Table For Two

The Dead Hippy

  With a name like Bone Daddies, You would not be wrong to conjure up ideas of slow baked ribs served on a wooden slab, dripping with BBQ sauce. however, if that’s what you were after, you will be disappointed. This is not a Ribhouse. This is Ramen bar. And a bloody good one at that, situated in the heart of Soho.

With high stools and tables, this is not somewhere for a formal dinner but rather for a quick bite, or even a blind date. As herein lies a relaxed and closed atmosphere with a succinct food menu, (perfect for those who can't make up their mind). It compromises of fundamental Japanese starters (edame peas anyone?), and an even more easy choice of ramen noodles (choose one from the menu, take out what you don’t want, put in what you do. Easy maths), but its a pleasure to know that the drinks menu is a tad more complex. A range of beers, from Asahi to Redchurch Blonde, there is also a choice of cold or hot sake, a selection of red or white wines, and an array of cocktails to get your taste buds wagging. Long day in the office? A shot of whiskey can be drummed up in an instant. Designated driver? They even have a selection of soft drinks, and ice teas for you. If you come away from the menu questioning whether this is a drinks or ramen bar, you will not be alone, I know I did....

Pizza and wine is one of the many loved food duos... yet when my vino is served in a glass tumbler, i forgot it had alcoholic content and started to down it like apple juice. Bad mistake. However, it further compliments the comfortable friendliness of the decor and atmosphere at Franco Manca. 

Upon entry to the arcade (residing in the heart of  Brixton), you will be forgiven if you are unsure where to stand and wait for a table. There aren't many restaurants or food places where a public walkway runs through the middle, but this you are in a market, so all can be forgiven. The menu itself is far from extensive (pizza, pizza or pizza?) , so as a first time attendee, there isn't too much going on for you to feel indecisive, but it's just enough to feel that you do have some choice on what to top it with.

But hey, Just choose something.. anything, because you can't go wrong. The fact of the matter is, the toppings aren't the main star. They are just tasteful accompaniments to the beauty of the sourdough base. There aren't enough words that i can brings justice to the soft and warm taste of the sourdough crust. Whether you are crust lover or hater, there will be nothing left on your plate once you've finished with the slices of deliciousness. And I tell you now, if you are a Pizza-head, you haven't done your taste-buds justice until you allow them to dine at Franco. 

To try and get a seat at this popular establishment, be prepared to wait. Luckily arriving around 6pm, means I got a seat (a lovely a wooden bench for two) right away. But it is not unusual to be stood behind at least 20 others to get a seat, as the line fills up so quickly. Sadly, it wouldn't be such a hungry wait if you weren't overcome by the pizza aromas that lingers in the air, and also the sight of stone-baked pizzas being devoured around you. Sorry.  

Verdict: