Tag Archives: Upper Street

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/

Pasha, Turkish Restaurant, Islington

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Every year my dad and his pals go to the London Art Fair opening. It is an annual outing to see the work on display, discuss the state of the art world, and catch up on boy chat. When the doors close, and the crowds drift off, they visit Pasha, an authentic little Turkish restaurant on Upper Street, Islington serving reasonably-priced delicious food. This year, for the very first time, I was invited along, a rare and generous offer.

Upper Street has numerous restaurants, cafes and eateries… almost every cuisine and style of food is represented. Aside from the chains, there are many cosy independent places to eat and enjoy a fun time with friends. My dad is picky with food, so his recommendation alone told me that Pasha was worth a visit.

A slightly chippy waiter greeted us at the door and sat us down near the window, the restaurant was full and the atmosphere busy but relaxed. After lengthy procrastination, it was decided we would each have Mixed Meze, three meat and one vegetarian, a selection of hot and cold dishes, many familiar Turkish favourites. To my delight, a feast was promptly delivered, here’s what we got: Imam Bayildi, spinach and cheese borek, lamb on skewer, chicken on skewer, lamb kofte, kisir, hummus, babaganoushe, tabbouleh, cacik, mucver and falafel. It was a nice mix of deliciously seasoned and grilled meats, fresh crisp salads, and warm pitta bread. Everything tasted homemade and flavoursome, considering the array of food we started with it was a surprise to see every plate practically licked clean. I love this style of food, sharing and picking at different dishes makes every mouthful different and interesting. If I had to criticise anything: my lamb was a little fatty with not much lean meat and I would have liked more lamb kofte, a kind of meatball that I adore, but the selection disappointingly only included one mouthful.

Aside from having to join in a few manly conversations, it was a lovely meal and for authentic, fresh, wholesome Turkish food, Pasha is the perfect place to go.

Visit the website here.