Tag Archives: Salt Yard

Ember Yard, Soho

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The festive season is about feeling full, all the time. A strange time perhaps for the newest Salt Yard restaurant to open. But loyal to my favourite restaurant Opera Tavern, I felt compelled to try this new member of the collection ASAP. This Christmas, Ember Yard joins the Salt Yard family of Italian-Spanish tapas restaurants alongside Salt Yard (Goodge Street), Opera Tavern (Covent Garden) and Dehesa (Carnaby Street).

And so, after much haggling for a table, my best friends and I arrived at Ember Yard for our special Soho Supperclub Christmas meal. Much like the other eateries Ember Yard focuses on high quality, utterly irresistible Spanish produce (think divine Manchego and rich Iberico ham) and little plates of delectable fish, meat and vegetable recipes. As the name suggests, Ember Yard has an emphasis on chargrilling.

It is a familiar feel… dimly lit restaurant, cosy tables closely packed together and atmospheric bar stools for those who want to be closer to the action. The menu is much like the other restaurants, with a few of its own signature dishes. At Opera Tavern they pride themselves on their mini Iberico pork and fois gras burger, and rightly so, it is unbelievably good. In an effort to repeat this success Ember Yard have created their own interpretation: Smoked Basque Beef Burger with Idiazabal and Chorizo Ketchup. I loved it, though not quite as much as the sweet and indulgent Opera Tavern original. Other highlights included the silky tender Grilled Iberico Presa with rich Whipped Jamon Butter and Grilled Salt Marsh Lamb, with roasted aubergine and salsa verde which was an earthy and exquisite combination of ingredients. We found the Iberico Pork Fat Chips with Chorizo a little disappointing, the tangy ketchup is delicious but the chips were a little too dry and needed more seasoning. For a green kick the Seasonal Italian Greens with Chilli are a fresh accompaniment to the meat mains.

Desserts were tempting but we managed to resist on this trip, they will have to be a treat for next time. As expected the wine list is thorough and fine, the house white and red were both were exemplary and priced very reasonably.

Salt Yard Group have done it again. Unlike the locations of its other members, Soho is already filled with tapas style venues vying for your custom, but with food this good I have no doubt that Ember Yard will be a favourite in no time.

More information and book here.

www.emberyard.co.uk

Dehesa, Soho

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Dehesa is the third member of the Salt Yard team, a group of restaurants I believe to be among the very best in London. Each offering a similar menu of Italian inspired tapas, it is a treat for all the senses to visit one of these eateries.

The chatter and laughter is audible from the street, just like its sister restaurants, Dehesa is conducive to fun and enjoyment, you cannot help but have a good time. We waited a while before being seated, choosing to wander along Carnaby Street to work up an appetite while our table was prepared.

Squeezing in at the corner of the bar, we glanced at the menu, knowing almost immediately what we desired. A glass of the house wine each, red for my friend, white for me and a selection of charcuterie, cheese, bread, salad and patatas bravas… perhaps the perfect meal?

One thing you must know about the Salt Yard group… their wine list is supreme, even the cheapest house wine (£4 a glass) is really very good and the Prosecco on offer is always delicious.

Everything was divine, no surprises there. Toasted bread and aioli is a simple but heavenly combination, ideal for an initial snack; then slivers of chilli and marjoram salami, only served at the Dehesa outlet – it is very worth trying… intensely flavoured and totally addictive, I guarantee it will disappear from the table within seconds. Manchego cheese is yummy as ever, three ages are presented with fruity membrillo and crunchy slices of bread.

Warm Salad of Baby Artichokes, Cime Di Rappa, Goats Curd and Spicy Almonds was a lovely and intriguing combination, providing a little greenery to accompany the meat and cheese. For a bit of naughtiness the fat potato chips are perfect, covered in red spiciness and served with a pot of dipping aioli, we found we were so greedy we needed to order two extra portions of aioli for dunking.

Unfussy, bold food that is utterly scrumptious: for £20 a head you will enjoy a feast of tapas and wine. I would eat in the Salt Yard restaurants every night if I could.

Visit the website here for more information.

Salt Yard, Goodge Street

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I have been desperate to try Salt Yard for a while now, the first of three related tapas & charcuterie restaurants to appear on the London scene. This petite Spanish eatery is found on Goodge Street among many other bustling restaurants and bars, a trendy place to hang out and eat especially at the weekends. I went along one Saturday early in the evening with my dad, we had both prepared appropriately by starving ourselves prior. I was surprised to see the place was already almost full, foodie couples chatting over Malbec and Manchego.

The menu and style is similar to Opera Tavern (its sister restaurant), which after I tried it eighteen months ago quickly became my favourite food outlet in London… needless to say I have now visited at least ten times! The ambience is different at Salt Yard, slightly noisier and trendier with less of an intimate feel. We found the pop music playing distracted us a bit from the authentic and inspiring food, perhaps some flamenco would suit the mood and cuisine better.

I always find I get horrific food envy in tapas bars, it is so easy to order ‘just one more’ plate after spying a treat on a nearby table. And so a light Mediterrean meal becomes a heavy multi-course feast. To accompany our glasses of fine sparkling prosecco we ordered a selection of plates to graze on… though it is difficult to graze in Salt Yard, the food tastes so good it is hard to restrain from gobbling it all instantly. Chargrilled Country Style Bread arrived with creamy homemade Aioli along with Padron Peppers, Wild Boar Salami and Three Manchegos from La Mancha. The cheese was delicious, three slices all matured to different ages. Padron Peppers were simply grilled and salted, pleasant with a mouthful of cheese and bread but a little bitter to taste alone. The Wild Boar salami was the star of the show, soft thinly sliced meat with a distinctive rich flavour, moreish and delectable, I will definitely be looking out for this in the shops from now on.

Chargrilled Octopus with Warm Potatoes, Peas, English Asparagus and Mint looked and tasted fresh and vibrant… the kind of dish that transports you to a seaside café with the smell of sea salt in the air. Confit of Old Spot Pork Belly with Rosemary Scented Cannellini Beans is one of the most popular dishes at Salt Yard. Served modestly in a rustic dish, sitting on a bed of soft mild cannellini beans, it was surprisingly lean for pork belly, with a lovely light herby flavour.

Now the dishes were arriving thick and fast, exquisite recipes with thoughtful combinations and high quality ingredients. Of the meat dishes Roast Rump and Seven Hour Shoulder of Lamb, Crushed Pea and Mint Vinaigrette was my clear favourite. A delicious melange compiled elegantly with seasonal peas and mint – the taste was exciting and satisfying, with two cuts of the lamb offering alternative textures and the vegetables perfecting the dish. I found Chargrilled Iberico Presa with Whipped Jamon Iberico Butter a little too rare for my liking, however there is no denying that this variety of pork is really very exceptional. The unique flavour is unbeatable and the meat melts in the mouth.

Truffled Macaroni Cheese shouldn’t work but does… recommended as a ‘must try’ by our waitress, we succumbed to the rich and gooey dish. It was excellent, creamy and comforting with a subtle hint of truffle oil, a lovely accompaniment with the meat dishes. Courgette Flowers stuffed with goat’s cheese and drizzled with honey are really excellent, a successful combination of flavours and textures, the flowers covered lightly in batter and the sweet honey complementing beautifully. Even though pricey (£7.95 for two small stuffed flowers), I would say this is an essential addition to your meal.

Puddings were a real highlight, and despite feeling full we managed to try two simple but spectacular desserts. I was tempted by the homemade Churros with chocolate sauce, doughnut dunking batons that reminded me of summers in southern France. Instead we chose the more sophisticated Hot Chocolate Fondant, Marmalade Ice cream, Almond Florentine and the English strawberries with Mascarpone Panna Cotta with White Chocolate Crumb. I can’t fault these two recipes,  executed and arranged to exemplary standards. The fondant was light and indulgent, the marmalade ice cream was innovative melting into chocolatey cave, the additional extra thin Florentine added a little crunch to the dessert. The Panna Cotta was exceptional, a creamy texture without the usual gelatiney texture, it was light and fresh with segmented sugary strawberries and a luxurious hint of white chocolate.

I have no doubts that the Salt Yard group of restaurants provide the best tapas in London: traditional but trendy, simple but stunning.

Visit the Salt Yard website here.