Tramshed

The Tramshed. I am fully aware that I am not the first person to blog about this place nor I imagine will I be the last. It’s amazing how a dead cow with a dead chicken perched on top of it in a vat of blue liquid makes you want to pick up your camera and tell everyone about it despite the fact that everyone already  knows about it and has probably seen it. Still.. here I go.

My visit to Tramshed last week was a spontaneous one. The normal Shoreditch Vietnamese got passed up when trying to decide where to go and then Tramshed was suggested. Did I really fancy chicken and chips? Not really... Did I want to see the Damien Hirst taxidermy/ aquarium piece... absolutely. 

 

The room is cavernous but then again, it’s not called the chicken coop. It's an enormous echoing space which gives the impression of being in a school canteen. Or what I imagine the Grand Hall in Hogwarts to sounds like minus the floating ghosts.

As we had already had a few glasses of wine and nibbles at the lovely Sager and Wilde on Hackney Road we decided to share a chicken and chips between the 3 of us with a couple of small starters. Starters were Yorkshire Pudding with whipped chicken livers and a golden beet and goats cheese salad. At around the £3.50 mark, the Yorkshire pudding and chicken liver sort of pate was very good value for money. One of my companions said the liver mouse was too salty, the other completely disagreed whereas I thought it was just right. It was like a slightly more offally version of Goldilocks and the 3 bowls of porridge. 

Then the chicken arrived. No one can deny that for some reason an upside down roasted chicken with long claws pointing in the air is an impressive sight. One of the waiters came to help carve the animal before serving up the legs (feet included) to the other two. It was a very good roast chicken. I rarely order chicken in restaurants for the fear of miserable dry meat – but this was perfectly cooked.

I enjoyed Tramshed. Next time though maybe I’ll order a steak too and a chicken to share with a group, just to try both. Plus I think at 25 quid for a whole chicken and chips to share between 3 is pretty bloody good value. Hix is planning a sister to Tramshed on Bishopsgate, I imagine to stop those poor city boys from having to get all the way to Shoreditch to make cock and bull themed jokes. Maybe I will try that one... then again it will be full of city boys... maybe not. 

Tramshed

32 Rivington Street

EC2A 3LX

0207 749 0478

Sager + Wilde

Well it’s official. The seasons have changed. I have swapped my constant search for the latest roof to hang out on for where I can sit in a cosy warm place drinking bottles of a few glasses of red wine. 

Last night this search led me to Sager and Wilde, a new wine bar on what I can only describe as the slightly unloved part of Hackney Road. Nestled in between a variety of Kebab Kings and Royal Fish Bars is a wine sanctuary for all those East Londoners who are getting bored of bloody Negronis and just want a glass of vino.

 

 

The inside is really well decorated. Exposed brick and a great big tiled bar – the whole thing is extremely stylist in a minimalist way. It makes a nice contrast to yet another new East end bar with mismatched furniture/ shabby chic. We arrived at half 6 to find the place already packed but luckily scored a small table. I had a prosecco and my companions had the English Sparkling wine from Kent. 

The food offering is either a plate of charcuterie or cheese (£10 each) or a selection of grilled cheese sandwiches. We shared a plate of meat and another of cheese and both were delicious. Then again the cheese is from Androuet in Spitalfields... one of my favourite places to indulge my cheese problem.

  

  

We tried another few selections of wine. The staff were very friendly and informative in terms of wine selection as the menu does have an interesting selection which not everyone (including myself) will be familiar with. If the only wine names you know are Sav Blanc or Cab Sav, then you might get a bit lost reading the selection of wines from all over the world.I think the main benefit of this place is that they have a selection of pretty fancy wines which you would never normally be able to get by the glass. Therefore you can try some wine which would normally be £80 a bottle for £10 a glass. Not cheap no, but reasonable to compared to the bottle.

 

  

Overall I think Sager + Wilde is a great little spot and welcome addition to the East. Perfect for huddling away from the cold. My only problem? I’m just probably not fancy enough and still think that a glass of wine after work should be the size of a fishbowl preferably attached to my arm with an IV. However give me a few years and I can only expect/ hope that my sophistication will have crept in and I will be swirling and sniffing wine with the best of them!

Sager and Wilde
193 Hackney Road
E2 8JL