The Ivy - Leicester Square, London - 12.08.10
Star of India - Chelsea, London - 14.08.10
Celeb central? Yes. However the vast majority of diners in London’s most famous restaurant are unfortunately mere mortals, or ‘normal people’, who have waited for up to six months to get a reservation. When they do eventually get their 6pm seating, they then proceed to spend the whole meal scanning the room playing Spot The Famous Person. The problem with that is that by the time they have finished their meal, not only are they inevitably left still struggling to figure out if the girl on the next table is ‘that presenter from Channel 4’, or ‘the one married to that footballer’. Either way, all that distraction means that they probably won’t remember what they ordered, let alone what their meal tasted like. What a waste of all that hard work spent trying to get in to The Ivy in the first place!
I happened to be having lunch with the most famous person in the room on this occasion, and thank the lord for that as it meant that we could enjoy our meal in peace, leaving all the other diners to waste their lunch staring at us.
Now I am usually all for being adventurous and trying new dishes each time I return to a restaurant, but every now and then I have to resign to the fact that change isn’t necessarily good - especially when you have found ‘that amazing dish' that makes your toes curl in joy each time you lift your fork to your mouth. The Ivy is one of those places for me. Some rave about their Shepherds Pie, and others about the Fish and Chips (both have been touted the best in town), but for me, the only dishes worth having at the Ivy are the Salmon Fishcake and for dessert, the Iced Scandinavian Berries with Hot White Chocolate Sauce. No need for any explanation. It's quite simple: trust me and order. Oh and don’t forget to try and remember your meal afterwards!
The Ivy
1 - 5 West Street
1 - 5 West Street
London WC2H 9NQ
T: +44 (0)207 836 4751
W: www.the-ivy.co.uk
Viajante - Bethnal Green, London - 03.08.10
Located in the new and trendy Town Hall hotel in East London's Bethnal Green, Viajante is Nuno Mendes' latest project. During my six week stunt in London this summer there were only two restaurants that I had to visit twice. This was one of them.
I went for lunch both times, first with my husband, and next with my mum, sister and niece. Both lots are equally critical about their food so it was a near miracle to experience practically no complaints from anyone about the food here!
The atmosphere in the restaurant is distinctly odd, the restaurant is very quiet, even when full - and the strangest thing of all is that the open kitchen is the quietest part of all. It was as if each of the chefs had taken an oath of silence and all the food preparation was done using cotton wool lined pots and pans. The overall feel of the place is nice however, and the staff are exceptionally courteous. Luckily the seating is very comfortable, especially as the 12 course tasting menu offered for evening diners can last a good six hours!
On both occasions I went for the three course lunch tasting menu. I would have gone for the six course option, but none my family would join me and I didn't want to be rude and make them wait while I enjoyed three extra courses! Luckily for my greedy eyes and stomach, the three course menu was actually seven courses, if you count the three amuse-bouches that came before the meal, and the pre and post dessert.
Moving on to the specifics, our first amuse-bouche was the 'House Sashimi', consisting of a very delicate mystery fish, marinated in sesame seeds and watermelon. This was followed by a beautifully presented broad bean puree with a few slices of a lovely Portuguese cheese. The final appetiser was a 'Chicken Thai Explosion', which was like a mini crispy sandwich with the traditional Thai flavours of lemongrass and ginger literally taking off in your mouth. And so the meal started as it meant to go on - a fabulously inventive, yet still delicious series of dishes, influenced by Thai and local British ingredients. Other highlights of the meal were the gorgeous goats curd, beetroot and pumpkin seed salad, and the unusual dessert of strawberries, polenta cake and lemon powder. The white chocolate and cep truffles that came with our coffees had to be one of the best creations I have ever come across!
All in all, this was one of the best dining experiences I have had in London in a long time. At £25 per head for the three course meal and £15 extra for the accompanying tasting wines, this is also one of the best value meals to be had in the city. An absolute must! When I am back in town in September, I will try and get a table for dinner - twelve courses might be pushing it but I will definitely go for nine!
Ask for a table at the front of the restaurant for a better atmosphere.
Patriot Square
Viajante
London
E2 9NF
T: +44 (0)207 871 0461
Hong Kong is a food haven for sure, however one thing that I find it lacks is a truly decent Indian restaurant. This is something that London has no shortage of luckily for me, and as a result, every time I am in London I hotfoot it to a different 'this is the best in town' Indian restaurant.
Now I have eaten at pretty much all the renowned Indian restaurants in the capitol, from nearly all of dodgy the Brick Lane options, to the more authentic Madhu's in Southall and Mirch Masala in Tootina. I have also tried the fancy versions that are The Painted Heron in Chelsea and Zaika on High Street Kensington. This trip however, I decided to return to one in particular that has stuck in my mind from the last time I went - Star Of India in Chelsea.
Star of India is a funny old place - the decor is anything but Indian, with intricate frescoed ceilings depicting pretty angels flying through fluffy clouds. This definitely has something to do with the flamboyance of the restaurant’s owner – Reza Mahammad (TV chef and personality). All in all however, it is a nice change from the usual gaudy interior that you tend to find in most London curry houses.
The menu features dishes from around India, and although most are fantastic, I have managed to whittle down the menu options to a very precise combination that is just perfect for four people. I am very pleased to offer you my suggestions below:
Starters - No room for starters for me, but most do look fantastic, especially the Sunehri Khaste - vermicelli rolled coriander pancakes stuffed with cumin tempered paneer, red onion and green chilli, served with a spicy tomato and chive chutney.
Mains
Laal Maas - a rich and sumptious lamb curry from Rajasthan with dried red chillis and Ajmeri red chilli paste. One of the best curries I have had in a long time. This is a hot curry but not crazy hot!
Subzi Parda Biryani - a lovely mix of vegetables cooked in a clay pot with rice topped with a delicate flaky pastry topping to keep in the moisture of the rice. We opt for vegetarian option usually, but I am sure the meat versions are just as fantastic. This is how biryani should be prepared, but you do not find the pastry topping in many other Indian restaurants – perhaps because it involves too much work.
Baingan Ka Salan - baby aubergines cooked in a tomato and onion sauce. This dish is delightfully rich with a twinge of sweetness. It also goes extremely well with the biryani.
Bhindi Aur Pyaz Kara - crispy fried okra and red onion. This dish is the best version I have had anywhere - perfectly fine chopped crisps of okra and red onion that manage not to feel in the least bit greasy.
Dahl - Both the black and yellow lentil versions are sublime, so take your pick.
The bill usually comes to around £20 - 25 per head with a couple of beers (no wine). Unbelievable value for such insanely good curry!
You can choose to sit upstairs or downstairs. Both are nice but the service is probably slightly quicker downstairs.
Star Of India
154 Old Brompton Road
154 Old Brompton Road
London SW5 0BE
T: +44 (0)207 373 2901
W: www.starofindia.eu
The Royal Standard of England, Beaconsfield, UK - 17.08.10
The Royal Standard of England is located a few miles off the M40, just a short 30 minutes drive from London. This atmospheric pub is steeped in fascinating history dating back to the Saxon era, and not only is it supposed to be the oldest freehouse in England, but it is also supposed to be one of the most haunted pubs in the country.
The Royal Standard of England, Beaconsfield, UK - 17.08.10
The Royal Standard of England is located a few miles off the M40, just a short 30 minutes drive from London. This atmospheric pub is steeped in fascinating history dating back to the Saxon era, and not only is it supposed to be the oldest freehouse in England, but it is also supposed to be one of the most haunted pubs in the country.
As you enter through the little doorway into the pub you can immediately get a sense of it's history: from the slanted beamed ceilings and uneven floors, to the odd intricately engraved pew or heavily embroidered armchair – most often with a chubby cat fast asleep on it, taking in the warmth from the fire place a few feet away.
Speaking of cats, I can’t help but ponder the difference between the cats and dogs you find in restaurants in Europe to those you see in Asia. In Europe they tend to be big fat fluffy things that turn their nose up at your sneaky offering of a morsel of uneaten chicken breast under the table. In Asia by contrast, they are almost always scrawny little flea bitten creatures with half their tale missing, meowing up at you desperately for food . . . or they are your food.
My mother loves this pub, and every time I’m back in London she suggests a visit to what she fondly calls 'Garlic Prawns'. I must explain that my family are all obsessed with food, often travelling thousands of miles to try a restaurant, or to go back to a favourite restaurant to have "that steak" in New York, or "those clams" in Marbella. And so we find ourselves returning once again to 'Garlic Prawns' to feast on "those prawns".
The prawns really are delicious by the way - served in a big bowl of hot olive oil, chilli and a ton of garlic. They also give you a big chunk of bread to dip into
the sauce so that you can wipe up all the yummy crunchy pieces of garlic and chilli. So simple but it works a treat. The Roasted Beetroot Lambs Lettuce & Toasted Hazelnut Salad goes well with the prawns, and adds a healthy element to the meal.
I finished off this particular meal with a sticky toffee pudding, which is normally one of my favourite desserts in the world. This one was not good unfortunately. It was rather dry and hard in the middle - as if it had been reheated several times in the microwave. A slightly disappointing end to an otherwise very satisfying meal.
FYI, the best pub desserts I have had in the UK has been at Heston Blumenthal’s pub, the Hinds Head. I will give the full review for that fantastic pub soon. Also, the best garlic prawn dish, in my opinion, is at Fernandos in Macau. If you happen to fancy them while in the UK however, do head to the Royal Standard of England.
The Prawns cost £7 as a starter (you get around 7 large prawns, but just watch out the ghost sitting next to you doesn't nab one), and £9 as a main course.
The Royal Standard of England
Forty Green
Forty Green
Beaconsfield
Buckinghamshire
HP9 PXS
T: +44 (0)1494 673 382
The Hand and Flowers – Marlow, UK - 12.09.10
In the award winning village of Marlow, located around an hour’s drive west of London is The Hand and Flowers pub. I have been looking for an excuse to eat at this one Michelin starred restaurant ever since Chef and owner Tom Kerridge’s main course dish of Slow Cooked Duck Breast with Duck Fat Chips and Gravy won the Great British Menu.
The restaurant is housed in a traditional old pub that has been furnished with a modern touch, whilst still retaining much of the character of the old building. After being seated, we ordered an aperitif and discussed between us what we would order. Unfortunately The Hand and Flowers is one of those restaurants whose menu is so enticing that it makes choosing really very difficult.
I am the worst when it comes to choosing from the menu at restaurants, and usually one of two things happens in most cases: either I dictate what my family or friends choose, guaranteeing that every dish I am tempted by is ordered (and I can try them all); or, if I am not allowed to dictate the ordering, I end up suffering from food envy!
Today I experienced a little of both. I bullied everyone into ordering the two starters that I fancied from the menu. We shared these between four of us. The Truffled Pork Terrine with Dill, Pickles and Toasted Sour Dough had a lovely coarse texture and was brilliantly flavoursome. To top it off, the dish was served with a couple of generous flakes of black truffle, which always goes down well with me. The Salmon Tartare with Salt and Pepper Bread was really interesting. It was served as a perfectly formed mousse of raw salmon, with all the trimmings carefully laid around it. It was a fabulous and unique take on a quite overdone dish. The flavoured bread worked perfectly with the fish. My only niggle about this wonderful starter was that it was served slightly too cold for my liking – to the point where anyone with sensitive teeth would grimace with each bite.
For our mains, my husband and sister went with the chef's signature duck, my mother had the Roast Fillet of Essex Beef with Yorkshire Pudding, Roast Potatoes and Red Wine Sauce (upon my instructions!). After deliberating for about ten minutes, I eventually chose the Fillet of Sea Bream with Tart Pissaladière and Chorizo Mayonnaise. Needless to say, I was wildly jealous of my mother’s roast beef – it was cooked to perfection and the roast potatoes couldn’t have been crispier or the gravy more delicious and rich. That is not to say that my fish wasn’t superb however. It really was. The Pissaladière and Chorizo Mayonnaise were also the perfect compliments to the perfectly soft and delicate fish. The duck went down a treat also, so much so that I barely had time to reach my fork over before my husband wolfed it down. Each of the main courses was so perfect in it's own way; it was hard to pick a winner.
We were all too stuffed to order a host of desserts, no matter how tempting they looked. In keeping with the theme of the meal however, I insisted we share the Cherry Soufflé with Dark Chocolate Sorbet and Vanilla Custard. It was fantastic, perfectly light and smooth. It wasn’t too eggy either – something I am always wary of when ordering a soufflé. The chocolate sorbet was incredible and married well with the cherries – all in all a fabulous end to a really phenomenal meal.
**The Hand and Flower's roast beef was the best I have had anywhere, and will therefore be going on my top 10 list of all time best dishes!
The Hand and Flowers
126 West Street
126 West Street
Marlow
SL7 2BP
T: +44 (0)1628 482 277
Goodman, Mayfair – 28.01.11
Finding the ultimate steak is definitely one of my life's goals, but I don't honestly think I will ever find it anywhere outside the USA. Regardless, I love steak and therefore always find myself clicking my heels with excitement every time I hear of a new steak restaurant opening in Hong Kong or London.
Goodman is not so new to London anymore, but I have not had the opportunity to eat there until last night, when our good friends Susan and Andrew suggested meeting there for our tri-yearly catch up.
Upon walking into the restaurant, you immediately feel like you could be in a New York steakhouse, with dark wood floors, comfy leather booths and a long bar brimming with people chatting noisily and enjoying a glass of Californian red while waiting for their table.
The place was packed to the brim but luckily we were shown to a fabulous booth table near the bar, where we could watch the action from our cozy sofa.
The menu wasn't extensive, but exactly how you would want a steakhouse menu to look. There were classics such as Caeser and tricorlore Salads, enticing sides such as Mac and Cheese and Truffle Fries, and most importantly, an enthralling selection of USDA and British beef.
We went for the Buffalo Mozzarella, Cherry Tomatoes and Pesto Salad and the Tiger Prawn Tempura, Avocado, Mango and Cajun Mayonnaise to start. The buffalo mozzarella was accompanied by a perfectly seasoned deconstructed guacamole and beautifully sweetened semi-dried tomatoes. The Prawns were very lightly battered and served with a delicious sauce on the side that frankly was mauled within seconds of arriving at the table. The meal couldn’t have got off to a better start. One bottle of red wine down and another on its way . . .
For mains, our knowledgeable waiter recommended the Goodman rib eye, and he also recommended it to be served medium which upset me slightly as I was under the impression that all steak should be served medium rare. I am so glad I went with his suggestion however as the meat melted in our mouths perfectly and the flavour was so fantastic and intense that all conversation stopped for a while. We ordered the Mac and Cheese, Truffle Fries, Glazed Carrots, Creamed Spinach to accompany our mains. The Mac and Cheese and Carrots were particular hits, but the truffle fries a letdown as I thought they were a little dry and lacking in depth of flavour. I think they could have been much better had they been cooked in goose fat.
Overall the meal was really very good, and made even better with the addition of two very good bottles of Californian red recommended by the outstanding sommelier. I loved the fact that we just needed to tell him our budget and he went and chose a suitable wine that he promised would taste far more expensive than we could afford!
Price for four people was £280 which is not cheap, but £100 of that was on wine. Overall, I would say this is so far the best steak I have had in London, so please try it!
Goodman Mayfair
26 Maddox Street
London W1S 1QH
T: (+44 (0)207 499 3776
