Tag Archives: burger

No. 11 Pimlico Road, Chelsea

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I’m not quite sure how we managed it but both my cousin and I, independently, managed to go to the wrong restaurant. No.11 Pimlico Road was previously called The Ebury, and just up the road is another place called The Ebury… which I’m sure most will agree is confusing. The staff at the wrong Ebury are rude and unpleasant but I’m glad to report that at No.11 they could not be more welcoming, and we were delighted to settle (half an hour late) in the correct restaurant.

This gloriously spacious modern venue is “a reaction against the typical gastropub trend which is engulfing London”. Stylishly designed, it is the ideal destination for ladies who lunch – smart and sophisticated but relaxed. The menu follows the same concept, brief but brilliantly tempting classic dishes to suit every appetite.

Small and sharing options are available as well as sandwiches, salads and several more substantial mains. We skipped starters in favour of indulging with a larger main course: House Burger with homemade fries for me and Chicken Schnitzel with remoulade for my guest. And I couldn’t resist a Rhubarb and Apple Rum Punch to quench my thirst.

Both mains were delicious, thinking back now I can’t fault any aspect of the food. The No.11 burger was truly scrumptious: a genius idea of using two thin patties instead of one fatter version makes the ground beef extra flavoursome and juicy (I’d recommend ordering rare or medium rare). Accompanied by Montgomery mature cheddar, thick cut tomato, lettuce and red onion, with an extra helping of dry aged streaky bacon, it really is the whole package. House made fries were great too, crispy but perfectly soft inside served with tangy aioli. My guest was kind enough to let me taste the Schnitzel, which was very tasty, tender thin chicken breast coated in an addictively yummy crunchy crumb layer.

Our waiter convinced us to share a dessert, and it was the Roulade No.11 which made the cut from a selection of naughtily extravagant puddings. The homemade meringue, roast rhubarb, candied ginger and orange blossom cream work surprisingly well together, the sweet and sharp flavours balance deliciously. Needless to say it didn’t take us long to polish that plate off!

If only I lived nearer, and had nothing to do at lunchtimes, I would be eating here every day. No.11 is No.1 in my book.

More information here: www.no11pimlicoroad.co.uk

THOROUGHLY MODERN MISS: Four Seasons Bistro, Hampshire

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There are two restaurants to choose between whilst staying at the Four Seasons Hampshire Hotel; the ‘Seasons’ Restaurant, which offers a fine dining experience  or ‘The Bistro’, providing an array of British classics in a more relaxed, informal atmosphere. Arriving at the Hotel in what felt like Baltic weather conditions, there was nothing we wanted more than some good British grub to warm the cockles, so the Bistro suited our needs perfectly.

We were warmly welcomed by the staff and asked whether we would like to eat in the restaurant or in the more relaxed bar area. I think it is always nice to be given this choice, and I expect eating in the bar is a popular choice for business workers that stay during the week and families with young children who would like to dine in a less formal setting.

Within minutes of sitting down, we had been given large flutes of Louis Roederer Champagne and offered a selection of home made breads of which the fresh white roll with olives was my favourite. To start I chose the Caramelised onion and Gold Muddler local ale soup, served with welsh rarebit. The soup was incredibly fresh, with the right level of sweetness and the cheesy rarebit complimented the dish perfectly. Milly opted for the Warm Laverstoke buffalo mozzarella wrapped in pancetta and served with a black olive tapenade and sun dried tomato crostini. We both agreed that this was the winner out of the two, and the dish was demolished between us.

For main course, to satisfy our meat cravings I chose the Laverstoke Park Farm beef burger and Milly went for the Casterbridge sirloin steak. The burger arrived stacked high, layered with bacon, aged cheddar and crisp salad. The meat of the burger was finely ground and full of flavour, however if I was being fussy I would have liked it slightly rarer.The accompanying chunky chips were crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, just the way I like them and some of the best I have tasted in a long time. Milly’s steak was served medium with a hot peppercorn sauce and skinny fries.The meat was incredibly juicy, tender and intense in flavour and the peppercorn sauce gave a lovely kick to the dish.  Now I am not a skinny fries kind of girl, but Milly assured me that these were incredibly good and continued to pick at them despite her repetitive announcements of being ‘so full’. In the end we had to request they were taken away so we could save room to squeeze in dessert.

Dessert was an easy decision as the waitress was passionate about one particular dish – Apple Pie with cinnamon ice-cream and hot caramel sauce. Luckily we had decided to share as the portion was huge and plenty for the two of us. The pie was comforting and wholesome, homemade and delicious, the ideal winter pudding. The cinnamon ice-cream was smooth and creamy and was beautiful served in a thin wafer basket. And the hot caramel sauce… wow… this was so good and disappeared in seconds. The waitress must have noticed and brought us another jug of the hot sticky heavenly stuff, which allowed us to both practically drown the apple pie. A cup of fresh mint tea concluded the meal wonderfully.

I would highly recommend the Bistro restaurant to anyone staying at the Four Seasons. It provides the perfect atmosphere for a relaxed and unpretentious meal, yet still retaining the air of sophistication that you would expect from a hotel in this class.

More information here.

www.fourseasons.com/hampshire/

Written by a Thoroughly Modern Miss, Susie Hemsted.

Duck and Waffle, Liverpool Street

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Duck and Waffle is a destination restaurant. I went on Christmas Eve last year for a special pre-Christmas lunch, and will not forget the experience in a hurry.

Located atop Heron Tower on Bishopsgate, Duck & Waffle’s convivial experience features sharing plates, artisanal cocktails and unparalleled City views.The most incredible thing about this eatery? They are open 24/7 so you can dine and watch London, at any time of day! Guests are welcome in for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and late-night/ early-morning dining to watch the sunrise.

We were lucky enough to be sitting in the favourite table, a prime spot for viewing all of the city and slightly secluded from the rest of the restaurant. You will need to request ahead of time that you want this table as it is very sought after. The panoramic landscape ahead is overwhelmingly thrilling, you can identify all of the capital’s great buildings and sites including the nearby skyscrapers of the city.

The menu is split into various categories for all kinds of dining options: Snacks, Breads, Raw, Cold Meats, Small Plates, Large Plates and Sides are all available depending on your appetite and mood. I’m ashamed to admit that we didn’t try the Duck with Waffle dish, which apparently is very tasty. It looked beautiful, a waffle stacked gently with a crispy leg confit, fried duck egg and dripping in maple syrup. Instead we opted for the Jerusalem artichoke ravioli with wilted turnip tops, hazelnuts and aged pecorino and the ‘leo sayer’ angus burger with onion jam, gruyere and french fries.

The food, though expensive, is very good with small portions artistically presented. The ravioli was my very favourite kind of pasta, high in flavour and very comforting, but using a unique combination of vegetables cooked carefully in butter to be the yummiest they can be. The burger was great too, surprisingly so as I haven’t seen it mentioned on any of my top burger websites! Deliciously tender and juicy meat with a very soft bun and scrumptious sweet onion jam (in moderation), the chips are super thin and crispy, very moreish especially with the creamy mayonnaise.

Alongside our food I couldn’t resist the amazing seasonal special duo of cocktails: Two Turtle Doves (a la two Russians) costs £16, a White dove drink with Grey Goose, milk, white chocolate and orange zest and a Black with Bacardi, milk, dark chocolate and macadamia nut. They were beautifully presented in a wooden box with dried fruit and pine leaves, so the aromas naturally waft from the box while you are enjoying the cocktail. Both are served straight, rich and strong but sweet and perfectly balanced. They are really more like dessert cocktails but are good enough to be enjoyed at any time of day.

Duck & Waffle used to offer unrivalled views of the city but with the Shard opening it is interesting to see how its popularity is affected. One thing is for sure, if you are wandering round Liverpool Street at 3am at least you know there is one restaurant that will be open for business, and it is a long way up from the greasy kebab shop you’d expect to find at that time.

More information here: www.duckandwaffle.com