What’s New

Torono Bakery

Torono Pastry is a new artesian bakery, pastry and dessert shop located at 207 Munster Road. This independent shop bakes all their own pastries and desserts in house daily which means that not only are all their products hand made but also incredibly fresh. Tarek at Torono told Urban Village LDN “we bake with love and only use organic cane sugar. Our customers can watch us making the pastries through the glass wall which looks into our kitchen and we treat everyone as special guests, that is why we have cosy chairs, we want them to feel comfortable and welcome to stay and talk with us. Our barista Katya shares the Tonoro spirit preparing drinks which are all made with organic milk, our coffee beans are medium roasted and come from the famous Minas Gerais in Brazil giving our espresso, lattes and cappuccinos a rich earthy semi sweet taste with very low acidity on the tongue”.

Torono’s range of baked deliciousness includes banana bread, fruity muffins, cookies, coconut Macaroons and savoury croissants. They also bake and sell various kinds of Frangipane (Pear, Cherry, Peach, Apricot, Blueberry), a selection of tarts and cakes including: Strawberry Bavarian, Triple Chocolate Bavarian, Swedish Mazarin cake. They have proper American Brownies with walnuts and chocolate topping and for focaccia lovers, made in store and also used for their sandwiches: Ham and Brie, Smoked Norwegian Salmon and Roasted Veggies with Humus. We had to ask about their signature product called the Torono Ball, Tarek told us "it is the invention of our chef Alaa a biscuit puffy dough with a filling of caramelized Almond”.

Tarek told us how he and Alaa met each other and how Torono came to be “We met a long time ago in Norway, I used to travel there for business and we met at a party and stayed in touch. I always admired Alaa for his pastry craftmanship. After he graduated with Honors and got his Pastry and Baking Art Management diploma from Humber College, Toronto, Canada, he decided to move back to Europe and settle in London. Originally, Alaa was going to drive this new venture alone but I was living in London. I love the way he bakes, the commitment he has toward quality, the joy he has in his eyes when baking, we talked and decided to start the Torono Pastry adventure together. We fell in love with Munster Village, we never feel like we’re at work here, we are enjoying getting to know our local customers, feel part of the community, very lucky to have our little shop and to have received such positive feedback”.

Fulham Pier

Safe to say that most of us know about the building work going on at Fulham FC; if you’re an Alphabet Street resident you can’t have missed the comings and goings on Stevenage Road. But did you know that Craven Cottage is no longer going to be just about football, and that a feedback group has been created so locals can help define the experience. Fulham Pier got in touch with Urban Village LDN as they want locals to get involved and have their say about this leisure destination for the local community to enjoy all year round. The space will include restaurants, events, a gym, cafes, experiences and entertainment.

The team behind this new development want to ensure that the customer experience is shaped by locals so they’ve created Fulham Pier Insiders, “a place for locals to have their say, a direct line to the decision-makers designing Fulham Pier”. Insiders will get first sight of some of the great things happening behind the scenes and exclusive updates, previews and invites. There will be prize draws and the option to get involved in some paid research along the way. We’ve signed up already, the rooftop pool got our attention, and you know we always like to stay in the know and can’t be the only ones pleased to see the river front being opened up and available to all.

West 4th

Last month West 4th, a brunch restaurant and wine bar, inspired by the Canadian West Coast opened it’s doors in Parsons Green. Friends and Fulham locals Livia Boumeester and Louisa Stevenson-Hamilton, are behind this new foodie destination. Having left corporate jobs to move to Vancouver in 2019, they were enamoured by elements of ‘West 4th Avenue’ on the Canadian coast, a renowned destination for socialising and dining, working both front and back of house in the Canadian hospitality industry gave the pair the inspiration to recreate this in London. Sitting on the spot where Tell Your Friends used to be, West 4th has space for 60 covers for morning brunch and evolves into a relaxed wine and charcuterie bar at night.

Louisa Stevenson-Hamilton, co-founder of West 4th told Urban Village LDN "We've both lived in Fulham for years and couldn't imagine starting West 4th anywhere else. We love the area and have received huge local support already which is incredible to see. On our travels, we came to love and recognise Vancouver’s West 4th as a prime hotspot for people of all ages to socialise, whatever time of day and evening. We’re excited to bring something new, while complementing the incredible offerings that Parsons Green already has.”

The Vancouver inspired venue brings unique takes on quintessential Canadian staples, such as a Breakfast Poutine, consisting of cooked poached eggs, fried potatoes, cheese curds, maple bacon lardons, topped with hollandaise sauce. Other brunch favourites and hero dishes include pancake and waffle stacks, with variations such as ‘Campfire S’mores’ and ‘Lockdown-Style Banana Bread’ with maple sauteed bananas, whipped coconut yoghurt and gooey chunks of banana bread. Vegan and vegetarian options are also available, and healthy dishes such as the açai bowl also complement the menu. All dishes are overseen by their head chef and newcomer Joseph Berney. Impressively at the age of 22 Berney has already held roles at prestigious restaurants such as Scott’s and Clipstone, and was previously head pastry chef at Bowley’s at The Plough, in Kent. As well as a place to dine, collaborate and unwind, West 4th’s downstairs space will double up as an event space to hold wine tasting events and is available to hire.

We haven’t been to West 4th for brunch but we did go in to check out the charcuterie boards and wines on offer; undercover of course! Whilst we initially found the wine list prices slightly eye watering we managed to find a delicious and budget friendly Pinot from the Loire Valley which was doable for a mid week catch up. They of course have a nice selection of Canadian wines which we’re told can’t be found in any other London restaurants. We also sampled a meat and cheese platter which featured a selection of farmhouse cheeses and cured meats with crackers, smoked olives, cornichons and an apricot chutney. The meats were so tender and delicious, the chutney exceptional and the platter was well priced and there are GF options! We will definitely be heading back here - it’s a lovely, relaxing place to catch up with friends, not too noisy, a peaceful vibe for a chilled night out where you can actually hear yourselves speak and not have to compete with background music or the noise of a crowded pub. We’re looking forward to trying brunch too!

Supper Club at The KAF Cafe

The KAF café at 188 Wandsworth Bridge Road is launching their ‘Around the World in 80 Toasties’ supper club this November. Celebrating the cuisine of a different country each month, the pre-book only events consist of a welcome cocktail followed by a four course dinner starring a specially created “Well Posh Toastie” for which their renowned.

The first supper club will kick off on 10 + 11 November and celebrate the cuisine of Argentina. Spaces will be limited with communal seating so if this is an issue make sure you let them know when you book. Sounds like such a fun event and we wish sisters / owners Alexandrina & Annabelle every success. No doubt tickets (£35 pp) will sell out fast so best be quick and either pop in to book your spot or contact The KAF Cafe through their website (see below) or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thekaflarder/?hl=en

If you want to read more about this local independent cafe serving great quality batch roasted artisan coffee, awesome toasties and tasty homemade baked goods. You can find our previous feature here https://www.urbanvillageldn.com/whats-new-dec-2020?rq=the%20kaf%20larder