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Newman Street Tavern W1

I’ve just declared today a DAY OFF for the entire team here at Life of Yablon HQ.  Yes, I’ve sent them all home.  The accounts team politics were driving us all mad (don’t they have enough to do?), the team of writers is simply exhausted (too much partying this weekend?), the blog’s in-house photographer is having social life issues and my PA is coming down with severe flu.  So here I am On. My. Tod.  Again.

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mighty fine Crate beer at Newman Street Tavern

But, you may well ask:  what about my researcher?  Who advises me where to eat-review next?  Which film will my readers be dying to know more about?  And where (for gawds sake) should we be shopping?

Naively, I hadn’t really realised that the Corens and Gills of this world have researchers.  That was, until I recently read that Giles’ personal source had suggested Newman Street Tavern alongside some other equally juicy recently-opened eating establishments.  I decided it was absolutely fine for me to ‘share’ this tip and promptly found myself a table.

Newman Street, located in the area just north of Soho, is Freud-land to me.   Some call this area Noho, other refer to it as Fitrovia – either way, with the advertising buzz of Charlotte Street spitting distance away, this is, without doubt,  Media Land in general.  But I don’t know if Newman Street Tavern is where those real media types eat their lunch as I chose to visit on a Saturday night.

wall pics of those previously slaughtered

Not quite as lazy as all that, I did do some of my own research into this tavern (don’t for goodness sake call it a gastro pub.  God forbid.)  And it was their obsession with our national seasonal produce that really appealed to me.  A mere three months ago, the tavern opened (it was a horrid Ping Pong before) and has been serving some seriously fresh as well as equally delicious meat, fish and veg since.

There are four men in charge.  Chef James McLean (The Goose, Oxfordshire), restauranteurs, Nigel Sutcliffe ( Fat Duck) and Jerome Armit (Crazy Bear)  with the highly capable chef, Peter Weeden (Paternoster Chop House) running the tavern’s kitchen.

peppered venison steak at Newman Street Tavern

We sat upstairs, drank some joyous beer (on tap from Crate Brewery in Hackney Wick) and enjoyed (between us) roast lamb, crab on toast, fish and chips, peppered venison, onion tarts and a little devilled rabbit offal.

Nothing was less than utterly scrumptious.

ethical chocolate bar

Too full for desert, we thought Newman Street Tavern’s idea of a bar of Original Beans chocolate (a conservation chocolate company, planting a tree for each bar bought) was truly original.  Pots of Henrietta Lovell peppermint tea with a bar of salted caramel chocolate were a perfect end to our meal.

those hanging in the Tavern’s fridge

Before leaving, we were invited to visit the kitchen to see some of these true British beauties before they were prepared for consumption.

And, as we left, I noticed that lunch is served til 5pm each day.  A true sign that the tavern is ready and waiting for those medija luvies… and THEIR researchers.

Newman Street Tavern 48 Newman Street W1  020 3667 1445

Starters £5-£8  / Mains £12-£21

Ben in the window of his Black Truffle

Temporarily, in my head, I am Carrie Bradshaw.  Sometimes, a bit more than temporarily.  I mean, I certainly don’t have the shoe closet she boasts nor do I quite view the oven as additional storage space, but I really would wear a tutu if I didn’t think you might all die laughing.

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deli and coffeehouse on England’s Lane

So, in a Carrie Bradshaw moment last week, I decided that My Editor (of North West Resident – of course) and I should meet for a powwow over a coffee. And, seeing as the Black Truffle (41 England’s Lane) is the new deli/coffeeshop on our patch, this would make as good a venue as any.

Ben O’Toole, the owner, is also a local.  Living on Lambolle Road, he is a broker turned foodie.  But, what is HSBC’s loss could well be our gain – as many of us are still mourning the gaping hole left by England’s Lane Bookshop’s depressing departure.  Anyway, I popped along a little earlier than I had arranged to meet My Editor so that I could chat to Ben about his cake baking, deli stocking and coffee-making plans.

deli baked treats at Black Truffle

Originally a northerner from Leeds, Ben had grown tired of banking within the hospitality sector and, after gaining a diploma from Tante Marie, decided (rather bravely) to take a stage at Claridges.  And now, he knows it all.

meeting My Editor over Black Truffle coffee

Maisie, the ex-Damson chef, is downstairs working on some pretty mean pastries, cakes, soda bread and sandwiches.  The walls are lined with truffle oils, keenly selected wines, dried porchini mushrooms, fresh loaves (from The Flour Station) as well as basics such as farm eggs, the finest butter and pints of organic milk.  Ben’s idea is that you might stop in to grab what you need for dinner that night – as well as a (Climpson) coffee for now – and avoid the long queues across the road at less-fun Tesco.

Climpson coffee

There are only a handful of tables.  But that’s no accident either.  Ben wants his Black Truffle to be more of deli than a sit-in all day café.

My Editor and I were impressed.  While we enjoyed our strong cappuccinos, we gossiped about who’s been up to what and with whom.  And then made some plans which those who live locally will read about sometime soon…

I am now a columnist for North West Resident magazine, distributed in Primrose Hill, Camden, Hampstead & St John’s Wood. My Editor is Mark Kebble.

mixing pleasure with pleasure