Monthly Archives: January 2015

Portland, Great Portland Street

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January is a month of diets and detoxes, and yet London’s restaurant scene shows no sign of slowing with a new venue opening every few days across the capital. The latest to hit the headlines and thrill the food bloggers is Portland, aptly named, considering its location on Great Portland Street.

Fay Maschler has already visited twice and even said she’d discovered some of “her best dishes of the year” in her recent review. Needless to say, by the time you read this securing a reservation may be impossible.

The menu concept is based on the best produce cooked as simply as possible and is headed up by Will Lander and Daniel Morgenthau, the talented people behind Quality Chop House and 10 Greek Street. The restaurant follows the popular minimalist Scandinavian design, lots of bare wood and exposed lightbulbs and some intriguing artwork on the walls, I noticed an Egon Schiele print. There isn’t much room with only forty-five covers, so guests are booted out after two hours: I usually get through three courses in sixty minutes so it is no problem for me.

Chef Merlin Labron-Johnson previously worked in a Michelin-starred restaurant in Belgium before joining the kitchen at Portland. His inventive recipes use unusual ingredients and they are slickly executed.  We were sat brilliantly close to the open kitchen, nearby to the vintage jars of home pickled vegetables. We started with the delightful Pig’s head croquettes balanced on a dollop of kimchi mayonnaise. Rich and moist meat with a salty crunchy breadcrumbed exterior and a luxurious dip, it was the perfect combination.

We created a meal with an assortment of smaller dishes and a main. The chef’s interest in foraging was evident in the heritage carrot dish, where attractive varying shades of rustic vegetables are presented upright in a bed of puree. They had a lovely roasted caramelised flavour and were paired with shaved nutty Mimolette Vielle cheese and crunchy seeds. Charred brassicas were luscious green stems with a smoking egg emulsion (similar to Hollandaise sauce, but lighter), soy and Perigord truffle, an original recipe with oriental elements, and miraculously worked very well. For main course, the Fallow deer is a rich and glossy piece of meat, too rare for me but with a lovely crispy edge.

If you are in need of a sweet treat go for the chocolate bar with peanut butter praline and peanut ice-cream, a deliciously glorified Snickers dessert. Portland serve some short cocktails which work well as aperitifs and are well priced at £8-9. We drank a rather small glass of house wine each, an earthy fruity French white.

Portland has only been open a few weeks and is already a promising place to enjoy exciting food in a convivial environment. I’m excited to see how this restaurant progresses, hopefully bringing the success of Soho to the other side of Oxford Street.

More information and book here: portlandrestaurant.co.uk

Le Relais des Moines, Provence

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I have never had much need to visit restaurants in Provence. The fresh market produce and my family’s culinary enthusiasm mean a great meal is never far away. However on my last trip to the South of France I did a bit of exploring, keen to discover what Michelin star eateries offer in this part of the world.

Le Relais des Moines ticked a lot of boxes: close to home, good value lunch menu and very appealing sounding dishes. Head chef Sebastien Sanjou cooks passionately but meticulously with the vibrant flavours of Provence, preparing thoughtful dishes that are clever yet uncomplicated. This simplicity emphasises the quality of the ingredients used.

Located on the route to St Roseline in a quiet corner of the Var countryside, the restaurant is set in a beautiful preserved 16th century stone house overlooking the lush Cote D’Azur, illuminated by the southern sunshine. We sat at a calm table near the window, so we could admire the views while enjoying our food and drinking wine from nearby vineyards.

The lunch menu costs 39 euros a head and includes three courses, two glasses of wine and half a bottle of water, coffee and petit fours, and numerous little extra amuse-bouches throughout. Immediately unusual and delicious tiny tasters arrived to perk up our palates… cauliflower jelly, crispy bread-crumbed beef, and a glass vessel of mushroom soup. For starter we loved the small but rich bowl of chestnut veloute, lightly grilled foie gras, crunchy croutons, slivers of bacon and green cabbage. Despite the rich ingredients, the dish was delicate, thanks to the airy recipe and careful seasoning.

The main course was bold and brilliant, and I couldn’t believe our luck, as it was the only option on the set lunch menu – fine lean pieces of gorgeous beef dressed with braised mushroom and a foam with an intriguing woody flavour. The meat, though very pink for me, was so tender and tasty that I didn’t notice its rareness. The jus had clearly been given all the chef’s attention and had a real depth of flavour. After the waitress drizzled a little over our plates I asked her sweetly if she could leave the little jug of steaming sauce on the table, needless to say when she came to pick up the empty plates the jug was also empty.

Dessert was a more extravagant version of my favourite breakfast recipe. Pain Perdu (similar to French toast) with pear sorbet, caramel, sugary nuts and nougatine was a delight of different textures and flavours: soft warm cooked bread surrounded by a pool of sticky caramel sauce and topped with cooling fruity sorbet and vanilla bean silky cream. I scraped up every last bit with barely a breath between mouthfuls. If you are going for the more luxurious a la carte menu, I’ve heard the mandarin dessert is unmissable.

Hidden away in the hills of Provence this restaurant showcases the flavours and captures the atmosphere of the area perfectly. I can’t think of anywhere in London where a Michelin starred lunch offers such masterful food, special wine and value for your money.

More information and book a table here.

Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, Mayfair

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Most hotel restaurants blend into their hospitable surroundings but at The Connaught everything evokes the style, life and character of the restaurant’s leading lady, Hélène Darroze. Proud and passionate about her roots in south west France, her cooking shows a clear influence of this area’s produce and culinary traditions.

Darroze was born into the industry, her family owned a renowned restaurant in the Landes region just north of the Pyrenees, to which she made a vital contribution. A disciple of the great Alain Ducasse, she learnt her craft while cooking as a crucial member of his team at prestigious restaurant Louis XV in Monaco. Darroze now runs two restaurants, both named after her, one in Paris and the other, conveniently close to where I work, in London.

My first understanding of her restaurant at the iconic Connaught Hotel was from my grandparents. They are the best food critics I know, and I trust their opinion on food above all else. It helps too that my grandmother is French and a superb cook herself, so she knows what to look out for. They often refer to Hélène’s cooking as the best in London, so I was extremely excited to be trying it at last.

Through the beautifully British lobby, we were led to the quietly sophisticated dining room and seated at a lovely window table with maximum natural light. The lunch began with a whimsical board game that challenged us to think about what ingredients we prioritise, and brought a sense of fun to the civilised restaurant. Extravagant items such as lobster, black truffle, foie gras and venison suggest that the meal ahead will be rich and heavy, but the culinary journey that followed was quite the opposite, light and magical.

Every meal at this restaurant begins with light focaccia with confit tomatoes and thin ruffles of noir de Bigorre ham from south west France which is carved authentically at the table. Immediately we were transported to France with its fresh and vibrant flavours simply presented before us. Next freshly baked artisan bread and espelette butter arrived, smelling as irresistible as it tasted… once again my resolution to resist bread was broken.

My three dishes were a vision of elegant indulgence and subtle, artistic precision. For once I was satisfied that I had chosen well, though observing other plates as they passed, I think I would have been delighted with any menu choice. Black truffle with onion, barley, and lardo di Colonnata is a delicate arrangement of floating ravioli triangles with black truffle, sprigs of lively greenery and translucent cylindrical onion pieces. Each element had its purpose; for texture, to add moisture or colour, and put together it was divine, both visually and to taste. I later discovered it is a new dish on the menu, and I think perhaps my favourite of the day. Those who enjoy fish should opt for the scallop with radish and shiso, it was an immaculately constructed work of art.

For main course the Pigeon with foie gras, spelt, dried fruits, peppermint, and “Sultan” consommé is a striking option. It tasted Moroccan inspired with dried fruit and peppermint but with a hint of French with the rich foie gras and delicious consommé. The meat was cooked to perfection and seasoned carefully. I had a slight twinge of food envy after trying the Venison with celeriac, pear, stilton and Mexican molle. The velvety intense flavours of the luxurious cut of meat and creamy blue cheese were combined in a wonderfully balanced dish – next time I’ll be ordering a plate for myself. For a little extra indulgence try the Lobster with calamari, clams, chorizo and “black rice”, a speciality of Hélène’s and a dish that was enthusiastically consumed by my colleague (you may have noticed this dish recently on Masterchef, The Professionals).

Pineapple with black pepper, coconut and lemongrass was a substantial but airy dessert, and an ideal palate cleanser to conclude a feast. Concealed beneath the soft light cream was a layer of crunchiness and humble chunks of sunshine yellow pineapple. It conjured up memories of Thailand for me, the combination of exotic, punchy flavours reminding me of the vast beaches and fresh fruit readily on offer. The pinch of pepper adds a kick of spice, a clever contrasting component with the other sweet and citrusy tastes. For chocolate addicts the sculpturally impressive chocolate sweet with glowing ruby grapefruit is a must.

Decorative Hermès porcelain cups and saucers arrived filled with dark, rich espressos, accompanied by dazzling glittery dark chocolate truffles, rich red macarons, and cream filled choux mouthfuls, a starring moment for the Connaught’s talented pastry chef. I savoured every mouthful and anticipating my cold walk home allowed myself one more of the devilishly good truffles.

More information and book a table at the restaurant here.