what part of Kennington should you live in?

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Kennington Runoff

What could you eat forever?

A) coconut and tamarind fish curry
B) double Ginger Pig-bred cheeseburger in a brioche bun
C) ceviche
D) lemongrass sesame pork rice vermicelli
E) quinoa and camargue red rice salad
F) spicy hot beef and okra stew on injera
G) McDonald’s happy meal

What is your jam?

A) Heaven Is A Place On Earth by Belinda Carlisle
B) Slave To The Rhythm by Grace Jones
C) Windowlicker by Aphex Twin
D) Pass Out by Tinie Tempah
E) Vindaloo by Fat Les
F) You Got The Love by Florence & The Machine
G) Timber by Pitbull feat. Ke$ha

Which is your favourite Kevin Spacey?

A) House of Cards Kevin Spacey
B) LA Confidential Kevin Spacey
C) The Usual Suspects Kevin Spacey
D) Seven Kevin Spacey
E) Late night dog walking Kevin Spacey
F) American Beauty Kevin Spacey
G) K-PAX Kevin Spacey

What’s on the top of your Kennington bucket list?

A) watching Florence from Florence & The Machine do an impromptu drunken covers set at a tiki bar
B) dancing till the sun comes up then comes down again
C) going to Radiohead’s Boiler Room takeover at Corsica Studios
D) exploring urban forests and soaking up ruin porn before it’s too late
E) attending a private view at Damien Hirst’s new gallery
F) going to a test match
G) watching Millwall play at home

How did you score?

Mostly A’s – you should live in Central Kennington
Mostly B’s – you should live in West Kennington (formerly known as Vauxhall)
Mostly C’s – you should live in North Kennington (formerly known as Elephant & Castle)
Mostly D’s – you should live in East Kennington (formerly known as Walworth)
Mostly E’s – you should live in North West Kennington (formerly known as Lambeth)
Mostly F’s – you should live in South Kennington (formerly known as Oval)
Mostly G’s – you should not live in Kennington; would suggest Fallujah, or Clapham

Emanuel Peruvian restaurant

Posted on October 13, 2013 by Kennington Runoff

Big things are happening with Peruvian cuisine in London – Soho’s Ceviche now has its own cookbook, and Fitzrovia’s very fine Lima restaurant was recently awarded a Michelin star. But fear not – North Kennington, AKA London’s Latin American Quarter, has its own Peruvian restaurant, Emanuel on Amelia Street (in fact it has more than one, but that is for another day). We’ve never been to Peru but based on dining experiences elsewhere in Latin America, we suspect Emanuel is a lot closer to what you’ll find in Peru than Lima is. It’s not much to look at inside or out, but go there for the food and the atmosphere. We went on a Sunday lunchtime when the kitchen is open until 3pm, and it was packed with Latin Americans, including one birthday party.

While you’re waiting for your food – and it could be a while if they’re busy – they will bring you toasted chulpe corn, AKA cancha salada, Peru’s all-time favourite snack, which is like crunchier popcorn:

Ceviche (pretty different to what you’ll get in the Soho Ceviche):

Paella (pescatarians will do fine at Emanuel; vegetarians less well):

And to drink, how about an Inca Kola, a Peruvian national icon containing lemon verbena, or Cristal, a Peruvian lager (not to to be confused with the Chilean or Cuban beers of the same name):

Actually, before you order the Kola, check the nutritional advice:

The Siobhan Davies Centre

Posted on July 25, 2013 by Kennington Runoff

The Siobhan Davies Centre in North Kennington has won a RIBA Award for architecture and deservedly so. With the addition of a roof of wood and glass, this old brick building has been transformed into a beautifully light and rather magical space for dance, yoga and such like.

Our photo doesn’t really capture the full glory of the building so click here for more.

The Lobster Pot

Posted on July 23, 2013 by Kennington Runoff

The Lobster Pot is one of London’s finest seafood restaurants. It’s also arguably London’s funnest restaurant. And it’s a North Kennington institution – it has been here since 1991 and it’s frequently booked up. Really, you should just go there without knowing what to expect, but if you don’t mind a spoiler then read on.

After ringing a buzzer to gain entry (a precaution that dates back to the nineties rather than being necessary today), you will find yourself inside a ship, with port holes looking out into the sea (i.e. an aquarium):

Upstairs you are on the deck on the ship, with a view of a nearby port painted on the walls, and the sound of seagulls piped through the sound system.

Ship memorabilia is scattered throughout the restaurant:

If you order the lobster (and you should – it is excellent), you will be given a special Lobster Pot bib when it arrives:

I don’t have photos of the staff but the chef looks like Poirot, the staff dress as sailors and one of them is six foot four with model good looks. Eating here is an experience.

Kennington Runoff

Surreptitiously exploring Kennington, including the suburbs Vauxhall, Oval, Walworth, and Elephant, since 2012

Tag Archives: Elephant & Castle

what part of Kennington should you live in?

Emanuel Peruvian restaurant

The Siobhan Davies Centre

The Lobster Pot