Tag Archives: restaurant

Almeida Restaurant, Islington

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Once upon a time the Almeida restaurant was just a place to have a bite to eat pre or post a theatre performance. Now the restaurant very much has its own personality and style; located across the road from the famous theatre, it is a destination in its own right popular with both theatre-goers and foodie locals.

The light dining room is welcoming and comfortable, we sat at a pleasant window seat and watched the restaurant fill up as the night progressed. Some will recognise head chef Tommy Boland from his cameo appearance in Celebrity Masterchef. Tommy has a clear and creative vision for the Almeida producing impressive plates of food using the finest flavours and classic cooking techniques.

We were very well looked after by the kitchen and the friendly team of waiters who offered us endless extras ‘from the chef’. It was a hot day and I felt like something light and vibrant, the English Heritage Tomatoes Salad was the ideal option. Tommy proudly mentioned that the tomatoes were British, but just as sweet as the produce from Europe. The salad was immaculate adorned with stracciatella, nocellara olives and an accompanying fluffy piece of focaccia with olive oil. My dinner date opted for Roasted Isle Orkney Scallops with peas, girolles, leek fondue and aged parmesan, after seeing a similar recipe on a Masterchef episode! The plate was beautiful, a careful arrangement with each component cooked perfectly. Starters were an absolute hit, and were cleverly paired with a refreshing French Sauvignon blanc and an exotic Chardonnay from Southern California.

For main course, we selected the Glazed Pork Cutlet and Roasted New Season’s Lamb. Both dishes were a hefty size, too much to finish. The lamb presentation was stylish and sophisticated, the meat served in an intensely flavoured sauce and paired with a range of vegetables. The crispy artichokes were a lovely addition though I found the taste of the semi dried tomatoes a bit overpowering. The pork was a little overcooked and dry but was paired with delicious sweet peaches and summery vegetable slaw. The sauce was sticky and tasty, but the meat needed more of it.

I was excited to spot soufflé on the dessert menu, apricot flavoured with a citrusy lemon verbena ice-cream. We also tried the decadent chocolate moelleux sundae with whipped salt caramel, vanilla ice-cream and tonka bean. Soufflés are notoriously difficult to perfect but this rendition was faultless, light and airy, creamy and smooth with a hint of apricot. The chocolate pudding was presented in a circular glass bowl, delicately arranged and utterly delicious.

The Almeida has truly proved itself as a restaurant worth travelling to, I was very impressed by the high quality of food and service.

More information and book a table at Almeida restaurant here.

All photos taken on my Olympus PEN E-PL7.

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

THOROUGHLY MODERN MAN: Ippudo, Covent Garden

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Ippudo’s heritage is long and storied, from Fukuoka Japan in 1985 to New York in 2008 and finally to Europe in 2014. They serve 50,000 bowls of ramen each and every day. As interesting as that may be, the food is better. At Ippudo TMM was taken through the classic range of a Japanese taste palette with dexterous ease by the brigade of highly skilled chefs in the open kitchen, and it was nothing short of delightful.

I feel I should warn you before we go further, dear reader, because in this review I shall say some lovely things about tofu. This is not in my nature, but events conspired against me and I was forced to reassess some of my most fundamental culinary beliefs. Now warned, please read on.

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Sake and gin-based cocktails were the order of the day first up, with the tart crème de cassis lifting the concoction to crisp refreshing notes. Once seated, first up on our menu was a revelation in cream and green – chilled tofu with spring onion with anchovy and kelp. Soft and supple, it worked wonderfully with the salty and sharp notes offered from the toppings. If Ippudo can make me say nice things about tofu, then the battle is already won.

 

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Tempura king prawns with crispy noodles and an Asian mayo followed, and then the best steam bun you’ve ever had, filled with meltingly soft and sticky pork with Japanese mayo and Ippudo’s original spicy bun sauce. TMM was not alone at the table in drawing comparisons between our steamed buns and “the best McDonald’s you’ve ever eaten”. The fried chicken with grated daikon and ponzu was a particular highlight, with all the best things about Japan meeting Southern hospitality, and getting on famously.

 

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Delicious treats were arriving thick and fast, and each accompanied by its own sake pairing, from dry and crisp to sweet and heady matching the delicate balances of each dish. Finally, and not without a concerted albeit gluttonous effort to make our way through a range of delicacies, we arrived at our main course – and Ippudo’s specialty – the ramen. One half of the entire menu is given over to variations on the classic Pork bone broth with homemade noodles, thinly sliced pork belly, soft-boiled egg, mushrooms and radishes. Given, dear reader, that TMM is as greedy as he is indecisive, two “small” portions were ordered, one of the seasonal varieties and Ippudo’s classic. Although the seasonal Deep Tonkotsu’s broth was served to the side allowing for dipping and seasoning of the ingredients individually, the classic was lifted yet higher by Ippudo’s secret Umami Dama paste. Complex flavours simply delivered, happy customers, and a tofu convert to top it all off. Not a bad evening’s work from the boys in the kitchen.

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Ippudo seeks to reclaim the energy and passion that has deserted Japanese cuisine in recent years. Hospitality staff and chefs are brimming with gusto, and the kitchen positively vibrates with passion and excitement. The event TMM attended was a small gathering of 20; the kitchen at full flow serving all covers would surely be a sight to behold, worth the trip itself. As when great British summer inevitably disappoints us and you need a clean, healthy, delightfully balanced bowl of the best ramen you’ve probably tasted, Google your nearest Ippudo (for you Londoners that’s St Giles Street WC2 or Canary Wharf) and head over pronto.

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More information on Ippudo and book a table here.

Written by a Thoroughly Modern Man, James Bomford.