Last night, we went to Taste of London Festive Edition at Tobacco Docks. We went to Taste of London at Regents Park in the summer and loved it, so we were really excited about the Festive Edition. We bought our tickets immediately it became available.
First, Tobacco Docks is a tad difficult for us to get to, so we used an uber. But it’s close to Wapping, Shadwell, and Tower Hill stations. Tobacco Docks is uniquely different to Regents Park as a location for a food festival. Where Regents Park was an open space, Tobacco Docks is very similar to Covent Garden, with two levels and almost a maze like structure.
In regards to the traders and products to buy at Tobacco Docks, there wasn’t really much our speed as opposed to the summer. Maybe because it seemed most of the traders were selling alcohol, which we don’t drink. Plus, because of space there were fewer traders than the flagship edition in the summer. So we settled in for restaurants, and there was a good collection of top restaurants.
Food
We loved Jamavar restaurant, so it was our first stop. I ordered Chicken chops, which were delicious, although lacked the spice kick I was expecting. Shiima ordered the Aloo tikki, which was just as delicious as when we had it in the restaurant.
We went around and ate more, but came back to Jamavar because I really wanted to try the Lamb Biryani. It was awesome, and I usually avoid eating rice. I had the Andhra Padi Prawns as well, cos they looked good and they tasted really good too.
We enjoyed some fresh fruit juices from Noura, a Lebanese restaurant with a stall serving just juices as we searched for other restaurants.
Next restaurant was Bubbledogs, which is on our list, but we just haven’t come around to it lol. I had the smokey mac dog, and Shiima had the Despacito Dog … both were good, not spectacular though. What was spectacular was that my mac dog fell to the ground soon as I got it, and it was replaced for free in an instant.
We hopped, skipped, and jumped to The Cheese Bar, where I had the rollright tartifette with smoked bacon, and Shiima had the smoked mozzarella sticks with chilli jam. I wasn’t a fan of my tartifette, but Shiima’s mozzarella sticks were glorious.
I excitedly stopped at Barrafina for a ham croqueta … I couldn’t not do it, and it was delicious, as always.
I was searching for Rok, a restaurant on my list for a solo excursion but we came across Chai Wu first. Shiima ordered the green curry chicken puff, which was superb. I ordered the Taste Exclusive grilled prawn with chilli, lime, and truffle sauce, and it was really really good, much better than I expected.
The queue for Rok was long, but I persevered and it was worth it. I had the Taste Exclusive semi cured duck breast with pickled wild mushrooms & bacon lingonberry jam and it was uniquely delicious … subtle with delicious flavours in every element of the dish.
We went back towards Jamavar because I wanted the biryani, and Shiima branched off to Bao, which was next to Jamavar. She had the fried chicken bao, and she really enjoyed it. I had a bite and really enjoyed it as well.
Dessert?
For no particular reason, we weren’t keen on dessert. There wasn’t much option though, to be fair.
Verdict
Taste of London’s Festive Edition isn’t as good as the flagship summer edition, only because the options aren’t as much and the location can be a bit of a maze. But I still think it’s as good as it comes for similar events in London and probably the best going on this winter.
There is a good collection of top restaurants – many more than we ate at. There is also a lot more to do than we indulged in, such as masterclasses and demonstrations, but we only ever come for the food. Plus, the food market is fun and you’d probably find something that peaks your interest.
There are still tickets available online, and there are always tickets available at the door. So do visit Taste Of London, you won’t be disappointed, especially if you go with an empty stomach. Trust me.
Dress Code: Casual
Cuisine: Everything!
Shiima’s Star Dish: Smoked mozzarella sticks with chilli jam
Amen’s Star Dish: Semi cured duck breast with pickled wild mushrooms & bacon lingonberry jam
Rating: 4.6 out of 5
Taste Of London – The Festive Edition
https://london.tastefestivals.com
Tobacco Dock, The Dock, Tobacco Quay
Wapping Lane, London, E1W 2SF
Tickets
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