Food Archives - Edmond Chan

Simply Dumpling by Mike Chen

Mike is a prodigious eater who travels all around the world, with a leaning towards Asian food but he does also feature other food like Mexican, Italian, and Indian food. What I like about him is that he’s honest and says when he doesn’t like something.

Here are some great Simply Dumpling vids to get you started:

The Food Ranger by Trevor James

Trevor focuses mostly on China and Chengdu, Sichuan. His Mandarin is fantastic (not that I know! but the reaction from street food vendors he speaks with is priceless incredulity). He overflows with positivity and he shows us lots of places we might otherwise never see. I particularly enjoyed his recent videos on travelling and eating through Pakistan, meeting super-friendly people, which made me want to visit.

Here are some juicy Food Ranger vids to tuck into:

The Pizza Show by Frank Pinello

Pizza is a serious business, both in Italy and in the US. Frank is a genial pizzaolio who makes classic thin Neopolitan-style pizzas in Brooklyn and in this show, he goes in search of pizzas worldwide, from Roman to Naples-style, to Chicago to NYC-style and all styles in between. The characters he meets are colourful and passionate about their craft.

Here are some classic Pizza Show eps:

Sam The Cooking Guy by Sam Zien

Sam cooks classic street food items in his home, indoors and on his ridiculous outdoor range cooker, with an eye on turning flavour up to the max. He doesn’t worry about making things from scratch and is happy to use shop-bought mayo, albeit the best Japanese mayo!

Here are some of the best Sam The Cooking Guy eps:

Worth It by Buzzfeed and hosted by Steven Lim, Andrew Ilnyckyj, Adam Bianchi

One of the most addictive shows on this list. The premise is 2 guys and a cameraman go in search of a different dish every episode, and try this dish at 3 drastically different price points, say pasta at $5, $20, and $100, and see which one is the most worth it at its price point. Steven is the exuberant, positive guy and Andrew is the dry, lyrical foil. Together with Adam, who says very little, the trio have created Youtube foodie magic.

Here are some classic Worth It episodes:

Enjoy!

What are your favourite foodie Youtube channel? Let me know in the comments below!

I often get asked by my friends to suggest places to eat in London. Eating and drinking are two of my favourite pastimes.

London eating and drinking is very hit and miss. There’s far more terrible and average places than good places and when London is so expensive, that means that most places are awful value for money.

Here’s my favourite places based on quality, atmosphere and value for money:

1. Padella, Borough Market

This is the best pasta in London. It’s great value and there’s no reservations, so get there early or be prepared to put your name down and wait. The queue can be massive. Pop off to the Wheatsheaf pub nearby for a drink whilst you wait. The stand out dish here is pici cacio e pepe, so unctuously cheesy and peppery. The pastas are small plates so order lots and share them around.

www.padella.co

2. José Tapas Bar, Bermondsey Street

Insanely good tapas at this small bar on Bermondsey Street. It’s almost always busy but the wait isn’t long and you’ll have to stand most likely. The sherry is excellent and the jamon is superb. Definitely get the scaldingly hot croquetas, probably the best in London.

josepizarro.com

3. St. John Restaurant, Clerkenwell

A London institution. Fergus Henderson pioneered nose-to-tail eating and this shines through the menu here. Get two helpings of the famed roasted bone marrow on sourdough, and leave room for multiple puddings (here the word ‘pudding’ suits better than ‘desserts’. The house wine is own label and always excellent.

stjohnrestaurant.com

4. Motherclucker, Brick Lane

My favourite fried chicken in London bar none. Check out the outpost just off Brick Lane, near the Truman Brewery and Rough Trade.

motherclucker.co.uk

5. Bread Ahead, Borough Market

These cheese and olive sticks are worth going to Borough Market on a Saturday on their own. Wait for fresh batch piping hot from the oven. They sell like the proverbial cheese and olive sticks. An absolute bargain for the quality of bread.

www.breadahead.com

6. Kulu Kulu

When all you want to do is stuff your face with as much sushi as you can eat, head here for well-priced decent sushi. Some days even have 10% off your meal. It’s pretty basic conveyor belt decor but the sushi is very good and you can eat for fill for under £30 for 2 people.

vince1526.wixsite.com/mysite/shelton-street (slightly strange url)

7. Barrafina, Drury Lane

Another tapas place to make the list. My favourite branch is the Drury Lane one. Get the Rabo de Toro and a glass of Oloroso sherry, and a few croquetas and a plate of iberico.

www.barrafina.co.uk

8. Dirty Bones, Carnaby Street

Need I say more than this photo? This is The Mac Daddy, described on the menu as “Double brisket & dry aged steak burger topped with pulled beef short rib, mac & cheese and espresso-spiked BBQ sauce on seeded brioche”. Mmm. Enjoy with one of the finest sides I’ve ever eaten: Crispy Lamb Fries, described as “With crispy lamb, sweet miso, red chilli and jalapeño”.

dirty-bones.com

9. Pizza Pilgrims, Soho

Superb value Neapolitan-style pizza on Dean Street. Sit on the bench outside facing the iconic Toucan bar and watch Soho life go by.

www.pizzapilgrims.co.uk

10. Bone Daddies, Soho

Get the 20 hour pork bone broth Tonkotsu and load it up with extra eggs and fresh crushed garlic. Wash down with a Kernal IPA. If you’re really hungry, get the fat, juicy, chicken wings too. Immense.

www.bonedaddies.com

UPDATE! (19/09/2018)

11. Bleeker, Victoria and Spitalfields

I completely forgot to add Bleeker Burger to this list! This double cheeseburger is one of the best burgers I’ve ever eaten. Ridiculously juicy, ever so slightly greasy. Just meaty goodness.

www.bleeckerburger.co.uk

Did I miss any off this list? Let me know your London favourites in the comments below!

If you’re a foodie, then you’ll love these youtube channels

Simply Dumpling by Mike Chen

The Food Ranger by Trevor James

The Pizza Show by Frank Pinello

Sam The Cooking Guy by Sam Zien

Worth It by Buzzfeed and hosted by Steven Lim, Andrew Ilnyckyj, Adam Bianchi

These are my 10 favourite places to eat in London