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Naga, Kensington

26 Jan

It baffles me that despite the recession, a HUGE number of restaurants continue to open across London. Last year in particular saw a surge of new openings with a plethora of well designed foodie traps serving excellent quality food with innovative concepts. My favourite new openings of 2012 were John Salt (while Ben Spalding was still there) and Bone Daddies, which was at the forefront of the Ramen trend currently storming across London.

Another new opening was Naga in Kensington, which launched at the end of the year. I attempted to go in December but the endless Christmas plans got the better of me so I saved it for a January treat. Jack and I visited on a Thursday evening and when we arrived at 6.45pm, we were the only diners in the restaurant. We walked through the bar area towards the back of the restaurant and were impressed with the surroundings – the restaurant is split over two floors mezzanine style, covered by a glass roof and decorated by foliage and red silk screens embossed with Chinese script.

We were seated at a table at the far end of the dining room, which gave us a perfect view of the whole restaurant. We ordered a cocktail each and perused the a la carte menu. At first glance the menu had a range of influences, mainly Chinese and Vietnamese. We settled on the soft shell crab and tempura vegetables and a portion of the honey glazed barbeque ribs to start, followed by ¼ duck with pancakes and black cod for main. We also ordered a side of green beans with garlic and egg fried rice.

Jack’s cocktail was served in a dainty martini glass and mine in a larger glass resembling a small bucket. I ordered my cocktail because the combination of ingredients was different to the usual cocktail – ginger, lychee, lime and vodka topped with soda. And it didn’t disappoint. It tasted more like a soft drink and was easy to knock back. It was also deceptively alcoholic. I didn’t get a hint of vodka but certainly felt it.

The ribs were sticky, juicy and the perfect way to start the meal. The same, unfortunately, cannot be said of the soft shell crab. I have a penchant for soft shell crab and always order if I see it on the menu. The batter was thick and crispy and completely masked the taste of the crab. It also seemed that the vegetables had been added to bulk up the dish. Thin slices of peppers here and there didn’t make up for the tasteless crab.

The mains arrived and anticipation was high. Black cod is one of my favourite dishes and can make me smile even when I’m having the worst day. We also ordered the ¼ duck with pancakes because we were wowed by the dish at another restaurant before Christmas. I placed a morsel of black cod in my mouth and let the fish do the rest. It was up there with the best black cod I have tried in London and I have tried a fair few. An absolute delight. The same unfortunately cannot be said of the duck. It wasn’t bad but didn’t live up to expectations. The duck was slightly dry, which didn’t ruin everything because the oyster sauce provided the moisture that the pancakes needed. We couldn’t help but compare to those pancakes that we had enjoyed a couple of months ago.

We also ordered another cocktail to accompany the mains. Again, we chose something unusual, a Naga speciality – Chinese Tea Cup, which consisted of Grey Goose La Poire with pear, elderflower cordial, lemon juice
and topped up with pink Champagne. It arrived and was beautifully presented in a clear tea pot filled with ice and lined with fruit. This cocktail was a delight and was again deceptive with absolutely no hint of vodka.

We couldn’t resist sharing a dessert and settled for the Keuh Dadar, a pandan pancake with peanut stuffing, served with coconut ice-cream. The pancake was an emerald green and had a lovely chewy texture. The peanut and coconut flavours went well together and the plate was clean in a matter of minutes.

Naga provoked a real mixed reaction from us. Some dishes were pure brilliance, while others were distinctly average. The cocktail list was unique and I would definitely go back to the bar area for a drink if I am around the area again.

Naga
2 Abingdon Road
London
W8 6AF
0207 795 6060

Food for Think was a guest at Naga

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Ben Spalding roast at John Salt

30 Dec

Oh. Just as I thought I had found the best location for a Sunday Roast in London, all goes to pot. News broke a few days ago that Ben Spalding, Head Chef at John Salt, had departed from the restaurant. I visited a few weeks ago with friends and we all declared it the best roast we had ever had. I am sad as I was planning on going back in a few weeks but having read the reports, I can understand why Spalding departed. The group that runs John Salt wanted to take the menu in a direction that Spalding simply didn’t, prompting his departure. But it’s not all bad news as he is currently looking at other sites in London to open his first restaurant that will be owned and run by himself.

I think it might be a little late to tell you about the roast that we ate that day. But you never know, he may well do something similar at his own restaurant when it opens so I’ll tell you anyway.

Aside from the food offering, John Salt lends itself perfectly to a calming and lazy Sunday roast. Reclaimed furniture and bright and airy interiors provide a good setting for a relaxing afternoon with friends. The menu gave you the choice of one roast and one English pudding (£14.95 for a roast and £19.95 for a roast with an English pudding to finish.) The day that we visited, the roast came with beef and a load of special trimmings – bbq’d parsnips with herbs, roasted yukon golds in chicken fat, crushed peas with orange & cream cheese, maple glazed carrots, buttered curly kale and ciabatta bread sauce. Not to mention the lashings of gravy and extra jug that arrived at the table with the food.

Now this wasn’t your average Sunday roast with roasties, Yorkshire pudding, a slab of meat and some soggy veggies, this was serious. For starters, the thick slices of beef had a beautiful deep pink colour, which when you placed in your mouth almost melted on the tongue. The vegetables weren’t your run of the mill – yes we had maple glazed carrots but we also enjoyed tender and rich yukon golds and peas with orange & cream cheese. On paper the peas don’t sound very nice, to me anyway. But on fork and in my mouth it was a different story.

One of the best things about that meal was the fact that the waitress provided us with a big jug of extra gravy for the table, as if preempting the question that would no doubt be asked half way through our meal if she didn’t. A week after we had eaten at John Salt, we had another roast at The White Bear in Hampstead and we were appalled when we were charged £1.50 for the equivalent of 3 tablespoons of extra gravy. We declined to pay when the bill came out of principal. If you are not provided with enough gravy from the outset, you shouldn’t have to pay for more. At John Salt we were given enough for our roast to have a bath and Jack loved it so much that he poured small amounts into his glass as he finished his dinner and drank it!

Our Sunday roast that day will live in our memories for a while. And while we’re sad that we may never get to try the chicken on a brick, we’ll await the opening of Ben’s first solo venture with baited breath.

John Salt
131 Upper Street
Islington
London N1 1QP

John Salt on Urbanspoon

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Gillray’s Steak House, Marriott Hotel

11 Dec

I have just had an extremely busy weekend. It was my birthday on Sunday and to celebrate I took two days off work to pamper myself. Jack and I headed to the Southbank on Friday afternoon to try out Gillray’s, a steakhouse situated in the Marriott hotel just next to Westminster bridge.

We were apprehensive about our lunch trip for a few reasons – firstly because the hotel is situated in one of the busiest tourist areas in London, secondly because we had never heard of the restaurant before and thirdly becuase we were unsure whether a Marriott hotel restaurant would be any good.

We walked through the grand entrance of the hotel and were shown down the corridor to the restaurant. My mouth opened slightly in surprise as I walked through the door – a beautiful art deco style bar and yellow tall backed sofas stood in front of us. The restaurant, just to right hand side of the bar area, was just as beautiful with light wood paneling and pieces of art dotted around the room.

We were seated and ordered 6 Cornish oysters (£9.95) and corned beef and bacon hash with fried quail eggs (£8.50) to start, followed by porterhouse steak (£36 for 450g) with truffle and parmesan chips (£3) and carrots with Shropshire honey (£4) for main. We were treated to Gillray’s version of bread and butter to start – two large Yorkshire puddings stuffed with melted cheddar cheese. A great idea but the puddings were just a little bit on the burnt side and the bits without cheese were a little dusty.

From blog

The Oysters were served with a champagne and shallot vinaigrette, which I thought was slightly too much like olive oil for my liking. It tasted good but maybe I was just expecting something different. I can’t comment on the corned beef hash but Jack looked pleased and it didn’t take him long to polish it off.

From blog

We both opted for the Porterhouse steak, which arrived with the bone on. I had asked for my steak rare and Jack medium rare. I regretted it slightly when it arrived – I cut off big chunks of the steak, which were hard to chew. Jacks was slightly more tender and easier to eat. I’m not saying that I didn’t like mine, because I did, I just had to learn to take smaller bites and savour the steak. The truffle and Parmesan chips were a delight and we were left wanting more than just one portion to share. We were both quite surprised when we took the lid off the little carrot pot – there were about eight tiny carrots sat in the bottom. Hardly worth £4. They were also so delicious that we felt we could have eaten another two pots.

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For dessert we decided to share a lime meringue pie and ordered a cocktail each. I loved the way that the cocktail menu was sectioned into eras – Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, Contemporary and Modern Britain and some of the cocktails just sounded so fantastic. I’ll definitely be back to try some of the others but I settled for The White Lady (£10 – Beefeater 24 gin, freshly squeezed lemon juice, Bramble & Gage liquor, egg white and rose syrup) from The Victorian era on Friday. Jack chose the Gillray’s Ginger Martini (£10 – Fresh ginger, ginger syrup, ginger Chase vodka, King’s ginger liquor, fresh lime and apple juice) from the Modern Britain section. Both drinks arrived in a martini glass and we sipped slowly, savouring each mouthful.

From blog

The dessert arrived and I had to laugh at the plate that it was served on. It was a tall cake stand with a dome lid, just big enough for the perfectly formed tart for one. I loved it but Jack thought it was a little silly. It got us talking though! We poured the little jog of warm custard over the top and split it in half. The wobbly filling was perfectly lemony and the meringue topping crunchy and gooey at the same time. Jack declared it the best part of the meal.

From blog

We finished with an espresso before heading off into the evening. I look forward to taking a few of my friends back for cocktails in the New Year. I know they will love it too.

Gillrays’ Steakhouse & Bar
London Marriott Hotel County Hall
Westminster Bridge Road
London
SE1 7PB

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Beijing Duck at Min Jiang

3 Dec

When I first started this blog around three and a half years ago I never could have imagined what opportunities would come my way. I started Food for Think with a view to sharing and documenting home cooked recipes. I then started to review good restaurants and cafes that I came across and ventured out into hotel reviews when I went travelling. Soon enough I was being invited to a range of events and experiences.

A few weeks ago an invite popped into my inbox entitled ‘Invitation: wood-fired Beijing duck, dim sum and Chinese etiquette at Min Jiang‘. I was intrigued, partly because I love Beijing duck, but also because it would give me a chance to introduce Jack to good (I hoped) Chinese food. Jack has been a lifelong hater of Chinese cuisine – no doubt because the only kind he has been introduced to is from the local gloop ridden local takeaway. I ordered lemon chicken from our local about four years ago and ever since he has vowed never to eat Chinese again.

I could tell he was nervous upon arrival at Min Jiang. We shot up to the tenth floor of the Royal Garden Hotel in the lift and met the group in the bar area. We sat and admired the view of London by night and the added bonus of fireworks lighting up the sky. We ordered a cocktail to start and lept into conversation with fellow guests. The cocktails arrived and we were pleasantly surprised. My Raspberita was a sweet mixture of Triple Sec, Tequila, Fresh Raspberries, Lime Juice and Jacks Bloomin Jiang was a delicious mixture of Bloom Gin, Fresh Grapefruit, Grapefruit and Chamomile Infusion. Whilst sipping on our cocktails we were joined by Huan Gao who was on hand to share her knowledge of Chinese dining etiquette with us for the evening.

Our group was seated on a large round table at the far end of the dining room. We sat down and our food was served almost immediately. A straight faced man carved the duck next to our table. I watched him first cutting thin slices of skin off the duck, followed by slithers of meat and skin. Plates carrying the skin and meat were placed on the table, along with baskets of pancakes and two trays of condiments and fillings – one with tiny slices of cucumber and leek and the other with garlic paste, radish and tientsin cabbage.

After an explanation of how the duck is cooked so that the skin falls away from the meat (they pump air in between the skin and meat before drying it for at least 24 hours), we were shown how to eat the skin. Pick a piece up with your chopsticks, dip in sugar, place in your mouth and let it melt on your tongue. We all took a piece and dipped in turn. I placed the skin in my mouth and wanted to cry with joy. It was the tastiest piece of skin that I had EVER eaten.

Next up were the duck pancakes. We were shown how to wrap correctly using chopsticks and then left to our own devices. I placed a couple of slices of meat in the pancake, along with shredded cucumber, leek and a dollop of hoisin sauce. I wrapped and bit into it. My mouth is watering as I type just thinking about it. The wraps were soft, incredibly thin and doughy and made to a Beijing recipe using olive oil. Each one takes ten minutes to make. I did a quick maths sum in my head and realised that in total it would have taken the kitchen nearly seven hours to make pancakes for our table alone.

Mains and desserts followed, including a very memorable and incredibly chewy poached black sesame dumpling and Sichuan pancake with Cornish vanilla ice cream.

I thoroughly enjoyed my evening and Min Jiang and what’s more, Jack did too. I could see the surprise in his face as he gobbled down pancake after pancake. I could see that he was converted – finally he had tried good quality Chinese food that he would not forget in a hurry. As we left he did something extraordinary (those of you that know him will understand why) – he congratulated the restaurant staff and the PR for putting on a good event. We walked out of Min Jiang extremely full, content and eager to go back for one more taste of that fatty, crispy delightful duck.

Beijing Duck at Min Jiang is served either half or whole, Whole £ 58.00 Duck Half £ 32.00.

Min Jiang
Royal Garden Hotel
2-24 Kensington High Street
London
W8 4PT

Food for Think was a guest at Min Jiang.

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Cinnamon Kitchen

5 Apr

Yesterday someone asked me if I only had the choice being able to eat one cuisine for the rest of my life, what it would be. I retorted saying that the question was completely unfair and unanswerable, despite managing to whittle it down to two. The two? Indian and Italian. You see, I have been a lifelong fan of Italian food. Simple home made pasta with a drizzle of high quality extra virgin olive oil, a splash of lemon, a crack of black pepper, sprinkle of sea salt and shaving of parmesan is one of my ultimate dishes and one that I couldn’t live without. But then there’s Indian – a wafer thin dosa filled with hot and spicy masala potato filling and a creamy dahl are just two dishes of this diverse cuisine that I would never want to say goodbye to.

There are many Italian and Indian restaurants in London, some very good, but most bad. These are two cuisines that have been grabbed hold of, commercialised and in some cases ruined. I can list on one hand the good Italian and Indian restaurants that I have tried but I simply couldn’t remember all of the bad ones that I have been to over the years.

Last week I visited Cinnamon Kitchen in the city, a restaurant that I was previously very aware of by the reputation of sister restaurant, Cinnamon Club in Victoria. Cinnamon Kitchen serves modern Indian cuisine inspired by the same ethos as Cinnamon Club but in a more relaxed setting. When we arrived on a Thursday evening, the local bars were overflowing with city workers enjoying their after work drink.

As we were seated, I was surprised by the size of the tables. Considering this restaurant follows more of a relaxed vibe than Cinnamon Club, a table for two was twice the size of one that I’d usually expect at a casual restaurant. The seats were also twice as comfy!

We chose organic salmon carpaccio, caper ‘kachumbar’ (£8) and seared king scallops and devon crab cake (£12.50) to start, followed by baked sea bream, green spices and yoghurt rice (£16), French black leg chicken and broken wheat ‘kichri’ (£18) with a side of black lentils (£4) and steamed rice (£2.50) for main. We then opted for saffron poached pear with star anise ice cream (£6) and Valrhona dark chocolate souffle with cinnamon cream anglaise and pistachio crisp (£7.50) for dessert.

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But first we were treated to a pre starter. Stupidly, as I was so excited, I failed to write down what it was, so I’m sorry that I can’t share that with you. We also polished off a selection of three breads with chutneys (£5) before our starters arrived.

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The scallop starter was impressive – a delicate mix of spices, rich crab cakes and tender scallops. The salmon carpacchio was less so and was more like a hefty plate of smoked salmon with a few capers dotted around the plate.

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Our black chicken dish was brilliant. Tender chicken breast sat in a well seasoned bowl of spiced broken wheat and flaked almonds. I will forever remember the sea bass dish, not for the piece of fish, but for the unbelievable yoghurt rice and pomegranate that sat on the plate. It was the highlight of my whole evening, partly because it tasted so fantastic, rich and creamy but also because I have never tried anything quite like it before.

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We were struggling to think about dessert before it arrived as we had eaten so much food before hand but we managed it. The poached pear was really nothing special but the accompanying star anise ice cream was. But this dessert was nothing compared to the Valrhona dark chocolate souffle with cinnamon cream anglaise. The souffle was sweet and light and matched perfectly with the rich and creamy cream anglaise.

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Not content with feeding us enough food to last us a good couple of days, we enjoyed a mini coconut friand like cake post dessert. Service was swift, which meant that no longer than an hour and a half after arriving, we were back out of the door, full, satisfied and with a lasting memory.

Food For Think was a guest at Cinnamon Kitchen

Cinnamon Kitchen
9 Devonshire Square
London
EC2M 4YL
020 7626 5000

Cinnamon Kitchen on Urbanspoon

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Lazy Loaf at Bread Street Kitchen

15 Mar

Last weekend was our first taster of the (hopefully) bright and warm summer months to come. We spent the morning perusing the David Shrigley and Jeremy Deller exhibitions at the Hayward Gallery before strolling along the Southbank and across the Millennium Bridge to Bread Street Kitchen where we were booked in to sample the Lazy Loaf menu at 1pm.

Despite the tempting brunch options such as ricotta hotcakes, banana and honeycomb butter shining out at us from the top of the menu, we opted for dishes from the lunch menu – it was 1pm after all. We settled into our seats by the window and were surprised to hear live music being played through the speakers. I popped my head up and saw a small band situated in the far right hand corner of the restaurant, playing a wide range of soul classics.

The whole menu was appealing so took us a while to decide but in the end we settled on the warm beetroot tart with toasted pine nut and fresh goat’s curd (£8.50) to share for starter, followed by the BSK short rib burger with Monterey Jack and tomato ketchup (£12) and the roasted rib of beef with Yorkshire pudding, roasted potatoes, carrots, bone marrow and onion gravy (£18) for main, followed by the treacle tart with Jersey clotted cream (£7) to share for dessert. But first we indulged in freshly baked warm bread batons, which we spread with mounds of unsalted butter.

The beetroot tart arrived and I noticed that it was similar to the tomato tart I had enjoyed a few months before at the bloggers dinner that I attended. Thin slices of sweet beetroot sat on top of a layer of flakey pastry, which was engulfed by a generous layer of goat’s curd. The dish didn’t last two minutes and shortly after we had started, we were scraping at the remnants with our knives and forks.

Anticipation for the mains was high. The roast was placed down in front of me and a smile emerged over my face when I clocked the pillowy Yorkshire puddings, tender beef and lashings of gravy. The vegetables and potatoes were served in a separate side bowl, I guessed to keep them from going soggy. Nice touch. The carrots and parsnips retained a slight crisp and the roast potatoes were fluffy on the inside, yet crunchy on the exterior. The only criticism was that the beef was more well done than medium-rare but it was still tender enough not to matter too much.

The short rib burger was tall, neat and beautiful, everything I love in a burger. The meat was medium-rare and utterly tender with just the right amount of Monterey Jack cheese, pickles and a good spread of ketchup. Along with the burger, we also ordered a side of thick hand cut chips, which looked and tasted as though they had been triple cooked. Absolutely divine.

There was a lot of food on the table but we managed it. Almost. The only food that was sent back to the kitchen was a tiny bit of beef and a few chips. We were full but couldn’t say no to a glimpse of the dessert menu. And it didn’t take long to decide what to share.

The treacle tart arrived and I couldn’t hide my disappointment that it was cold. Never have I been served a cold slice of treacle tart before. In my eyes it should be warm and preferably fresh out of the oven. I’m not saying that this tart wasn’t fresh, because it was. I’m also not saying that it wasn’t delicious, because it was. But it would have been a whole lot better if it was warm.

We were tempted by the Lazy Loaf cocktail menu with a choice of four bloody Mary cocktails and others such as the marmalade fizz (Bombay Sapphire Gin, marmalade,Demerara syrup, cream, egg white- £8.50) and Corpse River #2 (Bombay Sapphire Gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, Pernod, Absinthe – £8.50) but it was Sunday and we weren’t about to face a tipsy walk back to meet our friends on the Southbank.

Instead, we walked out of the restaurant, tummies full, past the band in the corner who flashed us a quick smile to show us on our way.

Bread Street Kitchen
10 Bread Street
London
EC4M 9AJ
0203 030 4050

Bread Street Kitchen on Urbanspoon

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Sundae in the City: Chiswell Street Dining Rooms

10 Feb

Published on BespokeRSVP on 7th February 2012

Walking out of Moorgate tube station, a chilling wind strikes my skin. I tighten my scarf around my neck and follow the map on my phone, past glamorous high-rise buildings, expensive gyms and the usual chain cafes. I arrive at my destination and outside, a slightly inebriated middle aged woman with red wine stained teeth touches my hair and asks if it is real before telling me how utterly gorgeous it is. I recoil before thanking and gently pushing past her to open the door to enter the bustling bar section of the restaurant. Inside I am greeted with welcome warmth and raucous laughter of City workers brandishing, no doubt expensive, bottles of wine. I find my dining companion, Qin, and we are seated at our table at the entrance of the restaurant section, which is situated just past the bustling bar area. The waitress apologises for the noise but I think it adds to the atmosphere.

Chiswell Street Dining Rooms reminds me of somewhere I have been before but I can’t quite put my finger on where. I know for sure that this somewhere is outside of London, perhaps one of the extortionate restaurants in my hometown – you know, the kind that resides in cities outside of London, probably serving similar dishes but for more money. You see, these kinds of restaurants can charge extortionate prices because there is no competition. That’s why I love London – so much choice and excellent food that’s value for money.

The menu at Chiswell Street Dining Rooms has something for everyone. I was tempted by a few of the vegetarian options such as the goats cheese panna cotta and wild mushroom starter and the spinach open ravioli for main, but I couldn’t resist ordering the venison carpaccio, wild boar croquettes, cider and shallot dressing to start and grilled fillet of Cornish brill, buttered spring cabbage, shrimp and chive butter sauce for main. Qin chose the sautéed chicken livers and veal sweetbreads, toasted brioche, Madeira jus to start and roast Yorkshire wood pigeon, creamed sprouts and smoked bacon, chestnut cream, parsnip crisps for main. We also enjoyed a bottle of the Cuvée Frères Martin to accompany our meaty dishes. The first impressive aspect of the meal was in fact the wine. Our bottle was the house red and was self select, which to us signalled that care and effort has been put into even their most basic wines.

The starters arrived and presentation was impressive. My deep red venison looked enticing and each morsel melted as soon as it hit my tongue. Despite the wonderful texture, I found it hard to detect a meaty flavour due to the fact that it was impossibly thin. Surprisingly, because I don’t usually enjoy croquettes a great deal, the wild boar croquettes were the star of the show. A deep meaty flavour shone through the crispy battered exterior and I enjoyed mouthful after mouthful with a smattering of the delicious cider shallot dressing accompaniment. Qin’s sweetbreads looked slightly less appetising but I am assured that the flavours were well balanced, although the dish would have benefited from an extra slice of brioche.

Our mains arrived along with a side of chips, which were billed on the menu as ‘lovers chips’. I so badly wanted the chips to have some kind of wow factor. Alas no, they are called lovers chips simply because, according to our waitress, it is the ‘brand’ of potato. And after this initial disappointment, more was to follow upon tasting – hot but completely underwhelming, hardly crispy on the outside and definitely not fluffy on the inside. I guess we won’t be falling in love with these.

Although my brill dish didn’t leave an impression that will last a lifetime, I enjoyed it very much. The sauce was rich and buttery with a hint of chive, the fish tender and well cooked, the bed of cabbage buttery and a perfect addition. I looked across at Qin’s plate and saw her struggling to slice her generous portion of wood pigeon. Despite looking deliciously pink and well cooked, it was rather tough and needed the aid of a good steak knife.

When the dessert menu arrived, one particular dish stood out for both of us – banoffee pie with caramel ice cream and banana crisp, but of course we couldn’t have the same dish so I chose one of the coupes – the chocolate sundae. I took the waitresses recommendation to substitute the chocolate ice cream for vanilla for fear that it might be too rich otherwise. The banoffee pie looked very different to my homemade attempts but was a thing of beauty, particularly the long, thin banana chip. I didn’t think I would be able to manage the whole sundae but it became apparent that I would as soon as I dug my spoon in, past the large layer of chantilly cream, right down to the bottom where I found bite sized chunks of fudgey brownie. I was in heaven and felt like a little kid as I licked my lips after my last hurried mouthful.

After our dessert plates were cleared away, we were offered coffee and allowed to relax, which pleased me as waiting staff at other London restaurants have been known to rush us out of the door in the past. As we stood up and vacated our table at 11pm, I noticed that the dining room was still bustling, fellow diners polishing off the remnants of dessert and sipping the last of their wine. I left full and satisfied with a smile on my face, even if I did have the icy wind to contend with on the walk back to the tube station.

Chiswell Street Dining Rooms
56 Chiswell Street
London
EC1Y 4SA

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Morgan M Barbican

5 Feb

Last Thursday I had one of those days. You know, the kind where everything that possibly can seems to go wrong. Last time this happened, I was late for work, spilled a juice that I had just spent 10 minutes making all over the floor and when I bent down to wipe it up, the button popped off my dress.

My camera slipped out of my gym locker on Thursday morning and smashed on the floor. Attempting to hold onto my flimsy towel, I clamoured over various trainers and gym bags to collect the pieces from opposite sides of the room while toned ladies with towels on their heads stared. Luckily I was going past the Camera Exhange on my way to a meeting and picked up a new lens. But not only did I fix my broken lens later in the day, the new one wasn’t working properly when I went to my dinner that evening.

Which brings me onto dinner. I was at Morgan M Barbican with a few fellow bloggers to experience the 6 course winter tasting menu, complete with matching wines. Morgan M, for those of you who don’t know, is famous for his Islington outpost, which is currently closed for refurbishment. His French cooking is revered and his new venue in Clerkenwell has had the Islington regulars flocking.

Thursday evening was bitterly cold and I was so happy to be greeted by a warm and friendly French host who took my coat and proceeded to offer me a glass of peach and champagne. We wandered down to our table, which was situated in the Kitchen Gallery with uninterrupted views of the chefs, including Morgan himself at work.

I glanced at the menu and was excited about what was to come. The pre starter, cream of ‘Mojette’ beans with lemon confit and pesto arrived at the table. A delicate artwork of carefully constructed foods was drowned as the waiter poured a white bean sauce on top. Upon first spoonful I was in awe, beautiful soft and silky velouté with tender white beans, zesty lemon confit and rich garlicky pesto. As I placed my spoon in my practically clean bowl, the excitement about what was to come was high.

The starter arrived and the rich green colour of the pasta was offset beautifully by the Jerusalem artichoke soubise. It was a thing of beauty. I tucked in and was delighted with the subtle hint of tarragon, the crayfish and lobster delicate and not too rich – it didn’t take me long to finish my dish. The Chateau Clement-Termes 2010 wine that accompanied my starter was rather easy to sip back. A fellow blogger quite rightly pointed out that it tasted of fruit salads. I couldn’t agree more – I closed my eyes and was transported back to summer camp where I would raid the tuck shop for penny sweets and sit with friends on the grassy bank to eat them all before the afternoon session commenced.

The pre main dishes were next and we were treated to seared fillet of wild sea bass, carrot and ginger risotto in a lemon and saffron broth. The fish skin was crispy and perfectly seasoned, the flesh so tender I could have shouted for joy. The risotto had just the right crunch with a subtle hint of ginger and tang of lemon.

By the time the main course arrived, I was getting anxious. Not only was my camera not working properly and I had to manually zoom in dark light (argh!), I also had to leave to meet my boyfriend at a gig he had planned to take me to a while ago at Heaven. Don’t ask. So by the time the mains arrived, I had a few minutes to enjoy the dish before having to dash off and leave my desserts to my fellow diners. Lucky them.

The main in question was pot roasted fillet of Iken Valley venison with farci of hare and quince puree and sauce grand veneur. Why don’t restaurants serve food this beautiful anymore? I almost didn’t want to cut into my plate of food for fear that I would destroy an art work that had been so carefully and meticulously constructed. The venison was pink and tender, the farci of hare extremely rich and gamey. A few around the table thought that perhaps it was a little overpowering and I can see why they thought it but I loved every mouthful.

Extremely sad that I wouldn’t be tasting the vanilla rice pudding with orange tuille and passion fruit soufflé with passion fruit sorbet and crème anglaise that I was so looking forward to, I reluctantly fled from the table and ran to the tube. There is no way that I’m letting that pudding get away. I will be back. And next time, I’ll make sure that I don’t’ have to head off to a gay nightclub afterwards.

Morgan M Barbican
50 Long Lane
London
EC1A 9EJ

Morgan M Barbican on Urbanspoon

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Coffee at Dock Kitchen

19 Jan

If you were lucky enough to be in London over the weekend, you may have noticed how utterly stonkingly good the weather was. It was cold but there wasn’t a cloud in the sky as the sun beamed down and brightened up my days.

We decided to make the most of it on Sunday by hopping on our bikes and cycling down the Regents canal to Dock Kitchen where we enjoyed a cup of coffee on the deck before heading home via Lisboa Patisserie on Golbourne Road to pick up a couple of Portuguese tarts for dessert that evening. I could get used to life around here.

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Dock Kitchen is a fantastic space situated across from Innocent Towers on the Regents canal. Home to designer Tom Dixon and chef Stevie Parle, Dock Kitchen serves a range of seasonal dishes that have been inspired by the chefs travels. I have never been for dinner or lunch but after seeing a number of plates over the weekend, we’re now planning a date to go back and enjoy the grub.

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Although Dock Kitchen doesn’t serve as a café as such, we were able to sit out on the deck to enjoy a coffee, something that definitely would not have been as pleasurable had it not have been such a sunny day. Our flat whites were strong and creamy with hints of caramel. We sipped as the sun shone on our faces and both agreed that we can’t wait to return in the warmer months to make the most of the huge decking area outside the restaurant.

I’m looking forward to testing out the food offering at Dock Kitchen, but for now, memories of good coffee and extreme sunshine last.

Dock Kitchen on Urbanspoon

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Gospel Brunch at Altitude 360

17 Jan

The weather last Sunday may have been cloudy and overcast but the views from the 28th floor of the Millbank Tower were astounding. We arrived at 12pm and were shown to our table for brunch. But this was no ordinary brunch; this was Gospel at Altitude 360.

As I stared out at the London skyline, picking out recognisable buildings and areas, we were taken by surprise as three gospel singers clad in long red gowns approached our table and started singing. Not normally one for audience participation (I’d rather be invisible); I was silently panicking as I saw them approach, having just watched two tables nearby enjoying a soulful rendition of Happy Birthday. But worries of embarrassment soon diminished and I felt very welcomed by the soft and joyful tones. We were asked if we had any requests. Sister Act immediately popped into my head as I had spent a lazy evening over the Christmas period watching it and I sent them away with a request to sing a song from the film (as I’m sure had many others around me).

But back to the menu. I wouldn’t so much call it a brunch as a full on lunch. Starters consist of a huge bread basket featuring brown sugar cornbread, pumpkin bread, brioche and rosemary and raisin bread and there are a wide range of mains to choose from, including French toast, grilled aubergines and portobello mushroom with mozzarella, spatchcock chicken, all of which are followed by a choice of five puddings. We opted for the layered grilled tuna and avocado with courgette, roasted tomato and onion rings and BBQ chicken with black beans, yellow rice and Napa slaw. After we had placed our order, the BBQ ribs with chilli and rosemary parmentier potatoes were highly recommended to us. I would never normally choose ribs off any menu, partly because a huge slab of meat on a plate can make me feel slightly uneasy but as they had been highly recommended, I had to see what all the fuss was about.

The first dishes that we ordered arrived first, a mere ten minutes after we had placed the order. The tuna steak was thin and more overcooked than I would have liked – I usually pan fry mine for a matter of seconds. I have learned the hard way in the past that even when you take a tuna steak off the heat, it continues to cook for a few seconds longer. It was served with grilled tomatoes and courgette, which were wise additions. My boyfriend and I always adopt a 50/50 approach to dining out – we order different dishes and share. I usually clock fellow diners rolling their eyes as we swap plates mid way through but this is just the way we do it. And why not? We get to taste much more of the menu this way. And I was especially glad of our approach at the gospel brunch because I much preferred the BBQ Chicken dish. The chicken was tender and sticky and the creamy pot of Napa slaw was a delight. Delicious.

A few bites in, the most gigantic plate of ribs arrived at the table. The overflowing bread board had to be moved onto the table next to us to allow space for the monster. Mouth watering, I took my knife and fork and pulled the most tender meat away from the bone at ease, which was covered in a rich, sticky sauce. As I bit into it, I cursed myself for never ordering ribs. Having already devoured one main meal each, we hastily kept going back to the plate full of ribs in the middle of the table until all that remained was a pile of bones. Wow. They were seriously good.

Not deterred by the amount of food already consumed, we chose two desserts off the bottom of the menu. And for once every single one appealed to me. Was I to go for the New York Cheesecake, or the Mississippi mud pie perhaps? Or maybe it was to be the key lime pie. But no, my sweet tooth was begging me to go for the peanut butter brownie, whilst my boyfriend chose the waffle as he thought it would be the lightest option. He was probably right.

They arrived and in front of my sat a dense, fudgy, sweet, nutty square of brownie, topped with vanilla ice cream and a smoothing of chocolate sauce. In front of my boyfriend sat a large, round waffle doused in fruit puree, crushed nuts and berries, again with a dollop of ice cream on top. I would have preferred the waffle to have come without the puree or berries, or the menu to have at least mentioned the accompaniments as I would have perhaps ordered something different but I could not fault the chocolate brownie. A layer of thick, dense sweet brownie was topped by light brown layer of peanut butter and crushed peanuts. Definitely one to recreate at home!

As we ate, we enjoyed the fantastic tones of the London Community Gospel Choir who stood to the side of the room. As the singing was in full swing, diners were seen singing along, swaying in their seats and a couple even went up to participate in one particular song. We left Altitude 360 that afternoon full of comforting food, the soulful tones ringing in our ears and beaming smiles on our faces.

Gospel Brunch at Altitude 360 costs £45 per person.

Food For Think was a guest at Gospel Brunch.

Altitude 360 on Urbanspoon

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