lost posts of 2011 – the jetset edition

Looking back I appear to have been a little more meticulous when it came to keeping on top of my travel eating, with the exception perhaps of the two weeks in San Francisco, Napa and Vegas when I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of posts that needed writing. Below are some forgotten bits and bobs from that fortnight, as well as a few strays from our trips to Hong Kong, Singapore, Bilbao and closer to home, Cheltenham and Oxford.

Daniel Patterson’s Coi is one of our favourite restaurants in San Francisco. His food is always elegant, considered, and impeccably sourced. There was much we liked from the Spring 2011 tasting menu – a rich velvety smoke-infused green garlic and goats cheese soup garnished with almonds and delicate wild onion flowers, tender seaweed-dusted asparagus tips cooked simply in their own juice served with lemon sabayon, and a sinfully good moscavado cake with sticky medjool dates and raw milk ice cream, to name a few. Most special though was the Crab Melt, California Style – thin crisp pastry slathered with a creamy crabmeat and melted lardo, served with a swirl of wheatgrass purée.

For us, nothing beats French Laundry in nearby wine country. Sadly our most recent jaunt in Napa didn’t include a stop at Keller’s hallowed establishment. We did however dine at the other 3* in the area, Meadowood which paled in comparison as well as Michael Chiarello’s Bottega where we enjoyed a relaxed supper of pasta (Black Pepper Bucatini alla Carbonara with soft cooked duck egg, guanciale, parmigiano crema and shaved asparagus and Spinach, Ricotta and Egg Yolk Gnocchi Raviolo with black truffle and sage brown butter were to die for), fall-off-the-bone Smoked Braised Short Ribs, and gorgeous warm Zeppole (Italian doughnuts) served with Lemon Curd and Blueberry Earl Grey Jam.

Annoyingly we swapped a Sunday brunch reservation at Ad Hoc for a disappointing one at Redd. A starter of Hamachi Sashimi (with sticky rice, edamame and lime ginger sauce) was pleasant but Shrimp and Pork Potstickers were a poor Americanised imitation. The Lobster Club Sandwich wasn’t bad, but needed higher lobster to bread ratio as the thick slices of buttery brioche completely overshadowed the sweet shellfish.

We do love Vegas, and the eating is a large part of why. Super-sized breakfasts at Hash House A Go Go, towering plateaux de Fruits de Mer at Bouchon, gigantic crab claws at Joe’s Stone Crab and fast food Burgers worth queuing for (we preferred Fatburger to In-N-Out). I can’t locate a single photo of any of these (too busy chowing down) but I do have a shot of the fantastic Twenty-Vegetable Fried Rice at China Poblano, one of the healthier casual eats we had on our stay. I’d usually be the last person to rave about a meatless rice dish, but this had a great balance of textures and flavours from the mix of raw and cooked veggies and fabulous “wok hei” (aroma from the heat of the wok). We didn’t order any of the dim sum from the Chinese and Mexican street food menu but the tacos we sampled from the extensive selection were all good.

Naturally we also ate at numerous restaurants on the other end of the spectrum – higher end places like Joel Robuchon, Guy Savoy, Michael Mina, SW Steakhouse and Bartolotta. But our most memorable meals to date were both at é by José Andrés, a secret 7-seater restaurant within Jaléo in the Cosmopolitan Hotel open 3 nights per week and bookable only via email (a month to the day). Each of the multitude of courses on the surprise degustation were plated and served to us by the chefs from behind the counter of our bar seats – delightful tidbits such as Caramelised Pork Rinds, Crispy Chicken Skin in Escabeche (mind-blowing) and Bocata de “Calamares”, a miniature take on a traditional squid Spanish sandwich (on our second visit the filling of squid and prawns was replaced by sea urchin – needless to say it was AWESOME), and larger plates of Turbot with Bone Marrow and Secreto of Iberico. I’d say that, and Raku just off the Strip (their 15-course kaiseki is fantastic) are the two spots worth splashing your cash at in Sin City.

In May we hit Spain and ate our way around Barcelona and San Sebastian, pausing in Bilbao along the way. There we checked out the Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim and popped Pintxos (the Basque region’s answer to tapas) at Gatz and Irrintzi. The former is a hugely popular bar offering traditional bites like anchovies, bacalao and tortilla, all on bread slices. The latter, also on Calle Santa María and right next door, shows more creative flair (with items like squid ink croquettes and frog leg brochettes), has a funkier café feel and attracts a younger clientele – it was swarming with teenagers on our visit.

We also spent a night at the Marqués de Riscal Hotel, another dramatic Gehry masterpiece in Elciego, a medieval town in Rioja halfway between San Sebastian and Bilbao. We took a tour of the surrounding winery and vineyard (very commercial, tedious and frankly a waste of time), luxuriated at the Caudalie Vinothérapie spa, were pleasantly surprised by Francis Paniego’s modern Riojan cuisine at the on-site restaurant, and drank cava from a very cool bottle.

June’s trip to Singapore was pretty laid back and was all about catching up with family and friends. My folks place is near Ghim Moh Market which meant there were hawker breakfasts aplenty – fish ball noodles, mee pok, nasi lemak, chee cheung fun and fried beehoon/kway teow with fried eggs and chicken wings. Yum.

That’s not to say I didn’t make time for non-street fare. Off hand I recall exquisite Foie Gras Xiao Long Bao and Crab Bee Hoon at Sky on 57 atop the Marina Bay Sands, beautifully-crafted kaiseki served by kimono-clad waitresses at Goto (we always eat here at least once when in town) and a tip top omakase sushi and sashimi lunch at Tatsuya followed by quality java at Papa Palheta.

A brief stop in Hong Kong on our way back to London saw us eating up to the very last minute, as we almost missed our flight when we slotted in an eight course meal at Xi Yan Private Dining before dashing off to catch the Airport Express. The cooking was not as fine as that of Lung King Heen or Tim’s Kitchen, but there were some pretty tasty dishes. Highlights include Osmanthus Smoked Duck Egg with Crab Roe, Crispy Stuffed Duck with Glutinous Rice, and fiery Sichuan Chicken served family-style with gooey jellified chunks of century egg and slithery glass noodle ribbons.

Back in UK we took advantage of the unusually long summer and made a few short food-centric road trips. We had a wonderful alfresco lunch at the Daylesford Farmshop and Café in Gloucestershire. Nothing fancy, just simple honest food (potted mackerel, beef tartare, crisp breaded Laverstoke Park pork and a juicy grilled burger) prepared with local organic produce in really pretty surroundings.

We’ve heard lots about David Everitt-Matthias’ food and love his cookbooks so were excited to eat at his 2 Michelin-starred restaurant Le Champignon Sauvage in Cheltenham. Perhaps our expectations were too high, but despite some solid dishes (namely Lobster with Thai Spiced Bouillon and ‘Cramique’ Perdu with Caramelised Apples and Toasted Almond Ice Cream) our dinner there failed to dazzle. Instead we were much more impressed with the unstarred Lumière a stone’s throw away.

A long weekend in the Cotswolds with friends led us to Cherwell Boathouse in nearby Oxford. I had originally chosen the restaurant as it was baby and dog friendly (our group had two newborns and a schnauzer in tow) but the food was actually great – I was particularly impressed by a starter of seared Scallop with Goose Barnacles. Its riverside setting is idyllic too, and one can take a post-lunch punt down the Cherwell River if the whim so takes them.

Driving home from Woodstock we took a detour through Marlow to meet a friend for lunch at The Hand and Flowers. To begin, the three of us shared Truffled Pork Terrine, Roast Veal Sweetbreads and Moules Marinières with Warm Stout – all very nice. For mains we picked the winning dishes from the Great British Menu – Slow-Cooked Duck with Peas, Duck Fat Chips and Gravy (2010) and Roast Hog with Salt-Baked Potatoes and Apple Sauce (2011) which were also solid. Deserving of one Michelin star? Yes. Two? I’m not so sure. If I were to compare to fellow 2* recipients it just wasn’t of the same calibre with regards to service, ambience or food.

And that wraps up 2011 (just in time for Chinese New Year!) – here’s to another year of eating well, drinking lots and general good times.

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Coi / 373 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133-4512 / (415) 393-9000
Bottega / 6525 Washington Street, Yountville, CA 94599 / (707) 945-1050
Redd / 6480 Washington Street, Yountville, CA 94599-1294 / (707) 944-2222
China Poblano / The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd South, NV 89109 / (877) 893-2003
é by José Andrés / The Cosmopolitan, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd South, NV 89109
Gatz / Calle Santa María, 10 48005 Bilbao / 944 15 48 61
Irrintzi / Calle Santa María, 8 48005 Bilbao / 944 16 76 16
Marqués de Riscal / C/ Torrea, 1 01340 Elciego / 945 60 60 00
Tatsuya / Goodwood Park Hotel, 22 Scotts Road, Singapore 228221 / 6887 4598
Xi Yan Private Dining / 3/F 83 Wanchai Road, Hong Kong / 2575 6928
Daylesford Café / Daylesford nr Kingham, Gloucestershire GL56 0YG / 01608 731 700
Le Champignon Sauvage / 24-26 Suffolk Road, Cheltenham GL50 2AQ / 01242 573 449
Cherwell Boathouse / 50 Bardwell Road, Oxford OX2 6ST / 01865 552 746
The Hand and Flowers / 126 West Street, Marlow SL7 2BP / 01628 482 277

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lost posts of 2011 – the london edition

2011 was a good year, and one which saw me eating out more than ever before – a fact that the dwindling recipes on the blog and extra inches around my waist will attest to. However this may not be apparent to (what’s left of) my regular readers, as despite the fervent restaurant-hopping I have developed a sort of ennuie with writing about it all, at times even leaving my camera at home *gasp* to concentrate on the conversations at the table and well, eating. As a result I’ve accumulated a fair few undocumented meals, some of which are probably worth a mention. I’ve lumped them together to present you with my lost posts of 2011. In part one I’ll be tackling the London establishments.

To start, a few newcomers. Burger and Lobster (from the folks who brought us Goodman) in Mayfair aspires to bring affordable lobsters to the masses, and at £20 a pop (served steamed, grilled or in a roll) they may well have achieved it. The cost may have been offset on the burgers, which at the same price doesn’t seem as much of a bargain. No matter, I shall be sticking to the juicy crustaceans – the lobster I had on my inaugural visit was sweet, meaty and perfectly cooked, tossed lightly in Japanese mayonnaise and piled on a toasted buttery brioche. I also love that the cocktail list has ‘B’ and ‘L’ cocktails so you can find the perfect tipple to pair with your choice of fodder.

Australian celeb chef Bill Granger’s Granger & Co. fizzled in comparison. I stopped in at the casual all-day eatery a week or so after it opened to find the place bustling and the man himself floating around schmoozing guests. I chose Sweetcorn Fritters with Roast Tomato, Spinach and Bacon, and asked for extras of avocado salsa and poached egg only to be told that eggs came either scrambled or soft boiled. Reluctantly I settled for the latter, then wished I hadn’t after I cracked it open to find a solid yolk. The fritters themselves were nice enough, but my brunch companion’s Ricotta Hotcakes were stodgy and soggy, thankfully helped along by a side of bacon she had astutely ordered. We left unsatisfied and slightly annoyed to have dropped £50 on a mediocre breakfast.

And to think roughly the same amount can buy you a 6-course dinner for one at Alyn Willliams at The Westbury! The steal of a tasting menu featured a main of tender sous-vide Chicken, Hen of the Woods, Smoked Egg Yolk and Charred Leek that was a real symphony of flavours and ranked up there with some of the best dishes we ate last year. B and I weren’t as taken with a couple of the starters (in particular some rather bland snails on malt soil) but points to the attentive staff who spotted our displeasure and comped us an extra dessert – a luscious deconstructed Persimmon Cheese Cake. Our pud off the menu (Chocolate Mousse with Caramel and Peanut Butter) was superb too. The fledgling restaurant from the former head chef at Marcus Wareing may still be finding its feet but there is potential aplenty.

Something else I ate in 2011 that really stayed with me was the glorious fat-laced seared Pluma Ibérica at José, the now-not-so-new tapas spot in Bermondsey. That, and the tangy escabeche, crunchy croquetas, garlicky chilli prawns and sultry vegetable stew topped with a crusty golden fried egg, makes me eager to try owner José Pizarro’s larger and more recent addition Pizarro, just down the road.

I was charmed by the simple but lovely Corner Room, hidden away within the Town Hall hotel where sister restaurant Viajante resides. I loved all that I sampled there – pared down versions of Nuno Mendes’ cutting edge cuisine – delicate Sea Bass Ceviche with Broad Beans, Pork with Portuguese Bread Pudding (an intriguing savoury tomato and bread concoction) and succulent Lamb Rump and Belly with Baby Vegetables.

The above meal was the precursor to a brilliant cocktail tasting at Viajante Bar – four whimsical cocktails paired with small bites from the Viajante kitchen. One gin-based cucumber and mint creation frothed pretty yuzu bubbles, while another, served in soup bowls, boasted fennel heart, spinach, beetroot glass and large yoghurt ‘stones’ that we were encouraged to lift with our hands and take bites from. Snacks like Duck Heart with Leek Ash Mayonnaise and Mushroom Floss were no less innovative. Sadly the food-paired tastings have been shelved as the genius bartender behind them (Alex McKechnie) has moved on. He does have a few projects in the pipeline, so do keep an eye on his site.

Much praise has been heaped on Medlar since it took residency on the far end of King’s Road, yet for me it failed to live up to the hype. Yes, everything was cooked impeccably (as one would expect from the ex-sous chef at Chez Bruce) but none of it set my pulse racing, although the Duck Egg Tart with Red Wine Sauce, Turnip Purée, Lardons, Sorrel and sautéed Duck Hearts was pretty darn tasty. Admittedly my experience may have been tarnished by being served flat champagne, then condescendingly told that the house champagne is not characteristically bubbly before being begrudgingly poured a far more effervescent smaller glass from a fresh bottle (it later transpired that the original glass was from a bottle opened the day before).

Last year marked the rise of the no-reservations gaff, and with the exception of Alyn Williams and Medlar, all the above mentioned establishments cater to walk-ins only. Russell Norman, king of walk-in dining in Soho, added a staggering three new restaurants to his stable all within walking distance of one another: Spuntino, da Polpo and Mishkin’s. I went to all – savouring a Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream Sandwich at the first, got down and dirty with finger-lickin-good Chilli and Garlic Prawns at the second and swooned over a miniature meatloaf at the third. Of the three, I was drawn most to the Jewish deli inspired nosh at Mishkin’s but apparently service levels have dipped since the opening so I’ll save my final verdict till after my return visit!

Royal China‘s three month closure of its Bayswater branch (for refurb) saw us search high and low for a weekly dim sum fix. Pearl Liang, Princess Garden and Plum Valley all failed to satisfy, with the latter being really quite poor. Happily Royal China is back open with a nice facelift so you’ll find B and I back there most Sundays, although we really need to get ourselves down to Dragon Palace this year.

We did however finally make it to Ba Shan, and aside from an over-salted dish of fried intestines, we quite enjoyed the fiery Hunanese and Sichuanese cuisine on offer. The standout dish by far was the Steamed Catfish with Chilli – generous silky fish fillets complemented by a perfect mix of salty, sweet, sour and spicy. Annoyingly the service was very slow, and a plate of dumplings we ordered never materialised.

An early supper at nearby Bocca di Lupo was pleasant; the food better than I remembered it to be on my previous visit a couple of years ago. The deep-fried plates (courgette flowers, prawns, aubergine) were expertly done – light, crisp and greaseless; hearty blood sausage and mushroom crostini hit the spot too. A hunk of suckling pig did err on the dry side, but otherwise Kenedy’s regional Italian cooking was solid.

I had thought the only Japanese to be had in Knightsbridge was at spendy Zuma or the dodgy-looking Satori Robata across from The Berkeley. That was until a friend brought me to Kura, a tiny family-run joint that has been dishing up home style Japanese fare to those in the know for over a decade. Familiar items like Tori Karaage (fried chicken), Agedashi Tofu (fried beancurd) and grilled Salmon Head were all delicious, and their Nasu Dengaku (miso aubergine) was one of the best I’ve tasted.

Another welcome discovery was Hunan in Belgravia. The deceptively named restaurant (the food actually takes more of a Taiwanese than Hunanese slant) refreshingly has no menu; instead a string of surprise small plates were presented banquet style, all of which were really quite good. I was especially keen on the numerous offal dishes and the aromatic crab noodles in a chilli lemongrass broth. The wine list was unexpectedly accomplished, as the chef’s son Michael is somewhat of a wine buff.

A weekend trip to the Design Museum led to lunch at Blueprint Café (at the time Jeremy Lee was still behind the stove) where we had a delightful starter of Baked Garlic, Grilled Bread, Mozzarella, Tapenade and Broad Beans. Unfortunately everything else we sampled was ordinary at best – slices of Lamb Roast were dry, overcooked and tasted as if they had sat under a heat lamp too long – we would have done better at Butlers Wharf Chop House next door.

More disappointing was the vegetarian tasting menu we had at Sketch Lecture Room & Library, the only Michelin-starred restaurant of the bunch. To be honest I don’t remember much of it (says it all really) except that it was uninspiring and terribly expensive. The seaweed butter was lovely though.

So there we have it – a smattering of my neglected meals of 2011. Stay tuned for part deux, when I’ll be covering a few UK eateries outside of London as well as various locations overseas.

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Burger and Lobster / 29 Clarges street, Mayfair London W1J 7EF / 0207 409 1699
Granger & Co / 175 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2SB / 020 7229 9111
Alyn Williams / The Westbury Hotel, Bond Street, London WIS 2YF / 0207 078 9579
José / 104 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3UB
Corner Room / 8 Patriot Square, London E2 9NF
Medlar / 438 King’s Road, London SW10 0LJ / 020 7349 1900
Spuntino / 61 Rupert Street, London W1D 7PW
da Polpo / 6 Maiden Lane, London WC2E 7NA / 020 7836 8448
Mishkin’s / 25 Catherine Street, London WC2B 5JS / 020 7240 2078
Ba Shan / 24 Romilly Street, London W1D 5AH / 020 7287 3266
Bocca di Lupo / 12 Archer Street, London W1D 7BB / 020 7734 2223
Kura / 3-4 Park Close, London SW1X 7PQ / 020 7581 1820
Hunan / 51 Pimlico Road, London SW1W 8NE / 020 7730 5712
Blueprint Café / Design Museum, 28 Shad Thames, London SE1 2YD / 020 7378 7031
Sketch / 9 Conduit Street, London W1S 2XG / 020 7659 4500

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MEATliquor

Already open a fortnight, I’m way behind on shouting the praises of MEATliquor, the latest, and at last permanent digs of the #MEATEASY folk grill master Yianni Papoutsis and pub supremo Scott Collins. Situated in the highly accessible W1 postcode (hurrah!) on Wellbeck Street, just behind Debenhams, the burger mecca is open 5 days a week from noon till late.

Inside, the decor is dark and edgy – interesting albeit slightly disconcerting, especially in the daytime (when I made my visit). But I kinda love it – the grungy dirtiness would be, I think, pretty awesome at night.

The dirty fried chicken I desperately wanted to try had yet to make it on the menu, so we settled for fried pickles and buffalo wings to start. The pickles were good indeed – juicy sharp dill pickle slices encased in golden crunchy batter and eaten dunked in the cool blue cheese sour cream dip. I wish they had been cut smaller though – a higher batter to pickle ratio would make a better balance.

Buffalo Wings piled onto the same paper-lined tray (no poncey presentation here) were served with the same pot of sauce on the side. Personally I favour more piquancy and heat; still they were very tasty and moreish.

The star of the show was without doubt the burgers. One bite into my Dead Hippie and I was in meat heaven. Two handsome crusty patties draped with molten American cheese, pink and moist in the middle, tucked snuggly in a soft toasted bun.

Shredded lettuce and pickle slices added freshness and bite, and the secret onion-speckled sauce put this beauty over the top. Every mouthful induced sighs of pleasure – if there is a finer burger in London I have not tasted it.

With all the meat we had ordered we felt the need for some token vegetables so ordered a helping of coleslaw. Probably wasn’t all that good for us – creamy as it was – but who cares, it tasted great.

I cannot stress enough how much you need Meat Liquor in your life. Seriously, I’m already mentally clearing my schedule for another visit. If you love, or even like burgers you need to trot on down and join the queue (the only downside – I have heard most nights the lines snake round the block).

Meat Liquor
74 Welbeck Street
London W1G 0BA

t. 020 7224 4239

in de wulf

I’ve had my sights on dining at In de Wulf for a while. So when SB suggested we take a day trip to Belgium to lunch there, I leapt at the chance. Eager as I was, I wasn’t quite prepared for the journey that snatched me out of bed in the wee hours to board an early Eurostar to Lille, then a car (with a far too chatty cabbie at the wheel) for a 45 minute ride to sleepy Heuvelland, perched on the French-Belgian border.

Kobe Desramaults grew up and started his culinary career here, but left in his teens to work in kitchens across Europe (including a two year stint in Oud Sluis). In de Wulf was actually the family home which his parents converted into a brasserie with rooms, and since Desramaults returned to take over the reins, the rising young chef has wowed the critics with his progressive Flemish cuisine and passionate support of produce gleaned from the surrounding area. In 2005 he secured his first Michelin star and became the youngest chef in Belgium to ever do so.

Weary, disoriented and starved, we were thankful to be ushered straight into the cosy lounge area upon arrival. We sunk into the armchairs beside the crackling fire and sipped a refreshing seasonal juice of sweet yet earthy ruby-red apple and beetroot as nibbles began to trickle out of the adjacent kitchen.

Whirls of Home-dried Bacon, salty and flavourful from six months of aging, teased and awakened our palates.

Moreish nutty orbs of Cereal and Herbs followed, and were promptly wolfed down in seconds.

Intriguing black mushroom powder-dusted Burnt Bread pebbles left an impression with an ever-so-slightly bitter crisp thin shell that contrasted nicely with the light creamy whipped Mariolles (a French cow’s milk cheese) within.

Bright red Beetroot cones were another successful play on texture – both our eyes lit up in unison at the delightful crunch of the first bite. Taste-wise it was also good, as one would expect of the trusty combo of beetroot and yoghurt.

I had high hopes for the pretty flower adorned chicken skin fragments but sadly they didn’t live up to expectations. The skin was too oily, tasting more like crackling than crisp poultry skin, and the carrot spread lacked flavour.

Opening bites over, we were led into the main restaurant – a homey space, brightly-lit thanks to a lovely spot of winter sun.

Our well-appointed table afforded us both a view of the rustic dining room and the expansive al fresco eating area outside. Looking out onto the lush greenery I felt an overwhelming sense of calm – it may have taken a bit of effort to get to Kobe’s hideaway, but the rural locale certainly added to its charm.

Back to the food – parsnip Crisps would have been ordinary had it not been for the parsnip dip and generous dusting of mustard powder.

Whelks were fresh, sweet, and delicious eaten with a dab of whelk-infused mayonnaise that whispered of the sea. I wasn’t as sure about the parsley juice chasers, definitely a superfluous addition in my opinion.

The first real star of the meal for me was the Mackerel Escabeche. A seriously fresh slice of gleaming fish, softly pickled with a well-judged bite from the sharp sea buckthorn.

The Crab, Swiss Chard and Nasturtium dish resting on a chive oil-slicked buttermilk sauce was also quite lovely with its gentle flavours.

Another winner was this humble looking pile of Ox-heart Cabbage that concealed velvety lightly-poached Zeeland oysters. The mouthful of sweet greens, briny oyster, fresh horseradish and whey sauce was rather special.

Equally delicious was the Scallop and Purslane (both foraged from the same shoreline) served with a warm verveine-infused broth made with the frilly membrane and corals. The scallop liquor was pure but intense and complemented the sweet silky raw shellfish, faintly-salty sea greens and crunchy raw walnuts.

We agreed that the Sea Bass, Seabeet and Turnips was the one dull note of the mains. Granted the fish was well executed, with its crisped brown skin and moist flaky flesh, but the soggy tasteless turnip ribbons was a poor match.

Our disappointment with the fish course didn’t last long however, as soon after we were presented with our next plates, along with a magnificent ash and salt-crusted celeriac. The server (one of the chefs) cut the shell open at the table to reveal the steaming root vegetable within.

Much to our dismay he whisked it back to the kitchen, leaving us with our plated thin slivers of celeriac enhanced with cream cheese and sorrel. Nice but a bit anti-climatic after the excitement of seeing the freshly-baked celeriac in all its glory.

Wild Mushrooms and Cereals was polite and pleasant, but not earth-shattering. That said, I did enjoy the textural contrast of the rough grains against the tender mushrooms.

Much like the celeriac course, the next dish made quite an entrance with a majestic shrivelled Cured Ox Heart, brought out to be shaved as seasoning.

The ox heart shavings gave a hit of salt to the blanched kale (served with a strong yeasty sauce) but wasn’t particularly distinctive in taste.

I enjoyed the final main, which boasted succulent Wild Hare Fillet, a tasty bit of sausage made from the hare legs, jerusalem artichoke purée, tender onions and a rich jus.

Desserts kicked off with a light and refreshing minimalist rendition of cheesecake – small juicy Kemmel pear spheres in a pool of amber elderberry juice served with a singular blob of gooey cheesecake.

Next was an unusual dessert featuring a large sponge-like hunk of creamy frozen beer parfait, served with walnuts, buttermilk reduction and an artistic squiggle of a biscuit.

The last was a homage to the humble apple, with a composition of apple tuile, apple snow and an airy mousse subtly fragranced with rosemary.

We adjourned back to the lounge area for tea and an endless array of additional sweet treats. Malty Beignets, although a touch greasy, were soft, warm and inviting.

Rich buttery Salted Caramel in dainty chocolate cups were delectable, as were the hard caramel drops enrobed in chocolate that cracked against the teeth and oozed a praline-like filling.

Pâtes de Fruits and Chocolate-coated Marshmallows were also both excellent but by that point I really was too full (not to mention sleepy) to fully appreciate them.

In de Wulf may not have been spectacular from start to finish, but there were a number of real standouts and the almost magical setting did make the trip worthwhile. The food wasn’t quite as ground-breaking as I had envisaged or hoped, though there was enough innovation to keep things interesting, and I quite liked that the dishes didn’t try too hard and had an ease about them that resonated with the tranquil Flanders countryside.

hedone

The beginning of October brought not only a distinct autumnal chill, but several highly anticipated dates in the UK restaurant calendar including this year’s release of hallowed Michelin Stars, the National Restaurant Awards, as well as several “best of” lists from respected publications such as TimeOut and OFM. Many that fared well – The Ledbury, Pollen Street Social, Roganic, Dinner by Heston – though deserved, weren’t much of a surprise. Far more interesting I thought were the ones to watch, like new kid on the block Hedone, crowned NRA’s most promising opening of the year.

Brainchild of ex-blogger Mikael Jonsson, the Chiswick neighbourhood eatery with a Nordic sensibility (a nod to the chef patron’s Swedish roots) takes sourcing to another level. The focus is on the ingredients – stripping dishes down to emphasise the purity of their natural flavours.

A light flaky amuse of Cep Tart, slightly bland on first bite, became wonderfully woodsy after a scant sprinkle of sea salt pilfered from the butter dish. I worried that the restrained seasoning would become a recurring issue, but as the meal unfolded it transpired that my concerns were totally unfounded.

Flame Grilled Cornish Mackerel was moist, subtly smoky and perfectly seasoned. Crunchy leaves of baby gem provided an uplifting foil to the oily fish.

Cévennes Onion with Pear Shavings didn’t excite on paper but dazzled the palate with its simplicity – tender, incredibly sweet onions doused in butter and accented with refreshing pear slivers.

I have yet to meet a slow cooked egg I did not like, and Jonsson’s version served with Scottish Girolles had an unexpected addition of apricot, which with its tart sweetness really elevated the dish.

Hand-cut Beef Tartare showcased the quality meat well and was so delicious that the warm oyster nestled on top was pretty superfluous, not that this stopped me from nabbing my dining companion’s (the rather unusual and ever entertaining chinaman, E) when he sent it my way.

We both snubbed the fish option when it came to the mains. E went with the Leg of Silka Deer which was juicy, flavourful and suitably pink. Absolutely sublime when eaten with the accompanying caramelised endives, horseradish and rich jus.

My choice of Scottish Grouse, Bramley Apple and Cress complete with offal sauce was not for the faint of heart. E wrinkled his nose at its overpowering aroma and I must admit the game was a little aggressive – I much preferred the venison. The attentive waitress noticed this and sweetly offered to replace my main with some deer of my own (I declined – after all grouse is known for its pungency so it was no fault of the kitchen).

Desserts didn’t disappoint. The Hedone Chocolate Bar was dense, decadent and intensely chocolaty. Utter sin on a plate.

English Blueberry Tart was equally satisfying – buttery puff pastry filled with luscious stewed fruit served with a scoop of impossibly fragrant jewel-toned Vine Peach Sorbet.

We ended the evening with warm madeleines, big smiles on our faces and chewy salted caramels to take home. A thoroughly delightful dinner, which although not pitch perfect had enough high notes to make a return to the depths of W4 an absolute certainty.

Hedone
301 Chiswick High Road
London W4 4HH

t. 020 8747 0377

big apple hot dogs

Ever since Big Apple Hot Dogs regular SB brought me and S to Abiye’s shiny dawg-peddling cart I’ve been dreaming non-stop about the beautiful juicy franks and singing their praises to anyone who’ll listen. After rattling on about the dogs again to a couple of friends last night I decided it was high time to put my pen where my mouth is and blog about the awesomeness that is Big Apple Hot Dogs.

Parked just opposite Old St tube every week (Tues – Fri 12-6pm), BAHD is owned and run by Abiye, a longtime lover of the American hot dog. He’s spent time in NYC and it shows – his hot dogs are the real deal and in my opinion you’d be hard-pressed to find a finer specimen here in London.

We started with a Big Frank (those with a smaller appetite can opt for the Frank Junior), an oak-smoked organic free range pork beauty seasoned with paprika, nutmeg and black pepper nestled in a soft pliable bun freshly made that day by local baker H.W. Anderson of Hoxton.

The first bite was amazing. As my teeth sank into the frank the thin natural casing snapped pleasingly and juicy porky goodness burst forth. The pillowy bun, bed of sweet thyme-specked onions and my messy squirts of ketchup and polish mustard (chosen from the wide selection of condiments available) all added to the heavenly experience. A steal at £3.50.

Needless to say I wasn’t about to stop at one and Abiye had a special treat in store for us (a benefit of going with a BAHD groupie!), a giant mustard-infused pork sausage so large that it had to be sliced for easy consumption.

The meaty number had a punchy flavour and boasted coarse chunks of tender pork that gave it a much firmer texture than any sausage I’ve ever eaten.

We rounded off with the long skinny Pimp Steak – pure beef with a robust intensity that brought to mind a Slim Jim. I had my share without bread but the tasty mildy-spiced dog would be ideal in a bun.

All ye hot dog lovers hurry down to Old Street now! Best. Dogs. Ever.

Big Apple Hot Dogs
239 Old Street
London EC1V 9EY

t. 07989 387 441
(closed Mondays)

CUT at 45 park lane

Austrian chef Wolfgang Puck is a bit of a legend in the States, with a successful career spanning decades and a string of lauded fine dining and casual restaurants to his name. He recently began venturing further afield, opening outposts of his steakhouse CUT first in Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands, and now at the new 45 Park Lane here in London. Having grown up with the occasional Puck-branded frozen pizza at the dinner table I was sceptical, yet curious to sample the cuisine that made him famous.

Dinner commenced pleasantly with gougères and crumbly cheese grissini to nibble on while we dissected the menu. One of the lovely waitresses rolled over a presentation of the cuts of beef available and gave us a brief description of each breed. We made our picks and tucked into the bread (a solid selection of walnut, sourdough and onion focaccia) which was served with two butters – a plain salted one, and a rather delectable seaweed-specked number.

The tian of Dorset Crab and Lobster “Louis” and Spicy Tomato-Horseradish was a beautiful start to the meal – sweet shellfish delicately herbed and dressed, resting on creamy cubes of avocado and a silken round of mild horseradish panna cotta. Served with a refreshing salad garnish, it was vibrant, light and delicious.

Australian Wagyu Steak Sashimi with Spicy Radishes also hit the spot – meltingly tender slices of ruby marbled meat matched with a mix of colourful sprightly vegetables.

A main of Wagyu Beef Short Ribs “Indian Spiced” with Curried Cauliflower and Garam Masala was intensely flavoured and unctuously soft from eight hours of slow cooking. Incredibly tasty, just a pity there wasn’t more of it on the plate.

Naturally, it being a steakhouse we couldn’t leave without delving into their extensive offering. We were intrigued by the Australian Wagyu and Black Angus hybrid but balked at the cost (£85 per 6oz/170g) and instead opted for the more moderately-priced Tasting of New York Sirloin (£45) which featured 4oz portions of USDA Prime Black Angus and Casterbridge Angus, as well as a 2oz serving of the aforementioned crossbreed.

Each of the trio was tasty in their own right, and well-complimented by the accompanying sauces – the rich Béarnaise and piquant Housemade Steak Sauces (the latter was so good B wanted to takeaway a bottle) partnered nicely with the leaner Angus cuts, while the acid of the Argentinian Chimichurri cut through the juicy fat-laced Wagyu hybrid. Of the three, the last really stood out – a perfect balance between the robust meatiness of Angus and melt-in-the-mouth goodness of Wagyu.

None of the steak comes with sides but there is a lengthy list of tempting add-ons available for a little extra. Not wanting to mess with the pure taste of beef we shunned the bone marrow (£6) and seared foie gras (£10) toppings and went with sides of Herbed French Fries (£4.50) and Creamed Spinach (£5.50).

The fries were very good indeed (crisp outside, fluffy within) but not distinctively herby. The Creamed Spinach however was phenomenal – sinfully buttery and crowned with a gorgeous soft-yolked fried Burford Brown. I could have eaten just that with some crusty bread and have been blissfully happy.

Desserts were rather lovely too. The Banana Cream Pie with 10 Chocolate Sauce and Butterscotch Gelato came highly recommended and didn’t disappoint. A sophisticated take on an American favourite which was well-balanced and surprisingly light.

The oh-so-decadent Warm Chocolate Soufflé was fluffy yet dense with a deep rich molten centre. A real chocoholic’s dream.

Mint teas and biscotti wrapped up a hugely enjoyable meal. The sommelier and wait staff were attentive, friendly and knowledgeable, the food both comforting and refined, and we even liked the narrow hotel lobby-like dining room and eclectic soundtrack (Wolfgang’s personal playlist we were told) that ranged from opera and 60′s hits to current chart-toppers and dance tunes.

The menu reads well and there is plenty on it I would return for. I had a quick glance at the Breakfast and Lunch à la carte, and those too looked inviting. In fact I can imagine myself being a regular here; if it weren’t quite so pricey that is (all those extras really rack up).

CUT at 45 Park Lane
45 Park Lane, Mayfair
London W1K 1PN

t.020 7493 4545

lumière

I’m the first to admit that I’m not a terribly efficient blogger, at times shamelessly wheeling out posts on meals eaten weeks, if not months before. On this occasion I’ve outdone myself, writing up a lunch dating back to April when the chill in the air had just abated and asparagus were still in season. I briefly considered dropping it from the roster completely but Lumière surprised us so much on our long weekend in Cheltenham, outshining the more renowned Champignon Sauvage nearby, that I thought it a diservice to my readers if I were to not feature it.

Tucked behind a modest facade, the entrance simply adorned with a purple awning and framed menu, the restaurant lies just off the busy Promenade, with Jon Howe in the kitchen and his partner Helen running the front of house. It’s an intimate, unfussy setting and as Helen greeted us we almost felt as if she was welcoming us into her own home. Wanting to allow enough time for the 7-course tasting we arrived at noon and were the first to be seated.

To start us off were nibbles of Black Shetland Potato Crisps and Caramel Cajun Popcorn. Both were instantly addictive, although the former edged it for us – salted thin discs, mildly vinegared to allow the natural earthiness of the vegetable to shine through. I wanted to request another serving but thought better of it, only to kick myself later when nearly all the subsequent tables asked for seconds.

A grassy green shot of Wild Garlic Soup with White Beans, Smoked Eel and Crayfish kicked off the 7-course tasting menu. The beans and eel complemented the creamy soup well, but the flavour of ransom could have been more pronounced and the crayfish for us was one ingredient too many.

The next plate however was spot on. Succulent perfectly-seared Hand Dived Oban Scallops and golden slabs of Pork Belly topped with shards of Cumin Caramel, accented with a smooth purée of Carrot, Orange and Anise. Excellent textures, seasoning and execution – this certainly wasn’t your average token scallop course.

Asparagus with Béarnaise Flavours and Poached Egg Yolk showcased first of the season Evesham spears that were sweet, very fresh and tender with the requisite bite.

The deconstructed Béarnaise sauce – dehydrated butter, runny poached yolk and sherry vinegar sauce – was brilliant conceptually, but the yolks were surprisingly bland (easily rectified with a touch more salt) and I found myself longing for the fat found in the traditional preparation.

Neat pink slices of delicately tea-smoked Creedy Carver Duck was served with Confit Duck Leg Croquettes, Foie Gras Parfait (encased in a port jelly sphere), Apple Blossom and a Shallot Lime Pickle.

Possibly the funnest palate cleanser I’ve ever come across was their ‘Tequila Slammer’, consisting of salt tuile, tequila slushie and a lime sphere. Refreshing and very clever.

The main that followed, a Sirloin of Rose Veal, was nicely chargrilled and incredibly moist in the middle. Crunchy nuggets of Tempura Frogs Legs were a delight and worked in harmony with the accompanying Spinach, Baby Artichokes, Black Garlic Purée and dots of Parsley Gel.

Desserts didn’t let the team down. Pistachio and Olive Oil Cake with Macerated Strawberries, Honeycomb, Strawberry Jelly and Elderflower Mousse was light yet luscious.

And the richer Valrhona Guanaja Dark Chocolate Delice with Smoked Salt, Pecan, Sesame, Bourbon “Cheesecake” and Brown Bread Ice Cream was deeply satisfying, although the delice and brandy snap-like cheesecake were almost two separate puds.

Petits four of Mint Aero, Turkish Delight, Vanilla Fudge, Blackcurrant Jelly and Chocolate Passionfruit Lollipop closed a thoroughly enjoyable lunch. The chef has spent time in the kitchens of The Fat Duck and The Greenhouse, and it shows – his cooking is accomplished and in only two years of taking ownership of Lumière he has already developed his own unique brand of cuisine. Already garnering much local acclaim, we expect great things from Howe in the near future.

Lumière
Clarence Parade
Cheltenham GL50 3PA

t. 01242 222200

taquería

Virtually absent from the dining scene five years ago, Mexican cuisine is finally gaining ground in London with a slew of cheerful chains popping up on the high streets – the most notable being US burrito giant Chipotle which has done so well it already has plans to expand, with a second branch soon opening in Marylebone. These fast food joints are fine for a quick lunch fix, but if you want the real deal there isn’t any better place for it in town than Taquería on Westbourne Grove.

The sunny casual eatery offers a wide range of dishes (quesadillas, tostadas, enchiladas etc.), many of which feature their soft corn tortillas made in-house daily; but what they specialise in are tacos, with no less than 15 variations in all. We bypassed the popular Carnitas (slow-cooked pork) on our recent Saturday afternoon visit and went straight for the Camarones al Mojo de Ajo and Puntas Albañil. The former was a trio of mini tortillas topped with creamy avocado mash and garlicky grilled prawns with smoky chipotle and coriander. Delicious small bites – perfect with a squeeze of lime and a spoonful of tomatillo salsa.

The messy Puntas Albañil tacos were even tastier – pan-fried skirt steak with chunks of bacon, tender onions, green chile and sliced avocado on larger corn tortillas. I eagerly wolfed it down, chasing it with a refreshing gulp of Pacifico.

In addition to the tacos we ordered a more substantial plate of Huevos Rancheros Clásicos from the lunch menu. Two soft-yolked fried eggs on crispy tortillas smothered in a tomato, onion and green chile sauce served with homemade Mexican chorizo, refried beans and crumbled cheese. Simply gorgeous.

One bite into the Huevos I contemplated ordering a portion of Mexican chorizo quesadillas (they are SUPER GOOD) but was properly stuffed by the time the plate was wiped clean. Still, that didn’t stop us from finishing off with some cinnamon sugar-dusted churros. The sickly chocolate dip was a bit heavy on the condensed milk for our liking, but the doughnuts themselves were incredible crunchy sticks of sugared goodness.

Aside from the very tasty authentic Mexican nosh served up by a really lovely bunch of staff, Taquería also boasts a well-stocked bar with an extensive range of tequilas and Mexican lagers. And if you’ve not eaten your fill there’s an entire wall of Cool Chile Co ingredients and tortilla presses on sale for you to whip up your own tacos at home.

Taquería
139-143 Westbourne Grove
London W11 2RS
t. 0207 229 4734

bincho yakitori “off menu”

As a food blogger I’m posed the dreaded question “What’s your favourite restaurant in London?” on a regular basis. In reply I often rattle off a list of places I love – I find it so hard to pick one specific establishment with the perfect spot being dependent on so many other variables (mood, occasion, season etc) than just the quality of the cooking.

Bincho Yakitori always makes it onto the list. Over the years I’ve brought many friends through its doors and the relaxed setting, enthusiastic staff and above all, incredibly tasty food, never fail to satisfy. Although all the charcoal-grilled skewers on the main menu are fantastic, it’s the specials scribbled on the chalkboard and secret off menu items that really take things up a notch. These tend to go quickly and there are still a few that have remained elusive despite our frequent visits. In a bid to sample all the good bits in one sitting we asked chef Dave Miney to hook us up with a no-holds-barred beak to tail feast for three, to which he kindly obliged.

To pair with our offal-tastic meal, restaurant manager and sake aficionado Zac recommended the Kamotsuru, a futsu-shu from Hiroshima prefecture. He gave us a little to try and after a taste (lightly floral and balanced with a very smooth finish) we ordered a towering bottle of the sake without hesitation. For the longest time we had stuck to beer or sake tasters when eating at Bincho in fear of the sheer size of the full bottles; that was before we discovered that unfinished bottles can be labelled and kept in their fridge for a future visit – handy.

First up, delicate rolls of yellowtail sashimi in zesty ponzu. Nice and light – perfect to whet our appetite for the mammoth skewer line-up.

Next, more yellowtail, this time grilled hamachi collar served with yuzu salt and a lemon wedge. Soft tender fish, sweet with a hint of charcoal and lovely gelatinous bits around the bones. Our friend M enjoyed this hugely and licked the bones clean.

We then launched into the chicken parts, diving straight in with bonjiri aka Chicken Tail. The deboned tails were less fatty than I imagined, very succulent and rather tasty despite it being essentially butt that I was eating!

Another challenging part followed – the Spleen (mame). The shiny brown-hued beans had a distinct livery flavour, were creamy in texture and probably not everyone’s cup of tea. We quite liked them.

Lightly-charred Chicken Soft Bone (nankotsu) were wonderfully crunchy and moreish. Bincho serves two types of cartilage, both off-menu. The one shown here on the skewer is taken from the breast bone while a snack of golden nuggets, deep-fried and served with yuzu salt, are taken from between the thigh bones. Both are fantastic.

Chicken Gizzards (sunazuri) aren’t the tastiest of parts but definitely one of my favourites texture-wise. We always order these, along with our staples of chicken oysters, tsukune, beef tongue and bacon-wrapped enoki.

When it comes to naughty bits, skin is probably the naughtiest and we were treated to not just one type, but two! The kawa was lovely and crisp, and took on the flavours of the savoury sweet tare (sauce) beautifully.

The duck variant was dryer but more intensely flavoured – the fat-rendered skin sucking in the tare it was finished in. These were a first from the Bincho kitchen, so a bit of an experiment and I think they’ve got massive potential – maybe better grilled sans tare to let the pure ducky goodness shine through.

I can only imagine how much effort it takes to create one skewer of Seseri (chicken neck) – each features meat from 7 chicken necks, the meat painstakingly removed from each. Needless to say these are hard to come by. Whenever I see it on the board I snap a couple up straight away – the meat is silky tender and incredibly tasty.

Perhaps the most unusual skewer (apart from the spleen) we had that evening was the Hatsu Moto, or Chicken Aorta. Yes, AORTA. You can actually see the arteries which is slightly unnerving but didn’t deter us from getting stuck in. Very flavourful, and if you enjoy chicken hearts (as we do), you’ll like these.

As mentioned earlier, Chicken Oysters (sori) are one of my favourites off the regular menu. If you like yakitori and aren’t a fan of the more risque offerings I would highly recommend you try these plump beauties – nothing suspicious, just the chunk of meat found where the thigh bone meets the body.

Tsukune (minced chicken balls), another skewer that we never fail to order, were tasty as always. Moist from a dunking in tare, the juicy balls were made even better dipped into the accompanying raw egg yolk.

Eating stick after stick of meat can be a bit heavy going after a while, so we stole mouthfuls of crunchy Daikon Salad (tossed with baby anchovies, flying fish roe, nori and a light Japanese mayo dressing) to freshen our palate between skewers.

It isn’t just about the grill at Bincho, aside from salads there are also a handful of sides on the menu, including a Braised Daikon with Tripe stew. For our dinner Dave did a riff on that, substituting sinful chunks of Pig’s Head for the tripe. It was nothing short of mind-blowing.

Dave had fed us well, but we couldn’t resist closing with a bowl of their delicious kimchi-laced Vegetable Fried Rice.

A truly epic gastro education of the anatomy of a chook.

Bincho Yakitori Grill and Bar
16 Old Compton Street
London, W1D 4TL

t. 020 7287 9111