Le Querce - the local restaurant that's so understated, it's practically a speakeasy - has been listed in The Times today as one of the top 20 secret foodie restaurants. They say:
Some of the finest Italian food in the UK is to be found in a slightly outwardly shabby high-street restaurant on Brockley Rise in southeast London. The view of the MOT centre opposite might not be the best but the atmosphere is buzzy, warm and friendly. The pasta is home-made by the chef and owner, Antonello Serra, who has cooked at Michelin-starred restaurants in Sardinia and Bayswater in West London.
The menu is divided in the traditional Italian way — antipasti, pasta, primi, secondi, dessert. The pizzas are thin, crispy and with basic toppings — “speck and rocket”, blue cheese or simply salami; the secondi courses are similarly simple — lamb cutlets on a vegetable bed, for example, or the pasta: Bufala ricotta ravioli with butter and sage. The pudding is home-made ice cream in exciting flavours — chilli chocolate, or banana with cardamom and ginger. This place really is a diamond in the rough.
With thanks to Nuno.
Babur wins another curry gong
We're very late with this news, partly because we've been busy, but partly because Babur winning a "best Indian restaurant" award is becoming routine. This time, it's won top honours in the Curry Capital of Britain Award 2013.
The News Shopper has the story on the Brockley Rise restaurant's triumph.
The News Shopper has the story on the Brockley Rise restaurant's triumph.
Open Mic Night, August 17th
John writes:
This night will raise money for a charity called International Service who run a wide range of projects all over the world. From this September I will be working on one of their projects in Burkina Fas and I have been asked to raise £800 for the charity.
The night itself should be some good lighthearted fun and it's all for a good cause. The more creative people we get down there, the better the night will be and the more money we'll raise for the charity basically. Facebook page here.
Brockley Rise Adult Education
The Brockley Rise Adult Education Centre opens for enrolment on Saturday, 6 July, between 9am–2pm for courses starting from September 2013.
The centre offers a wide range of courses (BC can recommend the pottery course) and you can view the full list here.
The centre offers a wide range of courses (BC can recommend the pottery course) and you can view the full list here.
Brockley Rise built on ancient Indian burial ground
A History of Brockley - Part 4: Evolution becomes revolution
This is the fourth part of Darrell Spurgeon's history of Brockley (click on the History tag for the series).
Brockley Rise
South of Crofton Park, Brockley Road ends and becomes Brockley Rise. The northernmost part of Brockley Rise remained largely rural, even though Brockley Farm had closed in 1870, until the opening of Honor Oak Park Station, on the road called Honor Oak Park, in 1886; even then, development was slow, and much of the area was not built over until the interwar period.
The southernmost part, leading down to the South Circular Road, is more interesting; here development had started in the 1850s, and the area to the east of Brockley Rise was very different from and much grander than the area to the west.
Dominant in the western area is St Saviour’s Church, originally built 1866 but now predominantly of 1952; its exterior may be depressing, but the interior is quite delightful. To its south from the early 1850s was a planned development called West Kent Park. This area now looks very different - few of the original buildings survive, and apart from the postwar Ewart Estate, the environment is not very pleasant.
The eastern area was laid out from 1853 by the Conservative Land Society on the slope leading up to Blythe Hill Fields, with its wonderful views. The area is centred on Brockley Hill Park, now a private woodland enclave between Duncombe Hill and Lowther Hill. The roads in the area still retain a number of mid to late 19th century houses. Brockley Park is of special interest, with some later attractions – from the Edwardian period St William of York Church, and from the postwar period the first of the Lewisham social self-build schemes, as well as the well planned Brockley Park Estate.
Brockley Rise ends at Stanstead Road, part of the South Circular Road, and here one is clearly in Forest Hill.
Brockley Rise
South of Crofton Park, Brockley Road ends and becomes Brockley Rise. The northernmost part of Brockley Rise remained largely rural, even though Brockley Farm had closed in 1870, until the opening of Honor Oak Park Station, on the road called Honor Oak Park, in 1886; even then, development was slow, and much of the area was not built over until the interwar period.
The southernmost part, leading down to the South Circular Road, is more interesting; here development had started in the 1850s, and the area to the east of Brockley Rise was very different from and much grander than the area to the west.
Dominant in the western area is St Saviour’s Church, originally built 1866 but now predominantly of 1952; its exterior may be depressing, but the interior is quite delightful. To its south from the early 1850s was a planned development called West Kent Park. This area now looks very different - few of the original buildings survive, and apart from the postwar Ewart Estate, the environment is not very pleasant.
The eastern area was laid out from 1853 by the Conservative Land Society on the slope leading up to Blythe Hill Fields, with its wonderful views. The area is centred on Brockley Hill Park, now a private woodland enclave between Duncombe Hill and Lowther Hill. The roads in the area still retain a number of mid to late 19th century houses. Brockley Park is of special interest, with some later attractions – from the Edwardian period St William of York Church, and from the postwar period the first of the Lewisham social self-build schemes, as well as the well planned Brockley Park Estate.
Brockley Rise ends at Stanstead Road, part of the South Circular Road, and here one is clearly in Forest Hill.
