Thai Metro, London

Thai Metro
38 Charlotte Street
Fitzrovia
London W1T 2NN
020 7436 4201

Thai Metro offers free home delivery and that's what gives them the extra half star. I would rate them 3.5. Delivery was quite prompt and my order was accurately delivered. What I loved was the layer of plastic wrap before closing the boxes that had liquid to them - the curry and the stir fries with sauce.

The food here wasn't bad, but wasn't outstanding either.

I enjoyed the corn cakes (4.25) and drunken pork fried rice (6.5). The chicken with cashewnuts (6.5) had some pineapple in it which I wasn't expecting and I don't like cooked pineapple. The chicken red curry was good (6.5), but didn't come with rice - I'm so used to rice being included with Thai curries at restaurants back home)

The pork with drunken bamboo shoots (6.5) wasn't as exciting as I had hoped and used very thinly sliced lean cuts of pork which made it taste more like chicken, just tougher.

Quantities are quite large, so that makes the prices quite reasonable.

They don't deliver desserts home (probably because they all include ice cream?), but they do offer soft drinks and some alcoholic drinks too - including sake and plum wine.

Delivery available for orders over £12.00. Charge of £3.00 applies to orders under £20.00

They deliver to postcodes:
EC1 Clerkenwell, Finsbury, Barbican
EC2 Moorgate, Liverpool Street
EC3 Monument, Tower Hill, Aldgate
EC4 Fleet Street, St Paul's
NW1 Regent's Park, Camden Town
NW8 St John's Wood
SW3 Chelsea, Brompton
SW7 South Kensington
W1 Mayfair, Marylebone, Soho
W2 Bayswater, Paddington
WC1 Bloomsbury, Gray's Inn
WC2 Covent Garden, Holborn, The Strand


Rating : 3.5 / 5

Koshari Street, London

Koshari Street
56 St Martin's Lane,
Covent Garden,
London WC2N 4EA
020 7836 1056

I absolutely love this pure carb Egyptian dish. When we lived in Egypt, this was the only local dish that we truly loved (other than fattah) as the chilli sauce is served on the side and we could up the heat quotient as much as we liked.

While it's pretty easy to make at home, it's a bit time consuming with the different pastas, lentils, pastes and fried onions that need to be prepared, so it's not something I cook frequently.

Egyptian friends in London introduced us to this place and we keep going back when we want a carby overload.

Koshari street offers a selection of tomato + Chilli sauces (Mild / Hot / Mad) with their kosharis and we obviously favour the king chilli (Naga Jolokia Pepper) - the spiciest one. Other than koshari, they just have a 2 soups, 2 salads & 2 desserts and drinks on the menu.

It works well as a takeaway and can be eaten a day later too.

I always pick up an extra large container of the fried onions (they charge for it), but it saves me so much time when cooking biryanis and other Mughlai food. The onions keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

There are just a few seats, if you want to eat on location, Koshari works best as a takeaway option.

Rating : 4.5 / 5

Le Gourmet Brasserie, London

Le Gourmet Brasserie
157 Praed Street,
Paddington,
London W2 1RL
020 3489 2173

Ya Hala is my favourite Lebanese joint in the area, but we had eaten there just the day before and I received some "gentle" suggestions to try something new.

It had been a long day and I just wanted to pick up a takeaway before heading home.

The place seats about 20 and is clean with an appetising looking counter out front which displays all the proteins that can be grilled. Their fresh vegetables look very fresh, unlike some fast food chains that we avoid :)

Picked up a a large mixed shawarma (chicken and lamb - 4.95Pounds) which was very filling in itself. The grilled seabass (10.5) was very fresh, but seasoned only with salt - however, they did provide garlic mayo and a chilli sauce to go with it, which helped add dimensions to the flavour. The grilled sea bass came with a choice of rice or chips and salad.

The rice was a mix of rice and vermicilli (tiny string noodles).

I asked for a lemon and mint juice (2.75) while we were waiting for our fish to be grilled. Low on sugar and really sour - it gave me my full quota of Vitamin C for the week. It wasn't unpleasant, but it was mouth puckering, yet fresh.

They claim to have free wifi, but I haven't tried it.The food is all halal. There are a fair amount of options for vegetarians. Where the menu stands out is the large variety of drinks from hot teas and coffees to smoothies, milkshakes and fresh juices.

The food was good, but Ya Hala will remain my favourite and go-to place in the Paddington Area.

Rating : 3.5 / 5