Tag Archives: experimental

The Clove Club, Shoreditch Town Hall

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Whenever I see a new restaurant opening in London I am keen to get a table and suss out its food and friendliness. I was rather stunned in this case by the lofty and superior tone of the guys at The Clove Club. Annoyingly I was still desperate to try the food so I swallowed my pride and booked a table at this heavily hyped restaurant in Shoreditch Town Hall.

This new venture is a family affair, the Clove Club brothers are keen to present inventive and exciting cuisine in a laid back and handsomely historic environment. They have certainly achieved this – the food pushes boundaries whilst the restaurant oozes a charming old-fashioned elegance.

On a Saturday lunchtime we had a choice of two menus: the tasting menu, or the lunch option (snacks and three courses for £35). We opted for the set lunch preferring the selection and price!

While some of the staff were a little sullen, our waitress was kind and friendly offering us valuable advice.  Between the two of us we tried the whole menu.

Snacks:
Radishes, Black Sesame & Gochuchang
Crispy Chicken Feet & Devilled Spices
Violet Artichoke & Cod’s Roe

Starters:
Tamworth Pork Cheek, Black Pudding, Sweetcorn & Bobby Beans
Or
Flame Grilled Mackerel Tartare, Pickled Grapes & English Mustard

Mains:
Thornback Ray, Cauliflower, Tarragon & Elderberry Capers
Or
Roast Mallard, Baked Pumpkin, Juniper & Turnip Tops

Desserts:
Autumn Berries, Ewe’s Milk Mousse, Beremeal & Milk Crisps
Or
Poached William Pear, Chestnut Cream & Honey Granita

We sipped cocktails as the canapé-like snacks arrived promptly. My unlikely favourite was the chicken feet, ultra light and crispy with a moreish salty flavour. Of the starters, the cold, raw mackerel wasn’t a massive success… pickled grapes and mustard accentuated the strange flavour. The pork was delicate and delicious, I have never been brave enough to try black pudding before but must admit it complemented the meat and vegetables perfectly.

The ray was amazingly fine and very appealing dressed in herbs. My duck was tender and juicy, coated in a sumptuous sauce and served with interesting vegetables, a very successful dish I thought.

The desserts were light and refreshing. I particularly liked the warm berry compote with dollops of mousse and contrasting milk crisps, every mouthful was different.

We thoroughly enjoyed lunch at Clove Club even though I arrived sceptical. I feel strongly that as the London restaurant scene becomes more and more lucrative and competitive, an arrogant and elitist attitude is not acceptable. Clove Club is an example of fine food but foul attitude, hopefully if you visit you will only experience the former.

More information, and book here: thecloveclub.com

The House of Wolf, Islington

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The House of Wolf is no ordinary bar, restaurant or venue. It is a bizarrely brilliant mix of all three, an ever-evolving establishment which plays host to a whole range of strange and fabulous events and meetings, demonstrations and masterclasses.

Located on the characterful Upper Street in Islington, this multi-functional, multi-sensory pleasure palace is nestled in between a collection of varied independent eateries and cafes. Though I was initially intent on trying the infamous experimental Apothecary cocktails, I found myself seated upstairs in the dining den, napkin on lap and ready to address the five course tasting menu the chef had “already begun preparing” for me.

House of Wolf features the UK’s first ever permanent series of monthly pop-up chef residencies, showcasing some of the UK’s most exciting chefs and culinary artists, each with an individual style. The impressive roll call of chefs will submerge patrons from the moment they sit and ensure a unique and memorable experience on each visit.The current David Ahern is offering a 5 course tasting menu.

It was a wildly inventive and innovative menu, as expected, a little rough around the edges, but a truly magical array of ideas, most of which were executed to perfection. After some disappointingly stale bread, a story of flavours began emerging from the kitchen, beautifully presented and delectably arranged. Baby Violet Artichoke, Sous Vide Quail breast, Warm sweet-cured Salmon, Rump of Lamb and Rhubarb and Custard Crumble were our treats for the night.

My firm favourites were the immaculately cooked quail, seasoned carefully with Jerez Vinegar Sauce, and the crumble which was unusually but successfully paired with gingerbread, ginger wine jelly and crystallised ginger syrup. I don’t even like ginger, but I loved this.

The cocktails are renowned here, if you can’t get a spot at the Apothecary (I will definitely be returning to try this bar), I’d opt for the fresh and sweet Snee Quay, a rum based drink flavoured with pineapple, lime and lemon or the house speciality, Hot Grog, a blissfully hot, comforting drink.

The House of Wolf is full of wonderful surprises, I cannot wait to return.

More information here.

http://houseofwolf.co.uk/