WD~50

You might have heard of WD~50 from last year’s Masterchef when the eventual winner Tim Anderson was placed with the chef Wiley Dufresne in his restaurant. WD~50 and Wiley Dufresne himself have won several awards and has also consistently flirted in and out of inclusion in Restaurant Magazine’s World’s Top 50 list. Dufresne’s penchant for deconstruction of classics, atypical compositions and utilisation of molecular techniques meant that when I decided to visit New York, WD~50 was right at the top of my list of places to visit. Unfortunately, due to the last minute nature of the visit, I didn’t hold out much hope that I’d be able to get a table during my trip, considering WD~50 is usually booked out a month in advance. Once again though, I struck lucky and there was space midweek at 10pm. Quite late for a tasting menu, but sometimes you’ve got to make sacrifices right?

WD~50 is located once again in the Lower East side (I was starting to realise that despite its initial appearances, this is quite an up and coming area full of quality restaurants) and I found myself back on Clinton Street.  Inside was a very lively atmosphere with a generally young crowd and one of the first things I noticed was the attentive and affable nature of the staff. Any questions throughout the meal were eagerly answered. As I already alluded to, I had checked out the menu online beforehand and already decided that I had to do the tasting menu here. This was an opportunity I just couldn’t allow myself to miss.

Dining Room

Bar

Just reading the menu itself you get a feel for the unconventional outcome that lies ahead and this was signalled further by the bread service, which was copious volumes of crispy sesame flatbread. First up were slivers of almost translucent scallops with peppercorns, leeks and barbeque vinaigrette. The sweet and subtle sauce accentuated the soft, slightly gelatinous scallops. A tasty dish but nothing too memorable.

Sesame flatbreads

Scallops, corn, leek,
barbeque vinaigrette

However, the next dish was certainly remarkable. Titled ‘everything bagel, smoked salmon threads and crispy cream cheese’ this was the classic sandwich staple completely reinvented. The ‘bagel’ was made from bread ice cream and rested atop crispy fine shards of dried-out smoked salmon (arranged in a shape reminiscent of a fish). A sheet of crispy cream cheese shielded the sweet red onions beneath. The conventional flavours were there but the complete alteration of textures was a wonderful shock to the system.

Everything bagel, smoked
salmon threads, crispy
cream cheese

‘Foie-lafel’ was another playful twist on a familiar dish of falafel in pitta. This wonderful dish smacked of the very essence of your post-night out saviour food. The falafel was actually balls of creamy foie gras with a falafel coating inside a superb warm and soft pitta. The tahini sauce and bulgar wheat tabouleh with romaine (cos) salad were fresh accompaniments.

Foie-lafel

Sweetness from beansprouts and Caesar dressing cut through a rich and gooey poached egg. But the cheeky addition to this was the delicate but edible ‘shell’ made from brown butter.

Poached egg in the shell,
pumpernickel, caesar
dressing, bean sprouts

The fifth dish was supposed to be some King oyster udon but they had run out. Its replacement was a dish of cold fried chicken, one that I have previously read about online. I had been quite looking forward to see what this dish could provide. Cold fried chicken was unusual and came with cold ricotta whilst the Tabasco honey sauce injected some mild heat to lift the dish. Unfortunately it reminded me of the post-school oven-made food I used to consume as a child and was one of the more disappointing and forgettable dishes of the evenings.

Cold fried chicken,
buttermilk-ricotta,
tabasco, caviar

Thai snapper with cubes of cucumber, coffee crumble and an onion and Asian pear tart was sometimes overpowered by its smoky tomato sauce and was a bit lukewarm. However the sweetness and various textures provided some sort of rescue.

Tai snapper, onion tart,
coffee, asian pear

Quail was expertly cooked and full of gamey flavour whilst nasturtium yoghurt was a slightly sweet and a surprisingly good accompaniment.

Quail, nasturtium yoghurt,
turnip, nutmeg

The lamb dish with ‘red beans and rice’ was an absolute triumph. Perfectly cooked and tender lamb was superseded by the ‘beans’. These were pine nuts cooked in a pressure cooker so that they became soft and the same texture as beans, with the addition of bacon and shallots. Rice was rolled out into thin sheets to form crunchy crackers whilst the chayote squash was pickled and added a slight sweetness to cut through.

Lamb loin, 'red beans
& rice', chayote squash

Our first dessert contained the Scandinavian whey cheese called gjetost. I have only previously encountered this unusual and special ingredient once before on my visit to Noma. This creamy and slightly salty entity carried the intensely sweet Himatchi plum with panache. A frozen piece of watermelon on top was excellently paired with smooth sweet & sour cream soda sauce. Olive oil came in the guise of a streusel (a crumb topping) for further textural enhancement. This dish was described by our waiter as the bridge between sweet and sour and he did not lie.

Gjetost, watermelon,
plum, olive oil

Apricot and rhubarb dessert saw two strong flavours in the apricot (served as a purée) and sour rhubarb competing on an even and tasty keel. Mouthfuls of a green tea foam and powder, along with a wonderful buckwheat sorbet helped to placate this battle down into a smooth and captivating dance on the palate.

Apricot, buckwheat,
rhubarb, green tea

When the final dish arrived it reminded me of a Kandinsky on the plate. A velvety thick chocolate ganache and luscious beet parfait had much needed injections of cold from ricotta ice cream. Whilst the long pepper shortbread helped vary the texture, I felt that maybe this luxurious dessert just needed one sharp element to penetrate through.

Soft chocolate, beet, long
pepper, ricotta ice cream

Petit fours of deep fried rice pudding with Calamansi lime and rice krispies with a marshmallow meringue ice cream were a great way to round off the meal, providing some cherished childhood memories with a contemporary and adult twist.

Marshmallow meringue
ice cream with rice krispies

Deep fried rice pudding with
Calamansi limes

A lovely touch at the end was that they gave us a copy of the menu to take home. I wish more restaurants did that for their tasting menus.

Overall I must admit I really loved WD~50. Particularly because such playful and peculiar combinations of food is the type of cooking that truly excites me. Mr Dufresne's ability to create one food stuff from another (e.g. his bagel made from ice cream or his beans made from pine nutes) is the delight for both the tongue and the brain. Not every dish worked, but I found it very easy to forgive such oversights because the majority were bang on the money. If you don’t like your food to test and intrigue you then I would advise you to stay away from WD~50, but if you look forward to wacky attempts and moments of pure inspiration then this is one that’s worth the trip.

Price: 11 course tasting menu $140. Main courses $27-37

Where to go before/next: Try and score yourself a reservation at the infamous & exclusive Milk & Honey on Elridge Street or check out the more casual & reasonably priced Pianos or Max Fish, both on Ludlow Street.

Website: Click here

Location: 50 Clinton Street, New York, NY 10002

Nearest Subway: Delancy St & Essex St

Opening Times: 18.00 – 23.00 (Mon – Sat) 18.00 – 22.30 (Sun)

Shake Shack

Shake Shack is a restaurant chain that started in Manhattan, from the famous restauranteur Danny Meyer. It has sprouted several branches in New York other parts of the USA and now there are even a couple outlets in the Middle East. Delivering a concept of what appears to be ‘proper’ or ‘posh’ fast food, its popularity is substantial and critics seemingly agree, even winning the ‘Best Burger’ award from New York Magazine in 2005.

Shake Shack

There was one located near me in midtown so I popped in for a quick pre-lunch snack. Inside is full of sleek lines and spotlights, lending itself to pseudo-glamorous Hollywood feel. You queue up to place your order at the till (and yes, even 15 minutes after opening time the queue was substantial) and receive one of those vibrating, flashing buzzers to inform you that your food is ready to collect.

Counter

Inside

Menu

I liked the curt nature of the menu, with 5 burgers and 4 hot dogs to choose from. However these were mostly beef (as is often the case with hotdogs and burgers in the USA) so my options were a bit limited. Their milkshake and drinks menu was rather extensive (as the name would suggest), particularly their ‘concrete’ concoctions. These are frozen custards with various additions such as marshmallows or pretzels. I went for the Second City Bird Dog; a smoked chicken hotdog with relish, onions, pickles, mustard, cucumber, tomato, pepper and celery salt. It was a good hotdog in a soft doughy bun. However it was often lost amongst the mountain of (tasty) condiment and disappointingly on the small side (considering my expectations for American portions plus the $5.40 price tag). Regrettably I didn’t try any of the shakes or concretes but they looked pretty tasty, with daily specials such as basil or caramelised peach.

Second city bird dog

I was unable to try much here, but judging by the popularity and atmosphere of the place and given the not-so-unreasonable prices, I’d say that Shake Shack is worthy of a quick visit to refuel the tank whilst sightseeing.

Price: $3.50 - 8.50 per hotdog/burger

Where to go before/next: Times Square & the theatre district are within walking distance, as is Madame Tussauds (on 42nd street & 7th avenue).

Website: Click here

Location: 691 8th avenue (between 43rd & 44th streets). There are several locations throughout NYC

Nearest Subway:  42 St


Opening Times: 11.00 - 00.00

Northern Spy Food Co.

A current fashion in the dining scene that I noticed whilst I was out in NYC is the concept of ‘farm to plate’, which is pretty self-explanatory. It’s not too dissimilar to the revolution over the past few years by British chefs to champion local produce. A important cause it is too.

I was meeting a friend who lives in New York and is quite the foodie. She had heard good things about one of these ‘farm to plate’ restaurants called Northern Spy so we decided to check it out. It’s once again located in the East Village down 1^st avenue, not far from Momofuku Ko. 

We got there relatively early so the restaurant was pretty empty but half way through our meal it was full. This was fortunate because we were able to catch the end of happy hour where cocktails are half price (16.00 - 18.30 in weekdays). It’s fairly small, must be about 20 – 30 covers, with a casual, slightly rustic and buzzing atmosphere. It’s one of those down to earth places where conviviality and the food reign.

Inside

Bar

An extremely attentive waitress took our orders and was happy to talk us through recommendations. I ordered a squid ragu and my friend the papardella with pork belly, spinach and porcini mushrooms, which was one of the daily specials. The ragu looked very appetising and was rather flavoursome however the squid, despite being cooked well, was all too often lost. Whilst that was pleasant, the papardella was a triumph. I only had one taste but the pasta was of the highest quality and the pork gorgeous (I unfortunately forgot to take a photo though).

Squid & mussel ragu. Navy
beans, cherry beans, jalepeno,
country bread 

My peach cake for dessert was soft and sticky with strong fruit flavour and a slightly crispy base. Chocolate and cherry is a perfect marriage in my opinion so my friend’s thick chocolate terrine was rich (however not too rich as to get sickly after a while) and enjoyable.

Peach cake

Chocolate terrine & cherries

Northern Spy is one of those solid neighbourhood restaurants that turns out unfussy, well executed and flavoursome cooking of well-sourced ingredients. With its reasonable prices and warming atmosphere you should not be disappointed if you visit.

Price: Starters under $15. Mains $20-25ish

Where to go before/next: After dinner a must is to check out the speakeasy Please Don't Tell (113 St Marks Pl). You have to call 212 614 0386 in the afternoon of the day you want to visit to make a reservation. Go to the hotdog restaurant Criff Dogs on 113 Saint Marks Place and on the left as you enter is a phone booth. Pick up the phone, dial any number and tell the person on the line that you have your reservation and  the back of the booth will open up to reveal the intimate bar inside. The cocktails were an absolute treat and it's no wonder that amongst its many awards, this highly rated bar was recently voted the world's best bar by over 100 bar professionals.

Website: Click here

Location: 511 East 12th street

Nearest Subway: 1 Av

Opening Times: Lunch 10.00 - 16.00, Dinner 17.30 - close (Mon - Fri). Brunch 10.00 - 15.30, Dinner 5.30 - close (Sat & Sun). Walk ins only.

Momofuku Ko

I have never seen so much literature surrounding a restaurant’s booking system as I have with Momofuku Ko. Ko is the 2 Michelin starred jewel in the crown of New York’s darling David Chang’s Momofuku empire. When Ko opened in 2008, people were going crazy trying to get a place there. There are only 12 seats in the place, all seated around a bar surrounding the kitchen where the chefs prepare your meal in front of you. With two sittings for lunch and dinner that means there are only a total of 48 seats available per day. But to explain, each day at 10am an online booking system opens with 7 days worth of reservations in advance and people with the fastest fingers (or internet connection) are able to reserve one of the coveted places.

The furore has died down slightly (and prices have increased by nearly 50%) but it still almost impossible to get a place. I was somehow fortunate that somebody cancelled their booking the day before I flew out and the grid of red crosses suddenly contained one green tick. With the timer counting down the couple minutes or so I had to confirm my place and provide my credit card details (should I cancel without 24 hours notice they can then charge me) I made the quick decision to go for it before somebody else nabbed the spot. These weren’t the only restrictions here. The only menu is a 12 course tasting menu (but about 16 or more courses at lunch and $50 more expensive) and is already decided, you are only able to write a note regarding any allergies or dietary restrictions and they will try to accommodate them. There is also no use of mobile phones or cameras allowed (I therefore have no photos available for this review).

The hassle to get a reservation, plus the reputation of David Chang’s empire added substantially to any excitement so there was a lot to live up to by the time we arrived through the inconspicuous mesh metal door on 1^st Avenue, the orange Momofuku peach being the only indication as to what was hidden behind. Inside is a tiny rectangular space with plain wooden interior and dominated by the kitchen/bar in the centre.

The couple waiters that were there seemed slightly frosty but were amicable enough and seated us at the end of the bar on the wooden stools. If you have a back problem be prepared to make do with sitting there for two hours. We were the first ones there as each duo is given a time slot to arrive ten minutes apart as to stagger the menu for everyone. Maybe that’s why I felt a bit cheap and exposed only asking for tap water in such an intimate environment, but hey, I’m paying enough for the meal so I’m entitled to stinge on the beverages if I wish (need) to.  There are three chefs in the kitchen and they were friendly guys but not always the most talkative, which is guess is understandable considering they were non-stop busy making our dinner. As each dish was plated up they would be served and explained to us by the chef. Due to the number of dishes there were I’ll just list each one and write about some of the memorable ones:

1) Tataki of Spanish mackerel (where the fish is briefly seared and marinated) with beet puree and Mexican cucumber

2) Morel with chanterelle  mushrooms and preserved lemon

3) New Jersey diver scallop, country ham, water chestnut, basil seeds and pineapple vinegar

4) Mushroom (king oyster, chanterelle, morel, mitaki) salad with pickled red onions, cilantro (coriander) & pickled jalapeno puree

5) Kimchee consommé, oyster, grilled pork belly, Nappa cabbage and charred beansprouts

6) Lightly smoked duck egg, fingerling potato, huckleback caviar, Japanese sweet potato vinegar, onions

7) Wild pickled ginger watermelon, lobster mushrooms & tortellini with Korean finger chilli puree

8) Steamed halibut, corn velouté, corn tempura, XO sauce, cherry tomatoes and scallions

9) Pine nut brittle, shaved Hudson Valley foie gras, riesling jelly, lychee

10) Stuffed lamb's ribs, leeks, Greek yoghurt, Thai basil (there were some pickled ingredients that I did not manage to note down)

11) Coconut lime sorbet and caramelised curry popcorn

12) Buttermilk spruce pana cotta, peach compote, peach sorbet, caramelised white chocolate, shortbread and spruce powder

As you can see each dish contains a complex combination of ingredients. The whole menu was remarkably enjoyable, practically every dish drawing out murmurs of delight from everybody around the bar. A particular favourite were the pork belly and oyster; the pork belly literally melted in my mouth into an unctuous meaty puddle and the consommé was immeasurably delicate and fresh. This dish was only surpassed by the pine nut brittle with foie gras. Whilst the chef was preparing the dish by shaving the block of foie gras I kept guessing as to what it was, thinking it was some sort of chocolate. The combination of buttery sweet foie gras with the brittle, jelly and lychee is one stand out gastronomical memory from the whole trip to NYC. The only disappointment of the evening was the tortellini dish, whilst the watermelon was curiously exciting, the tortellini was slightly overcooked and the chilli puree was completely lost. I later asked the chef what his favourite dish was and he instantly replied with “the tortellini, easily”, hm, slightly awkward. One thing I noticed throughout the superb menu was that in every single dish there had been particular attention paid to ensuring there were contrasting textures, something, which always worked incredibly well.

Momofuku Ko was an experience of numerous contrasts. Usually with a meal at this level, service and the surroundings tend not to be so muted and curt. One usually associates such refined food with a little more opulence. This is by no means a bad thing, just unusual. This theme of contrasts follows through into the cooking, be it flavours or textures. The atmosphere can at first be slightly off putting, if not daunting, but actually such exposure works well for it allows you to concentrate on the food itself as the star of the show. With resplendent presentation and delicate combinations of exotic ingredients designed to intrigue and delight, Ko is worth the hype, but more importantly the inconvenience and planning it takes to actually get a reservation.  

Price: $125 Dinner. $175 Lunch (served Fri - Sun)

Where to go before/next: Reward yourself for managing to make it to and getting through such a fabulous meal with some cocktails at the highly rated and award winning Death & Co. bar on 433 6th street.

Website: Click here

Location: 163 1st avenue (between 10th & 11th streets)

Nearest Subway: 1 Av

Opening Times: Dinner 7 days/week. Lunch Fri - Sun

Momofuku Milk Bar

Another arm of the growing Momofuku Empire is the Milk Bar. There are now four of these and my brother and I popped into the midtown branch, located in front of another Momofuku restaurant (Má Pêche). The Milk Bars serve an assortment of sweet treats such as ice cream, shakes, truffles, cookies and pies amongst others.

Inside

I was actually supposed to be having dinner in an hour or so and as a result I didn’t want to try too many things and reducer my appetite for later. We picked up a couple cookies and a bag of pistachio truffles to share between us. The cookies were a classic blueberry and cream and the curious ‘Compost’ (containing all sorts of naughty and heterogeneous snacks such as crisps, pretzels, coffee, oats, chocolate and butterscotch). The blueberry cookie was pretty sweet and enjoyable but unmemorable and rather oily. Fortunately the Compost was much better and showcased some of that Momofuku charm and inventiveness. Chocolaty and sweet, there was an amalgamation of varying textures with a good hint of saltiness to balance out the sweetness. 

Compost cookie

The pistachio truffles were huge balls covered in a crushed nut crust. These weren’t like your normal rich, velvety truffles. A crumbly yet smooth inside was not too dissimilar from marzipan in its taste. They were really rather enjoyable despite the pistachio flavour being subtle at best.

Pistachio truffles

Milk Bar at first seems rather simple yet a closer look reveals David Chang’s unmistakeable heretical touch of the familiar (from the cereal milk soft serve ice cream to the compost cookies). Check it out for a snack or two and ensure that you stay away from the comfortable options; for it is when the menu veers towards the unorthodox that you are certain not to be disappointed. As usual though, this won’t come especially cheap, yet it is affordable, with prices not too dissimilar to Starbucks and such like.                                      

Price: Truffles $4 a packet. Cookies $1.85 each

Where to go before/next: Well the infamous 5th Avenue is known for it's shopping so make a pitstop at milkbar. Wander a bit further north to reach the infamous Central Park or go to 54th street and visit the magnificent MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) 

Website: Click here

Location: I visited the midtown branch at 15 w 56th street (between 5th & 6th avenues) 10019. Other branches are located in east village, upper west side & brooklyn

Nearest Subway: 57 st

Opening Times: 8.00 – 23.00 (Mon – Sat) 8.00 – 22.00 (Sun) 

Chelsea Market

Chelsea Market was a must visit on this trip to NYC. For some reason, in my head I had decided it was going to be an indoor version of Borough Market. This certainly wasn’t the case. It is housed inside a large building that used to be an old biscuit factory (where the Oreo cookie was invented). Inside are long, winding high-ceilinged corridors with walls of exposed stone. The ceilings contain rafters, pipes and industrial fans, reminiscent of the factory’s past. Instead of the hundreds of market stalls that I expected, the corridors were lined with a large assortment of gourmet food stores, from seafood to chocolate to Thai and most else in between.

Inside Chelsea Market

I had been recommended to check out Sarabeth’s Bakery for breakfast, of which there are several branches throughout New York. Sarabeth’s are all-day restaurants but are all differ slightly in their menus. Most serve a breakfast and/or a brunch menu as well as lunch and dinner. Sarabeth’s is particularly famous for its preserves and cakes.

Sarabeth's bakery

My friend mentioned that I should try the scrambled eggs with cream cheese and marmalade on toast and I duly obliged. At $13 it wasn’t cheap (other breakfast options are in a similar range and stretch up to $17) and I was therefore expecting big things. Fortunately it delivered, with quality scrambled eggs punctuated by heavenly mouthfuls of cream cheese and sweet but not-too-sour marmalade, a surprising but excellent partner.

Scrambled eggs with cream
cheese, spring onions &
marmalade toast

I’d definitely like to visit again for breakfast and try the other breakfast/brunch options from the extensive list such as pumpkin waffles or the lemon and ricotta pancakes. Lunch and dinner didn’t appeal to me quite so much, being littered with relatively basic options such as club sandwiches, steaks, lobster rolls and salads, all hovering around or pushing past the $20 mark. Head over to one of their many outposts for breakfast/brunch if you can.

Wandering around I came across Tuck Shop, which specialises in pies etc to grab a sausage roll. Can’t remember the price exactly but I’m pretty sure it was roughly only a few dollars. This was full of coarse, flavoursome and well spiced meat with a flaky but mildly oily pastry. Definitely worth it. They also blend their own syrups for fizzy drinks such as root beer and cream soda etc but unfortunately I couldn’t try it that day because they’d run out.

Then I headed over to the chocolatier Jacques Torres because their ‘Wicked’ hot chocolate had caught my eye. This contained ancho and chipotle chilli and it's not often that I can resist the classic marriage of chilli & chocolate. Whilst the chilli wasn’t quite as spicy as I would have liked, it still fought well and held its own with the rich and thick chocolate with a slight salty note to add further depth. Another enjoyable find. Although I didn’t try any, their chocolates also looked quite appetising, with adventurous combinations such as chai, rum & caramel and key lime ganache in white chocolate.

Jacques Torres

Other notable venues I visited include The Lobster Place for exceptional and comprehensive seafood (both for now and to take home) and Lucy’s Whey for a good selection of cheese. Chelsea market is a cool place, full of character and pretty busy with a variety, but not extensive, choice of options to explore. It’s definitely less hectic and less exciting than Borough Market but it’s still worthy of a visit, but don’t go there to find a bargain.

Where to go before/next: Check the market's website for details of events such as wine tastings or cultural & food tours amongst others. Something worth checking out is the High Line. This is a public park built on an old freight train line above the city's streets. It runs from Ganesvoort street to West 34th street between 10th & 11th avenues. There's always public art exhibitions & talks going on.

Website: Click here

Location: 75 9th Avenue 10011 (between 15th & 16th streets)

Nearest Subway: 14th Street station

Opening Times: 7.00 – 21.00 (Mon - Sat) 8.00 – 19.00 (Sun)

Van Leeuwen

I was checking out the shopping around the Soho region when I came across a slightly unusual looking truck selling ‘artisan’ ice cream. Now artisan is one of those annoying words whose meaning has become massively diluted in the food industry. Artisan automatically gives the impression that more care and attention has gone into its production than all that other stuff that hasn’t been artisanally produced. It also allows people to charge silly buggers for something, because after all, the labour has been more intensive. Heck, artisan is everywhere these days, not just in food, you can even get  artisanal pencil sharpening for a very reasonable $15! Yup that’s right, $15 for someone else to perfectly sharpen your pencil, when your wrists just aren’t good enough. Nevertheless, despite all this, the marketing worked and I felt compelled to give Van Leeuwen a try.

The van

First of all I was impressed by the unusual choice of flavours that made it difficult to choose, always a good start. I went for a scoop of tarragon, scoop of lemongrass and one of nectarine. Lemongrass was pleasant, if not slightly subtle whilst the nectarine was very tasty and had plenty of juicy chunks within. My favourite was the flavoursome tarragon. The texture for all was smooth and creamy. Fortunately Van Leeuwen lived up to its marketing and these were certainly some luxurious ice creams where care has been taken to source ingredients and throughout the ice cream making process. Artisan indeed. It also turns out they have several vans around Manhattan and 3 stores (2 in Brooklyn and 1 in Manhattan) where they also serve coffee and pastries.

Tarragon ice cream

Price: Unfortunately I forgot to note down the price but it was a couple dollars a scoop along those lines

Where to go before/next: Unfortunately I never had to opportunity to do so, but Keith McNally's highly reputed eatery Balthazar is nearby on the corner of Spring Street & Crosby Street. Then check out the numerous galleries in the area such as the Drawing Center on Wooster street.

Website: Click here

Location: Usually on the corner of Prince & Greene street. They also have 3 stores, one in East Village and 2 in Brooklyn. See their website for details.

Nearest Subway: Prince St

Opening Times: Weekends 12.00 - 18.00