a pie in the eye
Not a club event, but in the interest of keeping all who are interested in good meat and the restaurants that serve it, you should pay a visit to Canteen in Spitalfields Market. Following the ‘4 P’s’ of eating out (Place, Plate, People and Price), here are the reasons why Canteen calls.
Ignoring the fact that the restaurant occupies what was one half of the Spitalfield’s indoor football pitch – the one lost to greedy developers who successfully conned the City of London to handing over the historic market, tearing it down and building an office block and shop units that are only one third full – it is a reasonably informal, minimal fuss restaurant space, making the most of its area. Open plan, visible kitchen and bench tables allow you to keep a good eye on all that is going on.
Service is quick with waitresses swooping in to get drinks and side orders – Tip 1 – go for the real pork scratching bar snacks as a pre-starter. Tip 2 – just go for pie for your main. Canteen pies change daily and come with mash, greens and gravy – one of the best pies you will find and the real reason to go. However, if you had pie the night before or for lunch that day, a second choice is the daily roast. Tip 3 – do not deviate from above advice and go ‘off-piste’, opting for the fish pie – a true school boy error which will only leave you p***** off and jealous of the pie eaters around you.
Finally, you could do worse than going for the Neal’s Yard cheese and the final tip here is ask for the sweet red Elysium dessert wine.
Cash wise it won’t bankrupt – devilled kidneys on toast a fiver to start, pies are one pound shy of a tenner and roasts about the same.
Recreate Canteen at home
Scotch beef, ale and mushroon pie
Canteen website
http://www.canteen.co.uk/