The Anglesea Arms, Gastropub, Hammersmith

The Anglesea Arms is a lovely gastropub in Hammersmith with a lively atmosphere and inventive menu. The restaurant has a glowing reputation… and is often graced with the presence of local celebs, like comedienne Miranda Hart! I've visited several times now and from my experience the food here varies enormously though I have always enjoyed it. Last weekend we visited for lunch for a rare family meal out, it felt like a real treat. The pub was buzzing with weekend jollity and the service was impeccable, with friendly, efficient staff.

We chose an assortment of dishes, and I managed to try pretty much everything on the table. Much to my brother’s annoyance his dish required more than one taste! I was tempted by the Imam Bayeldi – an aubergine based type of ratatouille, but was put off on hearing that it is served cold, and opted instead for the leek and cheddar tart with green salad. It was delicious - a warm comforting slice of cheesy quiche with soft crumbling pastry complemented by the crunchy salad. I would never choose cauliflower soup, in my opinion thick white liquid is not very appetising; however my mum felt like it and sadly found it too salty (but to be honest her tolerance for salt is staggeringly low). The waiter immediately brought her another dish and didn’t charge for the replacement - a fresh buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto and red watercress salad. My brother’s Middlewhite Pork Belly with Potato Gratin, Greens and mustard was divine, a lovely piece of meat – with layers of crispy crackling, a small proportion of flavoursome fat and delicious, perfectly cooked pork. The potatoes were all caramelised and creamy and I thought the buttery kale was the ideal choice of vegetable to accompany the rich meat.

Puddings were a sight to behold, a glorious array of oozing sugary treats. We chose a few to share, originally we agreed on two but overwhelmed by indecision we gave in and ordered a greedy three! Very generous portions of Salted caramel & Chocolate Truffle, Frangipane Tart with Poached Pears and Ricotta Doughnuts with Butterscotch Sauce arrived for us to fight over. I liked the Frangipane Tart best: a soft, almondy cake that arrived hot served with contrasting vanilla ice cream. The only odd thing was the excess of chocolate sauce that covered the pears, it was just one flavour too many. The doughnuts were eccentric and interesting, very sweet but delicious nonetheless and the caramel and chocolate truffle was too salty bitter for me, but went down well with the rest of the table!

We had a lovely meal: hearty food, delicious cider and faultless service, an all round perfect pub lunch.

The meal cost £70 for a decent meal for four including drinks and service.

Kerbisher & Malt, fish and chip shop, Hammersmith

Kerbisher and Malt is a modern, upmarket British fish and chip shop. You can take out, but the clean stylish interior may encourage you to eat in. Cool photos hang on the white tiled walls, and trendy wooden benches and tables provide casual seating. Located in W6, a few minutes walk from Hammersmith station, I was delighted to be visiting a café so close to home.

The food is simple and classic, a selection of fish varieties that promises to be the best and freshest available. I was disappointed they didn’t have plaice when I went along, but as all the fish bought in is fresh off the boat, it obviously means the menu will vary, and so it should in a good fish eatery. Impressed by the inclusion of sustainable fish on the menu, I chose the Coley. The batter was crisp and light, and inside the soft melting white fish was perfectly cooked, and super fresh.

The best bit was perhaps the deliciously vinegary pickled onion rings. I find this accompaniment can often be too sloppy and greasy but these were perfect, the onion was cooked but still a little crunchy, as I like it, with a pleasant kick from the pickling and a generous coating of batter. Oh, and the twice-cooked chips were amazing, I couldn’t help finishing off my large portion, a far cry from the usual soggy and heavy chips in most takeaway places.

It was lovely to see some regular customers come in while I was eating… each ordering their favourites from the menu, bulging chip butties or bowls of crispy calamari with chilli sauce. We also tried the Kerbisher side salad, an interesting mix, sprinkled with pomegranate, this gave a little necessary greenery to the meal!

We didn’t have pudding (I ate too many chips) but Jude’s ice-cream is on offer. I overheard the waitress listing the flavours and there are more than enough to satisfy all tastes.

Kerbisher and Malt is old fashioned and stylish, with reasonable pricing, comfortable seating and seriously decent grub. Surely the best fish and chip shop in West London?

Visit the website here for more information.

Lovesong, Lyric, Hammersmith

I love the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith: aside from the fact that it is a just a bus ride from home, Hammersmith is a nostalgic place for me, just round the corner from the school where I spent seven years. The theatre itself has a lovely auditorium, much like a small West End venue. The Lyric is a lively environment to experience and the press evenings here are always fun with music jamming, friendly mingling and fresh hot pizza handed round, it's a blast.

This month the Lyric welcomes Abi Morgan’s touching love story, ‘Lovesong', a production by FRANTIC ASSEMBLY, an exciting contemporary physical theatre company I have wanted to see in action for a while. The play spans forty years: the marriage of Maggie and Billy, the aging process they endure and how their love changes over time. We watch the youthful couple William (Edward Bennett) and Margaret (Leanne Rowe) in their 20s excitedly embarking on a life together, and also their older selves Maggie (Sian Phillips) and Billy (Sam Cox) as they remember and reminiscence. The action is delicately and completely intertwined, flicking between the two eras constantly… Maggie opens the wardrobe and Margaret slips out instead. I found the older couple more convincing; Sam Cox gives a sensitive rendition of the helpless husband while Sian Phillips is heartbreaking as the dying wife.

The script is very fluid but can be disorientating - at times I wished for more detail, especially regarding Maggie’s dehabilitating illness. However this is where the dance and clever choreography works so well, as the physicality effectively captures the passing of time: beautifully lyrical and transient movement that each of the four actors handled impressively. The play is accompanied by Carolyn Downing’s powerful soundtrack, it supports the script if a little vague and abstract at times.

Lovesong manages to grip the audience for the full ninety minutes, and the day I went, the theatre remained eerily silent throughout, everyone seemed captivated by the truthful love affair.

You would have to be pretty cold-hearted to leave the theatre feeling completely untouched, I was certainly worried about my mascara smudging.

Lovesong continues at The Lyric until 4 February, book here.

Saigon Saigon, Vietnamese restaurant, Hammersmith

Saigon Saigon is one of a cluster of restaurants located on King Street in Hammersmith; it aims to serve authentic Vietnamese cuisine. I went along for a catch up with a few school friends and arrived first so spent a while being nosey and looking round the restaurant. I would describe Saigon Saigon as a high end take-away joint, with reasonable prices, genuinely good food, and reliable service, the interior is warm and welcoming.

The menu is never-ending, with many of the options seeming almost identical. After a few rounds of spicy prawn crackers we chose a few starters to share. I insisted on chargrilled marinated chicken satay, succulent meat squashed onto sticks and covered in a deliciously sweet peanut marinade. The others were keen on the fishy choices and chose the spicy farci crab shell filled with crab meat, vermicelli threads and backfeather fish meat... surprisingly filling, the prospect of mains became a little daunting.

The next course came in steaming bowls. I chose chicken curry with sweet potatoes, basil, chilli and coriander. This dish was a cross between a Thai and Indian curry, the aromatic flavours of Thai with the thickness and creamy texture of Indian. I loved the curry sauce, very fresh and zingy flavours made it very moreish but there was far too much chicken and not enough vegetables, and I ended up leaving a sad pile of untouched meat in my bowl. Around the table my friends tried the rice vermicelli topped with stir fried beef with chilli & lemongrass and the king prawn curry with aubergine, okra, diced potatoes, green peppers & sweet basil. The portions seemed average, but along with accompanying steamed fragrant rice we all found it difficult to finish.

I am a little ignorant of Vietnamese food so feel it is unfair for me to judge the authenticity of Saigon Saigon, but from my lovely experience here I would say it is definitely worth a try if you live nearby.

Saigon Saigon, 313-317 King Street, Hammersmith, W6 9NH. Visit the website here.

'Over Gardens Out' at The Riverside

The play was first performed in 1969 at The Royal Court Theatre, see image above.

I enjoyed Peter Gill’s ‘Over Gardens Out’ although I found some of it unfathomable. This short play is directed by Sam Brown and is the second of two Gill works on at The Riverside Studios in Hammersmith.

The Riverside offers a wealth of creative activity, from film screenings to dance and new theatre projects. They have several performance spaces; previously I had only been to the main theatre. Over Gardens Out was performed in Studio 3, a smaller, colder, darker space that allows the audience to sit much closer to the action. I felt rather confined and this definitely affected my experience of the play.

The whole cast are onstage throughout, some barely have a role to play other than as voyeurs. Their presence emphasises the hostile nature of the play and the troubles of 1968 the year in which it is set. They stand judging.

At only 50 minutes, Over Gardens Out is more of a study than a story. The narrative revolves around the homoerotic friendship between two teenage boys. Dennis shows his insecurities through his moodiness and bratty behaviour, clinging to his mother at every opportunity, bully Jeffry is more overtly aggressive and masculine. Meilir Rhys Williams makes a very competent stage debut as Dennis. He is precocious and childish but in a way that is intriguing rather than annoying to watch. He is also a wonderful dancer demonstrated when he takes his mother’s hand to dance with her, for me the best moment of the play. There is a constant feeling of tension created predominantly by tough guy Jeffry (Calum Calaghan). He bounds around the stage with territorial arrogance, his nasty teasing often made me feel uncomfortable.

An interesting play that left me pondering the subjects it raises.

Over Gardens Out continues until 6 November 2010.

The Riverside in Hammersmith

The Riverside in Hammersmith has always got something new and exciting going on. The theatre 'aims to be London's pre-eminent space for risk, inspiration and creativity', and from my experience it succeeds in this mission tremendously.

The Riverside boasts many other wonderful assets too. The comfortable cafe/bar is situated in the centre of the building and is a lively and friendly place to sit pre or post show. My favourite thing about the Riverside is the river terrace that can be found hiding at the back of the building. Here they offer delicious food and an impressive view to accompany your meal. If you don't wish to eat you can perch on the wall and sit at the river's edge. My friend and I sat here for a while before the show, with the beautiful sunset and rippling water surrounding us, it was quite spectacular.

We went to see Hens, the third play in Sky Arts Playhouse: Live season. A very enjoyable show in a great space.

In July the Riverside brings us previews of the best of this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival. With nearly 30 preview shows to choose from, there is sure to be something for everyone.

http://www.riversidestudios.co.uk/

Tightrope at the Lyric

In the heart of Hammersmith lies West London’s most promising theatre, The Lyric. This venue offers an eclectic array of shows. Last weekend I went to see their current production, Tightrope.

Tightrope is a show performed by the Lyric’s resident dance theatre company, Amici, integrating able bodied and disabled performers. In this way it challenges the conventional expectations of theatre audiences.

When you sit down you don’t know what to expect. Performers of all kinds wander joyously onto the stage, some in wheelchairs others being helped by Amici performers, each has their own part to play in this story. Tightrope has everything you imagine a circus to have: clowns, strongmen, tightrope walkers and snake charmers.

On the street disabled people may have a low profile but here their talent is celebrated, and these artists love the attention. The wheelchair performers are particularly inspiring, one man rises from the floor (out of his chair) high into the air, another, ‘the wheelchair showgirl’ dances beautifully across the stage. A small band accompany the show and short poems, written by Amici member Chrissie Kugele are sung.

Tightrope may be uncomfortable for some at first, but as the evening progresses you appreciate the beauty of this show and the prejudices that it overcomes. And as you laugh with these performers there are smiles all round.

http://www.lyric.co.uk/p668.html