Living the Cheapskate life: Sonia & Vishnu of Transatlantic Foodies on Oddbox, the Onezone app & 'staying for one'
If you don't want to salivate over your iPhone screen, it's recommended to avoid Transatlantic Foodies - Sonia and Vishnu's mouthwatering Instagram feed. But if delicious looking meals from around the world, straightforward recipe tips and trustworthy restaurant reviews are your bag, then they will be too! Here, they share their top London cheap eats, small businesses and more.
1. We rest our head in…
Central London so we’re never too far from our favourite restaurants!
2. Where’s the cheapest and most expensive places you've lived in London?
The cheapest was a basement flat in Russel Square underneath a Bangladeshi food store and the most expensive is our current flat near Covent Garden.
3. Have you had any disastrous London rental experiences?
Luckily not too disastrous although being charged £1.000 from our deposit due to a pencil mark on a wall was pretty bad...
4. Where’s your favourite place to eat for cheap?
Our favourite place is Kati Roll Company in Soho (they are also in NYC)! This Indian street food wrap joint serves up Indian kebabs (meat and vegetarian) in paratha wraps. You have to try the Unda Shami (egg and minced lamb) and Unda Chicken (egg and - you guessed it - chicken) for £6.90 each.
5. Your perfect no-spend London day would involve…
We love walking and exploring the city by foot or bike so it would include discovering a new neighbourhood (ideally in the sun!). For us, London is one of the most architecturally diverse cities to walk around so you’re always discovering something new - whether it’s amongst the colourful houses of Notting Hill or in the historic buildings in the city. We’ve recently taken up roller skating so have many more plans to travel around the city on our four small wheels too!
6. Have you ever had a free Pret coffee? If so, what’s the trick?
Years ago! They give them away for free if it’s your birthday.
7. Where’s your favourite free place to visit in the city?
When things are open, it’s the museums! We feel lucky we have access to such incredible collections for free in this city. Some of our favourites include the Victoria and Albert museum, the Royal Academy and the Wallace Collection.
8. What’s your top London ‘hack’?
No matter where you are in London, or the food/vibe you're looking for, Onezone has your back. It’s our favourite app to find out about new restaurant openings, discover restaurants in new areas and share them with friends. Definitely give it a download!
9. If you were going to splurge in London, what would it be on?
Kitchen Table - one of the best fine dining experiences in Europe! They're a husband and wife team with 16-20 courses of the finest 2 Michelin star food!
10. What are your favourite small businesses in London?
Oh there are so many! A few that come to mind include:
Oddbox – We’ve been getting their boxes for three years now and couldn’t live without them! They rescue ‘wonky’ fruits and veggies from farms that would otherwise be thrown out because they don’t fit the standard, and compile a gorgeous box every week which gets delivered to your door.
Food chain – a great platform to access ingredients and produce from local suppliers! While they used to only work with restaurants, they’ve now shifted to working with consumers directly, which has made lockdown a lot more delicious!
EK bakery – makes our favourite brownies in the city! You have to give them a try.
Imad's Syrian Kitchen – What first started as amazing set of supper clubs and pop ups by Imad, a Syrian chef who came to the UK as a refugee, has now turned into a fully-fledged restaurant opening in Kingly Court. We can’t wait for things to go back to normal so they can open their doors to the public!
11. In three words, what makes someone a Londoner?
‘I’ll stay for one’.
Join Sonia and Vishnu in exploring the best food from around the world via their Instagram page, Transatlantic Foodies, here.
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