Tag Archives: restaurant

Hand and Flowers, Marlow

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After thirteen months of waiting, the special Saturday finally arrived to claim our table at Hand and Flowers. This charming gastropub in Marlow has received phenomenal accolades, the only venue of its kind to be awarded two Michelin stars. Considering the menu features simple British classics like fish and chips, it is an impressive feat for chef Tom Kerridge.

I am a great fan of Kerridge’s enthusiastic food and wine programme, where he takes to the stove with many of London’s most notable chefs. Winning Michelin stars was never his main ambition but his food has been recognised thanks to his dedication and natural talent for creating blissfully delicious comfort food. After stints in various kitchens, Tom and his wife Beth opened Hand and Flowers in 2005 and he recently took over the Coach pub down the road as a second, more casual venue.

We arrived early and sat in the cosy bar area, sipping on locally produced Perry whilst greedily perusing the menu. After a year of anticipation, I felt under great pressure to choose the best dishes on the menu. We followed the waitress through the narrow corridor to our corner table. The interior is decorated in a farmhouse chic style with mementos on the walls that indicate the chef’s jovial character. I felt like I was in the middle of the countryside, in from the cold and ready to tuck in to an indulgent meal.

Rustic bread and unsalted butter arrived, along with tiny crispy whitebait poking out of a homemade newspaper cone. The non-fish eaters were offered thimble sized bowls of piccalilli salad. The starters demonstrate Kerridge’s ability to elevate basic ingredients to create sophisticated dishes with just a few simple flavours. Potato “Risotto” with Pied de Mouton mushrooms and samphire was the perfect example of an original but humble dish, woody mushrooms, a hint of sage and a flawlessly executed potato invention. Crispy pig’s head with spiced date puree, apple, plum and pancetta was a boy’s starter with bold and rich flavour pairings. I stole several mouthfuls and enjoyed the tenderness of the softened pork covered in an irresistibly crispy crumb coat. I chose the dainty Roast English Onion Tart with Etuve Alliums, smoked butter and salt cured pork, it was a sensation of different textures, most exciting was the pile of crispy onion shards on top.

My dad chose a unique Christian Lauverjat Moulin des Vrilleres rose Sancerre – we are all still dreaming about it, light and smooth and the prettiest pale salmon colour. Despite the big flavours of our meat course, the versatile wine suited every plate. These dishes were a triumph, I’ve never seen so many happy customers round one table. The renowned Hand and Flowers fish and chips was a hit, the lightest Whiting coated in a non-oily crispy shell and served with the famous triple-fried chips, that did not disappoint. I had been alerted that the Slow Cooked Duck Breast is must-try, accompanied by Savoy cabbage, Duck Fat chips and gravy. The duck was silky smooth with almost a liver-like texture, perhaps from the sous-vide (water bath) method of cooking. The duck fat chips were richer and even more tasty than the standard chips.

For an utterly indulgent main the Fillet of Stokes Marsh Beef with Bearnaise sauce was a wise choice. A chunky compact piece of meat, garnished with butter and a skinny onion ring it was one of the very best steaks I have ever tasted. Again the meat was of the highest quality and cooked sensitively to ensure the best flavour and texture. I ordered the Tenderloin of Wiltshire Pork which was the only slightly disappointing dish, the meat was an unattractive shape and looked clumsy on the plate. Accompanied by pickled mustard leaf, malt glazed cheek, garlic sausage and potato dauphine, there were plenty of other things to enjoy on the plate, this assortment was more exciting and enjoyable that the main event.

We found the service a little hit and miss, and one slightly grumpy waiter (who had clearly cut his hand) wore a very unappealing blue plastic glove to serve the food. Considering the status of the restaurant and the length of the waiting list I expected the staff to be jollier!

Desserts were thankfully light and refreshing. Numerous recommendations led two members of our party to order the Bitter Orange Souffle with sweet toast crumb, cardamom ice cream and citrus syrup. The soufflé was the perfect light melt in the mouth texture and served with a delicious spicy ice cream, though we thought the intense citrus syrup was an unnecessary addition. I loved my pretty in pink Tonka bean panna cotta with poached rhubarb, ginger wine jelly and rhubarb sorbet. The wonderfully complex flavours worked well together, and in particular the miniature meringues and fuchsia, fruity sorbet was divine. The Hand and Flowers chocolate and ale cake with salted caramel and muscovado ice cream was an intriguing and successful pudding, delicately presented but with powerful flavours, served with a shot of ale.

Hand and Flowers has the perfect balance: inspired and delicious food and a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. You don’t need to worry about dress code and yet the sophisticated dining experience will make the meal feel special. Outstanding fine dining with chips on the side… this restaurant combines the best of both worlds.

More information and book a table for 2016 here: www.thehandandflowers.co.uk

Pedler, Peckham

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Pedler opened a mere month ago and already tables are scarce and seats at the bar highly sought after. Peckham is a hotspot for new eateries and bars – in a neighbourhood full of enthusiastic foodies, this new venue, run by locals and intended for locals, is bound to do well.

Pedler has a cosy, homely feel with eclectic mismatched vintage patterns, hanging lights and exposed brickwork. At night the lively bar has a buzzy feel, whilst in the mornings, the white painted tables and abundance of natural light create a cool summery brunch vibe. The restaurant is run by Tim Moore and Taskin Muzaffer, who are also the dream team behind boutique distillery Little Bird Gin. In the kitchen executive chef Gareth Crosby creates bold dishes emphasising the freshness and quality of the British produce.

The menu lists twelve dishes which change daily depending on the seasonal ingredients available. Loosely split into starter and main sizes, they advise two plates each, one from each category. First start with some salty lad-y-dahs, generously sized pork scratchings that arrive packaged up in an old-fashioned stripy sweet bag, the perfect nibble while you sip your cocktail. We tasted the girly raspberry Clover girl and the citrusy Strong gimlet. Priced between £6 and £8, the cocktails are both reasonable and tasty. If you want something simpler, opt for a delicious G&T.

The dishes came individually, which certainly prevented us from gobbling, and prolonged the meal nicely so we could chat and assess each plate. The Pumpkin and chive arancini were plump and wonderfully crispy, with a firm rice centre, served with a dollop of sweet balsamic mayo. Lamb kofte was a favourite: juicy meatballs, perfectly seasoned served with hummous and charred baby gem. Beetroot tarte tatin is an original vegetarian option, a filling and comforting dish. The pastry was incredibly flaky topped with unusual yellow beetroot slices and a side of pepper leaf and an exquisite herby rosemary aioli, that I craved more of all night.

Eating slowly definitely fills you up, and we found two dishes each was too much for the three of us. Frizzle chicken has already become a speciality at Pedler. It is a dish which harks back to Peckham’s food history, a sophisticated remake of the cheap fried chicken they used to sell here. It was lightly breadcrumbed, crisped up and served on a bed of steaming hot polenta, parmesan and attitude sauce (which has plenty of fiery chilli) – a brilliant recipe which apparently took chef Gareth weeks to perfect. Wild ‘shroom pancake with leeks and ricotta is a delight, a thick spongy pancake hiding a mess of cheesy leeks and mushrooms. For a more indulgent treat Pan roast guinea fowl with truffled roots and chives is a rich main course – tender game with a wonderful crispy skin, a sweet silky smooth root vegetable puree with a tangy hint of truffle. Sides were the only disappointment – soggy kale soaked in cream and beef dripping chips that tasted like they’d been cooked from frozen.

We couldn’t fit in dessert, though Valrhona chocolate parfait with white chocolate and pomegranate sounded very tempting. Instead we ended with a pot of fresh mint tea, and wandered home, delighted to have discovered a new Peckham hotspot. Pedler is worth travelling for, but lucky for me I don’t have to… next time, I’m going to try the popular brunch menu.

More information and book a table here: www.pedlerpeckhamrye.com

Chez Bruno, Lorgues

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There are some restaurants who fluke a Michelin star, but last week I visited a kitchen which strives for excellence every day and truly deserves this prestigious accolade. Visiting Chez Bruno, hidden away in the Provencal countryside, was a unique culinary experience and for me, it provided an education about the world of truffles.

Chez Bruno was opened in 1983 by Clément Bruno, a talented chef and world connoisseur of truffles. In 1999 the restaurant received its Michelin star which it has retained ever since.Chez Bruno has always been a family focussed business and three years ago Clément’s ambitious son, Benjamin took over the renowned kitchen. He continues the much-loved traditions of his father whilst creatively renewing recipes to showcase the truffle.

In summer the outdoor setting is dazzling, a beautiful haven surrounded by idyllic gardens; in winter the cosy sumptuous indoor dining room is warmed by a roaring fire and has a magical feel. We were lucky enough to be amidst the action in the kitchen at the chef’s table. We sat quietly observing as a whirlwind of chopping, cooking, cutting happened around us.

Champagne was swiftly delivered, and I relished the opportunity to chat to Benjamin about truffles and Provencal food. He emphasised that he likes to keep his recipes simple to let the fresh Provencal ingredients, and local truffles “speak for themselves”. Although he uses both local and imported truffles, and varieties of black and white, most of the produce is found within two hours of the restaurant, ensuring exceptional quality and fresh flavour. He also mentioned that only truffles found in France, Italy and Australia are really worth bothering with. The truffle season always sees a flurry of fine restaurants offering up dedicated menus, so I’ve tasted my fair share recently, but at Chez Bruno the truffles look more elegant, taste more refined, and the aroma is even more alluring.

With the just-baked rolls out the oven and the plates prepped, it was soon time for dinner service, and our eight course bespoke meal commenced. Benjamin insisted on offering us all the speciality dishes as well as a host of other sensational treats. Scrambled egg with truffle was a comforting bowl of fragranced eggy delight with cracked black pepper on top, particularly delicious when loaded onto a piece of the crusty bread. I imagine this is what royalty eat for breakfast along with the divine truffle on buttered toast which was served next.

After watching the dedicated chefs plating up the artistic Foie gras with beetroot, lentils and truffle, we tasted this colourful dish which Benjamin said he had introduced to the menu very recently. It was a more summery combination with vinegary dressed lentils, slivers of different beetroots, chives, crumbled black truffles and an immaculate slice of foie gras – the flavours and textures worked wonderfully together. Chez Bruno is best known for its secret potato and truffle dish, which visitors return for regularly. Sensationally simple, this dish only uses half a baked potato, a rich cream and truffle sauce, slices of white or black truffle, and a little seasoning. It was my favourite dish, especially with the exotic white truffles, which are the more expensive and have a more intense taste. The potato was fluffy and soft, coated in the most irresistible cream infused with truffle flavour.

A mouthful of palate-cleansing champagne and truffle granita was presented before the meat course. By this point I was too full to eat as much as I would have liked, and felt momentarily jealous of those with a larger appetite. Benjamin personally made us magical pastry parcels filled with pork and foie gras with a jus and topped with slices of black truffle. This is the kind of dish you want to come home to after a really long day at work, hearty and luxurious.

For dessert we had refreshing Italian truffle gelato, and tasted an orange and chocolate dessert, which seemed very out of place without any truffle!

When we left, the kitchen was still a hive of activity, as the enthusiastic chefs continued to grate, shave, crumble and sprinkle the wondrous black ingredient. The truffle is a delicacy that has become too common in restaurants, especially as they are often using inferior produce. Visiting Chez Bruno was an eye-opening and immersive experience, I know now that I will never think of this extravagant, distinctive little ingredient in the same way again, and urge you to visit the Truffle King if you ever find yourself in this part of the world.

More information and book a table at Chez Bruno here: www.restaurantbruno.com