What Do Residents' Association Meetings Talk About in Shepherd's Bush?

Dim Sum comes to The Bush at the new Dorsett Regency Hotel

Last week we had a long-overdue meeting of the Macfarlane Road and Hopgood St Residents' Association in our corner of Shepherd's Bush. Residents' meetings are not generally an exciting night out and many of the concerns expressed by our friends and neighbours revolve around the usual local worries about public nuisance, parking problems, petty crime and anti-social behaviour. 

We contact the Council and the Police and try to get things improved - it's far from glamorous stuff.  But what do our local residents really get excited about here in the Bush?  When does the conversation get seriously animated? Well, it's all about...

...the food, obviously.  Shepherd's Bush abounds in restaurants. Ethnic diversity has brought with a huge range of different kinds of food, to eat in, take away, and cook at home.

Shikuen at the Dorsett Regency came in for praise

Reports of Shikumen, the new Dim Sum restaurant in the Dorsett Regency, are all excellent (I haven't tried it yet, but it's on my list).

Mr Falafel can be found inside the New Shepherd's Bush Market just off Uxbridge Rd

At the other end of the budget scale, Mr Falafal in Shepherd's Bush Market has a fiercely loyal following.  Though last time I was there I can reveal that my ten month old daughter was treated to a free slice of avocado by the owner - which makes me guilty of obvious bias.

Cooke's pie and mash - hurry along before it gets demolished

The Princess Victoria pub, the Queen Adelaide, Abu Zaad on the Uxbridge Road, - even our local chippie came in for praise.

Princess Victoria Gastropub on the Uxbridge Rd

For drinks, favourites include the Albertine and the excellent bar in the Bush Theatre on the Uxbridge Road.

But why take our word for it? Take a peek at this blog post about the Time Out Guide to eating out in our neighbourhood.  They are the experts, and they know what they're talking about.

Tian Fu - Four stars at Time Out

Life is far from perfect in Shepherd's Bush and there is a long way to go before our "dystopian vision of kebab shops" (as the FT memorably described us) is as salubrious as Notting Hill, Chiswick or Holland Park.  But one thing we can all agree on is the excellent quality of local food and drink.  If you're not eating well in the Bush, you're just not trying hard enough.

---Alex

The Bush Telegraph offers a personal view on life in Shepherd's Bush. Read about the Campaign to Save Hammersmith Park, find out about our new Farmer's Market, see what's on at The Bush Theatre,  find out the latest news on the future of Shepherd's Bush Market,  and the Council's plans to upgrade the Goldhawk Road and the Uxbridge Road.  Also read about free stuff to do in The Bush. If you would like to contribute a story about our neighbourhood, email us at shepherdsbushblog@gmail.com.