3675 days ago
For tomorrow at the Real Man Pizza Company it is not Halloween but Hop-tu-naa, the Celtic New Year which on October 31st is celebrated all over the Isle of Man but also at the Manx restaurant outpost in Clerkenwell, the Real Man Pizza Company.
Back in the Isle of Man the kids will be going round houses asking for sweets but this is not the American import of trick or treat this is a very Manx Tradition. The kids, some of whom might still carry lanterns made of what the Manx call turnips but what you might call a Swede, knock on your door and sing:
3934 days ago
Once again the call came in:
“Can you do a delivery for my boyfriend at 12.30 on 14th February?”
Aha – I remember you from last year!
Yes the perfect girlfriend has called again. What more could a man want than for his partner to send him a 12-inch seafood pizza with a bottle of chilled Argentinian lager pinched from our new tapas bar Maribelle’s for his Valentine’s Day lunch?
The perfect present from a girlfriend who knows how to please!
3939 days ago
I was sitting in Real Man Pizza Company in Clerkenwell on Friday night before we enjoyed a mid-late evening rush. It really was great seeing nearly every table occupied and Maribelle and her staff coping with it all superbly. But I digress…before the rush.
I was tapping away at a spreadsheet and two ladies were finishing their meal at the next door table. “Are you the owner?” said one. Not sure what she was about to say, I said that I was. You have changed all the staff since I came here two years ago, have you not? Oh no, I feared she was a pal of one of the old codgers we used to employ. Once again: “yes” said I.
“Congratulations" she said and then added that the food was much better than two years ago, the atmosphere, décor, menu had been transformed and that it now looked like a sharp, cleanly designed, great restaurant. And she thought that Maribelle’s downstairs looked amazing. “Cripes, what’s the but…” I wondered.
The lady said she had to tell me because she was herself a restaurant manager, had been in the trade for 21 years, and she knew what hard work it must have been and she just wanted to say how impressed she was. What a nice lady.
And so I am sure that if you cannot make it into Clerkenwell but can get only as far as Highbury, you would have a wonderful experience at Il Bacio at 178-184 Blackstock Road, N5 1HA. Its manageress is clearly someone of taste and charm and I cannot believe would put a foot wrong.
3953 days ago
You know I have a hard life. Deciding which 14 bottles of beer to drink is the sort of chore that I have to suffer. I can sense the waves of pity heading my way. Actually it was not quite as it seems.
The countdown to the launch of our new Spanish themed wine bar Maribelle’s is accelerating. We go live on Monday February 3rd at 91-95 Clerkenwell Road. Fear not, Real Man Pizza is not closing – it thrives with its new menu as the quirkiest Italian restaurant in town. It is just that we are opening up our unused basement as Maribelle’s. And so last week I worked hard on:
Hiring a new waitress. The first girl to walk in was Ana from Spain. What can I say? Her CV was perfect, she wants to be a journalist but she could be a model. She had the job in 30 seconds. No messing about there. An easy executive decision.
Then the wines – 25 Spanish wines, white, red, rose, Cava. I love a white Rioja. That was fun. Eight Sherries as well. I know I kind of associate sherry with our grandparents, with what my philosophy tutor at Oxford Dr Malpas used to pour before a tutorial or with the 1970s. But white Sherries, chilled, can be fantastic and we have a cracking selection on offer.
Then to the “Spanish speaking beers”. This is a bit of a cheat. Of the 14 one is a Spanish cider. And seven come from Spain. The rest are from Argentina, Peru, and Mexico and – as a real cheat since they speak Portuguese there – one is from Brazil. I dithered about the Argie lager but it is just so good.
Then the real treat – the tapas menu. A few heated discussions with Maribelle herself (our chief waitress from Spain who has two degrees in economics and takes her clothes off to campaign for world peace) ensued. But we have agreement now and this week the cooks will be practising hard to get everything just right.
The sign makers are commissioned and new signage goes up this week while the electricians and carpenters are in over this weekend. This afternoon Darren and I will finalise the artwork (some debate over a brass model of a woman’s bottom is still to be concluded – I vote yes, Darren and his Mrs are dithering) and the furniture. And then down to the marketing literature featuring Ana.
All of the team at Real Man is very excited about this new venture. Fingers crossed. I hope to see many blog readers popping into Maribelle’s from the third. Hint: Ana works Tuesday to Thursday.
3964 days ago
Serial entrepreneur David Lenigas is a busy man running a stack of AIM listed companies but he is also a bit of a gourmet (should that be gourmand) and has suggested a new recipe for our Real Man Pizza company restaurant in Clerkenwell. And so as Real Man launches its enhanced new 2014 menu today…
We bring you three additional pizza recipes including “David’s Thai Prawn Pizza” – king prawns, satay sauce, julienne carrots, fresh coriander, green onion and peanuts on a thing crispy pizza base. There are two other new pizzas, a smoked salmon pasta dish, three new salads and three new pudding options including Reda’s Chocolate Mousse cake which is heavenly.
Roll up, roll up at 91-95 Clerkenwell Road, EC1R 5BX from 12.30 today for a Real Man (or Woman) gourmet experience.
You can see the full starter and main course menu here. [PDF]
You can see the full pudding menu here. [PDF]
3974 days ago
Our two week holiday is almost over – and we all needed it after a hectic November & December. Real Man Pizza Company opens its doors in Clerkenwell once again from 12 Noon on Monday 6th. We wish all of our customers past, present and future a Happy New Year.
The kitchens have been humming in preparation since Friday and we are ready to go for Monday for our quirky Celtic Italian cuisine.
It should be an interesting January as we prepare to launch a new 2014 Menu mid-month and in February…watch this space.
We look forward to seeing old friends and new from Monday.
3988 days ago
Your favourite Celtic Italian restaurant goes on a two week break as of 11 PM tonight! Whey hey it is holiday time! And to celebrate this – and to clear any surplus food hanging around in the larder – for today only ALL pizzas and all pasta dishes are priced at just £5 each. At the Real Man Pizza Company in Clerkenwell.
Including our world famous chocolate pizza.
We hope to see you at 91-95 Clerkenwell Road, London EC2R 5 BX at some stage today.
4036 days ago
I think moustaches look ridiculous. I have thus never grown one but here goes as I embrace Movember 2013.
The Mrs has a very good friend Dan who works there and I follow his lead. One should try everything once except incest & folk dancing (actually I have done a bit of folk dancing) and Movember is a good cause and so I shall grow a moustache just this once, this month.
If you care to sponsor me you can do so here
Moreover to support others who are doing the same for the month of November we will offer a 20% discount to any customer of Real Man Pizza in Clerkenwell, who is also taking part in Movember. Real Man would like to support Real Men.
So if you are in the Clerkenwell area and fancy taking some quirky Celtic Italian food and drink and would like to take up this offer we’d love to see you. More details can be found at http://www.therealmanpizzacompany.com/blog/
4040 days ago
Have a piece of Soddag Valloo on Hop-Tu-Naa before going to bed. Eat in silence (hence the English name dumb cake). Have a sip of water. Walk backwards to bed and you will dream of the person you will marry. Sounds great. But there is a drawback.
Soddag Valloo is made from eggs (yolk, white and the shells very finely crushed), salt, flour and er…a sprinkling of soot. Yes, it does not taste great.
However, Reda and I have made some anyway. We are are not going to charge for this but anyone ordering the Hop-Tu-Naa special menu will be offered a small piece on the house anyway. We will not be offended by refusal but we make the offer.The Hop-tu-naa menu goes live from noon Wednesday and lasts until closing time on Hop-Tu-Naa itself (Thursday 31st)
The full menu can be found here.
4040 days ago
Just for Hop-tu-Naa we are tweaking our normal Manx chocolate pizza. Instead of milk chocolate we have a darker thicker chocolate with a seasonal fruit topping. Naturally it tastes awesome.
Leno will be serving both today and on Hop-tu-naa itself (Thursday)
It is one of two dessert course on offer ( the other being Reda’s chocolate mousse cake) on our special Hop-tu-naa menu running at Clerkenwell’s No 1 Celtic Italian restaurant all day Wednesday and Thursday.
The full menu can be found here.
4040 days ago
That is win for ace superchef Leno a special pizza for Hop-tu-naa with a real Manx twist. Naturally that means you get a good helping of the national dish Queenies (scallops) plus generous amounts of Manx crab.
The base is fresh spinach and for a surf and turf feel there is a dash of Parma ham. All on a traditional cheese and tomato pizza base.
It is the main course on our special Hop-tu-naa menu running at Clerkenwell’s No 1 Celtic Italian restaurant all day Wednesday and Thursday.
The full menu can be found here
4041 days ago
That is win for Reda and myself. We tweaked a traditional recipe and have deliver a gently curried creamy crab and swede soup.
It looks fabulous and even ace Number One new cook Leno admitted that it was a triumph. If you are the sort of vegetarian who eats fish it should work for you – it tastes fantastic. What more can I say.
It is the first course on our special Hop-tu-naa menu running at Clerkenwell’s No 1 Celtic Italian restaurant all day Wednesday and Thursday.
The full Hop-tu-naa menu is almost ready and you can view what is on offer here.
4041 days ago
Taking a brief break from the kitchen where the Manx crab and turnip creamed soup is taking shape and before Reda and I turn our attention to Soddag Valloo (dumb cake) there are a few minutes to raise the Isle of Man flag inside Real Man Pizza in Clerkenwell.
Hop-tu-naa may be the Celtic New Year but it is a uniquely isle of man celebration. And so the flag goes up.
As of tomorrow it will be joined by a few other items. If you are Manx and in London on Wednesday & Thursday and wish to celebrate with us remember that we offer a 20% discount to any customer paying their bill in Manx bank notes.
The full Hop-tu-naa menu is almost ready and you can view what is on offer here.
4041 days ago
Jinnie the Witch and her assistants (ace cooks Reda and Leno) have carved the turnips (Swedes in England) and the lantern army starts to take shape. As of tomorrow it will start to take control of Real Man in the build up to Hop-tu-Naa on Thursday.
But our Hop-tu-Naa menu goes live as of Wednesday 30th for just two days as you can see here
Now to the kitchen to make the Manx crab and swede creamed soup with Reda.
4041 days ago
Hop-tu-Naa (the Isle of Man alternative to Halloween – it is the Celtic New Year) is on Thursday but we will start celebrating at Real Man Pizza, the quirky Manx Italian outpost in Clerkenwell, tomorrow (Wednesday). And so preparations are underway all of tonight.
First up are the turnips (what we might call Swedes in England) which the staff are now carving. As you can see Jinnie the Witch has turned up to assist Leno and Reda our ace cooks.
And so we now have our lanterns. More importantly we also have pounds of swede which Reda and I will start turning into a creamy Manx crab and swede soup which forms part of our Hop-tu-naa special menu available on both Wednesday and Thursday.
The full Menu can be found here.
More to follow...
4052 days ago
I guess there will not be much writing from me after noon today as we no have 72 seats booked for lunch.
Just to flag to our regular customers that we have 54 ( no now make that 72) seats booked as of now for lunchtime today. But one large party is seated downstairs and eating early so there are still tables going. Clearly word of the fantastic new head chef Leno is spreading.
If you want to reserve your seat at Clerkenwell’s quirkiest Celtic Italian restaurant you can call us at any time on 0207 242 3246 – making an advanced booking for Fridays and Thursdays is a prudent thing to do.
As of now we can probably fit in a couple of tables before 1.15 and from 1.30 we will have nother 20 seats free.
4061 days ago
Life is one long bizarre acid trip. I return to London and our quirky Celtic Italian restaurant in Clerkenwell enjoys its best Wednesday in history. I am sitting here listening to Despina Vandi having just sent colourful James off to bed and am now reflecting on my new role as an Islamic spiritual mentor.
4072 days ago
This email arrived this afternoon. Can it really be from disgraced ex Sefton boss, the liar and crook JOim Ellerton? The way Sefton emails appear everywhere you just don't know.
From: [email protected]
Date: 28 September 2013 09:47:57 BST
To: [email protected]
Subject: Email from website
Reply-To: [email protected]
Form details below.
Name: Jim Ellerton
Number of people: four directors
Email: [email protected]
Telephone:
Comments: Can we have your old chip fat/oil to mix in with our Tapia oil?
Ends...
Heck, I am always keen to help Sefton boost its production numbers but we don't serve chips at Clerkenwell's finest quirkiest Celtic Italian restaurant, The Real Man Pizza Company.
4079 days ago
It is a new term and we have just had a call asking if Clerkenwell’s finest quirky Celtic Italian restaurant is still running its special student offer. You bet it is.
For any fresher coming to London this week who may not know it is simple. Just show us your student card and a 12 inch pizza (eat in only not take-away) costs just £3. So does a pint of Curious extra strong beer. So too a glad of house wine. A litre of wine is- for you only – just £10.
Monday to Saturday the offer is open all well. See you in Clerkenwell soon.
Dull details are here
PS And yes that includes the chocolate pizza!
4084 days ago
Yes it is time to think about Christmas already. We have just had our first big booking – the whole place will be closed for a private party from 3PM on 18th December (until very late). Do you want a private party here? We can offer either the run of restaurant or our basement room, with its own music system and bar.
We have also published our 2013 Christmas menu – in fact two of them if you want to book a Christmas meal at Real Man, the quirkiest Celtic Italian restaurant in Clerkenwell. Whether it is for 1 for 60 we would be happy to oblige.
You can access the Christmas menus here.
We will stay open this year until Saturday 21st December and will re-open on 6th January. So all the time up to and including 21st December we are open for festive bookings.
If you want to discuss bookings feel free to pop in at any time or call us on 020 7242 3246.
Maribel, Darren & Tom
4084 days ago
Maybe it is the name that attracts them? I do not know. But it certainly adds to the joy of working here. First we met up with Pauline Amos, the naked artist as you may remember from this video article here. And now it is senior waitress Maribel who is getting her kit off.
Fear not, it is all in the name of world peace. All 77 pictures of her in the altogether. I kid you not. On her Facebook site (which not surprisingly has almost 4,000 followers) Maribel explains:
To my parents: Father, Mother, you are not going to like this, but it is what I must do.
To my friends: You know me, so you will understand.
The rest of the world: I do this because I must use what power I possess to act out against war and barbarism.
I expose myself to reconcile my body and my soul.
I use my body because all I came into this world with, and all I will go out with, are my body and my soul.
I use my body because I am a woman, and women are the most used, humiliated, the weakest and the strongest of humanity.
We bear the children they send to war, to kill and die.
We are still the temptations, the objects of desire—Eve, the Original sinner—from the East to the West.
I use my body because, at this stage of "civilization", nothing is more revolutionary than to show us as we are—people, human beings, a majority of humanity, who want to live in peace.
Only the sick of soul want war.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND, I FORBID the use of these images for profit—not even for me or on my behalf.
I encourage everyone to take the same action, but if your modesty prevents you, use my images.
Paste them on Facebook, distribute them by email and post, or print them, until there is not a corner of the Earth that does not know that the majority of humanity calls for Peace.
I am of course really into peace & love and all of that stuff but shall pass on taking the same action myself.
The facebook page is shown below.
If you’d like to discuss World Peace or to see more of Maribel, just pop along to our quirky Italian restaurant Real Man Pizza Company in Clerkenwell at any time – perhaps this Wednesday for Ken Scott’s gig?
4101 days ago
Perhaps they were all psychic and sensed pending news but Clerkenwell's finest celtic Italian restaurant Real Man Pizza was a buzz all day yesterday. First up was blog reader Gareth to whom I promised a Piss off Argentina T-shirt in a caption contest a while ago. We will not go into details as to how much of a while. Gareth was in town, popped in for lunch and was – as you can see – presented with his shirt by myself (wearing my Sod off Spain T-shirt which is getting stacks of positive comments). You can buy both shirts only HERE
4129 days ago
It was late in the evening at Real Man Pizza in Clerkenwell and another hectic day at our quirky Celtic Italian restaurant was drawing to a close when this couple wandered in. They ordered and then asked if they could sit outside. Sure – no problem. And then the bloke asked for an ashtray!
How very European. When the smoking ban came in we, like all bars and restaurants, got rid of our ashtrays. Keeping hold of them would in today’s puritan climate be like stashing hard corn porn behind the counter. I may be a smoker but I have to accept that I am a filthy, disgusting human being guilty of the greatest crime on this planet.
And so when folks smoke outside Real Man they just drop the butts on the pavement. Camden Council pisses away thousands of quid a week sending round vans with posters saying that if you drop a butt on the street you can get fined £80 or whatever but that is what folks do. Because in Aitstrip One ashtrays are just another relic of the 20th century.
4138 days ago
In 40 minutes time I head off from chez Spiros. By 2 PM I shall be back in The Corner of Clerkenwell which is home to naked artist Pauline Amos, Real Man Pizza Company, colourful James and so much else. I do not want to leave Greece but if I have to go somewhere there are far worse places to go.
See you all at the quirkiest celtic Italian restaurant in London, Real Man Pizza, as of mid-afternoon
4154 days ago
And now for something completely different at Real Man Pizza Company, our quirky Celtic Italian restaurant in Clerkenwell. Naturally we still sell Coca Cola and both English and Italian lemonade. But now we add to the list a premium cola and lemonade - it tastes very different and is from hip Dalston in Hackney. We are always keen to support small independent producers so Real Man is delighted to add both Dalston Cola and Dalston lemonade to the menu.
xxxxx
4162 days ago
It is two days since Friday but I am still irked by a total bitch who came into Real Man Pizza Company that lunchtime. Our Clerkenwell quirky Celtic Italian restaurant was packed out, having to seat some folks in the basement so busy was the session, and she came in with six very charming colleagues one of whom had been in earlier that week when we had had a long chat about this that and the other. I ensured they had the best table we have.
Noting that we were flat out, the other six ordered drinks quickly but she just said “You are Bob” to me. Er…no I am Tom. “Oh I was told you were called Bob”. Her colleagues shook their heads. Eventually she asked for tap water after all her colleagues had been served. Her intent was not to make life easy.
This lady wanted the set menu. But would you mind not doing penne arrabiata with chicken but spaghetti arrabiata with chicken? I guess the concept of set menus is a just a bit above some folks but, since I rather like her colleague who was in earlier in the week, I assented.
4166 days ago
It tastes even better than it looks. The first customer to try this moist mixture of white and milk chocolate said it was “gorgeous”. It is. Perhaps it is not an ideal part of a calorie controlled diet but it’s summer, it’s time to treat yourself.
It is not on the menu as super head chef Reda served it up as a new creation just today. But you can ask for it, at any time at Real Man Pizza, our quirky Celtic Italian restaurant in Clerkenwell.
4172 days ago
4175 days ago
Pizza, pasta, soup, ice cream, Nigel’s American cheesecake – whatever you fancy – the menu for our two courses for £9.95 is a long one. And all the food is produced in our own kitchens from fresh produce (apart from the sixteen flavours of ice cream which comes from a local supplier). The two course for £9.95 runs all day Monday through to Wednesday at Real Man Pizza Company, the coolest and quirkiest Celtic Italian restaurant in Clerkenwell if not London. Actually are there any other Celtic Italian restaurants in London? We think not. Pictured below is a pizza not on the menu but which a customer asked for and which we tried and it is delicious. We always take requests however odd. This one is a Margherita with ricotta cheese. It is really good, honest!
4175 days ago
4177 days ago
Saturday is always our quietest day at Real Man Pizza, our Celtic Italian restaurant in Clerkenwell. Folks come in throughout the day but it is rarely hectic. As it happens, despite the rain, it is far busier than usual today but still there is time for me to amble down the street to replenish my supplies of (legit) tobacco. Generally Saturday is a catch up on writing day.
As I ambled down the road wondering how I was to conclude my (poisonous) Conviction sell of the month for Spreadbet Magazine I heard a loud female voice saying “hello Tom.” Rather startled and not used to strange women greeting me as I ambled, looking a tad “casual” down the road I turned around as blond woman, stuck out her hand “Emma Kane, glad to meet you.”
Emma, is a local resident but has so far declined my offer to pop into Real Man perhaps aware that regular customers include Lucian Miers and Aubrey Brocklebank. For Emma is the head PR bird at Redleaf Polhill, employer of foxy Bex, and indeed stepped into the void when Bex was on hols to look after Cupid. Emma is intelligent which among PR birds is a novelty but is she also psychic? Is she aware of what my sell of the month is?
Foxy Emma has promised to hook up at Real Man soon. I quickly scuttled back to finish my article on…..
4178 days ago
At The Real Man Pizza Company, we are picky about our food. For example, our pasta and pizza dough is handmade every day by our chefs and we buy our absolutely amazing ice cream from a local creamery.
Today, it's our coffee. We have switched to Clerkenwell roaster Workshop Coffee, who source and roast their beans just down the street from us. Drop by and taste the difference at Clerkenwell's quirkiest Celtic Italian restaurant.
4180 days ago
We like it when our customers are happy. And the verdict has been: people love our two courses for £9.95 meal. So we have made it an official Monday to Wednesday special at Real Man Pizza Company in Clerkenwell.
That's a 12" personal pizza or homemade pasta plus a starter or dessert. (We have a special menu for this that makes it easy to choose.). Yesterday saw our busiest Tuesday in memory on the back of this and so now it is an every day offer: Monday to Wednesday at Clerkenwell's top Italian restaurant.
4185 days ago
Well there’s fame for you….a helpful comment on the Mumsnet comments board from a mother who enjoyed our free food for children offer (especially the 16 ice creams) last Saturday. Well thank you&hellip
It was not just a one off… every Saturday here in Clerkenwell you can get a free, high quality fresh food (and ice cream if you want) for your children here in Clerkenwell.
What can your children devour? There is a wide choice. Check out our Pirates menu here.
Yes it includes, pizza, pasta and our 16 flavours of ice cream and more besides.
All day Saturday children can choose two courses from the menu and their food is absolutely free. The only condition is that you need to have the odd adult present and ordering a main course (at least) – the adult menu is far longer.
For every adult enjoying a main course, up to 1.5 children can eat free. We are not expecting anyone to saw a child in half. That just means that two adults can bring three children to eat for free.
The offer runs all day Saturday at Real Man Pizza in the heart of Clerkenwell.
Pictured below is a dish called linguine Manx – spaghetti, crab meat, Queenies (scallops from the Isle of Man), parsley with a hint of chilli and garlic in a creamy tomato sauce. Yummy yummy.
(The picture at top is from our previous blog post: What flavour ice cream is it? Pink!)
4187 days ago
Maybe we'll change the name to the Real Man Veal Company, because that's what our lunch crowd is ordering. Veal Escalope is veal grilled in breadcrumbs with spaghetti and it's only £9.95 today at the Real Man Pizza Company - the hippest Celtic Italian restaurant in Clerkenwell.
4189 days ago
The Veal Escalope in breadcrumbs with spaghetti was such a hit last week, we've brought it back. It‘s £9.95 today at the Real Man Pizza Company - the hippest Celtic Italian restaurant in Clerkenwell.
4191 days ago
Fancy free high quality fresh food for your children?
Pop along to Real Man Pizza any Saturday and your wish is granted – children eat for free. Yes it’s true. Check out our Pirates menu here.
Yes it includes, pizza, pasta and our 16 flavours of ice cream and more besides.
All day Saturday children can choose two courses from the menu and their food is absolutely free. The only condition is that you need to have the odd adult present and ordering a main course (at least)
For every adult enjoying a main course, up to 1.5 children can eat free. We are not expecting anyone to saw a child in half. That just means that two adults can bring three children to eat for free.
The offer runs all day Saturday at Real man Pizza in the heart of Clerkenwell.
4200 days ago
It tastes even better than it looks and it is today's £9.95 special at Real Man Pizza in Clerkenwell. You see we do so much more than just 20 thin crust pizzas at our little Celtic Italian restaurant.
4201 days ago
Can’t speak Italian? Aha. Well that would be spaghetti and clams in English. It is a traditional Italian recipe with the fresh clams cooked gently in their shells in a white wine, garlic and parsley sauce until they open and then mixed in with the sauce included in the spaghetti.
It is not on our menu yet but it is available as today’s special at Real Man Pizza in Clerkenwell and can be ordered every day as of now once you are addicted.
Why add it to the menu? James asked us to. He’s a local resident and a hugely entertaining man. For you James…your wish is our command.
4207 days ago
Summer seems to be here at last and so the tables go outside. Clerkenwell Road may not be the prettiest in London but if you fancy a pint of draught Curious ale or a bottle of chilled Orvieto and a cigarette in the sun the tables are now out.
Or perhaps you fancy eating at an Italian restaurant outside. Dominque has set it all up for you at Real Man as you can see below.
4220 days ago
Introducing to you our head cook at Real Man Pizza Company, Fabio who is actually Italian - something of a novelty here. Trained as a chef in Italy, Fabio and his girlfriend moved to London for understandable economic reasons and to improve his English. The latter is work in progress. His cooking talents are not in doubt and he and manager Dominique are dreaming up an additional dish to launch on you after the Bank Holiday.
Talking of the Bank Holiday and the long weekend ahead remember, if you are wondering what to do after work tonight, that if you pitch up at Real Man after 5.30 in a group of six our extra strong Curious beer is just £3.95 a pint, we offer a quality bottle of wine at just £14 and there is free garlic bread ( with or without cheese) for your party.
Dominique, Julia and the team hope to see you later at 91-95 Clerkenwell Road.
4234 days ago
The cook is off sick at Real Man Pizza Company, my quirky Celtic Italian restaurant in Clerkenwell. As luck should have it I am in town and as luck should have it we enjoyed our busiest Friday lunchtime in living memory. At 3 PM I emerged from the kitchen a sweaty wreck, cursing poor Fabio for being ill on this day of all days. And then I saw a long, long line of red buses parked outside.
I wandered out. The road was taped off. I asked what was up. It seems that a cyclist was killed at the junction just up the road. It rather puts my temporary issues into perspective.
4251 days ago
I am in trouble. I am now six columns in arrears with 24n.biz the online magazine for SMEs. And so for the next 24 hours I shall be writing little else than articles with tips for small businesses. Enough is enough, it is SME time and so here is my second offering.
I can tell you that my restaurant in Clerkenwell is brilliant until I am blue in the face. As it happens the Real Man Pizza Company is brilliant but to quote Christine Keeler (or was it Mandy Rice-Davies) “he would say that wouldn’t he?” Yes of course I would. But if my customers start to say how much they like dining with us, which of course they do, then maybe you might just perk up and pay attention. Your existing customers should be your number one advertising resource. If they do keep coming back that is proof that they like you.
4258 days ago
If you happen to work near Clerkenwell we have a new offer for you and it all came out of a late night chinwag with some of our customers over a glass or two of Manx Spirit...
Chatting to a delightful group from our neighbours at Metapack (The UK’s leading supplier of delivery management platforms for e-commerce) Aldo and I have come up with a new idea for those working at Metapack or indeed any of the other offices around us.
Fancy a drink or seven after work? Well why not pop into Real Man, your local Italian restaurant?. Come along any day of the week after five in a group of six or more and we will serve you our wine of the month at just £14 a bottle and a pint of the awarding winning Curious beer we stock either as a light or dark ale for just £3.95 a pint.
And we will send two helpings of garlic bread (with or without cheese) direct to your table as a welcome gift.
Every day of the working week, the offer stands. In winter Real Man is warm. In summer we open the windows and it is light and breezy. So if you fancy a few after works drinks with colleagues just pop in. We look forward to seeing you at Real Man.
Can’t say fairer than that. Especially as Aldo does make very good garlic bread with cheese.
Full details can be found HERE
4285 days ago
You thought that this was my only blog? Noooooooh. I have started another one. Usually it is just one post a day but I hope to do more – it is my Real Man Blog! Today’s article is below – I tend to use photos for this blog and and am working on trying to get some video content in. The subject is normally food or drink – there are no wild political rants on this blog – that stays here.
What appears below is today’s entry – you can find the whole blog here.
What is Linguine Manx?
It is a recipe pretty much unique to Real Man Pizza Company – it was created by head waiter Aldo (who is actually a trained chef and a great cook) and by owner Tom Winnifrith and it tastes amazing. If you are in Clerkenwell you have to pop in and try it at our quirky Celtic Italian Restaurant..
Linguine – it is a bit like spaghetti but just a tad thicker. The Manx side? The dish contains Queenies, scallops from the Isle of Man. The Queenies are accompanies by crab meat, and also chilli, garlic, lashings of freshly chopped parsley and a backing of our tomato sauce. There is also a dash of Manx vodka just before the tomato goes in.. And then there is a bit more parsley added on top once the linguine is folded into its dressing. Salivating yet? You should be.
And hey presto a Manx Linguine as you can see below.
One of our lunch guests very wisely went for the Linguine Manx yesterday. His co-diner opted for Penne Carbonara ( penne folded into cream based sauce with bacon and freshly chopped mushrooms – once again freshly chopped parsley on top). The two dishes stand side by side below.
Suggested Italian wine for this combination: Tosca Bianco Villa Lucia, described as a fresh and vibrant white wine, medium bodied with aromas of orchard fruit and peaches and zesty lemon on the palate. Or perhaps if you want something a bit special a Riva Leone Gavi ( a delicate white with intense fruity and lemony notes)?
We do not just do pizza at Real Man but as with our pizzas, our pasta dishes use all fresh ingredients and combine the traditional with our own specially created and unique dishes.
4290 days ago
Another one of my occassional articles for 24n.biz on tips for SMEs or small businesses.
The restaurant I took control of six months ago hit that magical point last week. Hooray! It is no secret that the Real Man Pizza Company, which I bought in September, was historically a consistent and heavy loss maker. But we have done the basic things that others neglected to do: cut overheads, squeezed suppliers, adjusted prices that hadn’t changed since Harold Wilson was Prime Minister, upgraded, tweaked and improved the product offering. It was not rocket science. And it has worked. For a couple of months it has been making an operating profit. Last week it made a small profit including the central cost (me). So what next? It is the point any start up or turnaround business purchase dreams of hitting, but what next?
4293 days ago
This article is from 24n.biz where I write occassional pieces on small business (SME) tips. Out today…
It was promised long ago but like all IT projects there were delays but finally at my small business our new website is live. Check it out HERE – heck I have done one of the “to dos” already. More on that later. So have we achieved our goals?
Well I think so. There is some debate still about our introductory image – the Celtic Sea God Manannan Mac Lir. I think it arouses interest and will draw more folks in to discover more about our Celtic Italian restaurant in Clerkenwell. My business partner Nigel reckons that it will scare the kids away. We shall see. But my 6 point check list of primary objectives have all been achieved. Look at your website and ask:
