Tea and Sympathy

108 Greenwich Ave

New York, NY 10011

(212) 989-9735

You know, I've decided that it's really kind of upsetting to hear people say, 'Oh, I thought British food is terrible,' even without trying it! So it's very gratifying when I can matter-of-factly say, Not so! And, I have many reasons to prove that person wrong. One being, Tea and Sympathy. Set in the West Village is this little itty-bitty restaurant. And I'm serious. It's small. But the wait at the door for that coveted spot where you squeeze in next to that stranger at the adjacent table is so incredibly worth it.

I've had the fortune to eat here many times, thanks to my dad, a Brit, who got to explore the city having worked downtown for so long. You will often find many natives here and the owner, Nicky, has managed to build sort of a mini British empire on the street; the area now cozily, nostalgically, and lovingly dubbed, Little Britain. There are many Brits populating the tiny locale of the city and shops filled with products from abroad. I recommend going to A Salt and Battery if you want a quick meal of fish n chips if you are on the go, which is right next door. Luckily, my dad, Fiona, and I had all the time in the world and arrived for Sunday brunch. Surprisingly, this was our first time going there for brunch, as we are usually there later in the day. Either way, I don't mind.

I had the Welsh rarebit which, like most other British food is very much composed of whatever the farmer had available. Subsisting on meat and dairy, basically. Anywho, my food was lovely- whole grain toast with melted cheddar, a tomato, and British mustard with a side of Branston pickle (a typical vegetable spread put on many foods, akin to the use of ketchup). Seems simple enough, but the combination warms you to the core on a cold day. I ate it with a side of baked beans. Yes! Baked beans is a big staple in the British household and my favorite are Heinz... as if you really wanted to know! Fiona ordered the same, but with British bacon, which has much more meat on it than the kind found in the states.

My dad, another huge fan of breakfast, had the English breakfast, consisting of scrambled eggs, slab bacon, beans, tomato, and a banger. It turned out to be a very satisfying brunch, if I do say so. And if you're ever in the area, I would certainly stop by at this place.

A few things on the menu I highly recommend are the Cornish Pasty; Afternoon tea for one, which have finger sandwiches, tea, and scones with jam and clotted cream (MMMMMMMmmmmm!); Shepherd's Pie; Bangers and Mash; and last but certainly not least- all of their daily special desserts which is usually some type of pudding or cake served with warm custard. I could just order custard and be happy, though, which isn't a bad idea either!

The Olde Ship British Pub & Restaurant

709 North Harbor Blvd

Fullerton, CA

(714) 871- 7447

I was a bit skeptical when my dad said that we were going to eat at a British place. I thought, British food.. in California?! For some reason, it just seemed odd to me, but The Olde Ship was a lovely place and makes you think you just stepped into a pub on the corner in London. The vibe was very much akin to a true pub, not a dingy bar where you feel uncomfortable and people are spilling their drinks on you. I recommend going to the website and reading about what a real pub is because they have a great description on their menu. My pictures of the menu are a bit difficult to read.

Their food was very tasty, hearty, and abundant. I ate the Cornish pasty which is a light, flaky pastry filled with ground meat and different vegetables. The traditional usually calls for ground meat, but at this restaurant, the filling is with chunks of beef. I know that many people would tend to favor hunks of meat, but I was slightly disappointed as I expected and prefer the old-school way. My Cornish pasty was also covered in brown gravy which kind of banished my hopes for crunchy pastry. All in all, it was certainly not a bad meal, it was actually very flavorful and savory, but I guess when you are so used to one way, it's hard to stray from the familiar.

One awesome thing about the Olde Ship is that they serve their huge selection of beers in actual pint-sized glasses! This statement probably sounds funny, but sometimes when you ask for a pint in some bars, believe it or not, the glass is deceptively not a pint!

It was a grand "olde" (<-- ha ha I crack me up!) time at The Olde Ship and a nice place for some British type fare in SoCal.

Chip Shop

Park Slope location:

383 Fifth Ave. (at 6th St.)

Brooklyn, NY 11215

(718) 832-7701 / (718) CHIPSHOP

So, I was strolling down the street one day with a fine bloke (my boyfriend!), looking for a nice cuppa' when I spotted it... the Chip Shop... fantastic! Okay, okay, enough of the Brit talk. I wasn't looking for tea, but I must admit, when we were looking for food, it was quite a surprise to stumble upon this place. Being a native Brit (half), I always get giddy when I find a British place because they seem to be few and far between. The Chip Shop was a fun alley-type restaurant with the decor practically screaming, "I'm all about the UK!!!!" Lots of memorabilia and the wait staff was authentic too, which is always nice. For some reason, I find a restaurant more comforting and true-to-its-roots when the staff is native of the cuisine. Makes sense, right? Anyway, let's get to the food.

I ate bangers and mash, mostly because it noted on the menu that the bangers are from Myers of Keswick!!!!!! Myers of Keswick is a British food store located in Manhattan. They make a lot of their own sausages, cornish pasties, pork pies, etc. So, with that said, I was very satisfied with my meal. It was like a taste of home. YUMMMMM so good!!! The portions are quite huge and, in my opinion, worth the money.

I ended with good ol' Treacle sponge, a sponge cake with a sticky, sweet topping and usually served with custard. I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed because it seemed like it was overly microwaved and I don't think it was the brand that I like (Heinz) but overall it was okay. The custard that covered it made everything okay. Then again, when DOESN'T custard make everything okay??

To wash everything down, I wanted still-Ribena, a deliciously sweet blackcurrant drink. They only had the fizzy stuff, so I just had water but did try the Holy Ale beer which was pretty good. It reminded me of fellow British beer, Boddington's... but that could be secondary to my poorly lacking beer-consuming history!

The Park Slope location was small but the native- Brit staff was extremely friendly, accommodating, and just plain nice!!! The decor is genuinely British with lots of memorabilia on the walls and tables that put a smile on my face throughout dinner because I love those type of unpretentious places that make you feel comfortable. We loved our waitress and she was so nice that we even got a free plate, straight from the UK, out of it!!! I am so happy to have found another UK haunt, this time in Brooklyn!

Side note: I did not try any of the fried desserts, which is what I saw advertised about the Chip Shop on television one day, however, I am waiting to go back. Oh, and PS, I also want to return to the street it was on. It was FILLED with intriguing looking restaurants; a nice surprise!