Tag Archives: Shoreditch

Lyle’s, Shoreditch

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Lyle’s is a beautiful, stripped back restaurant located within the colourful chaos of Shoreditch High Street. The focus here is on the food which is seasonal, inventive and exquisite. Co-owner and head chef James Lowe is from the St John family of restaurants, so it is hardly surprising that the establishment is white and minimalist in style.

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The set menu changes daily, four courses for dinner cost £44 and a vegetarian option is also available. The ‘no choice’ menu eliminates all food envy and decision dilemmas and instead forces guests to concentrate on the food put in front of them and the kitchen’s staggering creativity. When I like the look of a chosen menu but there is an ingredient I’m not fond of, my mood turns bitter!

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Due to my fish aversion I tried a combination of the standard and the veggie menu and every mouthful was delicious. After crusty sourdough bread and dandelion-yellow whipped salted butter, we ordered a carafe from the reasonably priced wine list. Several extras were placed on the table: Italian lardo (cured pork fat) and peas still in the pod – in the stark white room all the food looked bright and beautiful.

Menu for the night:

Asparagus, Burford Brown Egg & Buckwheat / Onion Broth & Ramson

Monkfish & Cauliflower / Riseley, Cornish News & Lovage

Saddleback, Burnt Apple & Onion

Rhubarb, Elderflower & Goat’s Milk

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For me, the simplest dishes at Lyle’s were most thrilling. The onion broth was stunningly simple, an intensely flavoured soup with delicate ramson (a relative of chives with a garlic like scent) and chargrilled smoky soft onions. My next course was an airy, creamy delight, using little known cheeses. The Cauliflower was also lovely, gently cooked to give a sweet taste and served with a pristine white, meaty piece of fish. The Saddleback cut of pork was lean and carefully seasoned, paired with a sweet burnt apple puree and grilled onions. Silence fell over the table as we gobbled up every last bit. Dessert was a pretty pink assortment of textures and tastes, the granita made it refreshing and summery while the shards of powdery meringue added a sugary luxury.

Lyle’s lived up to my high expectations – a really special meal, and definitely one of my favourite restaurants I have discovered this year.

More information here: www.lyleslondon.com

Hot on the Highstreet Week 265

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The Basics Store is a brand new, temporary pop-up shop curated by Marina Guergova of Marina London. It is located amongst the trendy boutiques on Redchurch Street in Shoreditch. The stylish edit of clothes and accessories showcases a range of young British designers as well as Marina London’s own silk garments.

The concept shop features designers who share a love of the everyday essentials, and the small space displays the items in a simple but beautiful way. Hanging on the rails are Blake LDN’s luxurious and flattering knitwear and beautiful pieces from Marina London 100% silk basics collection. To complete the look you can buy cool and contemporary crafted footwear by Dear Francis and Danielle Foster’s high quality leather bags and accessories. There are two lovely cabinets of jewellery by of Clarice Price Thomas and Jessie Harris, which would make great gifts. I adored the quirky selection of fragrances from the Avery Perfume Gallery, with scents from Santa Eulalia and Roads.

The Basics Store is a creative place, during its short occupancy it has hosted talks by inspiring start-ups and successful young companies, including The Hardihood, Crude Juice and Qnola. The wonderfully rustic Petalon Flowers have been offering their floral bunches to visitors once a week and music has been provided at the front of the shop by talented acoustic artists.

With such a thoughtful range of ideas it seems a shame that The Basics Store isn’t here to stay. Let’s hope Marina sets up shop somewhere in London permanently soon.

The Basics Store is open until Monday 13th July 2015.
Monday to Friday 10am – 7pm, Saturday 11am – 7pm, Sunday 11am – 5pm.

30a Redchurch St, London, E2 7DP.

The Jones Family Project, Shoreditch

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Most would assume the Jones Family Project is set up by a family, and in a way it is. Husband and wife team Anna and Duncan have been in the restaurant industry for a number of years and have brought colleague Amit and their trusted chef Christiano on board for this venture. A group of individuals who strive for the same goal, they each bring their own character and assets to the JFP business. ‘Jones’ seemed like a fitting surname to unite the group in this joint project.

The venue in Shoreditch can cater for numerous occasions with a large versatile space. The upstairs bar is often used for private events and parties, downstairs there’s another bar with high stools and booths, also an ever-evolving themed table and a smarter sit-down area for a la carte feasting. We sat at a quiet booth chatting to owner Anna while sipping a deliciously fruity Saffron Sour and a refreshing Langley’s No. 8 gin and Fever-tree tonic served with basil and fresh grapefruit.

The main restaurant area was busy and lively when we sat down for dinner, surprising considering it was a mid-week evening in January. Apparently the eatery is also popular for business lunches, and the special offers ensure guests return again and again. When we visited the seasonal offer was £40 for two burgers and a bottle of Burgundy. Steak is the speciality at JFP, supplied by Ginger Pig and cooked on a Josper grill, it is unmissable. We tried the juicy sirloin and the Pork rib-eye (a unique cut for JFP from Ginger Pig). Both were cooked exactly as we requested emphasising the fine quality of the meats whilst also giving a caramelised crunchy edge. Chef Christiano also offers shavings of luxurious and rich Belper Knolle cheese on top of the steaks, a very special addition which we loved. I was particularly impressed with the pork which was unlike any cut I’ve tried before, presented on a bed of chorizo, potatoes and savoy cabbage. The perfect warming winter meal.

Of the sauces, I would recommend the utterly wonderful Béarnaise – perfect consistency and perfectly seasoned. The classic Argentinian chimichurri is good too, more like a herby dressing for your meat. The peppercorn was a bit disappointing, and tasted more like gravy or red wine sauce. Steak frites is out of fashion and steak and mac is in, it was the truffled macaroni cheese from JFP that caused a stir on my social media, and trust me, it tastes as good as it looks, a cheesy crispy indulgent pasta bake with a hint of truffle.

Fitting in dessert was a struggle after we over-indulged on the savoury delights… but we managed to share a Triple Chocolate Brownie with coconut sorbet and salted caramel sauce! We were pleased to find it served warm along with a drizzle of caramel sauce and a contrasting clean cold boule of white sorbet. In retrospect the Gin and Orange Semifreddo may have been a more palate cleansing option to finish on.

As well as their creative cocktails, the Jones Family Project pride themselves on offering all guests a selection of great wines. Owner Duncan has a keen interest and knowledge of wine and uses this experience to create an extensive and varied list, many wines are available by the glass encouraging you to try something unfamiliar.

The Jones Family Project is a terrific venue for all occasions. They are placed in a great location, with tasty food and drinks, but it is the character and enthusiasm of the team that give the place such a happy, fun atmosphere.

More information and book here: www.jonesfamilyproject.co.uk