Bite of the Week: Monikers Hoxton Square

There’s been a spate of new openings in the Shoreditch area recently, but we've got to give a special mention to a venue that pulled us back multiple times, the splendid Monikers in Hoxton Square. We visited no fewer than three times in its opening week, and I’m going to tell you why.

Firstly the décor is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the venue’s history, which used to be part of the neighbouring church’s school. There’s an assortment of science beakers, a giant rolling chalkboard where they scribble specials and an old cloakroom bench is transformed into seating. A mezzanine level is fronted as a bus and there’ll be diner style booths upstairs when it’s finished. This could all trigger dark memories of terrible school dinners but with big bright windows leading onto a terrace and a pretty bar area it feels more like The Breakfast Club but set in Britain: a little naughty and full of potential.

On our first visit the barman made us a killer Bloody Mary and a delicious rhubarb concoction called the Greta Garbo. The English Patient with elderflower, apple and blueberries was a little sweet for my taste but still very nice. Later I dipped into their selection of reds, which were pleasant but I couldn't convince my companion to splurge on my favourite, Montepulciano, which they only sell by the bottle. A good shout for the meatier end of the menu is the Kernel Porter – very robust with roasted malts and a hint of chocolate that would go well with a game option.

The food is a sort of British tapas / modern European deal. I won’t talk you through the whole menu - top line is I've worked my way through most of it and it's all pretty good - but the stand-out dishes include honey mustard chorizo, grilled leeks, scallops and the chips. The bacon chop was perfectly cooked with a satisfying saltiness and actually could’ve done as a main on its own if you’re not into sharing. The buttermilk chicken was probably the only plate I didn't rate so highly as I prefer my fried chicken with a little kick but my friend liked the unusual pairing with tartare sauce.

Similarly on the dessert menu the buttermilk pudding was a little overwhelmed by the citrusy rhubarb however the chocolate marquise was outstanding. A velvety mousse on a thin sponge base topped with honeycomb. One of the best desserts I've had in a while. Well worth the calories and a smooth salted caramel ice-cream to accompany it. My only regret was sharing it.

So, a fun atmosphere, distinctive menu and great drinks: all in all, Monikers could distract us long enough from kissing boys behind the bike shed to teach us a thing or two about running a decent restaurant.


Good for – boozy brunch, casual date, friendly catch up, informal business
Bad for – Dating the principal
£ - about £25/head

Find them at 16 Hoxton Square, Hoxton, London, N1 6NT

Opening Hours:
Tues to Thurs 6:00pm – 11:00pm
Fri to Sat 10:00am – 12:00am
Sun 10:00am – 4:00pm

Book on 020 7042 7720 and follow @MonikersHSQ for updates.

Dach & Sons

For weeks buzz has been building around sleepy Hampstead village and between various gastrophiles regarding Fluid Movement’s extension of the Purl brand with Purl NW3 and first 'no booking' restaurant offering, Dach & Sons, both housed at 68 Heath Street. This is part 1 of our review of both establishments.

Dach & Sons  

Turning right out of Hampstead tube the bold signage is immediately noticeable (even to someone like me with mole-like vision) and inside the influence of the pillars on which Dach &Sons is founded, namely beer, whiskey, ‘dogs and sliders, is obvious. These pillars are a clear nod to the ubiquitous Americana trend that’s gripped London in recent times. However, it does not feel like it’s merely hopping on the bandwagon as it situated on a high street focused on independent retailers in an area in sore need of relaxed but trendy dining venue.

My friend and I started off with the Dach & Sons own brew, which was a deep orange colour, starting clean and finishing with a punch of hops which had a taste similar to Camden Pale Ale, and the Dark Star which was a lot more malty with a burnt caramel edge that was very interesting. We were also offered a sample of the guest ale which was a very floral light straw colour

The only cocktail on the menu is a julep. This, in my opinion, was a bold statement and the confidence it showed was a large reason for checking out the venue beyond the experienced backers. I opted for the Gentleman Jack version as I was after something a bit sweeter than the other candidates, but given the sweetness of the finished product I probably should have opted for something more robust. Personally I would have preferred fresh mint, especially as they grow their own on the roof, but the mint infusion used did help to keep consistency. It was very refreshing and went down quite nicely and the staff were so helpful I’m sure they’d have no qualms about adjusting to my personal taste next time (yes there’s a next time).

Moving on to the food, I think I can sum up the menu with the squeal we both emitted, “Ohhh, I want EVERYTHING!” He opted for the Banger which was a porky delight topped with an earthy mushroom ketchup and onions and elicited many sniggers at immature but very funny anatomy related innuendo. I landed on the greedy girl’s saviour: a trio of sliders. The multi-seed bun was the best with a peppery bacon jam I’d love the recipe for, though the glazed brioche style one came a close second with crunchy dill pickle and cheddar. The traditional floured bap was nice, but not a knockout as the sour cream rather overpowered the salt beef chilli. All three were a little too well done for my taste (I like them juicy) but that’s just personal preference, and adjustable for the aforementioned next time.

What I think will be the real draw, at least for the mid-afternoon clientele searching for something other than the myriad of pubs surrounding the heath, will be the sides. They’re a little pricey but on average, worth it. We had some yummy sweet potato wedges which went nicely with the fresh tarragon mayo, some lump Devils on Horseback which were a good pairing with the beers, and the most incredible invention of frickles (fried pickles – see what they did there) with a tangy own recipe ketchup that would happily replace my Heinz if I could get my hands on a bottle.

Early evening clientele were groups of friends and families with young children and later on we saw a few couples on relaxed dates. As expected for a new venue they edged into the hipster bracket but given location and the commitment to creating a neighbourhood vibe, which has a definite market if you take into account the meteoric rise of Kentish Towner, I’m sure there’ll be more locals frequenting as word gets out. Our tab came to £60 including tip which was quite reasonable given the excellent customer service. Despite competition from local gastropubs on price, the slice of stateside cool is more than welcome in an area crying out for a fashionable new hangout. With rumours of a dessert menu and proximity to the Everyman cinema, this could become a frequent spot for TGOC...

To keep up to date and to see more pictures please visit their Facebook page.