- 5 months ago
Anthony Bourdain's episode of "The Layover" set in London, which is Season 1, Episode 9, features him exploring the city during a brief layover.
He reconnects with old chef friends Marco Pierre White and Fergus Henderson, visiting places like the St. John Cafe, where he orders English blood cake with a fried egg, and Bar Italia in Soho.
The episode includes his experiences at various pubs, his visit to a shop selling celebrity feces, and his interactions with the city's culture and people.
Bourdain also walks Marco Pierre White's dog and discusses the city's architecture and social habits, including a humorous critique of the London Eye and Tube etiquette.
The episode was originally aired in January 2012.
He reconnects with old chef friends Marco Pierre White and Fergus Henderson, visiting places like the St. John Cafe, where he orders English blood cake with a fried egg, and Bar Italia in Soho.
The episode includes his experiences at various pubs, his visit to a shop selling celebrity feces, and his interactions with the city's culture and people.
Bourdain also walks Marco Pierre White's dog and discusses the city's architecture and social habits, including a humorous critique of the London Eye and Tube etiquette.
The episode was originally aired in January 2012.
Category
🏖
TravelTranscript
00:00Welcome to London
00:12This tradition in London of being able to drink in the street is glorious
00:17It's the best city in the world
00:19So much to do, so much to see
00:22In a perfect world, I would cheerfully see the royals' heads on pipes
00:27Samuel Johnson once said
00:29If you're tired of London, you're tired of life
00:35Across the Atlantic from New York, skip over Ireland, and you hit England
00:57The main routes go into Heathrow Airport just west of London
01:03It's the third busiest airport in the world
01:08St. John Hotel
01:13London, England
01:14The capital city that draws more international visitors than any other city in the world
01:19The bastion of good manners? Not really, not the London I know
01:24In fact, how English is London anyway?
01:27The national dish more popular than fish and chips by far is chicken tikka masala
01:32And any notion you might have that English food is bad, that's hopelessly outdated thinking
01:38In fact, London has long been a food capital
01:43Pubs you know about, and they are truly as fine and wonderful as they are said to be
01:48People here like to drink
01:50Often too much, and sometimes admittedly not well
01:54You can understand then, perhaps, why London is one of my favorite cities
02:01Often a home away from home
02:03A layover here is a chance to see old friends, chefs who I admire, and of course, eat the kind
02:10of unique or lost food that's hard to find in New York
02:13If you've got to be marooned in a city for 24 or 48 hours, you could do a hell of a lot worse than London
02:21That's it
02:23Since I'm here only a short time, I like the relatively spartan but wonderful St. John Hotel
02:29Newly opened by my friend and spiritual leader, Chef Fergus Henderson
02:34St. John is right off Leicester Square, which is frankly a freakin' slaughterhouse
02:39But it also adjoins Chinatown and neighboring Soho, so it's near lots of good
02:44The small restaurant downstairs serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and room service in the same quirky, wonderful
02:51Old-school British vein as the mothership St. John restaurant in Clerkenwell, my favorite restaurant in the world
02:58I drop my bag and go downstairs for breakfast right away, or straight off as they say around here
03:04I feel like 10 pounds of s**t in a 5-pound bag
03:09Thanks
03:10Well, it's a difficult choice between the pig head omelet and the anchovy toast sounds nice too
03:16But the blood cake and fried egg, gotta do that
03:19Thank you
03:20When I first got on a plane, it smelled like a really rank odor
03:24Naturally, I presumed it was the in-flight meal, so I medicated myself and slept fitfully
03:32Rich, moist, deep dark blood cake with two lightly fried eggs, please
03:43Perfection
03:44If that's not heavy enough for you, and you want the traditional full load, or full English breakfast
03:49You might try Bethel Green
03:52Bethel Green is within the East End and historically working class area of London
03:57Get out of your posh hotels, it's no good, you want to get into the real East End and get a real fried breakfast in Bethel Green, Leicester Square, it's got nothing on Bethel Green
04:08We've been here for over 100 years, you've got a real mix of everybody in here, we've got all sorts of people coming in
04:18The cooking's all done by my mum, everything's homemade and home cooked
04:23So, this, terrifyingly enough, is what most Brits expect for a proper fry-up
04:30Two eggs, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, white sausage, black pudding and toast, and maybe even potatoes
04:36All served up with a strong cup of builder's tea
04:40Well, thank you
04:44That's pretty
04:46Mmm, so delicious
04:53More like the French Boudin Noir than the black pudding
04:57Oh man, look at that
04:59I just need to put on a clean shirt, shower, shave, take my vitally needed medication, just little things like that
05:11Clean shirt, shower, shave, then off to meet the man himself, the walking Buddha, Chef Fergus Henderson
05:18Parkinson's not slowing him down much, he's still a creature of habit
05:24Same cafe every day, Bar Italia in Soho, famous for its coffee and its excellent barista services
05:31I've spent many hours here myself and I'm not usually a coffee culture sort of a guy
05:36Hello, how are you brother?
05:38Very good, good to see you
05:40Good to see you, ma'am
05:41You're well?
05:42I'm good
05:43And the family?
05:44Feisty
05:45Nothing new there?
05:46How's your flock?
05:47Doing very well
05:48Anyway, really enjoying the hotel
05:49I've been eating very well
05:50I love the little room service menu they bring in the afternoon
05:53It's good
05:54How are you enjoying your new life as a hotelier?
05:56Well, it's old, it's old, it's old child, he doesn't go to sleep every day
05:59I love the little room service menu they bring in the afternoon
06:01It's good
06:02How are you enjoying your new life as a hotelier?
06:04Well, it's old, it's old child, he doesn't go to sleep every day
06:07Someone's always going to want something at some point
06:10Hotels of constant beating heart
06:13I mean, nobody's calling you in the middle of the night saying my faucet's not working
06:18No, fortunately I called someone else
06:20What do you have, an espresso? Is that a cappuccino?
06:22Macchiato
06:23Macchiato
06:24And a Ferdobranca
06:25Oh yeah?
06:26Is that a good idea? No, I think it's probably a good idea
06:27Let's create two Ferdobrancas
06:29Perfect, thank you
06:30Fergus, like me, is usually in need of a little help around now
06:36A Ferdobranca or two, perhaps
06:43Cheers
06:44Cheers
06:45That's hope
06:49Steadying
06:50Steadying, definitely
06:51I haven't let you know that I made a big move to your hotel
06:56It's like when I walk by Hazlitt's now, I go around the block
06:59I feel like a little treacherous, but
07:03Just down the street, the hotel I usually stay at
07:06Hazlitt's on Frith Street
07:08It's a wonderful, magical place
07:11Occupying a slightly sagging group of adjoining historic Georgian houses
07:16One of the last homes of the great British writer, William Hazlitt
07:19The tradition of writers lives on
07:21Most, leave books behind
07:23Please don't remove me from the ranks of the great and not so great
07:27Please, I will be back
07:29Here I am in London
07:31As you know, I'm a frequent visitor
07:34You can live anywhere
07:35Why here?
07:37As a mixture of cultures go
07:39London's pretty extraordinary
07:40The way they've all kind of
07:42Reasonly harmoniously
07:44Get on and do their thing
07:46It's fairly obvious why this is one of our favourite spots
07:50Even I know this is like the best cup of coffee in
07:53Far, damn close to it
07:55Yeah
07:56And it's
07:57Who could wish a more charming spot
07:59Every time I would wake up in London
08:01My whole hotel was done
08:02I would just stagger down here
08:03Sit down
08:04I could suck these coffees down all day
08:06But I have a vital purchase to make
08:08In just enough time to do so
08:10Before lunch
08:12Something you should know
08:14Never take a minicab
08:16Only black cats
08:18Black cats
08:20Meter
08:21Know how much you're paying
08:22Plus
08:23Not only do they know where they're going
08:25But they know alternate ways to get there
08:27Minicabs
08:28They pretty much charge whatever the hell they like
08:30And the likelihood that they know where they're going
08:33Is remote in the extreme
08:36Bond Street runs through Mayfair
08:38Between Oxford Street and Piccadilly
08:40It's where refined gentlemen such as
08:42Okay, not me
08:43Buy their shoes and shirts of things
08:45I'm going to G.J. Cleverley's
08:48Handmade shoes
08:50It's a huge luxury
08:51But you know how much is a decent shoe these days?
08:53They're ridiculously stupid expensive
08:56The shoes will last forever
08:59I've been kind of fascinated with the relationship
09:01Between English bespoke shoemakers and their clients
09:04Since seeing Alan Bennett's play
09:06An Englishman Abroad
09:08A true account of the British spy and trader
09:10Guy Burgess's life in Moscow post-defection
09:13He may have defected to Russia
09:15But he continued to get his shoes made
09:17By the same man in London
09:19I found that detail intriguing
09:22What could be so special about them?
09:31George Glasgow is the main man at Cleverley's
09:34I'm George
09:35Hello George, good to meet you
09:36Nice to meet you
09:38Now I understand we're going to try and make you some shoes today
09:41Well not today, but we're going to start the process anyhow
09:45Yes
09:46Handmade shoes are expensive
09:48They are therefore expected to last in good condition for a lifetime
09:53We will make you one of these
09:55That will conform to the measurements around the foot
09:58The length of the foot
09:59Now we'll cut this in paper
10:01And then the leather's cut out
10:03And then it's all stitched together
10:05To form the top part of the shoe
10:08And then when the last comes out
10:10Then it finishes up here
10:12This is the Bible
10:14This is where they all hang
10:17Source
10:18And then when the customer says he wants some more shoes
10:20They're all named in number
10:21We come up
10:22And bring them down to the workshop
10:23And then carry on
10:24Making whichever style
10:25Whichever color the customer so wishes
10:27There's something very poignant about this actually
10:30All these lives
10:31It's a delicate question
10:32But I can't help asking
10:33How do you know when
10:35Your customer has passed
10:37And do you keep up on these things?
10:39Well we never do know
10:40Sometimes we write to him
10:42And then you know you might get
10:44A reply
10:45Sorry would you please take
10:46Mr. Sansa off the mailing list
10:47Right
10:48So presumably all of these people
10:49Are still out there somewhere
10:51What I'd like to do now
10:57We'll start the process
10:58Of the full measurements
11:00Around your foot
11:01Once you have an impression made of your feet
11:04They keep it forever
11:05And you can presumably continue ordering shoes
11:08To your exact fit
11:09For the remainder of your years
11:11Wherever you are
11:12In your case
11:13Your art seems to be quite strong
11:15Which is a sign of a good strong healthy foot
11:19At least something's going right
11:21If you object to blowing that kind of money
11:24On a pair of shoes
11:25No matter how good
11:26How beautiful
11:27Or how ultimately smart that might be
11:29In the long run
11:30That's understandable
11:31There are other options
11:33Camden for everything for the aspiring golf
11:37Portobello if you're considering visiting an ashram in India
11:42Or fish is getting back together
11:44Or spitterfields for middle class antiquey Banksy prints
11:49That sort of
11:50Generally speaking from this point
11:53Until me walking around in the shoes
11:55I would probably say about six months
11:57Right
11:58I'm very excited
11:59This will be the first pair of handmade shoes I've ever had
12:01And it's a lifelong relationship
12:03I could just call
12:04I could call and order shoes forever
12:06That's right
12:07Exactly
12:08Me?
12:09Classic
12:10Old dude
12:11Expensive shoes
12:12That's where I am these days
12:13Ramones shirt?
12:14Gone
12:15Shirt maker eh?
12:17Hmm
12:18I need one of those
12:19Next
12:20You know
12:31Just mind your own bag
12:36Because you might get robbed
12:37But nice place
12:46London is built along the banks of the Thames
12:49That's Thames dude
12:51Not Thames
12:52Okay
12:53Traffic can be really really bad here
12:56So a quicker more effective way to see things might well be the relatively touristy
13:00Boat rot
13:02I've heard about these British nautical types though
13:05I have some concerns about possible sodomy on the open sea
13:09Because that's a grand British naval tradition
13:12Okay
13:13It is a commuter boat
13:15But it works
13:16It's not a bad way to get around if you have the time
13:19See the sights
13:20Cast off
13:21Avast
13:23We
13:24Hoist the
13:29Bugger the Gilligan
13:31There are a host of reliable guide books telling you what you can see from the river
13:36Or you can just make up your own facts
13:38Over there at the famous Wonder Wheel
13:40In spite of seventeen known fatalities in the last year
13:45A very popular spot for tourists
13:48The building next to it is the famous Felcher Gallery
13:51Containing one of the most magnificent collections of modern art
13:56This is the Blair Bridge constructed to celebrate Tony Blair's slavish acquiescence to George Bush's every popcorn fart
14:06And the famous sea containers house
14:09Famous for their 24 hour buffet
14:11Your choice of dressing
14:13Ranch or blue
14:15Over there that's the headquarters of MI6
14:17Britain's foreign intelligence service
14:19It seems you shouldn't even joke about these things
14:24Or Queenie will send out the goon squad
14:26You can get like a hood thrown over your head and pull away the black van tonight around 2 o'clock in the morning
14:33Oh, we're there
14:36Back to Soho, where Fergus has been waiting for me
14:40While I tootle back and forth on my boat
14:44Soho during the day bears no resemblance to what it becomes at night
14:48At night it can be both fun and, unfortunately, douche apocalypse
14:54You never know
14:55If you stay in a hotel right on 1st Street
14:57You kind of want a back room, let's put it that way
15:00It's loud
15:02We grab a taxi
15:04Sweetings of Queen Victoria Street
15:07Fergus loves this place
15:09Sweetings
15:10And has been trying to get me here forever
15:16These captains of industry could presumably eat anywhere
15:19But they come here
15:21It's one of the great institutions of what's called the city
15:24Meaning London's financial district
15:28We drain a few black velvets while waiting for a table
15:31Metal tankards of Guinness and champagne
15:34Oh, nice
15:36How long has it been here?
15:37Long enough
15:38Long enough
15:39Lunch only or do they do dinner here?
15:41Lunch only
15:42Lunch only
15:43That's really obstinate of them
15:44Yes
15:45You are made to feel, I'm told, like you're back at boarding school
15:50Minus the caning and the sodomy
15:52Your waiter is your waiter for life
15:54You wait until he and only he has a table
15:58It's a relationship that outlasts some marriages
16:02You know, these people are like running the world
16:04And they're getting hammered, they're getting drunk
16:07Thank goodness, what does it tell us?
16:10It slows them down
16:11So we'll rush towards destruction a little less quickly
16:14Yes
16:15Good, and it's always Angelo for you
16:17Always, must be
16:18It has to be
16:19It has to be
16:20Cheers
16:21Scampi
16:22Chips
16:23Very mushy bees
16:24Yeah
16:25Very mushy bees
16:26Yeah
16:27Very mushy bees, yeah
16:28Uh, the smoked cottage with poached eggs
16:31Thank you very much
16:33Muchas gracias
16:34Thank you
16:35If this is too suit-ridden for you, there's pie
16:41The Brits love pies, and they're very good at it
16:44Even the young hipsters of Spitifields love them
16:49At places like Square Pie Company
16:51Where you can get a traditional meat pie with mash and beans
16:55Or mushy peas for under ten quid
16:58Not bad in an otherwise very expensive city
17:02Or west, there's the Newman Arms
17:04No tourists here
17:06Just properly poured pints and pie
17:09Beef and Guinness pie
17:10Lamb and rosemary pie
17:12And savory suet puddings
17:14Completely awesome
17:16Do not miss
17:17Or out east, there's G. Kelly
17:20They do pretty much one thing and one thing well
17:23Beef pie
17:24With the option for double pie
17:26Or double mash
17:27Or both
17:28Back at Sweetings though, I'm having lightly smoked haddock with an egg on top
17:35A nod, perhaps, to colonial-era Kedgeri
17:38Fergus always orders the same thing
17:41Fried scampi
17:43And chips
17:44Every day
17:45Always
17:46And forever
17:47Hey, if it's good
17:48It's good
17:49Mush peas
17:50Well, yeah, gotta do that
17:51I mean, where did this dish come from?
17:53I mean, what's the matter with peas?
17:55Why do people start mushing them?
17:58Oh, that's why
18:00Mmm
18:01They mush well
18:02They do
18:03They do
18:04So
18:05How many times do you think you've eaten here in your entire life?
18:08A lot
18:09A hundred times?
18:11I propose to Margo
18:13You propose to Margo here?
18:15I said I'm not sure
18:17She said I'm not sure?
18:18Yes
18:19There you go
18:21Thank you for introducing me to this place
18:23Cheers
18:24Cheers
18:25Cheers
18:26I leave Fergus digging into a hunk of Stilton and head for the Tube
18:31The Tube is London's subway
18:37Older, cleaner, but no more efficient than New York's
18:42But it still often beats driving
18:45And taxis hear very expensive proposition
18:49Black cab is about a pound every hundred yards
18:54Do use good manners as some citizens of London are likely to take offense at being jostled or disrespected
19:00And would love nothing more than to put the boot into your skull
19:04Also avoid the Tube at all costs during rush hour
19:08It is a nightmare
19:10When you're a tourist and you're in London
19:13Don't use a Tube at rush hour
19:15Travel cards for the day are more expensive in the morning
19:18Because Londoners don't want tourists on the subway when they're rushing to work
19:21Clogs them up
19:23After 9am they get cheaper
19:26Ok, if I was here for 24 hours I'd just say make full use of it
19:30Buy yourself a 24 hour Tube purse or bus purse
19:33Everyone will tell you to get an Oyster card
19:36But get a travel card
19:38A day travel card lasts 24 hours and you can go anywhere
19:43But please, move quickly
19:45Do not bring a backpack on a rush hour train
19:48Always stand up for pregnant ladies
19:50Whether it was you that put the bun in the oven or not
19:53Then the Tube might, just might, be your friend
19:57Just don't be a , is what I'm saying, right?
19:59Right
20:14It's all about money isn't it?
20:15Celebrity, chef, money, being on the telly, who cares?
20:18Here I'll buy, buy an ice cream, yeah?
20:20Here I'll add this one
20:21Don't lose it, put it in your pocket
20:22Unfortunately for Americans, the pound is worth twice as much as the dollar
20:27So, you should know that it is extremely expensive here
20:32You get into a cab, it's basically going to cost you about $30 just to get in
20:37A beer, about, what, seven, eight dollars
20:40It's good beer
20:42I've been to London too many times to do the stuff everybody says you're supposed to do here
20:49Actually, I've never done any of them, ever
20:52I will not be going to the Tower of London
20:54I will not be going to Big Ben
20:57I will not be visiting Buckingham Palace
21:03Personally, I, this is my opinion
21:06In a perfect world, I would cheerfully see the royals rapidly balding heads on pikes paraded through the streets
21:14Whilst the hooting populace hurls excrement at them
21:18This thing, the London Eye, it's the most popular paid tourist attraction in London
21:24Why? I have no idea
21:26Back when I used to be a carny in carny
21:29That's called the chump heister
21:31Ooh, look, we're going up
21:33Ooh, we're coming down
21:35Big deal
21:37You could have spent that time productively
21:39Like by going to Borough Market in southeast London
21:42Artisanal bakers, dedicated pork producers
21:46Every variety of delicious English food to stuffing your gob
21:51Surrounding the market are some of the best specialty food shops in the country
21:55Like the legendary Neil's Yard Dairy
21:58Where everybody who loves cheese gets their cheese
22:02And the English, by the way, make some of the best cheeses in the world
22:07After scoring some port in Stilton for later, you can wander over to Wright Brothers Oyster and Porterhouse
22:13Because the English also have amazing oysters and seafood
22:17Much of the oysters here coming from their own park in Cornwall
22:20And you know what else they do supremely well here?
22:23Traditional pubs that have yet to be screwed up by our more modern, uglier times
22:28Unlike so many pubs these days, there's no music, no slot machines, just good pints and what you need
22:37Like bric-a-brac? Something for the loved one?
22:50Again, head out east to Hackney
22:52They have all the cool s***
22:54How about some unspeakable curiosities from a true little shop of horrors?
22:59Hello? How do you do?
23:04Oh, it may look normal from the outside, but inside, it's an ever-expanding collection of some pretty dark s***
23:13Oh, these are all speculums
23:15Oh, it's a vagina in the drawer
23:17Oral sadism in the vegetarian personality?
23:20Oh, that's a really terrifying doll
23:23I might go for that
23:25How do I explain a daddy's special dolly don't touch?
23:29It's just like everything I want here leads to an awkward conversation
23:32Oh, celebrity poo
23:34Andy Winehouse
23:35Oh, Kylie Minogue
23:37Who's collecting this?
23:39Or 15 pounds per sniff
23:4160 for A-list, 50 for B-list, 40 for C-list, 20 for D-list, and under
23:46You get, like, the entire Kardashian family for under a hundred dollars
23:50Oh, Russell Bryan's pubes at 70 pounds
23:55I feel 70 pounds not to have seen that though
23:57I could browse happily forever
23:59But owner Suzette Field is on hand to help me focus on the perfect gift for my personal lifestyle
24:05Two-headed calf skull, fully articulated porpoise skeleton
24:10The 18th century penis of a hanged man, erect penis
24:15It did once belong to Oscar Wilde
24:18That's a shrunken head, but that's not a real shrunken head
24:20That's actually made from a jaguar
24:22If you're getting a new house, you could buy a mummified mouse
24:25And put it in your floorboards, and that's supposed to be good luck for the house
24:28Is it?
24:30Movement is just great on this
24:32So much cool stuff
24:34All the stuff I want would totally traumatize my four-year-old
24:38It's a mummified what?
24:40A mummified piglet
24:41Oh, yeah, that has my name written all over it
24:45Yes, I think I need that
24:46Oh, good
24:50So your daughter won't mind?
24:51No, I don't think so
24:52On balance, I think the mummified pig fetus is far less alarming than one of the Victorian dolls of me
24:58Yes
24:59Thank you so much
25:00Right, thank you
25:01Thank you
25:06Baby, I bought you a present
25:08Oh, it's beautiful, honey
25:10Thank you for thinking of me
25:11You'll find that pubs in London are our landmarks
25:25And they're very good meeting places, social places, day time and night time
25:30Wonderful afternoon, perfect weather
25:37There's a camera walking backwards in front of me
25:41Socializing in London revolves around pubs
25:44And any time of day is fine
25:46Personally, I prefer late afternoon when they're quiet
25:50Especially if I'm meeting Marco Pierre White
25:53A pint of Guinness, please
25:55A pint of Guinness, please
25:56Properly poured Guinness, a thing of beauty
25:58Top list of no-no's when going to the pub in England
26:02Buying a shandy
26:05No-no
26:07Buying
26:08Go on, sorry to interrupt
26:09Interrupting
26:10There's a no-no right there
26:12Uh, buying a half pint
26:14Yeah
26:15I mean, they make pint glasses for a reason
26:17Yeah, fill it up to the top
26:19All right, man
26:21Marco was the first celebrity chef
26:25The notion didn't exist until he created it
26:28He was the youngest chef in history to win three Michelin stars
26:32An English guy, working class from the northern city of Leeds
26:36Who'd never even been to France
26:38A few years after getting his stars, he gave them back when he retired from the kitchen
26:43Cheers
26:44Cheers, good to see you
26:45You're one of the pub business, though
26:47I like being a landlord
26:49It's more suited to my humble beginnings
26:51But what I like about pubs
26:53Pubs are the most natural environment to eat in
26:55So you can have a pint, you feel comfortable
26:57You sit there and you have a bite to eat, it's comfortable
27:00Where are we eating tonight?
27:01Wheeler's of St. James
27:02And this a new venture for you?
27:05Wheeler's is the oldest fish restaurant in the world
27:09And now what I've done is I've injected life back into it
27:12Lovely seeing you
27:13Time flies when you're sinking pints
27:15But there's someone I must meet before dinner
27:18Look at how he pulls
27:19This is Clive, his hunting dog
27:21I need a dog, I should have a dog
27:23I'm just not walking fast enough for his taste
27:26Better suited to tearing through the forest and snapping bunny necks
27:30He quickly commits an offence that could get me a 200 pound fine
27:35Crapping in close proximity to the royal residence
27:38He's got a view of the park now
27:41Let's hope he doesn't see a pigeon
27:43Another reason why London is a great city
27:46Because we have so many parks
27:48Beautiful parks
27:58Squirrel pie in our future
28:00Have you ever eaten squirrel?
28:02I have
28:03Disgusting
28:04In Missouri it's actually pretty good
28:07Oof
28:16Clive, come on boy
28:18I know it's fascinating but
28:20So there's Buckingham Palace, beautiful isn't it?
28:22Yep
28:23Located within minutes of St. James Park
28:25Wheeler's is one of those inexplicably English institutions
28:32A place specializing in seafood
28:35It is like so many of Marco's ventures over the years
28:38Nonsensical in the most wonderful ways
28:41He's closed the entire front room and bar for our meal
28:45You've closed the entire bar for this?
28:47Yeah
28:48Well, thank you
28:49You're my friend, I wouldn't do it for anybody else
28:51Should we order some food?
28:52Yeah
28:53I'd like a plate of smoked salmon
28:55I'd like a fresh crab
28:56I'd like a lardo
28:57I'd like a quail's eggs mantanel
28:59I'd like a parfait
29:01I'd like a tellina foie gras
29:03I'd like some calamari and a prawn cocktail
29:06Just a start
29:09Meanwhile, all across town
29:11Chances are a large number of people
29:13Are eating England's national dish
29:15Chicken tikka masala
29:17Curry
29:18Indian food
29:19Has channeled through the British colonial experience
29:22And tastes
29:23At Hot Stuff in Stockwell, for instance
29:26A small family restaurant serves up the quintessential selection
29:29Of what has long since become identified as British food
29:35Wheeler's, on the other hand, harkens back to another era
29:39It's been around since 1856
29:41Before Lincoln was elected president
29:43Marco, it should be pointed out
29:45Is a great fan of tradition and the old school
29:49There are dishes from Escoffier-era France
29:52And classic stuff he just likes
29:55I know this dish
29:56You do this dish at, uh...
29:57In my pubs
29:58In my pubs
29:59Oh
30:00The only difference is
30:01In Maxime's in Paris
30:02They would sprinkle truffles over it
30:04Rather than
30:05Mm-hmm
30:06The parsley and the cayenne
30:07Do you like dripping?
30:09I don't even know what that is
30:10It's pure fat
30:11There we are
30:12Some Wheeler's dripping on toast
30:14Oh, beautiful
30:15The fat
30:16From beef
30:17Or sometimes pork
30:18Traditionally served on toast
30:20So if the toast is warm
30:22It starts to run in
30:24Mm
30:26Wow
30:27That's just some very simple crab
30:28Just crab mayonnaise
30:30There's smoked salmon
30:31There is no escaping
30:33The full-pressed deliciousness
30:35On Planet Marco
30:36So this is just a classical telline de foie gras
30:38With a sauter and jelly
30:40So it's just really a patty maison
30:42It's all very 70s
30:43Mm
30:45And 70s calamari
30:46Just very simple
30:47Why do you call it 70s calamari?
30:49I mean it is
30:50Because that's how we did it in the 70s
30:51Yeah
30:52What is it about London that keeps you?
30:54Or what is it that you miss about London
30:56When you're not here?
30:58You know for me
30:59The first thing I'm doing when I come to London
31:01Is I'm getting a properly poured pint
31:03At an old pub
31:04Well the two things I miss when I leave London
31:07It's a pint
31:09And as soon as I arrive into Heathrow
31:11I get my driver
31:13To pull over
31:14And we have a cup of tea
31:15After this much food
31:17I'd ordinarily be rolling into bed
31:19And slipping into a food coma
31:20But this is a layover
31:22With limited time
31:23So we're going to keep going
31:24Onwards
31:25And downwards
31:26I know we're in London
31:28But I've never been here before
31:39Other ways of getting around in London
31:41Black cabs
31:42They're like your cabs that are in yellow
31:44But black
31:45Black
31:46This is necessary
31:51The relative civility of St. James fades from memory
31:57As we head back to Soho
31:59At night it's a slaughterhouse of Davidoff and Jaeger bombs
32:03Bad behaviour
32:04Public urination
32:05Not coming man
32:07Oh listen to me
32:08One minute
32:09The dark side of British culture
32:10Binge drinking
32:12Drunken rickshaw tours
32:14General Yobber
32:15What a man
32:16At 10.30 you're about ready to catch
32:19Last orders at the bar
32:21Usually about 11pm most places incredibly enough
32:24Is it this place here?
32:28Bradley's
32:29Yeah this is it
32:31Want me to get your pint Markov
32:33A pint of ale
32:34Ale
32:35Done
32:36Thank you
32:37Bradley's is tucked away at Hanway Street
32:38By Tottenham Court Road
32:39A tiny enclave of Spanish dive bars
32:43It's small
32:44The drinks are cheap
32:45And something wonderful about London
32:47When it's too crowded inside
32:49You can always drink outside
32:51Cheers Anthony
32:52So
32:53Cheers
32:55You know I have to say
32:56This tradition in London
32:57Of being able to drink in this street
32:58Is so glorious
33:00Did you not do it in New York?
33:02No no no
33:03Within two minutes of us walking out in the street with a beer
33:05Either the bar owner would have come out and said
33:07We're going to lose our license
33:09Or the police would have come and said
33:11Get back inside or you're going away
33:13No it's great to drink a pint outside isn't it?
33:15Cheers
33:16Cheers
33:19A short walk to our last stop on Greek street
33:22But in my dubious condition
33:24I thought it better to take a black cab
33:27I don't remember the last time I drank so much alcohol
33:30Really?
33:31This neighborhood strangely enough
33:32Is home to some of the city's most exclusive and expensive private clubs
33:37This is not one of them
33:40Let's go
33:41I don't get it
33:42You won't
33:43Just down the street
33:44Yeah
33:45And you don't know Trish's
33:46Man
33:47It's unbelievable
33:48It's two doors down
33:50Takes a guy from New York
33:51Yes
33:52Oh the drunken mating call of the London Mail
33:55You know when you're telling your kitchen staff
33:56You give them to rule innit?
33:57You give it to them rule girls innit?
33:58You give it to them rule girls innit?
33:59You're very kind
34:00Last one yeah
34:01Thank you
34:02Right this way young man
34:06Variously known as Trish's
34:08Also as The Hideout
34:10Or the new Ivaristo Club
34:12These names lead you through an unmarked
34:14Innocuous seeming door to one of the true glories of London
34:18Hello
34:19Hello
34:20I am long familiar with this establishment having joined the club back in
34:23Ah geez I don't remember
34:26What's your name?
34:27Natasha
34:28Look I'm not going
34:29Nice to meet you
34:30Nice to meet you
34:31This is a great place Natasha
34:32Yeah
34:33I've never been here before
34:34You've never been here?
34:35No never
34:36It was originally an Italian drinking club and gambling club
34:39It's very cool
34:41You have a business like five feet away
34:44Just down the road
34:45I know
34:46But I've been in your restaurant a few times
34:48Cheers Natasha
34:49So now you know
34:50So how did you find this?
34:52A young woman brought me here
34:54Did someone run here?
34:55Yeah
34:56She got to know me and as soon as she got to know me she said
34:58You know there's really only one place in London you absolutely positively have to know
35:04And it was this place
35:05This is a boy of life
35:07It is
35:08There is no finer establishment
35:10Thank you
35:11So it was the Italian
35:12It was an Italian drinking club to begin with
35:14It was Italian
35:15Yes
35:16Card gaming club
35:17And what was it called?
35:18What was it called?
35:19It was called the Bistro Club
35:20And now it's called the new Bistro Club
35:21But a lot of people call it
35:23I knew it was something else
35:24There was
35:25Trish's
35:26Trish's
35:2757
35:28Greek Street
35:29The Hideout
35:30It's called
35:31So many different things
35:32An extraordinary place
35:35Who are those two blokes in black and white?
35:38That's Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin
35:42I thought it was
35:43Early members
35:44Were they early members?
35:45Were they founding members?
35:46Say yes
35:47Say yes
35:48Say yes
35:49I believe they were
35:51Who was cooler?
35:52Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin?
35:53Answer
35:54Dean Martin
35:55Dean Martin
35:56He's my favorite star of all time
35:57Dean Martin
35:58Really?
35:59He was a great raconteur
36:00Great comedian
36:01He could sing
36:02And he could act
36:03And most importantly
36:05Dino never gave a
36:07Never
36:08I think he's the coolest
36:09Do you think he was coolest?
36:10Coolest dude ever
36:11It's like George Best and Beckham
36:13Right
36:14George became natural
36:15Beckham had to work at him
36:16True
36:17It's like Gordon Ramsay and Marco Pierre White
36:19Exactly
36:20Marco didn't have to try at it
36:22Just kidding
36:23Another club in the theatre district in the West End
36:28A little place called the Phoenix Artist Club
36:32Usually open only to union members of stage and screen
36:37But there's a secret to getting in if you're just in town for the night
36:42Anybody
36:43Any tourist
36:44Who buys a ticket
36:46For the cinema
36:48The theatre
36:49Or any show
36:51Or art gallery
36:53They retain their ticket
36:55And they can actually have a day pass
36:58To our little
37:00Bohemian society
37:02Here at the Phoenix
37:04These joints stay open later
37:07And behavioural standards are somewhat relaxed
37:10Who else is up there?
37:11There's a few people
37:13We're not there
37:15We're not there
37:16Anthony, we're not up there
37:17This is the Dean Martin of drinking establishments
37:19They don't give a
37:20You better bring your own photo
37:21You should have a place just kind of like this
37:25But
37:26I'll come here
37:27No, you shouldn't have a place like this
37:29You should just come here regularly
37:31It's appalling isn't it that an American would have to
37:35More Americans know this place
37:36Would have to tell you about this
37:38And I even have
37:39Americans seem to find
37:40And I had a mouldering membership card
37:42Have you?
37:43Yeah, it's
37:44It has
37:45It didn't make it this long
37:46But
37:47But
37:48Can I really?
37:49Because
37:50Do you need to be a member?
37:51You have a new membership
37:52Thank you so much
37:53I mean really
37:54How much do they cost?
37:55Membership five pounds
37:56Do you have five pounds?
37:57Yeah I do
37:58Life membership, can I have one please?
37:59Georgie
38:01Yes
38:02Can you get a membership?
38:03I'll give it back to you when I get to the car
38:04No, no, it's good
38:05Give me the head
38:06I love the fact you bought me a life membership hand to me
38:08Life membership
38:10Hey
38:11Who loves you?
38:12Life membership here
38:13Thank you
38:14Is a bargain
38:29Where would you go for breakfast?
38:30I don't really eat breakfast
38:31If you're hungover
38:32Why are you eating breakfast?
38:33I'll just leave it until the afternoon
38:34I haven't eaten breakfast in about six years
38:36Oh
38:37No
38:38Wake up with a head full of pain
38:43And a plane to catch
38:44It's useful to soak up all that alcohol
38:47And give your shriveled brain what it needs
38:50Perhaps a healthy last meal
38:52Pork related and nutritious
38:54My cabbie, Darren, knows what to do and where to do it
39:00We're in the heart of the West End now
39:02They call it Theatre Land around here
39:04Yeah
39:05Sightseeing?
39:06Not now
39:07Not in my condition
39:09This is the main square
39:11The piazza
39:12At Covent Garden
39:13Yeah
39:14You've got the big wheel over that side
39:16I think while we're round this way
39:18I think we're past where the Queen lives
39:20In case she's in
39:21I'd give her a wave
39:22If she's in
39:24No, she's not in today
39:26No, I'd give her a wave otherwise
39:28The old flag
39:29It's the union jack-up
39:30That means she's out
39:32Well, it's the best city in the world
39:35In my opinion
39:36There's so much to see
39:38So much to do
39:40The food's great
39:41I like the food here a lot
39:43Is your belly rumbling?
39:44Yeah
39:45Getting a little hungry
39:47I want some greasy meat product on a roll
39:50And pronto, my good man
39:52You won't be disappointed
39:55What type of food you been eating?
39:57Let's see, sweetings
39:58Right
39:59Wheelers
40:00Okay, yeah
40:02Had some good black pudding with fried eggs
40:05Didn't get a good meat pie this time around
40:07Next time
40:08Yep
40:09I do like that
40:10Just coming into Belgravia
40:13One of the poshest parts of town
40:17You need millions to live here
40:20It's one of London's little gems
40:22A lot of the public
40:24Walk straight past it
40:25Not knowing what it is
40:26You'll get the best cup of Rosie Lee
40:30And a lovely bacon butty
40:32We're lucky there's no queue at the moment
40:35Great
40:36Just beat the builders
40:38All right ladies
40:39All right
40:40What do you think?
40:43Bacon roll or?
40:44Egg and bacon roll is a
40:46Yeah
40:47That's a must I think that's the one to go for
40:48With a nice, nice cup of tea
40:50How long they've been here?
40:511920s
40:52Wow
40:53Yeah
40:54Oh, you're right
40:55I've driven past them a thousand times
40:57That's right
40:58So you've had a busy day?
41:00Very busy, yes
41:01Thank you
41:02Would you like any stuff in your family?
41:03Yeah
41:04Cheers
41:06Good health
41:07Thanks for the tip
41:08Yeah, good health
41:09Oh yeah, you're not going hungry after this
41:14Yeah
41:15In value for money
41:16If you walked into a cafe bar
41:18What would that cost you?
41:19Whenever you're in London
41:20Yeah
41:21If you want to know a greasy spoon
41:23Place to eat
41:25But just ask the cab driver
41:26And you won't go far wrong
41:28Only black cabs though, not minicab
41:30If it's not on their sat-nev
41:31They won't know
41:32Do you know the reason why these shelters were originally set up?
41:35No
41:36To keep the cab drivers
41:38At the pubs
41:39Because I was thinking of going right from here to a pub
41:41But
41:42No
41:43I don't think I'm going to make it
41:44Well, thank you for the fine dining tip here
41:46It's my pleasure
41:50Yeah, welcome to the London traffic
41:52You have to be a little bit aggressive in London
41:54Otherwise you don't get anywhere
41:55It's brutal
41:57Is this as bad as the States?
41:59Worse
42:02Let's get out of this mess
42:08Thank you
42:09Thanks for your company
42:22Thanks so much
42:23Have a good trip
42:24Have a good trip
Be the first to comment