Fire and Feathers - A posher Nando's

August 28, 2014, 4:57 am

So, yesterday was National Burger Day! In that case I went for a Chicken dinner at the brand new Fire and Feathers on the Fulham Road. It's a Piri-Piri joint so, a spruced up Nando's (which I must admit, for the right occasion, I'm a fan of).

We reached the door by 7pm to be more or less the only people in here for a good 20mins or so (it eventually became pretty busy). There's a no reservations policy so, if you're craving spiced chicken then head down early(ish).

The décor is upcycled rustic materials and there's a hint of Portuguese traditions in the tiling, which I'm lead to believe are authentic.

We started off with some cocktails which were Portuguese twists on the originals we are familiar with. I started with a Piri-piri bloody Mary which wasn't as spiced as one was expecting but still, a pretty good BM.

Miss A chose their 'Os Espumante’s Prosecco' with raspberry.

The menu is short and snappy... a couple of starters and very few mains.

Chicken 3 ways, steak, sandwich, a fish and a veggie and to be honest what more do you want?

Whilst we waited on the other members of our party to join whom were coming a while later we decided to share a few starters between the four of us.

Chorizo: Plentiful and delicious in taste however, quite a few pieces were what one would call a little 'over-charred' (AKA burnt).

The platter of Iberico cured meat was, again, on the larger side that I was expecting but who can complain about over-sizing portions?! The meat had fantastic flavour and is obviously well sourced but was just ever so slightly too thickly cut in parts.

The girls amongst us ordered some gluten free bread to mop up the juices which was as good as gluten free bread can be...

The all-round favourite starter of the evening were the garlic King prawns which came in a fantastic tomato/garlic/oily sauce. Half shelled for the diners ease and seriously succulent they had a good amount of spice and were simply heavenly.

For mains I think we all thought it would be a sin not to order the chicken and managed to get all three flavourings amongst us. Reading up beforehand I was aware that the 'whole' chicken is in fact a poussin (approx 550g of meat incl. bone) and we were also informed by the lovely waitress that the 'half' is actually coming off the menu very soon (possibly due to so many people being confused by the size).

The competitive (girls) amongst us decided on the so called 'Dynamite' whole ~~poussin~~ chicken. And yes, they aren't wrong in telling you to get a whole chicken per person. The chicken is expertly cooked with crisp skin and succulent meat. The dynamite marinade is pretty blow your head off stuff even for the chilli fiends amongst us (it does come with a warning). But all in all I thoroughly enjoyed every (burning) mouthful!

For the £12.95 whole chicken you get a choice of side of which I went for the African spiced rice (more spice!). Peppered with peas, corn and bacon it was a great side and even greater to pour into the sauce from the above chicken.

I sampled Mr D's Piri-piri chicken. This immediately brought me back to my childhood plonked in a shack off Val Do Lobo beach - heaven! A nice mild spice in comparison to the dynamite and again the meat cooked to perfection. The only slight gripe was that it was a little on the greasy side.

The chips were a triumph crisp outer, fluffy inner.

We continued the evening until the bar was shut (around 10:30pm)drinking reasonably priced prosecco and Portuguese beers.

For a quick bite and a cheap eat en route home, this isn't a bad new spot. The relaxed atmosphere is welcoming to larger, rowdier groups (there was a large b'day party when we were in) and I think that adds to the charm of the place. It is a grown-ups (or a Chelsea) Nando's and a great one at that. We spoke about there being an additional middle spiced version between the Piri-piri and the dynamite for those wanting a chilli kick over a rather large blast!!

£45pp with booze

A: 343 fulham road. sw10 9tw

Website: hereT: 0203 0110 081

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Kurobuta Marble Arch

September 5, 2014, 5:13 am

≫ Next: Brasserie Chavot

≪ Previous: Fire and Feathers - A posher Nando's

So one of my girls has gone and got a rather beautiful sparkler on her finger (and a new job!). Already having a larger get together to celebrate with the men in our lives, last night called for a girlie catch up and a good ~~try on~~ look at that sparkler.

Kurobuta has opened another fantastic restaurant in what I could call Connaught Village but it is often described as Marble Arch. Take a short walk past Mr Blair's house and you'll find it nestled in the quaint little village-y area which is a stones throw from Marble Arch itself.

The interior is super sleek and effortless. Much bigger than it's sister restaurant which I have previously blogged about here and far, far less cramped. But, I do LOVE the charm of the Chelsea spot as it feels so much more intimate and original.

Blagging a table at 6:30 was easy enough, although any later and we wouldn't have been seated till 9ish. The place is buzzing and has a great atmosphere even for our early sitting.

Wine ordered, we had a bowl of their incredibly more-ish edemame beans which has been flame licked and doused in lemon, salt and butter. The butter made these little beans sing and Miss G and I quickly finished the bowl.(not photographed).

Then came the hardest part, deciding what to have. Seemingly difficult as we wanted more or less the whole menu we decided on choosing two items each and going from there. Apologies for the photos I was more interested in gossiping and it was (sadly) getting dark - at 7pm!!! CRYYYY!!!

First up Scallop sashimi with Kimchee Butter and Tobilco.

Another flame kissed delicacy these plump beauties were swimming in a sweet/sour sauce. Topped with lashing of baby onions, roe and sesame seeds. Seemingly getting mixed reviews from some I actually rather liked the sharpness of the sauce. It was a refreshing little number...

Squid Kara-age with jalapeño dipping sauce was a little underwhelming. Perhaps as the portion size was a bit stingy for £8.50. The flavour was there and the dipping sauce was scrummy, it just didn't look as appealing as one could make it.

Spicy tuna maki was incredibly fresh and some of the better I have tasted. But gone have the tempura crunchies I so loved at my previous visit. Still, an awesome bit of sushi and decent value.

One of my favourites to order when gorging on Japanese is miso-aubergine and here it is done excellently. Little nuggets of a smoked, sticky, silky aubergine were set perfectly against a crunchy, candied walnut. Great contrast in flavour and texture, I'm sorry my photo (especially here) does not do it justice in the slightest!

The 'Pièce de résistance' came in the form of three mini wagyu beef sliders in a steamed bun, crunchy onions, cucumber and umami mayo. Yes, OH.MY.GOD! The crisp onions were (I think) in panko crumbs so gave a brilliant crisp element to the very succulent beef. The buns were of the hirata type and perfectly light and fluffy but with a little scorched topping thus adding a slightly firmer texture from the usual. Really delicious however I'm still not over fussed on the wagyu craze, I'm not entirely sure I could tell any difference when in burger form. But, I would definitely have these beauties again.

A bottle and some glasses down we called it a night. This was actually the perfect amount for three people however, I was eyeing up the ribs on the table next door and will definitely be trying some of their house Sake the next time. It's a fabulous place. Wonderful atmosphere and yummy, innovative Japanese cooking. £40-50pp

A: 17-20 KENDAL STREET, LONDON, W2 2AW
P:0203 475 4158

http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/notfound?item=%2frestaurant%2fkurobuta-marble-arch&user=extranet%5cAnonymous&site=website

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Brasserie Chavot

September 19, 2014, 4:24 am

≫ Next: Flat Iron - steaks, well done!

≪ Previous: Kurobuta Marble Arch

I haven't blogged in a wee while which some people have noticed...I am sorry I've been a little busy...

So, last week was my birthday. I'm now fully into my final year of my twenties by just a week and I'm coping...just!

But, last weekend my love, my best friend asked me to marry him, and I said 'YES' amidst tears of happiness and total surprise. It's the most incredible, wonderful, indescribable feeeeeeling (I bet you're singing Aladin now aren't you?!). He asked me at my favourite place in the world which, I happen to have blogged about before, The Wellinton Arms.

So, I am a week behind and now back to the food...

Mr D was away on work and therefore hoping my spare room would at least have a bed in it I ~~demanded~~ asked my parents to pop down and stay. The bed is still at Peter Jones and currently I have no hot water - the JOYS of home owning! But, my family still came down for a long weekend, they're good like that.

To be honest this will possibly be one of the shortest blogs I've done, ever! I didn't want to get my blogging brain on for the means of a post. I just wanted to enjoy the food and the company I was in.

Brasserie Chavot has been awarded a Michelin star, since our first visit, and I love that it still remains very much the same restaurant I loved then. It is wholeheartedly French. I was transported back to my wonderful weekend in Paris. It's opulent, without being OTT and just feels a little bit special.

Ordering glasses of Ruinart and bottles of wine our meal commenced.

Starter for me:

The lightest, crispest soft shelled crab. served with a whipped aioli. The crab had a great flavour to it with spice added to the batter mix. Simple but completely delicious!

Main:

Sea Bream, perfectly cooked with a crispy skin. Served with a refreshing chunky raita.

Annnnndddd...

The Baba au Rhum was a dessert I totally fell in love with from this very same restaurant, over a year ago. I shared this with the lovely Miss G and enjoyed every.single.bit. Completely soaked in sweet rhum the sponge still stood proud and was super bouncy. Yet still managing to be light and just, delicious. The thin ribbons of pineapple gave a contrasting sharpness.

If you have a love for Paris, like me, head here. It really won't disappoint.

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Flat Iron - steaks, well done!

September 26, 2014, 3:55 am

≫ Next: Roux at the Landau

≪ Previous: Brasserie Chavot

So, Flat Iron is one of those places I walked past, saw the queue and jotted down on my list of 'go to' places to then find it always seemed to crop up in conversation, and my desire to go burnt stronger.

Us girls like a reason to celebrate and Miss K hadn't had her girls celebration yet for her engagement. So, Thursday last week we popped into Soho and knew exactly where to head. Arriving just in time for us to be able to pop our names on the door we grabbed the table buzzer and zoomed downstairs for 2-4-1 happy hour cocktails in their quaint little bar.

Upstairs decor is relaxed and follows the trend of reclaimed and upcycled. We had what I thought was one of the nicer tables (due to it being round) for the four of us. My only gripe was that it was right by the loo. Which, when people are queuing behind you whilst eating it's ever so slightly cramped.

The menu is simple. For a steak restaurant one may expect a mixture of cuts etc. Well, here at Flat Iron they serve one type called, you guessed it 'The Flat Iron' recommended to be served med-rare for £10. On our visit they also had an onglet for £15 which I sampled below.

Beef dripping popcorn was ever so scrummy. We ate the lot within seconds and were swiftly brought another. Which again disappeared within rapid time.

The two cuts on offer were sampled.

The Flat Iron by Miss E and Miss C and the onglet by your truly and Miss K.

Flat Iron

Onglet or 'Hanger Steak'

My onglet was incredibly tender I don't think I really needed the gimmicky cleaver knives that were on the table, and had a wonderful butter-rich flavour to it. Cooked to perfection (rare) with a decent and not over-powered charring to it. I'm not the biggest fan of red meat but this may have converted me.

I had mine with 'Fred's' sauce. Which was a tomato based chilli sauce. Giving a decent kick to it it was enjoyable but, I have had better.

Between the four of us we ordered all the sides....

A very, very good aubergine dish. Creamed spinach, extra salad which came with pecans and blue cheese and a yummy dressing and some expertly done chips - crispy on the outside and super fluffy within.

There's only two puddings on the menu a chocolaty thing and this...mother of all simple, naughty, delicious puddings. Salted caramel mousse! OH-MY-DAYS...

We had two and I think I basically scraped the cup clean with my finger afterwards. It was amazing...really, light and fluffy but full of flavour. We were told to add more salt on top to being out the caramel more and it certainly did.

Flat Iron may be one of my most enjoyable places I've been to recently of the 'no reservations' trend that has emerged which, (usually) infuriates me. That said, they do a mean steak, fantastic sides and a great drink menu. We came out spending approx £30 per person including service and (plenty of) booze - bargain!

http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/view/109151/Flat_Iron?utm_source=Blog&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=Link

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Roux at the Landau

October 16, 2014, 3:46 am

≫ Next: Villandry - (another) wonderful French-med mix

≪ Previous: Flat Iron - steaks, well done!

So, my (soon to be) brother-in-law is a dab hand with food. He works at Albert and Michel Roux's 'Roux at the Landau' which is nestled in a beautiful dining room at the infamous Langham Hotel, Mr D and I popped in to see him last night for a date night to FINALLY celebrate our home!

Although this will be somewhat of a biased review, I, much like his mum, think's he is the bees knees as a chef and for a big guy Jamie, Head chef Chris King, Oli and the rest of the kitchen cook some of the most de-licious, refined food and delicately plate up their labours looking as pretty as a picture.

The Landau dining room is stunning, vast and grand. If you get there early, in fact, I INSIST you do. Head to the world famous Artesian Bar in the hotel, even at 6pm on a Wednesday the room was flying high with atmosphere and happy customers. The mixologists there are simply mesmerising and the way they serve up their cocktails is both innovative and just beautiful. On this occasion however, I had a very simple, but refreshing, prosecco.

The entrance to the restaurant is quite dramatic. A hallway showcasing some of the most exquisite wines they have to offer...

This is a restaurant for fine dining and you certainly feel special here. Intimate booths are cleverly positioned so that you feel completely on your own whilst wait staff quietly buzz around you. The restaurant is well known amongst critics for it's excellent service and you definitely notice this when dining at a Roux establishment.

Jamie kindly served up a mini tasting menu so we could taste as much of the kitchens fabulous skills as possible. Thus making this an even better blog as you lucky people get to see lots of the incredible food...

A fantastic selection of in house made bread is presented... I went for the white bread, fig roll.

We kicked off our feast with scallop with raisins and capers. An incredibly plump, well cooked scallop went perfectly well with the sweet 'sauce' that accompanied.

Foie gras on a savoury scone, cherries and a sweet jus.

Mackerel for me, with beetroot and what I think were bits of fried Serrano ham - amazing

Guinea foul, truffle and boudin blanc for Mr D...

Followed by a rather scrumptious rabbit 'pie' for Mr D...

And a perfect Halibut and delicate hand made pasta 'bows'

Pudding was next up (thankfully as I was near to popping!)

Refreshing panna cotta, as a palate cleanser for the two of us...

Followed by some breath taking(ly) beautiful desserts...

Caramel choux bun (I think!!)- one of those 'oh my god' moments with every mouthful, just incredible!

And the prettiest chocolate millefeuille - wow! Heaven on a plate... there's one thing they never fault on - their puds...

Petite fours...

And finally... our night caps... (not needed as we paired wine with each course!!)

Although I may be biased, Roux at the Landau is so, SO special. We've enjoyed everyone of our meals there and it has (somehow!) managed to get better and better every time.

The front of house team are so accommodating (Franco is wonderful!) and we cannot forget the kitchen never faltering to amaze us - thank you.

Cost: Minimum £70pp without pairing wines.
Add: 1 Portland Pl, London, UK W1B 1JA
Phone: (020) 7965 0165 reservations recommended.

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Villandry - (another) wonderful French-med mix

October 31, 2014, 10:26 am

≫ Next: Bocca di Lupo - already wanting to go back

≪ Previous: Roux at the Landau

Villandry St James' is just a mere 20 steps from my office front door. Perfect for a spot of lunch and even better when I can meet my Mr D there for an hour's quick feasting...

Sitting beautifully at the bottom of Waterloo Place, the moment you walk in you're transported across the channel and into a high end French brasserie.

To the left, there's an informal Cafe and on the right a more formal dining area which is where we were seated. Wonderful staff greeted up promptly and sat us in one of their banquettes.

The menu reads very well (a mix of different Mediterranean dishes) and I wanted everything I read. Crab salads, ceviche, salmon..the list goes on. Mr D and I both went for squid in different way.

His, salt and pepper wit tartar sauce...

Mine, spices with fresh chillies and a wonderful harissa mayo. mmmmmm...

Both dishes were excellently done, so much so that the salt and pepper was one of the best variations we both have had recently. Light, crisp and just the right amount.

Seemingly my mind was not after a light lunch today I chose the Saffron risotto with scallops and a side of Aspen fries to share with Mr D...

Risotto was cooked al dente (perfect) and was wonderfully rich and flavoursome with the added parsley and chives. Three plump and juicy scallops finished the dish off leaving me thoroughly happy with my choice.

The fries were crisp and yet fluffy within.... tossed generously with truffle oil (but not over powering) and finished off with a grating of parmesan - yum!!! I think I had my fair share of these and literally could not stop eating even though incredibly full... super scrummy!

Mr D opted for the Fresh Taglitelle with Wild Mushrooms and jus. I has a good mouthful of this and it was delicious. Super garlic-y it really showcased how a few simple ingredients, executed well, can make a really wonderful and pleasing dish.

Villandry is a perfect lunch spot for us working souls, it's even better (I think) for anyone wanting to get out of the ~~hellish~~ hustle and bustle of Piccadilly Circus as it's a lovely, tranquil setting in a very pretty spot of London, that you may not venture towards.

A: 12 Waterloo Place, London, SW1Y 4AU (There are other locations)
T: 020 3544 0682
W: www.villandry.com

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Bocca di Lupo - already wanting to go back

November 20, 2014, 6:45 am

≫ Next: Rabbit... Kings Rd's newest hip hangout

≪ Previous: Villandry - (another) wonderful French-med mix

Last night was a much needed catch up with one of my uni girls. Bocca di Lupo, which has been high up on my 'must go' list for quite some time, was booked and I was pleased to note my dining companion was dying to go also...

We were seated to the back of the restaurant at its cosy bench seats and it's apparent that everyone here is thoroughly enjoying their meals.. the atmosphere is vibrant and full of energy.

Settling on a lovely bottle of vino we chomped through wonderful house made bread with an incredibly punchy (in a good way) olive oil, those fabulously big green nocellara olives and ummmed and ahh'd at the delicious sounding menu, thus meaning, it's a tricky one to choose from!

Most of the dishes are available in a 'small' or 'large' portion. Wanting to try as much of the menu as possible we decided to go for all small plates and basically leave our starters in our waitresses hands asking her to order for us from the 'fritti' menu and then also a plate of Crudità di mare - raw red prawns, scallops and tuna tartare which arrived looking fantastic and tasted like heaven...

From the fritti menu our waitress chose an excellent selection...

Sage leaves filled with anchovies (£1.50 each) I could have had a bowl full of these...

Buffalo mozzerella bocconcini - delish

Baccala - home salted cod, a very posh 'fish and chip shop' fish (yum)

and, Olive stuffed with minced pork and veal - absolutely awesome flavours!

All of the above was pretty sensational and I couldn't have picked better myself. Highlights were the sage leaves and the crudita (the raw prawn in particular).

Onto our mains which again, we asked the staff to help with choosing as it was proving near impossible for us to decide what to have.

Pappardelle with hare was an excellent pasta dish, the ribbons of dough perfectly cooked and a decent thickness. The ragu was seriously tender and had a great depth of flavour.

Foie Gras sausage was a decadent as it sounds. Served with a rich pearl barley and cep risotto.

Roasted pumpkin with sage and parmesan was as good as it looks. A seriously tasty side dish dressed and (I think) roasted in a rich balsamic vinegar.

Romanesco broccoli, boiled with oil and parsley was our choice for a 'bit of green' another winner.

I don't think I could have eaten a better meal to compete with my high expectations...everything from the restaurant to the last mouthful exceeded. It's a fantastic date place, an even better group place and I simply cannot wait to visit again...

Address: 12 Archer St, London W1D 7BB

Phone:020 7734 2223

Prices:£50pp incl. wine

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Rabbit... Kings Rd's newest hip hangout

December 2, 2014, 9:25 am

≫ Next: Señor Ceviche - Peruvian BBQ at its best

≪ Previous: Bocca di Lupo - already wanting to go back

Finally the oh so famous KR is getting a decent smattering of good grub! Why it has never seemed to attract such venues with the wealth that surrounds it is beyond me. But, Rabbit is one of those 'hip' hangouts that has followed Kurbuta's lead, and thank goodness it has!

Our house is under renovation so, with no kitchen, living room and well... no downstairs! We're smashing through a good handful of new places.

Mr D's university friend, Mr H, and his lovely girlfriend Tibby were our dates for the evening and I cannot tell you how happy I was that this was the venue of choice... it is SO good for groups of 4+ as we managed to sample most of the menu - perfect.

Much like it's slightly older sister, The Shed, Rabbit focus' on small plates for sharing. All made up of fabulous flavours and some even home grown on their pops' farm in Nutbourne. Try their 'Nutty' home brewed champers I believe it's starting to win high acclaim!

We ordered four of each of the small mouthfuls and then many, many other dishes all as good as the last and never faulting on combinations.

So first up the mouthfuls:

Mushroom Marmite eclair (above, front left)

Brown crab bomb, lemon and dulse (above, back left)

Beetroot crisp with goats cheese and pear jam (above, back right)

Woodcock pate, smoked potato, quince (above, front left)

All the above were amazing taste sensations in one... mouthful. Really packing a punch and just so put together it felt like you were in a fine dining restaurant with attitude!

We then went onto a feast of many of their larger dishes in quick succession...each plate we served between the four of us with the odd one having two of...

Red Grouse, rose hip and wood sorrel. Yummy pink grouse which was cured and then served a top a really beautiful simple 'salad'...

Gurnard, Mussels, sea purslane, chanterelles and artichoke (opening pic and below)... crisp skin made a great contrast of texture to some seriously well cooked fish. The artichoke was puréed serving as a sauce and some earthiness came from the mushrooms - an incredibly well balanced dish and one of my faves of the night.

Venison Stogies, cranberry and tarragon. Cranberries (I think) were slightly air dried giving some bitterness thus cutting through the dense, yet sweet venison which was, lightly encased in pastry and fried to give a crisp outer shell. Really pleasant to eat and one to definitely order!

Lamb "chips", lemon, parsley and Harissa I think was one of the boys' favourites. The harissa serving as a decadent ketchup in which to dip these incredible meaty 'chips' into. Packed full of sweet, succulent lamb and lightly breaded and fried this is another winner and one I hope to stay put on the menu as a Rabbit 'staple'...

Brussels sprout, hazelnut, cheddar and apple salad - I will be recreating this fab chopped salad idea! Really light, refreshing and crunchy, a welcome green hit amongst our sea of (delicious) proteins.

Rabbit ravioli, bone marrow, yellow chanterelles and lovage pesto. Now, lovage is not my favourite of things (no idea why I simply don't 'love-it'...sorry!). However, I couldn't taste it thankfully, and thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the dish - a real winter warmer.

Calves tongue, duck hearts, garlic and black cabbage this I didn't try so much as I'm not the biggest offal fan but the boys were singing its praises...

Partridge, crispy potato, romesco and shallots. Slightly tricky to deivide this was up there with my beloved gurnard for the night as a stand out dish, Fabulous cooked game bird served with a sweet finger licking good sauce and plenty of textures to please any foodie.

Magnum vienetta parfait. Caramel, ice cream...layered...what else can I say but...OH.MY... AMAZING!

Now, the shed can be expensive if you seriously 'go all out' but I think it serves two purposes as it can also be a fantastic place (should you be able to get in) where by you could pop in for a light supper of just one or two plates... every element of every single dish is thoroughly well though of. Each ingredient has it's own purpose and sings it's own tune on the plate. Since my visit to The Shed I have always sung its praises and now, I'm pleased I have one a little closer to home... the Gladwin boys...well done once again!

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Señor Ceviche - Peruvian BBQ at its best

December 8, 2014, 8:12 am

≫ Next: The Tommy Tucker...Fulham's hottest newbie

≪ Previous: Rabbit... Kings Rd's newest hip hangout

Now, I say 'at its best' however, I haven't actually come across any other Peruvian BBQ's in my eating history... Señor Ceviche has fast gathered a fair amount of groupies since its opening in just over a month ago.

Mr bro and I arrived early at 6:30pm due to working close by and already tables were filling up and a decent atmosphere was already starting to kick in.

The open BBQ gives of wonderful smells that hit you the moment you walk through the door and into the vibrantly decorated restaurant. We were sat by the grill which actually was a great spot due to creating even more of an authentic atmosphere with the heat, chefs chatting away and the fizzing of meat when it hits the charcoals...

I ordered one of their non alcoholic cocktails (crazy, I know!) a refreshing 'Amazonian Elixir', which consisted of elderflower cordial, apple juice, gomme syrup, lime juice and soda water with basil leaves. Super refreshing and thirst quenching.

Being told to order around 3/4 dishes per person we more or less got a good smattering of different dishes across the menu which comes to your table 'as it's ready'.

We pre ordered with our drinks the Yucas which were small, deliciously crispy croquettes served with a soured cream dipping and crunchy corn.

First up was the salmon ceviche AKA 'Mr Miyagi'. Thinly sliced raw salmon was doused in a tangy 'tiger's milk' (lime, chilli, onions...) crispy salmon skin and pomegranate. One of my favourites of the evening as it was really fresh and zingy, thus meaning, I could have eaten plates of the stuff.

The Spaniard was our other ceviche dish made up of sea bream, king prawn, a tomato version of the tiger's milk and chorizo. I liked the additional slightly smoky flavour of the chorizo as another element to bring down the sourness.

So onto the meatier items... Pachamama pork rib was huge and well worth trying should you visit. Covered in a sweet, sticky traditional Inca paste made up of yellow chilli peppers then also given a second BBQ sauce coating the meat fell off the bone and was super succulent and really tasty...

Anticucho was in the form of two sticky beef skewers sadly not tasted by me, due to not loving beef, but an all round thumbs up was received.

Spicy lemon Chicken wings, luckily, came as a three and were devoured at rapid speed. Thoroughly enjoyable and another I could eat bowl after bowl of.

Tamarind BBQ chicken was a similar version of the above. Full of flavour, sticky, sweet, slightly spiced and ridiculously tender.

We also shared a plate of the fries covered in a spiced cheese and tomato fondue. I wasn't overly enamoured by these as they were a little stodgy as they had soaked up too much of the sauce before hitting our table.

What I loved about Señor Ceviche wasn't just the food but the incredibly energetic atmosphere and wonderful staff. Even at such an early hour of the evening, people were in high spirits, which could mean for a dangerously fun evening ahead. Great for friends, even better for dates...

Approx £30/40pp with a cocktail or two...

A: 1st Floor, Kingly Court, Carnaby St, London W1B 5PQ
T: 07540 624255

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The Tommy Tucker...Fulham's hottest newbie

January 9, 2015, 7:50 am

≫ Next: Kouzu...the finest sushi i've ever eaten - FACT!

≪ Previous: Señor Ceviche - Peruvian BBQ at its best

Dry January doesn't really ever last long for me. This year was a record and I managed up until 2pm on the 4th. I decided to open a bottle of decent white in front of the Tigers game, faced with a massive pile of shirts (work was fast approaching) and a roast in the oven meant I had finished the bottle by 6 and the shirts were just as crumpled. Excellent.

So, to keep with the tradition of mucking everything up (in this case, healthy eating!) I booked us into the The Tommy Tucker (TTT), in Fulham, for its 'soft opening' - it happens to be the sister to my favourite 'go to', Claude's Kitchen. Refurbished with eclectic furnishings, a fantastic bar area and wonderful 'Alpine' style loo. The once drab and empty Pelican Pub now houses our lovely chef Claude and his beaming team of fantastic wait staff and FOH.

The cellar loos

We were sat in a wonderful cosy corner spot surrounded by sheet music, industrial lighting and perched on a bench. A great table for rowdy friends and even better for a cosy table for two...

The menu read far to well for their own good, having to send our gorge waitress away twice through lack of decisions we finally settled and ordered away whilst sipping from the perfectly formed wine and booze list.

Never one for eating something in a restaurant you can try at home, my brother and I decided on getting a portion of the 'crispy sandeels' as a 'pre-starter' and were surprised by the size, both expecting similar to whitebait but, these were about triple the size, wonderfully 'meaty' and flavoursome especially with a good dollop of the garlic mayo... first thumbs up of the evening well under way.

The menu is a little more relaxed than Claude's Kitchen further down the road showcasing 'pub classics with a fun twist' as Claude himself put. Therefore a wonderfully good looking burger was being scoffed on the table next door, as well as a decent portion of those delicious sounding beef ribs...I am told the menu won't change weekly like it's elder sister, but still, regularly.

To start us off I went for the Raw beef fillet pastrami celeriac and horseradish 'slaw. A fantastically light and fresh dish with really clean and simple flavours. The beef was outstanding and seriously tender. Think of it as a 'simplified' steak tartar. The meat, perfectly brined and not overly seasoned - delicious!

I managed a taster of the scallops with home made chorizo. A classic combination and TTT's version does not disappoint.

Another starter, which got a resounding thumbs up, was the rabbit and it's liver terrine served with warn sourdough.

Onto mains and (unsurprisingly) I opted for the catch of the day. Today's was Sea Bream. Cooked with a fantastic crisp skin and served with Jerusalem artichokes, fennel, watercress and parsley potatoes. Every element of this dish had its own part to play and each was apparent with every mouthful and cooked to perfection. If there ever was such a thing as a perfect boiled potato these were it - buttery and sweet. For such a normal veg these in particular were, a real delight to eat!

A popular dish throughout the dining room was the pork chop which we also ordered and weren't disappointed by in the slightest. Served with charred hispi cabbage, bacon and apples. Simple, yes, but plentiful and perfect. Claude's cooking always shows that you only need a few simple elements to make a dish really stand out and this was a great example of that.

Being rather full of yummy things however, not being able to resist anything with salted caramel on a menu we shared the 'choc ice' with almonds and the now 'infamous' caramel cloud I love so much. A seriously sexy pudding and one that is perfect for sharing... that's if you're able to!!

A wonderful evening as expected and one that certainly didn's disappoint, made even better by seeing some familiar friendly faces from Claude's team.

TTT is open from the 15th Jan. They're currently running a soft opening whereby the food is 50% off so, if you're feeling lucky, call up and grab a table. I can assure you this will be as popular as it's sister, if not more so, with people being able to pop in for a bar snack and booze throughout the day.

Claude and his team know how flavours go together and there's some serious skill coming out of this new kitchen - watch out, it's going to be a hottie.

W - http://www.thetommytucker.com/
T - 0207 736 1023
A - 22 Waterford ROAD, SW6

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Kouzu...the finest sushi i've ever eaten - FACT!

January 19, 2015, 6:48 am

≫ Next: Tokyo Retro

≪ Previous: The Tommy Tucker...Fulham's hottest newbie

Courtesy of Kouzu

Thursday of last week, I was invited down to a brand spanking new sushi restaurant in Belgravia 'Kouzu'. When being invited to restaurant openings I'm usually ever so sceptical as I deem it unfair to comment on a place that has only just hit the ground running. But, last night was a different story.

Arriving far too overexcited for my own good my cousin, Mr H, and I arrived at the impressive Grade II listed building and were greeted with warm smiles from the FOH and a resounding “Irasshaimase”, from the sushi chefs, meaning “Come on in”.

Courtesy of Kouzu

The owner is actually Greek and came over to our table to greet us and tell us about his vision and story. His vision is to serve 'the best sushi there is' and, to be quite frank, he's not far off... This is a man with a real passion to find the best. So much so, that they closed the restaurant for NINE days over Christmas due to the lack of fresh sushi grade fish supply. Head chef is none other than Kyoichi Kai whom is originally from Kyushu and worked for ten years in Japan before moving to London in 1988. He has since worked at Zuma and countless other London institutions. So, we were in for a treat.

The restaurant is set over three levels. A lower ground 'chefs table', a ground floor dining room (where we were seated) and an upstairs more casual sushi bar. Minimal, muted tones run throughout the space and a rather impressive chandelier dominates the entrance hall...

Settling down at our table we decided on a rather delicious bottle of Sicilian white and nestled into the menu. Expect classics as well as restaurant specific signature dishes, to be honest they all sounds pretty incredible and looking at the plates going past our noses we weren't going to be disappointed.

Plates are made for sharing which is always a winner with me and first up was one of the best things I have ever eaten...

Torched scallop Nigiri. A mouthful of perfectly 'flame licked' buttery scallop served with a plum and tomato compote. Literally heaven. I am going back purely for another one (or ten) of these...

We tried their Spicy California rolls which had a great balance of both texture and flavour. A decent kick from the spiced mayo and again, merit to how fresh every ingredient was. I was told they source and ship every single ingredient directly from Japan so, this is more or less as authentic as you can get.

We then started to move onto our bigger plates. Yellow tail with truffle dressing was the first of these and it was, delicious (I say this a lot through this review!). Sashimi was easily the best I've ever tasted and (again) wonderfully fresh. The truffle was only slightly apparent so's not to over power the delicate fish and teamed with ponzu giving it a good sour tang.

Prawn tempura was served with a fresh citrus dressed salad and a spiced mayo. Perfectly light, crisp tempura batter coated six jumbo, juicy prawns. A thoroughly well executed dish and one that I would definitely order again and insist others do the same.

Less associated with traditional Japanese food we chose, on recommendation, the lamb chops served with a spiced miso paste, rocket and vegetables. Served pink, both meat and fat were juicy, lightly charred and wonderfully sweet.

Hearing excellent things about their black cod, I knew this was a must order. It certainly didn't disappoint, especially given the hype. The fish was so silky and soft (as it should be) it flaked away with even the lightest of touches. Marinated in white miso this was as good a version of any other I have eaten and of decent portion size too. Served with a zingy orange and fennel salad to cut through the richness, this is a dish to not miss out on when dining at Kouzu.

We moved onto pudding and seemingly all are traditional Japanese delicacies with a twist. They looked as impressive as the savoury dishes I had just ~~gorged~~ eaten however, the flavours just didn't seem to excite me enough - n.b. this is hugely on personal taste as fellow bloggers have previously cooed about them all - but, you can't please everyone and I was already sold from every single previous dish.

A sign of a good restaurant is how much you talk about it afterwards and, In this case, the conversation was enthusiastic and very animated. Our praise continued well into the night. I know, already, this may be my new 'go to' place for exceptional sushi. Leaving on a high after a thoroughly enjoyable evening, I immediately booked the next day...

T: +44 (0)20 7730 7043

A: 21 GROSVENOR GARDENS|BELGRAVIA|LONDON|SW1W 0JW
W: http://kouzu.co.uk/

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Tokyo Retro

January 26, 2015, 6:32 am

≫ Next: Sugar free Cherry Clafoutis

≪ Previous: Kouzu...the finest sushi i've ever eaten - FACT!

For some reason I have writers block and my mind isn't in it at the moment so please excuse the lack of finesse with this post...i'll get it back, I promise!

My cousin is currently a non-Londoner (he used to be) therefore, he is determined to get his fill of sushi before he heads back 'up North' and I am more than happy to be his guest. Last night I decided to take him to a local wonder that is, Tokyo Retro in Abbeville 'village'.

They are working hard here to create more of an atmosphere, which it lacked in slightly on first opening. But, they have changed the layout, covered the windows slightly and added pictures and softer lighting - much better!

On arrival we ordered some drinks and the boys asked me to order for us claiming they were 'starving'. So, I settled on two dishes from each section, missing out the ramens and rice dishes in favour of more 'sharing' plates.

We started with a sashimi salad made up of tuna, salmon and four cucumber wrapped sushi rolls served with a carrot and, I believe, white radish. As with all the fish here it is top quality and really, really fresh. A simple, pleasant dish to start those taste buds off with.

Two types of spicy Karaage followed - octopus and chicken. The chicken is a staple order of mine when dining here. The batter is light, crisp and never greasy. They manage to keep the chicken succulent and the accompanying sauce packs a decent punch.

The octopus was ever so slightly less successful in that the occasional piece was a little tough but, still the batter was as above and otherwise pretty much spot on and served again, with that delectable spicy sauce.

One of my staple things to order when eating Japanese is the miso baked aubergine. Such a simple (and vegetarian) dish made to really sing and shout. In this case, Tokyo Retro's version did not disappoint. The aubergine was so tender and silky grabbing a good spoonful with the sweet and savoury sauce made for an extremely enjoyable mouthful.

Ordered almost every time I see it on (any) menu is soft shelled crab. Naturally, I pounced on this when it arrived. The tempura version here is incredibly delicate and crisp leaving the meat still succulent and juicy showing there's a lot of skill behind this kitchen door (head chef is ex Nobu).

Next up was the wonderful sushi selection consisting of tuna, hamachi, salmon, prawn and Ikura (salmon eggs). Beautifully plated and served, as it traditionally should be, on ice.

Rolls were equally as delicious. We chose the spicy tuna and another of salmon and crab. Executed well, and filled generously with fish, cucumber and a different mayonnaise for each. The sushi rice was spot on with a slight stickiness to it and served at room temperature. If you're one for only ever having a chain restaurant sushi lunch (don't get me wrong I have this almost 3 times a week!) you will never have appreciated how good the rice is when served correctly like this. It makes for a totally different sushi eating experience and an even more enjoyable mouthful.

Fast becoming a Tokyo Retro signature dish is their jumbo shrimp tempura. The photo sadly doesn't show the scale of this shrimp but it is huge! Served with two spicy sauces and a warmed soy. A must have when dining here.

Not quite satisfied in filling our tummies we then decided a couple of dishes off their 'hot main' section of the menu, one being a staple Japanese dish, teriyaki chicken. Coated in that gloriously sweet, tangy and sticky sauce the chicken as previously said was cooked beautifully and the sauce gave a fantastic sheen. Served with a refreshing cucumber crab salad, japanese omelette and salad. Really enjoyable and one of the better versions we had all tasted before visiting here.

Lastly (we were finally beginning to feel stuffed!) came the grilled salmon and scallops with miso butter sauce. This, sadly, was a dish that none of us really enjoyed but, in hindsight that may be because we had previously scoffed so many clean and simple flavours that the buttery sauce just didn't go down well. It was very rich and sadly overpowered the delicate scallops which were, on the other hand, cooked perfectly! It just wasn't to our taste(s).

Us Claphamites are lucky to have such a local gem that is Tokyo Retro. It deserves to be successful. The staff are so utterly charming that I want them to be a big part of our community. The food is of incredible quality, always super fresh, and there’s wonderful skill going on in that kitchen. Approx £50-60pp incl. booze.

W: http://www.tokyoretro.co.uk/

Address: 57 Abbeville Road, London SW4 9JW

Phone:020 3302 7574 (Closed Mondays and Sundays)

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Sugar free Cherry Clafoutis

February 4, 2015, 3:23 am

≫ Next: Phat Phuc noddle bar

≪ Previous: Tokyo Retro

I popped up the above pic on my instagram the other evening of an extremely quick, simple and easy pud causing my email inbox went, nuts! I'm not sure whether it was due to the hashtagging of 'sugarfree' but it drew attention and therefore I will share the recipe with you.

Made with all natural ingredients this is pretty much as sweet as it gets without using the bad stuff. This is a slightly adapted recipe to one I found in a magazine.

You will need to serve 4/6ppl:

Butter, for greasing
450g cherries, pitted (I found some frozen ones in Waitrose)
50g spelt flour
50g ground almonds
Pinch of salt
2 medium eggs, beaten
200ml full-fat milk
100ml double cream
75ml maple syrup

half tsp almond extract (to taste)

Pre-heat your oven to 180...

Get yourself a round baking dish of approx 24cm across and make sure it's not too deep (for ease of serving!)- grease with butter.

In a large bowl, Mix together your flour and almonds adding a pinch of salt. Whisk in the eggs, milk, cream, syrup and almond extract. Pour this over your cherries.

Bake in the oven for 30 mins or until golden brown and raised slightly.

Serve with warmed cream and/or ice cream - delicious even with no sugar and ridiculously easy!

↧

Phat Phuc noddle bar

February 5, 2015, 3:19 am

≫ Next: Trinity, Clapham

≪ Previous: Sugar free Cherry Clafoutis

Phat Phuc (translating as 'Happy Buddha') is a bit of a Chelsea/Sloane institution. For YEARS this was mine and many of my friends' staple lunch go to place before Chelsea became too expensive to house us and we moved further afield. Thus meaning I haven't visited this rather 'cute' place for a good few years.

It was the weekend, and in true UK form absolutely teeming it down whilst Mr D, Ben and I wandered aimlessly, drenched, trying to find somewhere to fill our hungry tummies.

Eventually walking far enough to come across Phat Phuc. Its nestled in a pretty courtyard just off the King's Road (opposite Heal's) and down some steps. In the summer, the tables are fully open to the elements. However, in Winter a small tent is erected and heat lamps warm the diners whilst sipping on vast bowls of steaming noodle soups.

We had a bit of a feast...

Fluffy, cloud-like pork buns filled with deliciously sweet BBQ'd pork.

Duck pancakes were generously filled with meat, cucumber, spring onion and a vast amount of Hoi Sin sauce. Not overly exciting as it is as we expected but, not bad for £4 for two.

The prawn dim sum were decent enough for another £4 although they seemed slightly over-steamed as the dough stuck to the bottom of the steamer plate separating it off from the filling.

The boys' mains (all under £8) arrived first. Both opting for the 'Stir fried' option off the menu which is served with a yummy vegetable fried rice.

Roast pork for one...

Chicken for another...

At your table there's an array of sauces to jazz up your meal consisting of Siracha, soy, fish sauce, a rather eye wateringly hot home-made chilli sauce (in the pot at the front) and my personal favourite (front left) dried garlic flakes...

Once my duck Pho arrived I knew I'd made a good decision. Nicely balanced broth, a good amount of al dente noodles and plenty of veggies. The duck, a little fatty for my liking and not a huge amount of it but after all the delicious nibbles I didn't need much.

A perfectly balanced and wallet friendly lunch. Leaving more than satisfied, even for us greedy Buddha's.

Find them here:

Address: 151 Sydney Street, London SW3 6NT

Hours:

Open today · 11:00 am – 6:00 pm

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Trinity, Clapham

February 9, 2015, 3:25 am

≫ Next: My top London Valentine's restaurants

≪ Previous: Phat Phuc noddle bar

Wednesday was 'Date Night', and a recent flurry of cooking for (many, many) friends meant a well deserved meal out for the two of us and we chose a classic, firm favourite 'Trinity' in Clapham.

The restaurant is hidden away off the main 'Old Town' stretch and upon entering the restaurant you are transported to a wonderful fine-dining(-esque) room which has more of a laid back modern feel to it and isn't in the slightest bit stuffy, like so many are.

We came mid week due to its Winter blues busting offer of 3 courses for £27. Somewhat of a bargain when a lot of the mains are £25+ off the A La Carte and also when feasting on Adam Byatt's cooking this is most definitely a bit of a bargain.

After having another flustered few days at work I sat down and immediately ordered their refreshing Rhubarb and Blood Orange Fizz.

And then we were quickly presented with these wonderful cheese stuffed 'profiteroles' (Mr D already whipped his away) and their infamously delicious smoked cod's roe with radishes, I repeatedly ~~dipped~~ scooped this up with the warm home made sour dough bread which was served with a whipped (to its nth degree) cheddar whey butter.

The set menu comes with two choices for each of the three courses. For starters we both went for the Game Stuffed King Cabbage and Toasted Walnuts. This was as pleasing for the eye as it was for us hungry diners. Sat on top of what I think was a rich cauliflower soup and sprinkled with lashings of parmesan and truffle shavings. The cabbage was stuffed generously with wonderfully well-flavoured mixed game. A seriously impressive start to the meal, it tasted totally sublime.

Veal bolognese, hazelnut gnocchi, white onion and parmesan for Mr D.

Excellently cooked Cornish Cod, Puy Lentil with Sherry Vinegar, House Chorizo and Mussels for yours truly. The mussels, in particular, were fab. Coated in a light breadcrumb then fried until crisp, leaving the molluscs still succulent inside.

A rather delicate vanilla Ice Cream and cherry Sorbet with Honey Madeleine's for him...

And the Queen Bee of desserts for me... 'date pudding' AKA. One of the most decadent and delicious sticky toffee puddings I've had in a long time, possibly, ever. AB, please kiss your pud chef for me.

Trinity is, in a word, superb I've been fortunate enough to eat here with both family and friends on several occasions and never once have I left feeling any less that truly satisfied. I am still, three years on, so confused as to why it hasn't got a star. The restaurant is wonderful, the food is exceptional and the staff are always impeccable. Michelin judges, pull your finger(s) out they thoroughly deserve it.

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My top London Valentine's restaurants

February 10, 2015, 9:12 am

≫ Next: World's End Market

≪ Previous: Trinity, Clapham

So I have been asked on numerous occasions to give a list of restaurants I would go to with my Valentine...

Sadly, as one friends other half found out many, if not all, are fully booked but, here's food for thought for if you want to take your other half for a slap up evening out on the tiles. These are places where most are serving 'sharing plates' which is one of my favourite ways to eat as a twosome - no food envy and you can pick away to your hearts content.

Barrafina - Soho and Covent Garden

I wasn't going to put any restaurants in which you can't book but, seemingly it's near impossible to miss a few out because of this 'craze'. You can, however, stand and have a glass of sherry and some iberico whilst you wait and the wait is hardly ever longer than 40/60mins or so, more than enough time for some flirtatious catching up.

Bocca di Lupo - Soho

A fairly recent addition to my blog and one that had been on my 'go to' list for as long as I can remember. Here, it is bookable however a good few weeks notice is needed. For romancing, book the bar stools and enjoy an award winning wine list with yummy food and an electric atmosphere.

Polpo/Polpetto - Soho, Notting Hill and Covent Garden

A firm favourite of mine for both lunch and dinner. This place has served me some fond memories over many small plates of delicious Venetian food and carafes of vino. At night the lights are dimmed and music is turned up making it all rather cosy and romantic. Again, no bookings here for evenings but you can enjoy a glass of wine whilst you wait. Bar seating is bar far the best way to soak up the atmosphere here.

Claudes Kitchen 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 (the first ever visit)!- Parsons Green

Avid readers will know how much I adore this place (and also probably from the link numbers above!). This is a cosy, cute restaurant serving sensational in season food, the menu changes weekly which shows off Claude's excellent chef-ing skills - I am yet to have a 'new' flavour combination I haven't liked. Relaxed it may be but Claude knows his flavours and out of this tiny kitchen comes some lip smackingly good flavours and punchy wines to match. Head downstairs afterwards whereby they have a champagne bar which is open well into the night.

Berners Tavern - Off Oxford Street

Still almost a year on this is one of our most enjoyable nights... one of those where spontaneity gets the better of you (read I get overexcited!) and you roll in home at 4am. Berners Tavern has 'attitude' at night and a cocktail menu to match. Head there early, prop up the bar, enjoy Atherton's amazing food then head on down to the 'secret basement' club attached. Warning it is eye-wateringly expensive when one gets sloshed but trust me, it's worth every penny.

Hunan - Pimlico

Hunan has been around since 1982 (it's older than me!) and its 'no menu' tasting feast has attracted foodies, celebs and locals thick and fast since opening. Always a fun evening out with friends as you never know what the chef is going to throw at you and it has a wonderfully competitively priced wine list. It's regarded as one of London's 'best Chinese restaurants' and once visited it's easy to know why. Go with a long-timer (not a first date) as you leave full to bursting which won't set you up if you're planning on staying up until the early hours...

Dabbous - Goodge Street

Innovative modern food served in an industrial style restaurant with a bar to boast about serving banging cocktails and fabulous bar snacks. Tasting menu's are the only way forward here which gives you an incredible insight into his skills as one of Britain's gifted chefs at this time.

Places I return to often but haven't blogged about:

Julie's - Notting Hill. A bit of a NH institution for the past 30+ years. A really pretty restaurant with 'themed' rooms and serving excellent refined British grub.

Tinello - Pimlico. Fantastic family run smart Italian restaurant serving pretty incredible pastas and fantastically flavoured 'secondi Piatti'. When I go here I tend to fill the table with loads of the small eats and antipasti and fight over whom gets the last Gamberi Fritti, then move onto their home made pastas - delicious.

Ember Yard - Soho. Incredible 'refined' BBQ food, Just go, I can assure you, you won't be disappointed.

↧

World's End Market

February 13, 2015, 6:30 am

≫ Next: The Manor - Another Clapham goldie

≪ Previous: My top London Valentine's restaurants

Courtesy of JPR Media

World's End is this weird place in Chelsea where it's always been a little bit of a thoroughfare and certainly not a huge destination place. Then came Medlar and now arrives The World's End Market making it slightly more of a reason to stop by.

Courtesy of JPR Media

What was once a bit of an institutional pub has, sadly, for years been left to go a little bit grotty and a few people have tried and failed to make this building alive again. The 'Market' group took over the place and totally redesigned it giving it masses of punter appeal and a bit of 'oomph' as a 1930's, brasserie style, cosy dining room and a fully functional bar/dancing space below - 30th birthday party sorted!

Towards the back of the dining room is an open kitchen where everything is cooked on an charcoal grill to 'to lock in the natural flavours that come from sourcing the best local ingredients', according to their website. Beside the kitchen is an array of fresh fish (including a rather pissed off live lobster) and a meat counter. It all looks fantastic and literally couldn't be fresher unless, eaten straight out of the sea.

Courtesy of JPR Media

We sat down and ordered a bottle of the house white (on one of my apparent 'none drinking evenings') and got stuck into the menu.

Starters read all too well and we decided to share three. Focusing heavily here on their raw or cured ingredients as many of the starters are carpaccio's and tartar's (heaven if you ask me!) and all sound delicious.

My cousin F started with the tuna tartar, Moroccan eggplant and cumin mayo which was polished off swiftly and got a thumbs up. Not overly heavy on the spice this was a really refreshing dish and the portion size was far from stingy.

Due to my love of scallops and never not being able to order them we shared a plate of the carpaccio with lemon salsa and harissa. These babies slipped down incredibly well and the harissa gave a warm chilli kick to what would have been a simple (but very enjoyable) dish.

I had the Octopus carpaccio, which, can be a dish that can go terribly wrong or terribly right. In this case they went right and the wafer-thin octopus was wonderfully tender, almost a cured ham-like in texture and sprinkled with a dusting of paprika giving a smokiness to the dish. Crunchy capers added more texture to the dish and a slight saltiness balanced out the flavours. Overall? A really pleasing plate of food to start a meal off with.

Mains are kept simple, there is also a rather enticing burger menu from Sunday-Thursday featuring a truffle burger to highlight a particular one. All meat and fish are charcoal grilled (as said above) to let the produce sing. These are then all served with a dressed side salad and skinny fries - I have heard rumours that their steak is (whisper it) 'better than Hawkesmoor's' but you will have to decide for yourself...

F had the whole rainbow trout which was cooked well with crisp skin and served on the bone with a slightly 'gloopy' parsley butter sauce which complimented the fish well.

Yours truly had the yellowfin tuna as suggested by the charming manager and was served with a caper style salsa and the same sauce as above. Perfectly pink in the middle and charred slightly on the outside I was thoroughly pleased with my choice as it was delicious and the tuna, incredibly fresh. My only gripe was that the fries were quite often too crunchy but, this is a personal preference as I'm sure there's a million people out there whom love their fries crisp.

Next to us a man-date was in full swing and seemingly some regulars of this new joint. They promptly ordered the cheesecake without even looking at the menu and told us it was 'insanely good and a must'. We did just that and ordered both the caramel and fruit versions... These boys weren't wrong although I think we could have happily shared one between us and still felt that our sugar hit was well and truly satisfied, very creamy, very sweet but oh, so good! A certain cheesecake lover, Mr C, would be in heaven.

I can see this place getting popular with the locals very quickly. The atmosphere even for a Tuesday night was buzzing and tables were being filled with walk ins from the moment we arrived. What is apparent is that the staff clearly love working here and they take pride in the produce they serve. Service was always with a smile and they were happy to talk us through the fresh fish at the counter. I really hope this place stays put as I'll be coming back for a burger very soon.

Address: 459 King's Road, Chelsea, London SW10 0LR

Phone:020 7352 2150

(n.b. I was invited down to review as a guest)

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The Manor - Another Clapham goldie

February 19, 2015, 5:16 am

≫ Next: Chick Pea burgers

≪ Previous: World's End Market

Pudding bar

So, Clapham is suddenly getting it's mark on the London map for seriously awesome places to eat within. Valentine's day was fast approaching and I was finding myself ever so slightly stuck for a place to seat 6 of us to have supper a 'mere' month or so ago.

We managed to get a cancellation for an 8:30pm seating at The Manor. AKA, the people behind The Dairy's newest venture. I was surprised, and yet extremely pleased with bagging such a spot for this rather popular evening for dining out and even more so because, once the evening was over I am desperate to go again as I am sure many other feel the same...

Interior

Unexpected evenings always turn out to be my most enjoyable. Tonight was one of those... Firstly, It was Valentine's night and I was spending it in a restaurant, something I have always sworn against doing. Secondly, we were therefore made to have a 'Lover's' (not their words, my own) tasting menu which is the main reason I choose not to go out on the 14th. Often, over-priced and somewhat thrown onto your table in attempt to get you out asap... thankfully, The Manor could not have been more of an exception if it tried.

The venue is off Clapham High Street on a really non de-script road that when arriving I thought I was in the wrong place. However, on walking through the door it's a completely different story. You are transported to an exceptionally vibrant room which only gets better as the evening draws in. The décor is much like it's sister restaurant, rustic and industrial however, a little more, stylised (and yes, the loo's are a little 'out there'!).

We were seated towards the back on a large farmhouse kitchen dining table already set with mismatched vintage crockery and cutlery. Being as it was Valentine's night we were pre-warned of the set menu and this was already at each place sitting. A flute of champers was brought to the table and we were briefly taken through ingredients for each course whilst nibbling on an amuse bouche of seaweed on top of a tapioka crisp and white miso, I loved this little mouthful of sea saltiness along with others. Mr D was not so fussed.

Following that, we were then given a small sharing board of spicy beef droewors, pork and fennel salami (both delicious) and a hessian bag (with its own 'heat pack') of freshly baked bread.

Now, this bread is like no other, each roll is meant for sharing...I managed to devour a whole loaf to myself in record speed without anyone round the table noticing, it is THAT good!

Served with...wait for it... CHICKEN SKIN WHIPPED BUTTER...daintily placed on a cool rock. Just so, SO gooooood!

Our feast then came in thick and fast. Crispy chicken skins, kimchi and burnt kale. A wonderful mix of textures and flavours.

Cauliflower, grue de cacao, medjool dates and kefir (fermented milk). Was another win on unusual flavour combinations. The chocolate in particular was incredibly caramel-esque I was getting every last drop off the plate with my finger.

The final of our starters was a rather huge applewood smoked eel, cultured cream, new potatoes and parsnip. I can't actually ever remember whether I had eaten eel before or not. Here, it was only lightly smoked therefore, letting the rest of the plates elements shine through. Again, another mix of textures with added 'crisps' and 'burnt' onions - de-lish.

For mains it was a choice of two...

Hay smoked pigeon, fermented grains, malt granola and parsnip for three of the family and had an all round thumbs up.

And, suckling pig belly, braised head, carrots and caraway for me - simply put, it was heaven! Perfectly cooked belly with a crisp crackling (a certain GP would approve!), and an incredibly tender braised pork head cube - a seriously delicious plate of food made even better by a wonderful mix of colours.

We then opted in for the £3 extra midi-cheese course of Tunworth with walnut toast and earl grey prunes.

Puddings then swiftly followed starting with a refreshing palate cleanser of kombucha, gin, cucumber and sesame (ice cream and sorbet).

Rhubarb and tonka bean custard for the majority of the table...

and then my choice of dark chocolate mousse, blood orange and brown butter ice cream. Yet another, exceptionally put together plate of ingredients, thoroughly enjoyed and a great dish to finish off the evening.

And then finishing off with some delightful little cakes things however by the time these came out I was nicely tipsy from my father plying me with delicious booze (thank you!).

The Manor surprised me, it was so hyped up I was expecting it to be good but, it exceed my expectations in so many ways from start to finish. A wonderful place for friends and family whom love food and enjoy a great buzzing atmosphere. It's a welcome and fantastic addition to Clapham's forever expanding restaurant scene. I predict this place to be getting a star very soon...

A: 148 Clapham Manor Street, London
T: 0207 720 4662

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Chick Pea burgers

March 3, 2015, 3:11 am

≫ Next: Polpo Soho

≪ Previous: The Manor - Another Clapham goldie

The last time I blogged was well over a week ago... personal life occasionally gets in the way and I simply don't have time to write. Recently I've been getting my cook on at home and trying (my best) to eat slightly healthier.

A weekend of indulging meant we were craving health and simplicity. A swift Google later we found a yummy 'Good Food' vegetarian dish that I adapted slightly and both of us approved of. Chick pea burgers it was... SO simple, ridiculously cheap, and yet, really filling we didn't miss having a juicy beef patty....much!

You will need to feed 4 hungry mouths:

3-4 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
100g/3½oz low fat hummus
50g/2oz plain flour
½ tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
50g/2oz cashews
To serve:

8 pitta breads, warmed
Baby Gem lettuce
8 tbsp plain low fat yoghurt
Siracha sauce - or any other chilli sauce

Heat 1 tablespoon of your oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add onion and garlic and fry gently for 4-5 minutes, until softened and slightly browning. Stir in the spices and herbs and fry gently until aromatic. Remove from the heat and cool whilst you get on with the rest.

In a food processor, add half of the chickpeas and all of the hummus and flour. Season with salt and pepper. Blend to a rough paste - It will be stickier than you imagine!

Add the remaining chickpeas and the cashews. Pulse for a few seconds until the chickpeas and nuts have broken down but retain some texture. Season to taste.

Divide the chickpea mixture into 8 portions. Roll each into a ball, flatten between your palms into a burger shape approximately 1.5cm thick.

Heat the remaining oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Add the burgers in batches and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden-brown and crisp on both sides and heated through.

Serve in pitta breads stuffed with salad leaves, onions, I added cucumber for some added crunch with a dollop of yoghurt and chilli sauce alongside - DE-LISH!

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Polpo Soho

March 23, 2015, 8:48 am

≫ Next: London House

≪ Previous: Chick Pea burgers

Polpo seems to be my place to send the masses as it never falters. Whether it be a lunch date for two or a family catch up for four (as was the case here) the food is always consistent and, thoroughly enjoyable with an atmosphere to match.

We booked for lunch (bookings taken at lunch only) and had a decent stretch of the menu and a carafe of white wine - perfect for a lazy Saturday afternoon. I have blogged about the lovely Polpo way back in 2013 although the menu hasn't changed much- if at all!

We ~~gorged~~ feasted on the following:

Crab arancini, fried to give an amazing crisp coating and gooey centre. These little balls were incredibly flavoursome and thoroughly enjoyable as a pre-starter.

It apparently is a sin to go to Polpo and not have some of their meatballs. Always a crowd pleaser, always delicious and this batch of pork and fennel were no different. For a non-meatball lover these were pretty much a game changer... beautifully moist, perfectly spiced and coated in their rich tomato sauce, de-lish.

Market Greens were smothered in a light coating of olive oil. Simple but, divine.

We had two pizzette (they're another 'must have'). Cured pork shoulder and pickled pepper. And, another of spinach, parmesan and a soft boiled egg. Both as delicious as each other and well worth a try if you're ever visiting...

The Polpo 'Frito Misto' never falters and is seemingly a staple order for most tables when looking round the room. A pile of Squid, prawns and whitebait all perfectly cooked in a dry, crisp and light batter. Who can't love a plate of this stuff?! Just dress it, simply, in lemon and enjoy.

Salmon tartar was a table winner due to it being a near perfect all-rounder. Wonderful texture was given by tiny cubes of cucumber hidden within and beautifully melt in your mouth fresh salmon. A horseradish side gave a good kick however, it was still super creamy and light. Served with the beautifully named 'carte di musica' AKA music sheet (thin) 'toast' - a perfectly balanced dish and one to definitely order, just don't mistake the horseradish for crab like some of us did!!

Go, eat to your hearts content and enjoy...

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