food
Dining in Shoreditch: Funky Asia
Located near the Spitalfields Market on Commercial Street, Funky Asia seems at first glance like a cross between a diner and a discotheque. Upon entering this vast, rustic space ridden with fluorescent lights, I didn’t know quite what to expect. I had heard that the place specialized in Pan-Asian cuisine, but nothing in the ‘vibe’ of this place seemed to communicate that. As well, the fact that all the waiters and waitresses were conspicuously Indian certainly didn’t elucidate things for me, and as I was ushered to my table amidst a hollow, empty space, I couldn’t help but feel confused.Dining in Shoreditch: High 'n Dry
So, in the heart of vibrant Shoreditch I found an oasis called Jamies [sic]. The first thing you see are the twin staircases spiralling up to a corridor resembling a New Orleans veranda or the front of a Mexican hacienda - only, somehow disappointingly, the pastel green doors did not open into the luxuriant beauty of a South American inner courtyard nor the warm interior of a Creole house, but to a selection of stylish, beautifully decorated, perfectly functional toilets. The staircases are, I imagine, an exercise in equilibrium on a Friday night. The only way you can survive the twisting and turning of those steps is by ordering just the right amount of food to go with your wine.Holy Cow
Not being a fan of mindless violence or fire-starting, I nevertheless hit the streets of Shoreditch last week. But instead of throwing bricks through people’s windows, I rather decided to treat myself to a massive steak dinner. I chose Le Bouchon Breton in Spitalfields as my destination, because if you’re going to eat steak, you have to do it properly. For instance, if you go to Wetherspoon’s (as much as I love it) and order a steak – well, let’s just say you’d be better off not doing that. You will get part of a cow – yes - but definitely not a bona-fide fillet or T-bone.
