Ping Pong Dim Sum

I recently went to Ping Pong to eat DimSum with my parents for the first time. The decorations are a bit dark and dreary and the lights are very dim but overall it has a very restaurant-y ambiance. You look through the menus and then write down what you want to order on a long order sheet which you then give to a waiter. Overall, there are some random ways to order food in chain restaurants in London, maybe that’s why I should avoid them. 

I ordered a pink lemonade which was amazing, very sour, how lemonade should really be. And I think we ordered about 12 dishes for the 4 of us. And we got dessert at the end as well, of course. They bring out the food whenever its ready which is perfect for me because I was really hungry. The spring rolls are really yummy, especially with their sweet and sour sauce. 

They brought out all the steamed food at the same time, and within second our table and plates were covered in food. The staff was really friendly and sweet helping us with any thing we didn’t understand and bringing us extra tap water when ever we needed it. My dinner experience was really good, we ate really quickly and it wasn’t over priced either. Next time I  want DimSum and don’t feel like going to Chinatown I’m going to Ping Pong. I also heard they do “all you can eat” sundays. Yum. 

Here’s their website: http://www.pingpongdimsum.com/

Manicomio Poco

With a name like that this place doesn't tend to appeal to Italians because a Manicomio is where they send people who are mentally ill. But maybe these people are mentally ill over the food. Anyway, I went there on a monday for a late lunch and it was pretty crowded, we sat outside because the weather was pretty nice. I got a sparkling water and looked at the day menu to then decide which dish of the day I wanted to take.

I really like it when places have day menus because it makes me feel as though the ingredients are fresher and the chef pays more attention to the dish because they make it less often. As we were waiting for another friend my friend Daniella and I ordered the same dish. Gnocci in tomato sauce but it wasn't just the kind of pasta that you have at home. It was really really tasty, and I enjoyed every bit of it. Even scooping up the sauce with the last gnocci I had left.

I honestly think the food was worth the uptight environment, and it was easy to split the bill. I think I might go there again, on my next visit to the Saatchi Gallery. After all it's a filling meal for a reasonable price (about 15 pounds), and that way I wont spend money on snacks in the afternoon. 

Here's their website if you want to check them out: http://www.manicomio.co.uk/chelsea/poco-cafe

Also this cafe is called "Poco" after its name because it's the cheaper and less fancy version of the restaurant. Which is simply called "Manicomio". 

Exmouth Coffee

Living near Aldgate East tube station meant that I've walked past Exmouth Coffee a million times. It hasn't always been open because I tend to get home pretty late, but when it is, everytime my mouth waters due to their cakes and snacks in the window. Its hard to see what the name of this place is because the name of it is only written on a wooden bench they have outside when they're open. It looks like a black painted café with sandwiches and a lot of other food. 

Sadly, its one of those places where they charge you a little more if you eat in, so I've only eaten in once. But other than that I love them. I used to try to go there before uni to get freshly squeezed orange juice, because its the best. I think what I like the most about them is their food, but they brew pretty good coffee too. I just love that somehow their food all looks and feels healthy. If I had the money I'd get lunch there every day. Maybe next year I'll treat myself to it once a week. 

The atmosphere there is really nice, everyone seems happy to work even if they're tired. And sometimes if you're lucky you can even see some of the staff dancing and singing along to the music they have playing. Now that I've been thinking about it, I could really use one of their turkey sandwiches. 

I can't find their webpage so here's their page on yelp: http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/exmouth-coffee-company-london