Where To Eat What: March Edition

I've had a few delicious, casual bites to eat in March, so I thought I'd do a little round-up here of my favorites.

First up? The Tatouka at Fernandez & Wells on Denmark Street. A thick, piping hot spiced tomato stew is served with a perfectly poached egg and crusty sourdough toast to dip it into. You'll need to be patient, as service can be slow (I waited for 20 minutes on this occasion!) but it's worth the wait if you've got time.

A few weeks later, I caught up with a publishing friend at Ichiryu udon bar on New Oxford Street and we decided to go all decadent and order dessert too. He chose the ice cream mochi (which would have been my pick too, had I not been suffering from a toothache) but I went for the matcha cheesecake because y'all know what a matcha addict I am. 10 points for deliciousness.

People watching is always on my agenda when I'm at The Black Penny in Covent Garden. Truth be told, I'd rather sit in the window for this very reason than the coveted tables at the back (which are scarce at peak lunch hour anyway). But my friend said she was craving a good sandwich, and our roast beef sandwiches with horseradish definitely hit the spot that day, as did the tenderstem broccoli salad with feta and olives.

I'm a big fan of the cucumber and mint-infused tap water as well. Always a nice, unexpected touch.

Sometimes, John and I like to see a movie after work on Fridays back in Walthamstow, so we'll stop by Grillstock for some BBQ.

Service is friendly, they stock root beer, and the brisket burnt ends burger is a favorite, though I was a fan of the ribs I had last time as well. It reminds me of BBQ joints in the US.

So - four laid-back places for you to try. Have you been to any of these? Or have you been anywhere new that has tickled your tastebuds recently? Let me know in the comments below!