stuff'd

by Jonny White I am obsessed with food. I have created stuff'd to share my own simple recipes and thoughts on food I've eaten out. There’s nothing fancy about this page, just my thoughts typed mid-mouthful.

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REVIEW

The place: Basement State

The whereabouts: 8 Broadwick street, Soho, London

The food: Cocktails and desserts

The damage: Desserts £8-11

The space: Through an unmarked door (very Soho) and down an ominous staircase into a dimly lit room lies this new pudding venture. A cross between a plush hotel lounge and a meditation chamber (dimly lit with just a few flickering candles), but with an attempt at rustic (exposed brick walls) chic. The ambience wasn’t helped by being one of only 4 people there.

The high/low/twist (all combined as I only had one dessert): Chocolate ravioli with salted caramel. Sounded intriguing and was recommended by our waitress who struggled to suggest what we should have as she hadn’t tasted everything on the menu. It comprised of wafer thin soft chocolate shards draped on the plate with pools of salted caramel popping through. A contrasting texture was offered via a crumb of ginger nut biscuit and sugar shards with freshness courtesy of raspberries and dollops of fruit gels. Tasty and indulgent but it felt slightly incongruous within the setting of a dark Soho underground bar, being consumed while relaxing on a leather sofa.

The verdict: Don’t expect traditional comforting desserts like sticky toffee pudding. Just from reading the menu where each sweet has at least 10 ingredients, with at least two of them requiring clarification from the waitress, you get a sense that they are desperate to impress. These plates are elaborate affairs designed to showcase various technical processes and presented in a style more at home in a high end restaurant. Sugar and alcohol could well be a winning combination and its still very early days so let’s see if this becomes a winner. Something tells me it might struggle...

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REVIEW

The place: Silk & Grain

The whereabouts: 33 Cornhill, London

The food: Steak and cocktails

The space: The interior is very in keeping with the ornate surroundings of the City of London. Lots of dark wood and decorative features are on show. A buzzing large ground floor bar space has a quieter restaurant space upstairs.

The damage: Steaks £16-30, chips £4, sauces £2

The high: A well cooked, moist and flavoursome rib eye steak. A definite 8 out of 10 on the steak-ometer! Cleanly presented alongside a brass tin of chips and mini ‘saucepan’ pot of velvety smooth béarnaise. Priding itself on its cocktails I was pleasantly surprised by my choice of Leather Penicillin, with Scotch, honey and lemon. Garnished with fresh ginger it was a refreshing accompaniment to the beef.

The low: Great chips help make a great steak experience. Whether you prefer French style frites or more chunky chips, fried once or thrice in a range of fats the essential element of a chip is a crispy outer coating. Silk & Grain’s are just not crisp enough for my liking and a little too floury.

The twist: There are a few unusual looking features. On the menu – I spotted sweet potato chips with caramel salt which while tempting seemed overly sweet. On the wall – a bulls head sticks proudly from one of the walls made more surreal by being plastered with US dollars. I only realised half way through my meal that it also doubled up as a water dispenser! On the bar – cockatil making does have a sense of alchemy about it but I have never seen this manifest itself so visibly with chemistry lab glass beakers and funnels holding the various garnishes. 

The verdict: This isn’t the first and certainly wont be the last place to offer this combination of steak and cocktails but Silk & Grain do deliver very tasty versions of both.

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Review of Taste of London 2014

The capital’s annual foodie festival descended on a sunny Regents Park over the weekend. It’s a mecca for the food-loving Londoner with pop-up kitchens from 40 of London’s top restaurants from Ramsey to Roux and Thai to Tapas, along with hundreds of producers and brands setting up shop to peddle their delicious wares.

The high: Two dishes really stood out for me this year. For the second year in a row Francesco Mazzei's wonderful Italian food restaurant L’anima drew me to their stall with their delicious sounding menu. A pan of steaming hot fresh fettuccini with broad beans and peas (bottom right) was as summery and it sounds. Light, silky-smooth pasta with a simple sauce was topped with a generous shaving of decadent black truffles. Perhaps the alfresco sunny dining contributed somewhat, but it was a brilliant plate of food nonetheless. On a sweeter note the trendy Duck & Waffle team served up a sublime pud (top left). A chewy pistachio macaroon shell sat on a delicate but rich airy chocolate mousse with boozy cherries. Blobs of pistachio puree, meringue and crystalised white chocolate added extra textures to this sweet treat.

My favourite taste from the producers’ stalls was from the small company Mallow and Marsh in the form of a show-stopping cappuccino marshmallow. Special mention must also go to Green & Blacks with their new stall this year, rivalling the previous chocolate dominance at Tatse of Lindt, enabling free samples of all of their indulgent range including two brand new bars – milk chocolate and orange and dark chocolate with lemon.

The low: There are three stages to picking a dish at Taste. First you read the menu descriptions in the guide to see what catches your eye. Then a quick glance at the pre-prepared dishes which are laid out at the front of each restaurant tent to illustrate each concoction confirms the decision. The beef wellington (top right), with 32 aged meat, at Mark Sargeant’s Plum & Split Milk passed both of these tests. However fell at the third crucial hurdle – the tasting. The meat was overcooked with the very centre of it chewy, fatty and virtually inedible. For £9 this was a let down, especially given its grand billing as their ‘icon dish’.

The twist: A strawberry ice cream from a Gordon Ramsey kitchen (bottom left) on a beautifully sunny day was too tempting to resist. It came via a ‘Mr Whippy’ style machine within the Maze restaurant tent which produced a vivid pink swirl on a tasty golden cone. The wonderfully soft ice cream had a strong berry flavour, boosted by pink popping candy and a strawberry coulis hidden at the bottom of the cone. Certainly not your average 99.

The verdict: Yes the entry price is steep and not everything you try is consistently top notch but the sun shone (contributing to the festival atmosphere) and on the whole the food was brilliant. Only in Taste can you sample Michelin-starred food in a park in between samples of cheese-free pesto, frozen cocktails and Korean dumplings. Bring on 2015…

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REVIEW

The place: GB Pizza Co, London

The whereabouts: 50 Exmouth Market, London

The food: Pizzas, but made with British only ingredients.

The space: On a warm-ish evening the whole of the front of the restaurant was opened up to reveal a contemporary space awash with wood, dark grey walls and vivid pink neon tubes. It seemed slightly unfinished, which perhaps was the look they wanted to achieve. However it didn't feel very relaxed and that wasn't helped by the uncomfortable metal chairs. The kitchen is semi-open, with the (British-made) pizza oven on show.

The damage: Pizzas from £4-£9, nibbles £3-9 & ice cream £3.75

The high: As suggested by the name the focus here is on provenance and the pride of using produce from the British Isles. This results in some unusually sounding but deliciously tasting pizza toppings. Pear and Blackstick Blue (photo) was a wonderful combination of sweet pear slices, mellow and creamy ricotta cheese brought to life with a tangy blue variety. For something slightly more classic, the roast peppers and goats curd, was another winner. At just £8, both of these pizzas were not only tasty but a bargain for central London. If you want to really indulge on British cheese I would highly recommend the cheese board with four fantastic varieties (the cheddar being the standout) served with warm slices of pizza bread and a sticky but fiery marmalade.

The low: Great food is nothing without an equally good atmosphere to enjoy it in. Maybe it's the slightly unfinished style I alluded to earlier, perhaps it's the fact that you have to order and pay upfront at a counter ('fast food' style) or just that it wasn't heaving on a Friday night but the environment slightly let the food down and I would have much rather taken their delicious pizzas with me as a takeaway. The trend to move away from overwhelmingly long wine lists to a very limited selection is evident here. Two large wooden barrels fitted with taps sit next to the counter and contain their house wine, served (also on trend) in glass tumblers. Despite being commendably organic and sourced from small vineyards the white didn't do much for my taste buds.

The twist: There is the obvious overall twist of taking an iconic Italian classic and re-creating it with homegrown ingredients right down to the (Hampshire) buffalo mozzarella and 00 flour for the bases. However aside from this, these aren't just classic Neapolitan or Roman-style pizzas made with British ingredients but quite unique creations in themselves. The bases are pale and puffed up to produce a flakey texture. I was told this effect is as a result of keeping the dough at a very precise cold temperature (around 1 degree) and placing it straight into the ferocious heat of the pizza oven, which causes this unusually puffy concoction.

The verdict: Originally served from the back of a campervan and then via their first restaurant by the Margate coast, I really like their concept and can see it proving a fast food hit in the capital. This will be helped by their fantastic location, right in the heart of the foodie heaven of Exmouth Market. Affordable and tasty but for me, given the current space and limited menu (theatre-style tubs of ice cream courtesy of British Gelupo Gelato are the only pud available), GB Pizza Co could work better as a takeaway concept than a sit-down pizza destination.

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REVIEW

The place: Q Grill

The whereabouts: 29-33 Chalk Farm Road, Camden, London

The food: Smoked and grilled meat and fish (courtesy of acharcoal pit grill and house smoker)

The space: An old petrol station has been transformed into the epitome of the latest on-trend restaurant with a blend of rustic, distressed and stripped back wood and metal features. There's even a specials board made from a roll of hanging brown paper. The place has a buzzy atmosphere, on a Thursday evening, helped by the massive open kitchen which spans the length of the restaurant with plenty of frantic chefs, flames and smoke on show. It’s pleasantly spacious and you’re not cramped right next to your neighbouring table which seems to be as common in new restaurants as hanging lights.

The damage: Starters (labelled as ‘Counter’) £6 to £9.75,  Salads £6.50-£8.75, Mains £8.50 to £25, Sides £3.50, Sweets £6.50-£7.75

The high: Starting in reverse order, the chocolate fondant was a very good version of this classic decadent pudding with a perfectly oozing, rich chocolate centre. The flat iron steak was tender and tasty, though second best to Soho’s Flat Iron version in my opinion, with the flavour boosted by a delicious anchovy butter, seasoned fries and side of creamed corn with flecks of chili and herbs. The emphasis they have placed on presentation is clear. Two simple sounding starters (a salad of hot smoked salmon and butternut squash hummus) were made more exotic by a smart and vibrant look, the kind you wouldn't naturally expect from a ‘BBQ grill’ restaurant.

The low: Presentation aside, those two starters were not fault-free. The hot smoked salmon was overly smoky for me and too salty as a result. While the puree of squash (with unexpected textures of roasted squash, pumpkin seeds and ricotta cheese) was full of flavour, the accompanying flatbreads were rather chewy and dry. A varied cocktail menu tempted me into trying a gin-based Cobbler. It arrived with a trendy stripped paper straw, which looked great but gradually became more soggy and unusable the more I got through my drink!

The twist: While there is a strong emphasis on meat on the menu, the whole sea bass (baked in a banana leaf) with smoked chili was a real treat. Succulent, sweet fish went down very well with the house slaw. Outside of the food, another twist came in the form of the restaurant’s toilets and their lack of brightness. You need to pay a visit to understand the unusual experience!

The verdict: First he made a takeaway classic trendy with his stylish (and very successful) Fish & Chip Shop on Upper Street. Then, last month, he brought chic grandeur to British food in the Holborn Dining Room. Now Des McDonald is sure to have another hit under his belt with the barbecue-themed Q Grill, with plans already to open two more in London. The location is certain to catch the busy Camden footfall and the tasty, great-looking grilled food and cool-looking environment is likely to get them coming back for more.

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REVIEW

The place: Holborn Dining Room (HDR)

The whereabouts: 252 High Holborn, London

The food: British

The space: Located within the beautiful Grade II-listed building of the new Rosewood Hotel, this dining room certainly has the 'wow' factor. Wonderfully high ornate ceilings, polished marble pillars and red leather banquettes all contribute to a stylishly-grand space. There is a real buzz to the place, helped by an impressive curved bar which wouldn't look out of place on the 1960s Mad Men set!

The damage: Starters (split into hot and cold counter) £6 -£17.50, mains (Hot Kitchen) £10.50-£28 and desserts (Afters) £5-£8.75

The high: Quite often starters can be rather a non-event, with the majority of the kitchen's effort seemingly put into the mains. However HDR's menus contain a varied and intriguing selection of hot and cold dishes to wet the appetite. I plumped for the mackerel salad which didn't disappoint. Sweetness from a nicely textured mackerel paté and grain mustard dressing, sharpness from finely sliced red onions, bitterness from crunchy chicory leaves and an added texture from a crispy breadcrumb-coated egg with a golden runny centre all made for a mouthwatering dish. All it needed was a piece of bread to mop it up. The British classical mains were equally strong, from a wonderfully delicate and well-cooked piece of halibut (with a great Béarnaise sauce), to a hearty and comforting beef and Stilton pie topped with flaky puff pastry and a melt-in-the-mouth sirloin steak.

The low: No obvious lows, just a few niggling errors. Such as slightly over-salting on the mackerel salad (from too much of the mustard dressing I think) and round one of my chips which were anaemic and far from crispy, but which were vastly improved on round two.

The twist: Puddings aren't for everyone. However if you're after some pure indulgence, HDR's 'Afters' are ideal. The star is the Valrhona chocolate pot, which is a coffee cup full of chocolately decadence that I defy anyone to finish alone! A crunchy crème brulee top is protecting a rich chocolate ganache which is velvety smooth, and doesn't need the accompanying dollop of sweet cream. Their version of a classic Bakewell tart is wonderfully light, through the substitution of shortcrust for puff pastry. A scoop of raspberry ripple ice cream is a great bonus. Another classic pudding with something a little different was the treacle sponge which has a warming whisky kick, served with a mini milk bottle (a modern touch in an otherwise quite classical restaurant) brimming with warm vanilla custard to pour over the sponge.

The verdict: British food at its very best. Behind the restaurant is the hugely influential former head of the Caprice group, who also brought cool fish and chips to London's Islington last year. It looks like he's got another gem in the making with HDR. The best compliment I can pay them is that I'm still thinking about that chocolate pot…!

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REVIEW

The place: Ember Yard

The whereabouts: 60 Berwick Street, Soho, London

The food: Spanish, with a hint of Italian, tapas and an emphasis on char grilling on their custom-built Basque-style grill.

The space: Take a spoonful of exposed wooden beams, a pinch of modern art and hanging copper lights and mix generously with a dimly-lit vibrant atmosphere to produce Ember Yard's rustic chic recipe.

The damage: Bar snacks £2.75-£4.50, charcuterie & cheese £12-£15, tapas £4-£8.75, puddings £5.95-£6.25

The high: A winner for both the eyes and taste buds was a beautifully presented plate of oak-smoked bream carpaccio with flavours of blood orange and coriander. The pieces of delicate, sweet fish almost melted in the mouth and were a joy to eat. Another standout dish was a vegetarian tapas comprising croquettes made from smoked ricotta, broad bean and mint. These crispy delights were wonderfully light and creamy, and contrasted perfectly with a spoon of wild garlic pesto and wedge of lemon. An Italian cheese board, served on a wooden plank, was diverse and delicious and well accompanied with wafer-thin thyme flatbread and a bitter orange jam. No Spanish tapas experience is complete without some salty Padrón peppers and these didn't disappoint.

The low: A goats cheese stuffed courgette flower jumped off the menu for me. However when it arrived it was far too greasy, rich and claggy in texture and certainly not worth almost £5 (for one flower). While the salt marsh lamb was tender and well cooked with a nice chargrilled taste (and served alongside tangy salsa verde and smoky roasted aubergine), it suffered from being overly salty.

The twist: My chocoholic eyes are usually trained to be drawn to any cocoa-based dessert on a menu (and there is a bitter chocolate ganache here to satisfy your sweet tooth). However after quite a few plates, I felt on this occasion like something more refreshing and was rewarded for my bravery. The main element was pineapple (in a contrast of temperatures with ice cold sorbet and warm grilled pieces), with creamy yoghurt mousse and pistachio playing strong supporting roles. It was unusual but a very satisfying way to close the meal. On a more savory note they have tapped into our ongoing burger obsession and created a tapas-sized version with a Spanish twist, courtesy of oak smoked Basque beef and salty Idiazabal cheese.

The verdict: The team behind the highly successful Salt Yard Group certainly know what they're doing when it comes to small plates and they have succeeded once again with Ember Yard. Great tapas and wine, with an atmosphere to match, makes a recipe for success.

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REVIEW

The place: Jackson & Rye

The whereabouts: 56 Wardour Street, Soho, London

The food: American-inspired. As the name suggests, Rye features on the menu - in both the cocktails and even as a flavouring for the ice cream accompanying the pecan pie.

The space: Speakeasy-come-American diner. It feels like you're walking onto the set of a 1920’s New York bar. Ceiling fans, dim lighting, wood-panelled walls and leather booths create a relaxed, cool vibe.

The damage: Cocktails £6-£8, starters £4.95-£8.50, mains £8.95-£23.96, desserts £4.75-£7.50

The high: The star of the show was the buttermilk fried chicken. An incredibly crispy, light and golden batter encasing a moist chicken breast, perfectly accompanied by a spiced coleslaw and some delicious thin chips. On the fish front, the (very well-cooked) fillet of pan-fried seabass was equally well received. Sitting on a creamy sauce, spiked with capers to cut through the richness, with grilled baby gem lettuce it was a light and well-balanced dish. A meal here wouldn’t be complete without at least one cocktail. I went for a Lucky’s Highball which combined rum, bitters and flavours of orange and lime for a spicy yet sweet concoction which tasted dangerously alcohol-free!

The low: Tuna is arguably even tastier and more tender when raw than cooked, so a tartare of (with cooling crème fraiche and crispy toast) sounded a winner. However while being tender, the pieces of chopped raw tuna were devoid of any flavour. In keeping with the American theme, grits (a ground-corn food of Native American origin similar to polenta) was present on the menu and twinned with another US-classic to form Creamed Corn Grits. Again a lack of flavour was the issue here with the result being a bland, porridge-like mixture with a few corn kernels that didn’t do much to accompany my steak.

The twist: Truffled popcorn without any truffle taste is a twist.. of sorts! A more enjoyable twist was a surprising starter of tender beef carpaccio with an unexpectedly delicious mixture of sweet apple, salty brown butter and crunchy hazelnut. The best twist of all is that Jackson & Rye bucks the recent restaurant trend by actually taking reservations, as well as keeping back certain tables to allow for walk-ins. They’ll even text you when your table’s ready if there’s a wait. Everyone’s a winner!

The verdict: Jackson & Rye is the second all-day American-inspired restaurant the owners have devised, after launching Grillshack last year. It’s arguably the stronger of the Soho-based pair with an informal (but not fast food) environment, more impressive drinks list and overall much stronger menu without the ordering gimmicks of Grillshack. It’s worth a visit for the fried chicken and cocktails alone.

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REVIEW

The place: Bistro Blanchette

The whereabouts: 9 D'Arblay Street, Soho, London

The food: Bistro style French-inspired small plates for sharing 

The space: Somewhere between a stylish farm house and a retro Parisian bistro. Cosy yet contemporary. Exposed brick walls and reclaimed wooden tables are in keeping with the Soho location. However there is a sense of charm and homeliness  courtesy of old wooden cabinets filled with seemingly random 'knick-knacks'. A porcelain cow gravy boat sits next to old-looking books and a child's doll!

The damage: Dishes range from between £3.50 and £8.

The high: The consistency in the quality of each of the 6 dishes I tasted was very impressive indeed. A char-grilled fillet of gurnard was moist and complemented by classic flavours of brown butter, lemon and capers and contrasting textures of soft-braised baby gem lettuce and crunchy-fried croutons. Strips of succulent grilled chicken sitting on a creamy cassoulet of white beans and savoy cabbage and topped with smoked aioli was another delicious bowl of modern French bistro food, and ideal for sharing. Quite often a dish which immediately stands out on a menu, doesn’t then deliver in reality. This certainly wasn’t the case for the delicious sounding and tasting braised lamb shoulder, which melted in the mouth, with strong flavours of anchovy, rosemary and sweetness from whole roasted cloves of garlic and a silky onion Soubise sauce.

The low: None of the food deserves to feature in this section. However (and I feel very old saying this) when you are struggling to hear the person sitting right opposite you, perhaps it's time to tone down the music slightly. Nevertheless the eclectic (and not stereotypically French)  music contributes to a vibrant atmosphere.

The twist: My two favourite dishes each contained an unusual twist which I wasn’t sure about on the menu but which elevated each plate to a heightened deliciousness. The flavour of a succulent confit of salmon with puy lentils was accelerated with the clever addition of flavoursome duck to the dish. On the sweet front, an excellently cooked plum financier (sponge cake) was surrounded by a wonderfully creamy yet light custard which was given a flavour boost from warming cinnamon spice.

The verdict: On the surface Blanchette could feel very familiar, with a Polpo-like interior and tapping into the very familiar food phenomenon of sharing plates. However it is anything but expected. The food is simply fantastic, with each perfectly formed (and reasonably priced) dish attractive to both the eye and  one's taste buds, using classic French flavours in a fresh way. I can't recommend it enough.

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REVIEW

The place: Coal Vaults

The whereabouts: 187b Wardour Street, Soho, London

The food: Seasonal small plates for sharing

The space: Located on Soho's restaurant-laden Wardour Street, Coal Vaults is almost missable with a very discreet entrance. Hidden down a flight of stairs and behind a black drape lies an underground foodie vault. Exposed brick, reclaimed wooden tables and hanging filament bulbs are all bang on Soho trend. However while these features can often look out of place in a modern restaurant trying hard to look 'stripped back', the sense of actually being in an underground crypt with low ceilings lends itself nicely to this industrial look.

The damage: Plates range from £3-£9.50, with cocktails £6-£9.50

The high: The star dish was the pulled rabbit. Supposedly invented in response to the recent 'trendy' proliferation of pulled pork, it sums up everything great about Coal Vaults - inventive, delicious food that's ideal for sharing. It applies the recognisable flavours and textures of a classic Mexican burrito to a lesser-eaten game meat. Spiced and tender rabbit is combined with black beans, a sweetcorn and pineapple relish and all served on a naan-like flatbread. Equally tasty were the venison sliders (mini burgers), served with small shallot rings which matched the size of the burgers. Cooked perfectly medium-rare, the two meat patties were full of flavour; each complemented by a different accompaniment, blue cheese and quince and (the one I favoured) sticky port jam.

The low: No dishes could be labelled as low, but some were certainly not as strong as others. A fairly conventional chicory salad with candied beetroot, pear and pickled walnut was tasty but not spectactular and the clementine jelly, sitting on a decadently rich flourless chocolate cake, didn't pack enough citrus flavour for me to pull off the delicious choc-orange combination.

The twist: This was my first experience of being served a salad in a metal bucket. What could be construed as a bit of a gimmick, was actually a novel way of serving a salad to look like a potted plant. The salad leaves and courgette ribbons were on top, representing the healthy green plant, with the lentils (and seared goats cheese) buried below like the soil. Another unexpectedly tasty twist was a homemade mulled wine with pieces of apple and sage but which was based on white, rather than red, wine. The perfect warm-up act for a bitterly cold evening. The men's toilets must also get a mention here for some unusual design features!

The verdict: A hidden gem lying under the streets of Soho, Coal Vaults is a great addition to an area bursting with some of the best food in London. Whilst the idea of sharing plates isn't a new one, they deserve credit for bringing this popular dining concept to life in an inventively delicious way.

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REVIEW

The place: Rabot 1745 (named after the St Lucian cocoa plantation acquired by Hotel Chocolat in 2006) 

The whereabouts: 2 - 4 Bedale Street, Borough Market, London

The food: Despite being the brainchild of Hotel Chocolat, the focus is on the subtle savory spice of cocoa/cacao rather than chocolate (which mainly features in the desserts).

The space: Situated within the historic Borough food market lies a cocoa-mecca, with the aroma of chocolate hitting you as you walk through the door. The ground floor is an all-day café and shop, selling a variety of Hotel Chocolat’s products as well as some with the Rabot 1745 branding. Corrugated iron and polished concrete floors are designed as a nod to the atmosphere of the Rabot Estate cacao plantation. A reclaimed wooden staircase leads up to the sleek, modern-looking dining room. Walls are covered in a variety of chocolate-coloured materials from brown leather to wooden planks and even giant cocoa-bean shaped sculptures.

The damage: Starters £7-£12, mains £17 to £25, desserts £7 to £12, sides £3.50-4

The high: A standout dish was a vegetarian starter of butternut squash gnocchi-like dumplings, which were soft on the inside with a crispy exterior. These sat on a thin layer of velvety smooth pumpkin puree, along with a variety of tastes and textures, including wilted spinach, almonds, Japanese artichokes and a cacao nib crumble. Another delicious dish, which used cocoa flavourings in a variety of ways, was a very well cooked rib-eye of beef. The steak was marinated in cacao, with the spice also featuring in a glossy red wine sauce and in a ‘swoosh’ of creamy white chocolate horseradish mash which packed a good punch. It would have been a crime against cocoa if the dessert hadn’t delivered a significant chocolate hit. The “mousse collection” certainly didn’t disappoint. Comprising of three mousses, each with a different flavouring and texture (due to their varying cocoa content and bean’s country of origin). From a soft and sweet milk chocolate mousse with a hint of sea salt to a much more bitter and close textured affair created from a 90% Ecuadorian chocolate.

The low: Revamped retro dishes such as Scotch egg have become very popular recently and so there were no surprises to see Rabot’s take on this picnic classic as the first starter on the menu. However the adage of some things being best left alone applied here with a disappointing and confused dish. It looked appealing, however the cocoa-nib-crusted quail’s ‘scotch egg’ was overly salty and slightly rubbery. It was served alongside some lukewarm roasted root vegetables that were almost raw (which also featured on the beef dish in the same unpleasant state).

The twist: Adding to the authenticity and smell of the restaurant, Rabot 1745 features a cacao-bean roasting and chocolate making facility on-site. Three beans are placed in front of each diner at the table and every meal begins with a short but fascinating insight into them. While they’re keen to emphasise the restaurant is rooted in the savoury spice of roasted cacao, it’s the addition of the much-loved sweet chocolate to savoury dishes which is most intriguing. White chocolate mashed potato is surprisingly delicious and the chocolate dressing used on the fennel, orange and chicory side salad is certainly one for those with a sweet tooth. Another nice twist is Rabot’s focus on ingredient providence, as they source as much as possible for their menu from their neighbours within Borough Market.

The verdict: If you’re expecting a three course chocolate feast then you be may disappointed. Aside from the shop you won’t find a hint of Hotel Chocolat branding, a result of Borough market’s strict policy of staying free of any commercial chains. Instead they have cleverly created a contemporary brand, Rabot 1745, which exudes quality with a cocoa-rich colour palette. Even the waiters’ ties are brown, with a bean-shaped tie-pin. From the pulp of the cacao that features in their cocktails, to the nib used like a spice in their cooking and the classic chocolate in both sweet and savoury dishes, Rabot provides an unusual and tasty new dining experience.

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2013 - Food Review

It’s been a feast of a year in the world of food. Here are some of the highlights..

TV event of the year  The final of the Great British Bake Off became BBC Two's most-watched programme in a decade. A peak of 9.1 million of us tuned in to watch clothes designer Frances Quinn win the prestigious battle of the baking tins.

SuperSTAR of the year  The Oscars of the foodie world, the Michelin Guide, were announced in September. The big winner was Heston Blumenthal who was awarded a phenomenal sixth star after his new London restaurant Dinner was upgraded to two stars. The celebrity chef kept his three-star rating for The Fat Duck and one star for the neighbouring Bray restaurant The Hinds Head.

Rivalry of the year  The highlight of this year's Celebrity Masterchef, won by comedian Ade Edmonson, was the ongoing banter between finalist Janet Street-Porter and judge Greg Wallace. While Janet's food impressed Greg and John Torode, her presentation lacked the finesse they were looking for - a point Janet staunchly (and vocally) refuted. "You're trying to make me serve it like I'm working in a restaurant and I categorically can't do that. I'm serving it like you would at home,'' she snapped at Greg! It made for some incredibly entertaining TV.

Birthday of the year  One of Marks and Spencer's biggest hits, Percy Pig, celebrated his 21st birthday in July. Launched in 1992 with a single pig-shaped sweet, Percy now boasts almost 250,000 Facebook fans, multiple varieties from tails to Percy's farmyard friends and even now a range suitable for vegetarians. Percy has become a brand in itself and supposedly brings in £10m in UK sales for M&S. Happy (belated) Birthday Percy!

Opening of the year  It was billed as the restaurant opening of the year. A joint-venture between the world famous chef Gordon Ramsey and none other than David Beckham. The public couldn't wait, with a staggering 2,500 bookings taken within a matter of hours of the website going live. However just weeks prior to the opening of Union Street Café Becks supposedly pulled out, leaving Ramsey to go it alone. There was one footballer restaurant opening this year with Café Football kicking off in London with Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs behind it (though thankfully not in the kitchen themselves)!

Theatre event of the year  June saw the foodie theatrical event of the year with a brand new stage show of Roald Dahl's much-loved children's classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory opening at London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Directed by Oscar winner Sam Mendes, this bold, imaginative and colourful musical production opened to rave reviews.

Legal storm of the year  A legal storm brewed this year in the baking world surrounding a muffin-doughnut hybrid, known as a 'Duffin'. On one side of the canvas was a small bakery in London (Bea's of Bloomsbury) who claimed to have been making Duffins for two years and in the opposite corner multinational Starbucks. The green-cupped giant this year not only started selling Duffins in its UK branches but also felt the need to patent the word 'Duffin', which Bea's claims to have invented. Oven gloves at the ready!

Restaurant trend of the year  If last year was all about burgers, then 2013 was the year of the bird. Chicken became the focus for chefs across the country with numerous restaurants set up specifically focused on this meat. From deep-fried to rotisserie and names such as Wishbone and Clutch, a new brood of chicken-based restaurants emerged to rival the oldest bird on the block, Nandos.

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REVIEW

The place: Diciannove in the city

The location: 19 New Bridge Street, London

The space: The space is the biggest giveaway that Diciannove is a hotel-based restaurant, located within the luxurious Crowne Plaza hotel in the city of London. It feels and looks like a hotel dining room with a long amber-backlit bar along one side and without a great deal of personality, although this was compensated for by the warmth of the waiting staff.

The food: Italian

The damage: Starters £7.50-£11.95, cicchetti £3-£5, mains £9.50-£24.50, desserts £5.50-£9.50 cocktails £7.50-£9.50

The high: Fresh home made pasta is a wonderful treat and the quality of Diciannove's offering was incredibly high. Beautifully silky and soft ribbons of vivid yellow tagliatelle were intertwined with a sauce of Porcini mushrooms, chestnuts, garlic and chives. Secondly, t here is nowhere to hide with a dish as simple (and Italian) as one with three ingredients - beef fillet, polenta and mushrooms. Thankfully it tasted as good as it looked. Another 'signature dish' of ricotta and spinach gnocchi was equally special and not in any way heavy which this Italian classic can often be.

The low: Great food served in the absence of an equally great atmosphere sums up their core issue.

The twist: Chocolate salami caught my attention on the dessert menu, which formed the garnish of an indulgently rich chocolate mousse. A case of style over substance, with what was essentially a circular refrigerator cake slice, admittedly it did look very salami-like. Almost as Italian as pizza and pasta, Negroni (a bitter mix of Gin, vermouth and Campari) features heavily on the cocktail menu. As well as the traditional version there are some with more of a twist including one based on the flavours of bitter chocolate orange. This was a sublime liquid version of that famous choc-orange 'cake-like' biscuit.

The verdict: Fantastic food. Tick. Great Italian wine and cocktails. Tick. Warm and welcoming staff. Tick. However it's stuck in the corporate surroundings of an international hotel chain on which it heavily relies to provide dinner guests. I admire their attempt to try to diversify and attempt to pull in non-hotel punters through the creation of a Deli where you can now buy some of their wonderful freshly-made pasta. Based on the sheer enthusiasm of the staff and quality of food, Diciannove deserves to succeed as a restaurant in itself. 

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REVIEW

The place: Earlham Street Clubhouse (ESC)

The whereabouts: 35 Earlham Street, Covent Garden, London

The food: New York thin crust pizzas & cocktails 

The space: The theme is designed to echo an American east coast beach club, which in reality means a (now very familiar) 'stripped back' restaurant design with exposed brick, reclaimed wood-panelling and a ceiling showing off all its industrial vents and pipes. The equally familiar idea of having a menu printed on brown paper and attached to a clipboard is used, along with some more unusual old metal advertising signs adorning the walls.

The damage: Cocktails £7-£9.50, pizzas £3.50 (for a slice), £10 (for a 12") & £18 (for a 20").

The high: From Prom Queen to Stiflers Mom the American theme is clear in a collection of reasonably priced and inventive cocktails. The Power Ranger was bourbon and red wine based and tasted akin to a refreshing cold mulled wine. US film and TV names are also applied to the pizzas with options including Screech, The Fresh Prince and The Ross and Rachel (a half and half 20" pizza which you can create with your two favourite toppings). There is a good choice of sizes of pizza on offer, with a 12" classic, a large 20" for sharing or the option to go by the slice. As for the sourdough wood-fired pizza base itself, it's authentically chewy yet crisp and in the case of the Dawson's Creek, covered with some intriguing toppings including smoked salmon and peppery watercress.

The low: One of our pizzas was lukewarm. It seems strange that from a choice of seven pizzas, just two (one of which is the classic tomato, cheese and basil) are vegetarian.

The twist: Aside from our waiter forgetting the name of our cocktails as he arrived with them at the table, resulting in them returning to the bar only to be brought back by a different member of staff, the most unique feature I noticed were the bar menus. Suspended from the ceiling on ropes, you may struggle to read them if you're too vertically challenged! 

The verdict: It's very hard not to compare ESC with its fellow Covent Garden 'by the slice' pizzeria, Homeslice. Both offer 20" pizzas, both refuse to offer cutlery and both only provide you with a small paper plate. What ESC brings to the fiercely fought central London pizza battle is a fun American twist (even down to the infamous red cups served at the bar), some delicious cocktails and all within a relaxed atmosphere in this underground space.

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REVIEW

The place: Obikà

The whereabouts: 11-13 Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, London

The food: Italian, with a special focus on mozzarella cheese

The space: Matching its plush Charlotte Street surroundings, Obika has a smart dimly-lit interior.  Set across two floors, it has a drinks bar upstairs and a mozzarella one on the lower level, with Italian wine and produce on display against the black walls. 

The damage: Antipasti £3.95-£10.95, mozzarella varieties £5.95-£6.95, mains £9.50-£26.95 and desserts £4.25-£8.95 

The high: Billed as the world’s first Mozzarella Bar, it’s a relief to know that the ingredient which they take such pride was the standout taste of my meal. The real Italian deal, flown in freshly three times a week from Southern Italy, their Mozzarella di Bufala is outstanding. Burrata is a sweeter, much creamier mozzarella variant and Obika’s Stracciatella di Burrata was the softest and most delicious mozzarella I have tasted outside Italy. Eaten with some wonderful homemade focaccia bread, flavoured with rosemary and extra virgin olive oil and grilled artichokes, it was simply Italian food heaven. Alongside the Mozzarella Bar offering there is a classic Italian menu. The (large) ravioli filled with ricotta and porcini mushrooms in a butter and thyme sauce tasted fantastic, despite the pasta being slightly undercooked. 

The low: In contrast to the well executed classics of this ravioli and a very comforting bowl of tiramisu, the parmigiana di melanzane (grilled aubergines layered with tomato sauce and mozzarella) stood out for the wrong reasons. The aubergines were somehow both excessively chargrilled and yet also not cooked through which made for an unpleasant taste and texture combination. 

The twist:  There is nothing quite like a glass of comforting spiced mulled wine to warm you up on a bitterly cold evening. Obika brought their own Italian twist to this winter-warmer, with the inspired addition of the Italian hazelnut-flavoured liqueur, Frangelico. However the main twist of Obika clearly lies in its unique cheese-based concept. A focus on one of the most famous of all Italian foods - mozzarella made from the milk of water buffalo - with a whole menu and physical bar devoted to it within the restaurant. 

The verdict: This was the third London outlet of this international chain, with another just having opened in Soho. You can see why it’s expanding with a delicious mix of authentic Italian ingredients in stylish surroundings and in particular focusing on mozzarella of unrivalled quality.

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REVIEW

The place: North Audley Cantine (NAC)

The location: 41 North Audley Street, London

The space: A cross between the interior of a boutique women's clothes shop and a trendy Soho restaurant. The result is a calming and chic space tucked away from the hubbub of Oxford Street. Classic elements of white marble tables and wooden floors sit alongside more modern touches of white-washed brick walls covered with large circular mirrors.

The food: French-inspired sharing plates

The damage: Cocktails £9-£13, sharing plates £6-£23 (as well as a £47 caviar dish!), desserts £6-£8

The high: The French tapas-style dishes are appetisingly presented and nothing is too rich or heavy, which can be a downside to classic French food. Beautifully tender and tasty beef tenderloin pieces, cooked medium-rare and accompanied by beetroot crisps was my standout dish. A neat take on a Niçoise salad came in the form of two halved sweet and crisp lettuces topped with the flavours of this famous dish (including tuna, a soft poached quails egg and black olive) to make for a deliciously simple bite (or three). On the sweeter side, resisting the urge of salted caramel profiteroles the less exciting (and less calorific) sounding strawberries and lime sorbet was a fantastic bowl of well-balanced sweet and tart flavours, along with the crunch of meringue.

The low: Some of the dishes lend themselves to sharing more than others with the poached egg (cooked at precisely 63 degrees) and forest mushrooms not being so practical to divide up, as once the golden yolk is burst it makes a rather runny bowl of food. The churros (personally more associated with Spanish cooking) not only felt out of place on the menu, alongside the other French patisserie, but also suffered from being heavily overhyped by the waiting staff and with the addition of popping candy felt a little bit gimmicky.

The twist: The French classic drink of Champagne is mixed with the very British one of Earl grey tea in a cocktail that matches NAC's stylish surroundings. The Lady Grey is flavoured with tea-infused gin along with flavours of vanilla, peach and lime to produce a luxurious liquid treat.

The verdict: A traditional French bistro this is not. The space contains no evident French cues, but instead feels right at home in its Mayfair location with contemporary and stylish decor. However the menu comprises classic flavours and cooking techniques from France, from mushrooms to truffle and goujons to Madeleine's, which form the basis of a collection of light, attractive and delicious dishes.

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RECIPE

The dish: Cod, courgette and coconut curry

The reason to give it a go: A silky smooth, light and easy to make fish curry

The basics: serves 2 

The shopping list:

1 onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 small piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped

1 green chilli (de-seeded if you don't want it too hot), finely diced

2 teaspoons of garam marsala powder

4 cardamom pods

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon each of tumeric powder, ground coridander and ground cumin

3 large tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 courgette, cut into small cubes

2 fillets of cod, un-skinned and cut in half

¼ of a can of coconut milk

sunflower oil (for cooking)

The 4 steps 

1. Fry the onions, chilli, ginger and garlic in a saucepan with a drizzle of sunflower oil for a few minutes until soft. Then add the salt and all the spices and mix.

2. Fry everything together for another 2-3 minutes before adding the tomatoes and stir through. Take the pan off the heat and using a hand blender blitz the mixture until smooth.

3. In a separate frying pan add a drizzle of sunflower oil and fry the courgette pieces for about 5 minutes until they are soft and starting to go golden brown. Then add the fish fillets to the pan, searing the fish on both sides. 

4. Add the blitzed tomato mixture into the frying pan, along with the coconut milk and cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce is thick and creamy and fish is cooked through. Serve with rice.

The icing on the cake: Serve this curry with basmati rice which has been cooked in the rest of the tin of coconut milk, infused with a couple of cardamom pods.