Author: London Checklist

So, I’ve been craving sushi lately. A lot of it. Three times this week even. I think looming vacations and the summer season subconsciously puts me on a diet. I only want light, moderately-healthy foods. Not a bad insurance policy my beach body has. So, since sushi is part of my latest health phase, I was thrilled to stumble upon Oka, and later be able to add it as a must-do on the London Checklist. 

King’s Road has everything, and most places will ultimately be good, due to the sceney area and high-end clientele. After visiting a friend, my husband and I decided to grab a quick lunch. Oka was the first restaurant we came across, and after assessing the pretty storefront, it was a no-brainer to step inside. They have a large front window that displays a beautiful flower arrangement, sharp, clean decor, and happy patrons. 

Inside it’s cute, too. That large front window looks back out to the bustling road and a park with spring flowers. The restaurant has a bright upper level and a cozier level below.  The entire place is covered in a wallpaper of assorted old maps, which I don’t really get to be honest, but nothing there offends me. I like the upper level shelving and the assortment of miscellaneous objects that they pack it with. Especially the little cat and fishbone picture. It’s adorable. 

Oka isn’t about the decor, though. It’s fine enough for a casual lunch or even a date, but nothing earth-shattering. To me, it’s about the food. Sushi is another tough cuisine to get right in London. Most takeaways and restaurants are either extremely overpriced or just plain boring with unoriginal roll combinations. Oka, surprisingly was neither of those things. They had the classics–my husband was more than happy with a sashimi platter and bowl of edamame–while I enjoyed a spicy tuna, prawn tempura, mango situation, known as the Red Dragon roll. I also got a side of the mixed mushrooms in a chili sauce. The portion was so big that I actually took the leftovers home, and used them as a base for a chicken stirfry later that night! Everything was really tasty and reasonably priced. 



I only have two complaints, and really they’re more nit-picks than anything else. I dislike the wasabi relish they use instead of a paste. It barely stays on your food and is very weak compared to the traditional version. And I feel like they teased me with their mention of brown rice. We all know that brown rice is a much healthier alternative to the white, sugary, hulled stuff, so I got excited when I saw Oka’s brown rice side, figuring it was also an option for rolls. This was not the case. They offer brown rice as a side only, which I think is just silly. Especially for their location. The sceney part of town would gobble up a healthy alternative for a £1 extra per roll, making Oka some money and me a satisfied customer. But, once again, London’s behind the times and the customer focus is just not what it should be. Oh well. 

But aside from those small gripes, Oka was great. I will gladly go back, long after my health-kick is over. So, trust me and head to King’s Road to enjoy some high quality sushi. Oka won’t disappoint!

Oka
251 King’s Road
London SW3 5EL

Okay, so I have a love-hate relationship with the London theater scene. Half of the time I am super-impressed with the quality of shows and performers London has to offer, and the rest of the time, it all falls flat. My last theater review unfortunately landed Les Miserables on the “don’t” list. I discussed seeing Les Mis at Queen’s Theatre and explained why it wasn’t worth your time, money, energy, anything. The long show was filled with subpar performances, brought to you in a building made up of uncomfortable chairs, high temperatures, poor ventilation, and small, overpriced drinks. Not every theater experience goes this way, however. 

That’s the chance you take when you have big shows in the London’s oldest theaters. Each small venue has its own quirks and charm, making for more unique and intimate experiences than the big Broadway theaters of New York.  It’s about finding the right theater and show to appreciate the cozy atmosphere and not need the oversized explosions of theatrics and props. To me, Prince of Wales Theatre was the right amount of everything to hold the hit musical, Book of Mormon.

Most of us already know that Book of Mormon is amazing. How could it not be, coming to us from the hilariously twisted minds of the creators of Southpark. I’ve always been a huge Southpark fan. In the states, growing up, there were always TV shows that were pinned against each other. Were you Team Leno or Letterman? SNL or MadTV? Daily Show or Colbert Report? Family Guy or Southpark? I was always Team Southpark. Every time. So being the huge Southpark fan that I was and am, I knew I would love Book of Mormon and had to see it with pretty decent seats. 

My husband surprised me with two tickets a couple rows back in the second level “Circle.” They were about £100 each, but let me tell you, they were great. Nothing obstructed my view, and because the theatre is small and pitched so well, I thought I could reach my hand out and pat one of the boys on the head. It was so comfortable and cozy. Also ideal for my imperfect vision that is left untreated due to vanity suppressing my need for glasses, and laziness ignoring my need for contacts. Prescription sunglasses are my thing. 

Anyway, I really couldn’t get over the venue. Not only were the seats reasonably priced with amazing views, but everything else about the Prince of Wales Theatre was pleasant. The ability to pre-order drinks, the temperature, the quality of the performance, everything. Well, one disclaimer (which they do warn you about): that amazing sharp pitch the second level has that makes for unobstructed viewing, well it’s not the smartest selection for handicapped people or someone that suffers from vertigo. There aren’t any railings and the stairs can be quite dizzying. Perhaps don’t get drunk and/or wear your highest heels. 

Besides that, it’s a must do up, down, left, right, and center. We had a great time, laughed our faces off and will probably go again. Go enjoy Book of Mormon and enjoy Prince of Wales Theatre!!

Book of Mormon
Prince of Wales Theatre
Coventry Street
London W1D 6AS

The National Gallery is just beautiful inside and out. Standing tall, watching over Trafalgar Square, this art museum is one of the most recognizable landmarks in London. 

It’s a great place to go on a rainy afternoon (by yourself or with a date), or with friends and family visiting from out-of-town. I love taking guests through Westminster, and walking upon Nelson’s Column, through Trafalgar Square and up to the proud building that is The National Gallery. 

There’s something really great about the area. There’s the energy of tourists and locals buzzing about, taking pictures with street performers, making wishes in the fountains, and snacking on the front gallery steps. It’s always a lively place surrounded by so many spectacular views. Outside, the scenery is iconic, but inside, it is just as amazing–a beautiful building that holds some of the world’s most famous paintings.

The National Gallery is a free museum, which is really nice. It makes it accessible for all to learn about art and culture, allowing for impromptu visits any day of the week, whether you have the cash or not. And it has everything you need for an afternoon at the museum–a restaurant, cafe, cloakroom, gift shop, and endless rows of art. 

The gift shop is a good one. I’ve mentioned my affinity for gift shops in the past, but I especially love museum shops. They hold eclectic, interesting problem-solvers and decor in addition to prints of famous pieces. I used to do all my Christmas shopping at the MOMA online store, due to the originality of everything they offered. The National Gallery lived up to my museum gift shop expectations, and I even purchased some gifts to tuck away for next Christmas.

This was after, of course, weaving in and out of wings and corridors of spectacular art. The National Gallery holds Van Gogh’s famous “Sunflowers,” my favorite painting, by George Stubbs, “Whistlejacket,” and Seurat’s “Bathers at  Asnières,” to name a few. These famous pieces are among hundreds of others, including the works of Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Vermeer, Monet, Botticelli, and much more. Trust me, there are some serious paintings at The National Gallery, that will thoroughly impress you, and possibly give you goosebumps.

I’m a huge fan of art and museums.  Not only is the talent and technique obviously amazing, and these paintings are astonishingly well-preserved (despite being hundreds of years old), but you’re witnessing something so special. To me, I’m moved by the greatness of it all. These are paintings printed in text books, spoken about in schools, in pop culture, and used for advertising and inspiration everywhere, and here I am, privileged enough to see it in person. What an honor. I hope you see it that way too. That we’re all very lucky to be able to head to The National Gallery (for free!), and feast our eyes on truly amazing pieces of history. So head to Trafalgar Square to see the wonder of it all for yourself.  Enjoy!

National Gallery
Trafalgar Square
London WC2N 5DN

Ducksoup is a hip, relaxed, high-quality restaurant right in the heart of Soho. It came recommended to me by multiple friends, and after one dinner there, I can see why. We booked ahead via email just a few days before, and secured a spot at their upstairs dinner bar. The restaurant has just a few tables, so the majority of the dining takes place at the long bars on each of the two levels.

When entering Ducksoup, you feel like you are transported into another country. The place is a little bare, and kind of dingy, like a small restaurant in Thailand. The windows are caged, the walls are uneven with layers and layers of paint on top of mixed surfaces, the doors are peeling, the floor is stained. This raw shell of a restaurant is filled with a simple bar, basic tables and stools. It’s minimalist vibe is offset, though, by glowing globe pendants, a pop of color here and there, decorative wine bottle displays, and quirky wall hangings. It’s a trendy place, reminding me also of a NYC basement.

I was seated on the ground level, so I did not get to see the downstairs, but what I can attest to upstairs, the place is pretty cool. From the doorway, you look down the long bar. This leads to a private room on the left side, tucked away from everything. It looked like it could seat about six people, which would be perfect for a group birthday party or any other occasion. The right side led to the open kitchen. While waiting for the bathroom, you become mesmerized watching the automatic motions of line cooks stir, prep, plate, and garnish small plate after small plate. The kitchen staff, and the rest of the workers for that matter, all seem to fit with the Ducksoup look. Simple aprons and chef whites made interesting with some facial hair, tattoos, or blue-green dyed hair. The bartender or manager with Mandarin collars or shaggy hair hustle around, not missing a beat. Ducksoup is just a cool place to observe, whether its watching the inner-workings of the kitchen and staff, or the young, sceney patrons bellying up to the bar.



Now, let me tell you about the food and drink. We had wine to drink. I had a nice dry white, but my husband felt daring and opted for the “In Duck We Trust.” This menu item allows the bartender to serve you the surprise wine of the day, that will later come with a story about the wine’s origin. It was a cool concept, that added a little adventure to our meal. The real adventure, though, was embarking on the seven items we had ordered. I would definitely have to say we over-ordered, which was probably my only negative feedback I have for the place. The server painted the menu as having smaller plates, which turned out not to be the case. I thought each appetizer, side, and entree was a full size, if not larger than expected. They were all delicious, though, so worth the purchase (that I ended up partially taking home in foil because they did not have any to-go containers.)

Our journey begun with a nice bread and butter, the braised pork skin, and the charred artichokes. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and inventive. The pork skin dish was a hearty stew which was a perfect dip for the bread. The plates come out staggered, as they’re prepared from the kitchen. This is perhaps the only thing that resembled tapas-style dining at Ducksoup to me. The next plate to come out was my asparagus and crab soup, which was absolutely amazing. It was rich and turned creamy once the beautiful dollop of saffron aioli was swirled into it. The last of our plates then came, which included the chargrilled poussin, spinach and burnt garlic, and the dittalini. This translates to chicken, creamed spinach, and macaroni and cheese. Everything was great, but the spinach was one of the best sides I have ever tasted. I am definitely going to try to replicate the dish at home, and excited to have another use for the oversized can of tahini that’s been lingering in my fridge.

In conclusion, Ducksoup is great. We had a lovely experience, enjoyed our meals and the ambience, and will be back again. The entire evening was less than £100 for two. That itself is impressive for London. Head to Ducksoup and enjoy gourmet food at reasonable prices.

Ducksoup
41 Dean Street
London W1D 4PY

The Camden Market is a fun and easy must-do in North London. Whether you’re getting there by tube, foot, car, or Jason’s Trip–the canal boat I have previously reviewed–you’re bound to have a nice time. Just try to avoid visiting the busy market during peak times, and you’ll do just fine.

Open every day of the year, apart from Christmas, the Camden Market is one of London’s biggest attractions, with about 100,000 visitors each weekend. The market is a mix of food stalls, clothing and accessory shops, and restaurants set in a really different venue. The shops wrap around the unique setting of old railway viaducts, horse stables, and the Camden locks. This makes for a little bit of history in the mix of different cultures and goods. These mixed goods can get a little bit freaky, with some undertones of the grittier side of Camden. If you’re not into that, be prepared, but if you are, you can find your sex toys, gothic outfits, and voodoo dolls, all within one market. I find everything for sale there kind of junky, and aside from the time I bought ice cube trays shaped like handguns as a gag gift, I usually stay clear of purchasing anything other than food from the Camden Market.

I like to bring guests up to the market on a sunny Friday, following a nice little ride on Jason’s trip. There is plenty to look at, so the boat’s 11:15 arrival time allows for time to walk around while working up an appetite for lunch. If the weather is not so great, or the crowds are too severe, I will eat inside one of the tasty restaurants, such as Porky’s BBQ. Otherwise, I will grab something from any one of the many sweet or savory stalls. The Cereal Killer Cafe is also there, which makes for a fun experience or a munchies cure!

So, whether you want a nice walk and interesting people watching, or a place to access every type of food under the sun, you can head to the Camden Market for a cheap but rewarding afternoon. Enjoy!

Camden Market
54-56 Camden Lock Place
London NW1 8AF