Eat & Drink
Originally published on Wednesday, 8th September 2010
Foods of the (Lesser Known) Gods
Deutsch delis and Finnish pop-ups whet our appetite
Back in the 80s, London’s culinary scene was renowned for being dull, unadventurous. But my how things have changed. From India to Italy, Spain to South America it feels like we have the entire world at our fork-tips.
If the idea of yet another burrito, pad thai or plate of tapas bores you, perhaps its time to be a little more adventurous with some of the world’s lesser-known treats…
Take Puddingplunder – a uniquely German, icing-drizzled, croissant-like beast. It’s the kind of curious yet delicious offering that our in-house Deutsch contingent pines for inconsolably. And now Herman Ze German, a specialist deli set on Villiers Street, is on hand to offer a permanent salve for such Germanic cravings complete with the likes of Amerikaner, Fritz-Kola and, yes, even Fleischwurst.
Up in Islington, meanwhile, 120-cover pop-up restaurant/exhibition space Hel Yes! is out to scratch the Nordic itch with its wealth of national treasures, foraged and curated by some of Finland’s leading chefs and designers. Consider your self an adventurous diner? Honey, till you’ve tried Reindeer Jerky, you don’t know the meaning of the word…
INFO
Herman Ze German is set to launch this month, Villiers Street, WC2.
Hel Yes! runs Sept 15 – Oct 3. Bookings are being taken now. 1-3 Wenlock Road, N1.