blue Harbour at M&S’.  Whatever. Amongst the vast array of mannequins, needles, swatches and swag , Caroline explained that she and partner Mark specialise in bespoke suits for both men and women and have been inspired by the music, club life and characters of their past. Caroline emphasised that the suits aren’t intended to shock, and are rather ‘less showy and more about turning heads’; she used the evocative phrase ‘think Gangs of New York meets Oliver Twist’.  Their made to measure wear, Caroline continued, is totally bespoke so it doesn’t come cheap, but is 1/3 the cost of Saville Row.

For those of us not quite in the price bracket to swing a bespoke suit, the Earl also sell scarves and a range of T-shirts and knitwear. A number of these pieces are inspired by their dog Brian, and a canine sensibility permeates this work.

The amount of local good deeds that Caroline and Mark engage in seem limitless, and includes the dog show at Lambeth Palace (which we wrote about over the summer), clothing the staff at the Three Stags Pub, and initiating a campaign to have a local information stall or stone permanently placed in front of St. Anselm’s (we’ll write about this next month). They are also a perennial presence at the Cleaver Square Fete.

Any person who’s lived here for 40 years must be brimming with local recommendations, so I asked Caroline where the Earls go when the needles come down. They have an affection for often missed Indian joint ‘Ishtak’ in Kennington Road, The Kennington Coffee Shop, Windmill Fish Bar (apparently it’s cool again), Windmill Flowers and the Three Stags. In addition to talks at Durning Library.

Viva Earl of Bedlam, and may you long reign over the Kingdom of Kennington!

*There are several people at KR Towers also vying for the title of ‘Doynne’ who might throw us under the #3 bus if they find out we’ve given it to somebody else.

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Meet the Locals 1 – James Gill of ABC

Recently we had a nice chin wag with comedian and overall ‘fun guy’ James Gill about his Thursday comedy night, Always Be Comedy,  at the Tommyfield in central Kennington.  For the uninitiated, ABC features some established comics (last Thursday we saw Marcus Brigstocke and the crap evidence is below) with up and coming folks. Once you recover from the crowd resembling a giant reunion of contestants from ‘The Apprentice’ it’s a nice place to unwind and have a giggle at this most stressful time of year.

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KR – How long has ABC been running and what inspired you to start it?

James – Oh my gosh! It’s been more than EIGHT YEARS. I started it with two former housemates: Stuart Keeping and Paul Vale.. So I’m the last man standing. Christ. This is how The Sugababes must feel. Why did we start? I still have no idea whatsoever. I think it was so I could learn how to MC. But I’m guessing. I have no idea. If you ever find out, please will you tell me?

KR – What makes a good audience member?  And what about  a bad audience member?

James – A good audience member is someone who laughs. At the right times, obviously. If they’re just sat laughing all night, before the show, at the set-ups and through the breaks, then they may be unwell, and I now feel genuinely sorry for this fictional person in my head. A bad audience member. Oh, the person who has turned up to actively have a shit night: arms folded and a general aura that says, “Yeah, well what have you got?” I try to spot them early on and ask them to unfold their arms as they’ll have a much nicer experience.

KR – Can you tell us a bit about the games you play before the show and during the break?

James – Yes! Absolutely. It feels like we used to play a lot more weird and wonderful games, and perhaps I was personally hiding behind the games. So I try to be a lot more man-and-a-mic these days, with the games a lot more pared back. That’s because I MC and do telly warm-up a lot elsewhere, and it wasn’t realistic carrying a bag full of props to, say, Leeds. I do sometimes miss the ridiculous games – especially the Nerf-related games. Maybe it’s time to resurrect the Nerf. You can never have a Nerf… I am SO sorry.

KR – What can punters expect to see in 2020?

James- Lots of shows are booked already. So from late summer into autumn, we’ve got Sara Pascoe, Rachel Parris, Ivo Graham, Iain Stirling, Ellie Taylor and heaps more. And perhaps a bit more Nerf. Have I gone on a bit too long? I feel a Nerf is a Nerf… Again, so sorry. Thank you so much for the chat and hopefully we’ll see a lot more local faces at future gigs. And, again, if you know why we started the gig, be sure to come over and have a chat with me.

Playing Happy Families

We don’t really review enough (ok, ever) lunchtime venues in Greater Kennington which is a shame, given the rapid ascendency of the Edinburgh House Workspace, Vox Studios, and Kennington Park Workspace. Yesterday we had a very tight deadline to meet before Loose Women started at 12:30 so we decided to pop along at lunchtime to the Kennington Chinese place ‘Happy Family’.
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In spite of it’s name, the ‘maitre de’ of Happy Family is a gruff white guy who doesn’t  take kindly to the modern concept of debit/credit cards (but over 8 quid is ok). Cash in hand, we have been a few times and indulged in their Vietnamese duck Banh My Pho (a Vietnamese baguette)  which is heavy on the duck and sauce and at £4.80 is a very good alternative to the Tesco Meal Deal, which we have never *coughs* tried.

 

 

On this trip we sunk our teeth into Happy Family’s lunchtime special which was sweet and sour chicken with rice. The meat to veg ratio was generous and the service was very quick. The meat was also well cooked and the texture didn’t possess the gelatinous quality of many other sweet and sour dishes.

 

If you live in Greater Kennington then you probably know Happy Family from it’s takeaways, which they have been doing since the dawn of time. While it is OK, we still prefer to cough up a few more bob for Firecracker, in Windmill Row, which has a more creative menu. Happy eating!

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An Apple a Day Doesn’t Keep the Developers Away

Guess what, Greater Kennington? You’re about to be the proud parents of another high rise! Yep, the Apple Green petrol station (and home to our favourite Greggs) in Kennington Lane has been sold to developers. Tonight we went along to their consultation to find out more.

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First of all, the developers want us to know they want to ‘make maximum use of the site’, which is developer’s parlance for ‘lets build loads of luxury flats’. Apparently the building was going to be 62 metres but ‘we decided to be sympathetic to the scale of the local area’. That’s developer’s parlance of ‘Lambeth wouldn’t let us make it that big’. The building will have 15 floors and contain 116 units, and of these units 35% will be for affordable rents. That developer’s parlance for ‘Lambeth told us they couldn’t all cost two million quid’.

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To their credit, they have stated that they will be using light green terracotta tiles and draw influence from Royal Doulton Ceramics, respecting local history. However, they also said that they will ‘be influenced by the Berkeley Homes development across the street (say what!). They’ve also said that the want to emphasize cycling, and this is how that conversation went:

DEVELOPERS – “Yes, we’re thinking that the retail until on the ground floor could be an independent cycle café concept shop”

RUNOFF – Yeah, or it could be a Poundland.

How they manage to contort 116 flats into a what is essentially a petrol station forecourt is certainly a daunting task. And if you want to behold the daunting task yourself, or if you want to lose your collective sh*t then you are in luck as they are having another consultation tomorrow (Saturday) from 12 – 4 at the Foundry, 17 Oval Way. The website for the development can be found here. Apparently they have a few more hurdles to pass with Lambeth, but construction could start by autumn of 2020.

In other matters, we just had wind of more high rises that just passed the planning stages that will be located on that no mans land of a vacant lot next to the Beafeater Gin distillery.  When we go to the consultation we’ll fill you in.