Brixton – The Cultural Exposé

Eric Benét and co have teamed up with Cuban artists for a new album

Matilda — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 18:23:29 +0000

Once a music journalist, always a music journalist. A PR hit me up recently to let me know that Eric Benét was coming to town. Now, aside from recent shady shots fired from Jay-Z, I can’t say the fella’s been on my mind of late. And the feminist within hasn’t quite forgotten the Halle Years (not holding that over his head by the way, God’s forgiven him…)

Anyway, as it turns out, he’s part of this new album called Two Beats, One Soul – a project featuring a bunch of American and Cuban artists coming together to make, well, music. And it’s pretty good. Other guests on the release include Jon B, Louie Vega and Shaggy, so if you’re here for those latin beats with a little twist, it’s definitely worth a listen.

But back to Eric Benet coming to town. I’ve only known and loved one his albums – 1999’s A Day In The Life, which I distinctly remember buying in Birmingham City Centre before rinsing it to death. Can we talk about Love Of My Own? Georgy Porgy? Why You Follow Me? Love The Hurt Away? That’s tune after tune after tune after TUNE. I just hope those make the playlist at his gig this Thursday at the Electric Brixton. Anyone else going?

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Somewhere you should go… summer parties in London: No Long Ting All Dayer + Room for Movement

Matilda — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 07:30:33 +0000

Man… July was a bit of a cruel one to me. My site got hacked plus I’ve had loads of housing drama (typical London). Like, ‘start a building petition and write to your MP’ drama. But it’s August, it’s “summer”, and I can finally see the calm after the storm. Thus, it’s time to get my social life back. As it so happens, it’s my birthday month (woop!) and personally, I’m all for celebrating as much as possible until the actual day (the 15th), so with no further adieu, here’s the first of two summer parties in London I can’t wait to check out this weekend:

No Long Ting All Dayer Part 2, Pop Brixton, August 7th (2-11pm)

I’ve wanted to hit up No Long Ting for the absolute LONGEST. It’s sort of like a block party / house party hosted by one of the capital’s finest hip-hop artists Ty and the good folks from the United 80 shop in the Market Village. I heard good things about the June event, so I’m expecting all of the best vibes.

Room4Movement, The Book Club, August 7th (7-midnight)

Fresh from killing another Jazz Re:fest at the Southbank last month, the Jazz Re:freshed crew is throwing the latest of their East London music jams this weekend. DJ Charlie Dark will be bringing the tunes, along with residents Bunny Bread, Top Rock & Adam Rock. These guys always come strong, so no doubt it’s gonna be a lively one!

Are there any summer parties in London you’re looking forward to? Let me know in the comments!

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What we’ve been up to… Eat Your Way Around Brixton

Matilda — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:00:35 +0000

Hate it or love it, but the gentrification (or regeneration?) of Brixton has meant that the area in recent years has seen a splatter of high street fashion chains, coffee shops and a wave of “have-you-been-to” hit list restaurants awkwardly exist within the “old Brixton”, attracting the sort of yuppies who might have been too reluctant to eat in SW2 a few years ago. But big business aside, scratch the surface and you’ll discover that what’s going down in Brixton a’int all doom and gloom – and this enjoyable foodie jaunt with cultural guided walks company Fox and Squirrel was our opportunity to discover that and more.

Led by Lindsay Faller, an American expat who writes about food for the Brixton Blog and Bugle and who’s lived in Brixton for 12 years, the walk included a potted history of the area and visits to a range of vendors, all introducing a unique cultural aspect of Brixton. First stop was an Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony on Brixton Station Road performed in a small tent filled thick with the aroma frankincense and coffee beans which were roasted right in front of us by Elsa – the co-owner of our next stop the Shawl café, where we tucked into a tear-and-share platter of Ethiopian dishes served on the tart and spongy injera bread. I’ve never been the biggest fan of Ethiopian food, but this platter of lentils and stews was tasty and I’d recommend it to anyone who’s curious about this cuisine.

The next stop – and my personal highlight of the day – was a visit to Las Cafeteria around the corner on Pope’s Road, a bustling Columbia canteen, butchers and money-changing shop, rolled into the one. We managed to grab a few seats in the back before trying the mouth-watering Lechona – a popular dish of a roast pig stuffed with rice, peas, onions and spices and cooked for roughly 10 hours. And you could tell – it was so flavoursome, made even better with the homemade salsa that was placed on the table.

Our third stop on the walk was Brixton Brewery (Arch 547, Brixton Station Road), a creative company that is definitely one of trendier additions to the area. I’m more of a wine drinker myself, but it was fascinating to hear about the beer-making process (even if I didn’t take too well to the sample of pale ale I tried!). This stop was followed up by a sit-down at Fish, Wings and Tings in the revitalised Brixton Village, a Caribbean hotspot which was heaving with customers when we arrived. And it’s no wonder – the salt fish fritters and goat roti we sampled were simply delicious (especially with a bit of the signature house sauce).

As time was fast spent, we had a quick walk through one of the local shops serving all types of exotic ingredients before the walk was wrapped up with a final visit to Kaff bar on Atlantic Road, an eclectic, laidback café where artwork from local artists adorn the wall. Homemade ginger beers were eagerly washed down a platter of US Southern-inspired dishes – like the delectable soft shell crab – and it was definitely a perfect conclusion to a day of culinary, cultural delights.

The original itinerary featured gelato-making (which was unfortunately missed out), but that was only a minor blip for a day I’d highly recommend. Admittedly, it is on the pricier side for an urban adventure (£70 for 3 hours), but if you’re new to the capital, it’s also a fantastic way to get to know this evolving area a whole lot better. For more information, visit: www.foxandsquirrel.com/product/food-walk-london

To see more of our pics, visit: www.theculturalexpose.co.uk/galleries/eat-your-way-around-brixton-food-walk

Thank you to Fox and Squirrel for accommodating us!

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Somewhere you should go… Backdoor Salon

The Cultural Exposé — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 10:00:45 +0000

Nowadays, it seems supperclubs are really growing up. From the original concept of inviting random strangers to a humble abode for dinner, these socials have started to occupy any space going in the capital, with the popular clubs making their way on the festival circuit like the one from the infamous Ms Marmite Lover, who’s held court at Bestival and The Secret Garden Party. Likewise, the boys behind Backdoor Kitchen have enjoyed evolving in the last couple of years to become one of the most renowned SCs in the capital. Specialising in Mediterranean food, Fabio and Roberto’s first event started in their tiny Bermondsey flat in 2011, but a year later, they appeared at an international summit for supperclubs at the Goethe-Institut. Now, they’re branching out even further with a brief series of pop-ups, in collaboration with Cannon & Cannon in Brixton’s Market Row.

At the “Backdoor Salon”, you can come along for a 4-course brunch but as we discovered, it’s all about the “apertivo” in the afternoon for £15. You get a complimentary cocktail and a surprise selection of three “Cicchetti” (think tapas) from a menu of six before getting the option of ordering more dishes at just £2.50 a pop. The food is absolutely INCREDIBLE – our favourites were the ouva gratinate e bottargo (egg au gratin stuffed with pecorino cheese, chive, lemon juice, boiled egg yolk and sprinkled with Sardinian dried mullet roe) and the caponatina di coppa (courgette, sultana, pinenut, caponata mixed with Roman coppa and Pecorino Romano cheese cream) – but chef Roberto hardly puts a foot wrong where everything else is concerned. We only wished we managed to get the “surprise” menu addition of mussels before they ran out!

It was definitely a worthwhile experience, but sadly the brunch and apertivo will only running for two more Sundays, while the space seats a maximum of 30 people, so you’ll want to get in quick – visit the link below for more details.

The next Backdoor Salon is on July 28^th and August 4^th. For more info, visit: http://www.edibleexperiences.com/p/41053/The-Backdoor-Kitchen/317002/Backdoor-SALON-Brixton-BRUNCH-27-OR-APERITIVO-EXPERIENCE-15-28-JULY

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What we’ve been up to… Negril, Brixton

Matilda — Fri, 24 May 2013 10:00:32 +0000

Named after the Jamaican beach town, Negril on Brixton Hill has earned a rep for being one of those rare Caribbean restaurants in the capital that manage to offer both quality food and friendly service with a real down-to-earth vibe. So a couple of pals and I headed there last night, where we tucked into saltfish fritters, plaintain and roti for starters. The former were served with tangy, homemade sauces, while the latter came with a rich, smokey gravy.

For mains, I had the curry goat, which wasn’t the best I’ve ever had (I might give that accolade to Bamboula, just 10 minutes away near the town hall), but I thought the accompanying rice and gunga peas was lovely enough, while I could have had refills of that homemade lemonade all night. Pricewise, they’re a tiny bit steepish unless you get a jerk-chicken with two sides combo for just over a tenner, but they do offer BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle), which makes a refreshing change. Overall, a rare gem of a restaurant that’s off the beaten track – and great choice for the locals.

For more info on Negril, visit: www.negrilbrixton.com

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Somewhere you should go… Electric Social, Brixton

Matilda — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 11:00:00 +0000

40 Acre Lane has been home to many a venture, the last being a Ghanaian nightclub/ restaurant that audaciously sold tickets for a Ghana v Uruguay screening during the World Cup (but unfortunately sealed its fate when the electricity failed mid-match, leaving alot of footie fans vexed to say the least and spelling the demise of yet another hangout on the Lane). So after being acquired by a new owner and following a nine-month refurbishment, it’s now the Electric Social – a vast and spacious two-floor bar which pays homage to the stylings of an old English manor, and could very well give some of East London‘s most notorious after-hour drinking holes a serious run for their money.

Six months new, and ES is already building up a fanbase of locals and non-Brixtonians, as weeknights pull in crowds that are after comedy, open mike and salsa dancing, and Saturdays operate a free entry policy (That’s when hip-hop and funk take over the ground floor and house and dance can be found upstairs for the party pros).

Drinks-wise, cocktails like the Forbidden Fruit are dangerously delicious, and in the food arena, expect a slight twist on English classics (apparently their Sunday Roast is five star), with the wonderfully potted shrimp with muffins, sandwich bloomers with various fillings (try the Thai chicken) and jerk duck with plantain being some of the grazing highlights. Electric Social shows plenty of promise, so for more info about this new SW2 spot, visit www.electricsocial.com (Words: Matilda Egere-Cooper)

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