Affordable Michelin-starred dining

The Ninth

It’s not easy to find a reliable, yet distinctive early dinner spot in central London, but whether you’re heading to the theatre later in the evening or just want to get home a little earlier now the nights are drawing in, it’s a desirable option! Enter The Ninth, a relaxed one Michelin star restaurant in Fitzrovia offering a two or three course set early dinner menu six days a week (alongside their a la carte dishes). It’s good-value, intimate, and chic and the guests are made to feel special with a level of care and familiarity that is perfectly balanced. I appreciated the little touches used to take dishes to the next level: wafer thin slices of pickled pumpkin atop the crispy risotto, tomato added as a twist to a classic aioli, and crème fraiche in the sour cherry ice-cream creating a harmonious combination of sweet and tart flavours. The very best The Ninth has to offer though is of course the legendary Pain Perdu & Tonka Bean Ice-Cream. With a crisp, caramelised shell and soft, light centre, it is reason enough to visit this neighbourhood restaurant at any time!

MUST ORDER: Pain Perdu & Tonka Bean Ice-Cream

Dine in a London landmark

Apple Menu, Saison by Mauro Colagreco, OWO Hotel

Walking into the Old War Offices on Whitehall feels as though you’re being given special access to a secret part of our country’s past. The building is steeped in history, and since its extensive renovation, luxury too, with warmly lit corridors now leading to bedrooms, rather than offices. The UK’s first Raffles Hotel has made this iconic building its home, and nestled in the centre is the old library, now an inviting dining room housing Saison by three-Michelin starred chef Mauro Colagreco. It’s a peaceful, quietly opulent backdrop for refined yet comforting food. The Apple Menu gives Colagreco the perfect opportunity to combine his delicate Mediterranean cooking with the best British produce, namely apples, celebrating their season with a two or three course set menu. The reds and greens of various apple varieties beautifully ornament the light, balanced dishes, and the texture and sweetness of the fruit is cleverly adapted to contribute in different contexts. For me, the Granny Smith Apple Risotto is the standout dish; the unassuming little cubes of apple add dimension, cutting through the savoury, creamy rice. In some dishes, the apple is very much the star of the show; perhaps unsurprisingly this is definitely the case for the two desserts: exquisite little homages to this humble British fruit.

MUST ORDER: The seasonal risotto

Eat in an art gallery

Locatelli, National Gallery

The beautifully renovated Sainsbury’s Wing of the National Gallery houses Giorgio Locatelli’s casual, yet refined Italian restaurant, which opened earlier this year. It is assured, warm, and welcoming, in a dining room that is airy and relaxed, whilst feeling connected to the bustling gallery surrounding it. Diners have the privilege of eating their elevated antipasti, lovingly made fresh pasta, and classic desserts next to Paula Rego’s much-celebrated largescale painting ‘Crivelli’s Garden’. It’s a truly arty lunch; studying a painting whilst digging into your burrata! I went away dreaming of the next time I’ll have the treat of a ragu that morish, or a chocolate cake that intense in flavour and fudgy in texture.

MUST ORDER: Chocolate Cake

Try Ukrainian food

Tatar Bunar

This earthy, calm restaurant describes its food as ‘cuisine inspired by Ukraine’, but I would go further and say that a love and respect for Ukraine is the beating heart of everything Tatar Bunar does. If you’ve never tasted Ukrainian food before, prepare for an education from a passionate team of Ukrainian foodies, one of whom is dedicated to preparing varenyks (Ukrainian dumplings)by hand in a designated part of the centrally placed kitchen. I was informed that the Cottage Cheese Varenyks with Mushroom Mousse were unmissable (they were so tasty), but next time I go I might only order dumplings so I can try other varieties! They are more delicate and lighter than their Polish cousins, pierogi, and expertly crafted. Tatar Bunar presents wholesome, classic Ukrainian dishes with beautiful care and appreciation, combining sorrow-tinged nostalgia and celebration. Ultimately, it’s a warm, uplifting experience to share these Ukrainian plates with people you love whilst learning about and preserving a distinctly delicious food culture.

MUST ORDER: Cottage Cheese Varenyks with Mushroom Mousse

An experience like no other

Punk Royale

A small crowd was gathering on the street in Mayfair by the time my guest and I arrived, all searching for the unassuming black door to transport us into the world of Punk Royale. The restaurant’s illusive character extends far beyond its humble exterior; rumours are all that most can share about what happens inside. Shepherded in, you enter a room of contradictions, full of people prepared to spend hundreds of pounds for a one-off experience, but in a dining space that looks like the rear room of a club. However, there at the back, quietly bustling, focussed and poised, is the shiny kitchen ready to unleash 20+ whimsical courses on an unsuspecting audience. The experience is a cross between promenade theatre and those immersive horror shows where actors wearing scary masks jump out at you, but here it’s actually a waiter tapping you on the shoulder to spoon a mysterious liquid into your mouth. The playlist sounds like two people with wildly different music tastes fighting over the aux cable; at times raucous, at others hypnotic, it truly helps you get lost in the all-encompassing experience of the meal. What happens in Punk Royale stays in Punk Royale and I think this suits the people who go a bit wild there on a Saturday night, but what I will say is that what I ate I very much enjoyed! The food is playful, punchy, and provocative. My favourite dishes were the mushroom broth that looks like a baby Guinness shot, the ‘taste of Sweden’ bite, and the nutty, creamy, fruity licking plate. It’s exclusive, grungy, high-octane fun, but where the beauty lies is in the balance between the joie de vivre mentality that shapes the concept and the precision and discipline that allows the small team to expertly perform a logistical feat every service. I think these Swedish mavericks should keep it up!

MUST ORDER: Just tell them in advance if there’s something you don’t eat!

Written for Thoroughly Modern Milly by Eloise Kenny-Ryder.

Tootoomoo sits quietly in the bustling streets of Highbury & Islington, among many restaurants and cafes. This branch started as a take away but then developed into a restaurant serving sharing menus and a bottomless brunch.

We were the first to arrive for the brunch sitting but within a couple of minutes groups of friends gathered and before we knew it the tables were full. It is a small, fun and colourful space with quirky décor and individual table top designs.

To keep up with the vibrant mood of the restaurant we chose 2 cocktails – a Mojito and an Elderflower Tootoomoo. The cocktails were far from elegant but had a charm about them. They were served in large fish bowls with colourful straws bobbing up and down and had a strong kick of rum and gin.

We started with 3 plates from the TootooTapas: Shichimi Squid, Soft Shell Crab Tempura and Grilled Chicken Skewers. Each dish was presented simply and neatly with individual dipping sauces. Our favorite was the squid. It was soft with a light, crispy, textured and peppery coating accompanied with a contrasting sweet sauce. There was a lack of crab in some of the pieces of tempura but it had a delicate flavour. The chicken skewers were tender and sticky with a creamy satay sauce which was delicious. They left us wanting more.

We then ordered 2 main Plates: Prawn Thai Green Curry and Chicken Pad Thai. We also couldn’t resist trying the dumplings. The curry was cool, creamy with an underlying heat. The flavours were clean and fresh with unexpectedly large prawns. The Pad Thai was unfortunately far too sweet for our liking but the pork dumplings soon made up for that with soft meaty flavours and salty soy sauce.

As full as we were, we were intrigued by the frozen yogurt desserts so we ordered one Pistachio and one Mango Passionfruit. They were simple desserts, a swirl of each flavour but a refreshing end to our meal.

The atmosphere was easy going, the staff were friendly and overall it was an enjoyable afternoon.

More information and book a table at Tootoomoo here.

Written by Lara Pace.

As a regular visitor to Borough Market I had seen the sign for Roast nested above the stalls on many occasions, thinking every time that ‘I must give it a try’ before being swept away by the market crowds or distracted by doughnuts. Taking the stairs, we were welcomed into the main dining area. I was taken back by the size of the space and the wonderful early evening summer light that poured through the windows from almost every angle. On one side, we had views of St. Paul’s and on the other the hustle and bustle of the restaurants below.

As I spread a generous layer of butter on my bread, I was tempted by a couple of Italian wines from the list until we were told about an English white from Kent. I was curious to try it as it’s not every day that you see a selection of English wines on a menu. It was light and floral – lemons and gooseberries – fresh, chilled and worked well with our food.

To start we shared the chorizo scotch egg with piccalilli and the poached salmon with mixed bean salad. Both dishes were served on plates that complimented the vibrant colours of our food. The scotch egg was served warm – the smoky, crisp chorizo and soft egg were brought alive by the tangy, fiery piccalilli. The salmon was instead a very delicate dish. You could taste the freshness of the fish with subtle hints of dill that coated the crunchy beans and gems of wholegrain mustard gave an extra kick.

The variety of well sourced meats and fish on the menu made deciding on a main hard. We chose a classic – pork belly. The first thing I loved about the dish was the portion size, there is no chance of going home hungry. The mash was buttery and smooth, the pork had the perfect contrast of crackling and soft meat that was full of juices and herby flavours, whilst the sweetness of the apple sauce cut through the salty rich gravy that was also served generously. The silence while we ate said it all.

For pudding, we shared the white chocolate set custard with cardamom poached strawberries and honeycomb and the apple and raspberry crumble with almonds and vanilla custard. The pretty shades of pink, white and pistachio green were summer on a plate. The set custard looked like a panna cotta but it was thicker, creamier and had an intense hit of white chocolate. The strawberries and honeycomb brought texture and a sweet zing. The crumble had the perfect ratio of crunch to squidge, the fruit was tart whilst the warm vanilla custard brought the pudding beautifully together. A super strong espresso finished off the meal perfectly.

The prices are high but if you are looking for fresh, seasonal dishes that celebrate the best of British food for a special occasion Roast definitely ticks all the boxes. The service also shouldn’t go unnoticed, our waiters were knowledgeable, attentive and friendly.

More information and book a table at Roast here.

Written by Lara Pace.