Dinner on the tube - A quirky London dining experience

Finally over my jet lag and the epic delay, what better way is there to get stuck back into London life than dinner on the tube? I'm not talking about stinking up the carriage with fast food during peak hour, a big no-no in commuter London, I'm talking about the people at Basement Galley of course. Tickets to this underground supper club, held in an decommissioned 1967 Victoria line tube carriage, sell out fast so I made sure to quickly nab a couple back in November last year.

Entrance to the restaurant

I was in for a fun night. Sitting in a tube carriage with a long table covered in white linen, and set for an evening dinner is odd to say least, especially as I travel on the tube every day. The map of the Victoria line, and other typical tube insignia are all around us (thankfully all adverts have been removed!), the only thing missing, as one fellow diner said, is a copy of the Metro discarded on the window ledge. I almost expected to hear the occasional announcement advising that we are being held at a red signal, or as my friend E- said, one asking us to 'mind the gap between the plate and your mouth' ;)

E- sitting at our table for the night

While there were tables for 2, it was nice to sit with others at our long table. We got to chatting with two couples and exchanging opinions on the food for the evening. I do think that if I went on my own, while perfectly fine, I might have felt a little awkward so if you go, drag a friend along and if you want to go on your own, don't be shy, strike up a conversation with your neighbours.

A table set by the doors - you'll never see this on the tube!

Throughout the dinner, the staff were very attentive, friendly and always checking that we had everything we wanted. Tip: If you book a dinner here, take some change with you to tip the staff later, as everything was paid for beforehand, we didn't take anything with us and it was a shame.

Intimate tube dining for two

Each course throughout the night was delicious, but the first and last courses were my favourite. The combination of flavours in the first course was perfect, the croutons crunchy, the sumac adding a surprising tang and the sweetness of the apple gel complementing the other savoury elements.

Whipped goat's curd, confit pumpkin, apple gel, sumac and rye bread

The second course was the favourite dish of our fellow diners. Turns out I'm not a huge fan of grapefruit but I did enjoy the hunks of salmon with the hazelnuts, quite a surprising and yummy combination.

Caramelised grapefruit, roasted hazelnuts, camomile syrup, cured salmon and dill

Our main was a very generous griddled duck breast served on curried parsnip drizzled with smoked porter reduction accompanied with roasted beets and topped with fortified berries. The duck was tender the reduction so delicious we all wanted more of it. We all thought that the curried parsnips was little too strong but that didn't stop any of us polishing off every last bite of this warming dish.

Are you drooling yet?

To finish up our courses, we were treated to a very unusual ice cream, citrus and rosemary, which I had misgivings about but was utterly delicious, I could have it on its own anytime! The ice cream was served on top of a crystallised almond crumb (nice crunchy texture), chocolate and pickled pear tart. The pickled pear was diced finely and had a hint of ginger which worked well. Overall, a very tasty and interesting desert dish.

The last stop - it disappeared off everyone's plates in seconds.

After dinner Chef Alex Cooper, having laboured away for our dining pleasure, came on board to chat with us and see if we enjoyed it all. It was nice of him to come out and he got resounding positive feedback from all of us. You don't always get to meet the person making your dinner at a restaurant, I think it was a nice touch. I guess that is the beauty of a small supper club and such a talented chef. You can also tell a dining success when the tables are left like this - not a morsel left, the plates almost licked clean! Blame the ice cream for this one.

The aftermath of a delicious dining experience

I hardly wanted to leave at the end of the dinner. It was such a surreal experience. I don't think I've ever spoken to another person on tube (its really not a done thing in London, if you ever try to strike up a conversation with someone, you will get some weird looks) and here we were, seated next to strangers and daring to talk to them!

The proper way to climb out of your seat on exiting after dinner...

There is one thing I don't get, and this question is perhaps for the folks at Basement Galley, or those (ladies only) who have dined here before...what on earth...'incinerator'???

London does have some unique venues to dine in, but if you don't fancy grabbing a coffee in a converted Victorian toilet or trying to guess whats on your plate while dining in the dark, then this one is for you. Give it a try, let me know what you think.

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The time portal at 18 Folgate St

A fire is crackling in the hearth, the smell of burning wood faintly tickling my nose and memory. A walnut lays half eaten on the table among pieces of its cracked shell, a bit of tea is left in a dainty teacup. Its quiet, so silent I can hear the clock on the mantelpiece ticking, creaking floorboards and faint noises coming from the other other rooms.

I go deeper into the house, creep up the stairs softly and find myself in another room. The lady of the house peers at me from her picture over the mantelpieces, but where is she? Where is everyone? I stand by the softly burning embers and look around the room. A tea set is laid out on  the table in front of me. The candles flicker in their holders casting dancing light across all the colours of the richly decorate room, the green walls, crimson drapes, blue chairs and red armchair.

I continue my search through time for the family of silk weavers only to find I've just missed them, yet again. They've left in such a rush that the bed is unmade, the thick black coffee hasn't been drunk, yet the shoes and socks are there, lying in disarray. How odd.

I climb further but there is only poverty, laundry hung in the staircase, dirty sunken beds, cobwebs and dust, crumbling ceilings and flaking walls. The King has died and I can hear the gun salute echoing through the flimsy walls. It looks like time has not been kind to the Jervis family.

Back down through the rooms, there is a letter there, an upturned chair, a spilled bottle, a filled pipe, there are smells and sounds and really, "you either see it, or you don't".

If the thought of walking up to an ordinary door, ringing the bell and then stepping through time thrills you, then you need to check out this unusual house in Shoreditch. Its part painting, part still life, part museum, part sensory experience created by artist Dennis Severs. I really haven't experienced anything like it. It was odd. At times I felt like I was really nosing around someones house. And that house had fallen through a time warp - I could look out onto modern buildings from one of the rooms while being very aware that I was 'living' in a different time.

If you could travel in time, which era would you visit?

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The cafe in a toilet - no, I'm not taking the piss.

What would you say if I told you that I recently found myself sipping coffee with several urinals in my line of sight? What if it wasn't just coffee, what if I ate there too? Am I grossing you out?

The Attendant is a cafe located in one of Londons disused Victorian toilets, a short walk from the bustling Oxford Street. The toilet was built around the 1890s and became disused in the 1960's. My curiosity was piqued ever since I heard about it, not on the Loo tour, but via word-of-mouth. It had novelty, clever use of space and a reputation for a really good cup of coffee. The things I do for a good cup of coffee...*sigh*.
 

The cafe kept a lot of its features, the tiles, the urinals, a cistern and hand drier. But all are, naturally, disused, purely ornamental and CLEAN! (Seriously, they'd have to be, can you imagine the food safety inspection before they were allowed to open??) The urinals are now used for individual seating with two small spaces set aside for a couple of tables and the main service area.

I dragged a friend of mine there recently to try it out. The coffee was like having a taste of home, it was that good. Smooth, perfectly balanced and strong. The Vegemite on toast just made my day, and, unfortunately, gave my friend food envy as they didn't have any gluten free bread.

Having arrived fairly early on a Saturday morning, we easily got a table. We sipped our coffee chatted and watched other people come in and be tickled with the novelty of the space. We didnt feel rushed at all.

Unfortunately the space is so small they don't really have a kitchen so the gluten free options for my friend were limited to the sweet offerings.

I had a good time at the Attendant. It had good coffee, quirky surroundings and a chilled atmosphere. It even had a special wall dedicated to 'graffiti' complete with toilet puns. So yep, my friend and I added our names to the wall, as if you wouldn't!

And in case you are wondering, yes, the toilet cafe had a toilet...

Would you visit and add your name to the wall?

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Kitties and cake

Late Friday night at work I found myself looking at an empty Saturday - not that I mind that. But somehow, from a forgotten to do list subconscious, I found my fingers tapping away and finding an empty afternoon tea spot for one at Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium.

Petra asleep, Artemis looking disdainfully at a guest keen to brush her and Carbonelle, also asleep

Petra now has my heart. So do all the other cats at  Lady Dinah's cat cafe. I whiled away an hour and a half with watching self propelling furballs (aka cats) sleep and play while drinking tea and eating scones.

Petra eyeing a bit of string off camera

Petra asleep in  the window

I have been wanting to visit Lady Dinah's cat cafe from when she was still trying to find a suitable location and getting all the necessary permits. I wasn't the only one, when the cafe was finally opened, it was booked out for MONTHS! It still gets booked out, but its not so bad if you are on your own or with a friend or two.

1)Wookie's tail (he's also in the very first photo at the top) 2) Didn't get this little ones name 3) Biscuit

Before being shown my table, I was asked to wash my hands and informed of the house rules. They are not as strict as the cat cafe in Tokyo, but essentially, the welfare of the cats was of the utmost importance. As it should be really.

1) Romeo and Donnie 2) Biscuit and Romeo 3) Donnie, Mue (also known as 'Mamma' coz shes the mum to 7 of these cats)

My seat was downstairs but I was free to wander round, make friends and play with the cats that were awake and take lots of photos. The cats were snoozing in their perches or wandering around making sure everything was in order. The youngest kittens were very affectionate and would pick someone to sit next to and befriend to the utter delight of the chosen person.

Downstairs at Lady Dinah's

This little kitten surprised this guest with a cuddle.

The staff were lovely, friendly and happy to talk about the cats and tell you about their personalities, their preferred pats and how they liked to play.

Romeo fast asleep in his hammock.

I really cant think of anything more relaxing that chilling out in a cafe filled with warm, sometimes playful, sometimes snoozing, fuzzy things.

Would you visit a cat cafe?

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Top Secret. Classified. Do NOT read!

There are only 31 seconds left, ticking down ominously. Flash enters the code as I read out the numbers. A pause. The keypad light flashes orange. Wrong code. How could we be so close and fail to evacuate at the last second? No mission goes smoothly but we did shut down Mr Blacks operation. That's all that matters. Now we just need to get out. 20 seconds. I look at my agents. Would we make it?

The radio cackles..."Agents, we have been informed that there is no 79, just 7". Saved! Flash punches the numbers into the keypad. Euphoria as it lights up green and all of us stumble into the corridor laughing and meeting our handler, Jules. We have just managed to escape the room at ClueQuest's most recent room "Operation Black Sheep". 

It was an absolutely mental hour of clue finding, code breaking, riddles, brain teasers, teamwork, laughter and non-stop fun. Our brains were going a mile a minute, the cogs turning at high speeds fit to burst that, in the end, all my friends brain could manage was an "ouch" in the team log.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to head to ClueQuest.co.uk and book you and your team into Operation Black Sheep. Be prepared. This is not for the fickle or the flighty. You must have your wits about you as you enter Mr Blacks lair. Full briefing will be given by your handler on arrival. This message wont self destruct but will be here to nag you to go and book forever. Don't keep Mr Q waiting.

ClueQuest is a company that has brought the "Escape the Room" gaming concept to real life. They have built rooms, created stories, codes, clues and basically, an unforgettable event. I don't want to give away too much but if you like a challenge, I cannot recommend this place enough. It is definitely one of the more quirky and unusual things to do in London. And no, this wasn't a sponsored post. I really did just love the experience that much.

Have a go and let me know what you think!

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London Loo Tour - seriously quirky

Its not every day you meet someone who is proud to call themselves a London toilets Amature Enthusiast. But Rachel is different, she is quirky, bright, friendly and is taking us around on a walking tour of London's Loos. Its "not a 'bog standard' London experience" and what else would I be doing for my first Saturday afternoon back in London?

Our tour guide Rachel

Following the Loo Lady and her plunger around London I learnt a few interesting factoids about London toilets. Did you know there was a loo with its own Facebook page? Its called the "Jubiloo" and its near the London Eye. There is also a nocturnal urinal near Embankment which i've walked past and over at least a dozen times and never knew it was there.

The Jubiloo - The loo near the London Eye

Also, there was the story of how The Big Stink got up Parliaments nose and forced them to find a solution to the Thames being used as a dumping ground - literally, the origins of the phrase "the wrong end of the stick" (its gross!), the privatisation of bathroom facilities in London and how the City of London is actually the best place to find a free toilet.

The Nocturnal Urinal - it rises in the evenings only!

It was one of the most unusual and quirky tours I have ever done in London and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I mean seriously, where else would you find a tour like that except the charming city that is London? The tour wrapped up in Cellar Door, a bar just off the Strand which, in keeping with the Loo Tour theme, was converted from public toilet.

Cellar Door - an ex-public toilet

Moving to the UK from the US as student, Rachel was interested in finding free things to do in London. She also refused to pay 30p to use a loo (who can blame her?) and when someone suggested she do a tour she thought why not? She has now being running Loo Tours for just over a year.

The last London street lamp powered by sewer gas

The thing she enjoys most about these tours is meeting the people who come along and hearing their stories - "almost everyone has a story, even if they don't, they do" - I was one of them, totally surprised by how much I knew and how much i'd noticed about different loos id been in!

Westminster has privatised public loos

So, if you are looking for something different to do in London why not let Rachel take you on a tour - I'm sure you will discover something new and have a few laughs in the process.

What other quirky and unusual London tours should I try?

Note: This is not a sponsored post!

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