Cantina Laredo
I suppose the West End is full of these unauthentic tourist havens that people flock to for a quick-fix meal, as long as authenticity isn’t high on the agenda and so Cantina Laredo may fit the bill. But for people who know about food and expect quality and standards that match the steep prices that they are paying, I would give Cantina Laredo a miss.
Warm Salad of Grilled Peach, Pancetta & Halloumi
Fruit is sweet and plentiful during the summer months and being the kind of ying and yang person that I am, wherever there is sweet, I tend to crave salt to go with it. This week’s recipe is a perfect example of bringing salt and sweet together through a simple fusion of fruit, cheese and smoked pancetta.
The Grill Room at Wentworth Club
The Grill Room is a decadent culinary haven and definitely has what it takes to hold its own at this infamous golf club. Prices are not as extreme as you might expect for a club with this level of reputation; value for money is very much high on the agenda here and they certainly deliver on it.
Greek ‘Reveni’ Cake
The cake itself is a simple and moist sponge but the syrup is what makes it really special and the perfect accompaniment to tea or coffee after a big meal. It’s absolutely delicious and perfect for those with a sweet tooth.
Fragrant Vietnamese Seabass
Summer is here and the hot weather makes me crave lighter meals with plenty of fresh fish and seafood. Vietnamese food is one of my favourite cuisines, bursting with flavour and wonderfully fresh aromatics, its healthy, delicious and perfect when you want to eat light.
Keema Muttar
Keema Muttar is one of my favourite dishes and features on takeaway menus up and down the country. ‘Keema’ means minced meat (always lamb) and ‘muttar’ are peas and together, with an earthy blend of spices, they are transformed from two humble ingredients into something rather more special.
Turkish ‘Borek Peynir’ (Cheese Pastries)
To mark the final of my three authentic Turkish recipes, I had to end it with one of the most commonly loved pastries in all of Turkey, the Borek.
Busaba Eathai
Busaba Eathai is a welcome addition to the surrounding area of the West End, littered with tourist-driven junk food stops and dodgy pizza and kebab outlets that the health and safety inspectors have clearly turned a blind eye to.
Turkish ‘Adana’ Kebabs
These kebabs are really delicious and have quite a fiery kick to them, but the level of heat is up to you. The are completely versatile in that you can BBQ them, preferably over charcoal which really is the best and most authentic way to cook them or if like me, you don’t have a BBQ then you can either grill them or pan fry them.
El Pirata, Mayfair
I did panic at first when I walked in and it appeared that nothing had changed in 14 years, but perhaps this is exactly why they are still open, doing great trade and serving locals as they were years ago. Sometimes change isn’t such a good thing, as the old adage goes “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” and El Pirata most definitely ain’t broke.
Turkish ‘Gavurdagi’ Salad
This dish is traditionally an accompaniment for any kind of grilled meat, but what really made it so appealing to me was the unexpected presence of pomegranate syrup in the dressing; it provides a rounded acidity that elevates the dish greatly, transforming it into a mouth watering accompaniment worthy of being a main dish in itsel
Bolinhos de Bacalhau
Originally a Portuguese recipe which made its way to the exotic shores of Brazil, Bolinhos de Bacalhau (Pronounced ‘Bollinyoos de Bacalyao’) are delightful little salt cod fritters which are one of my absolute favourite things to scoff in summer washed down with copious amounts of Caipirinha cocktails.
Sake No Hana, London
Sake No Hana feels comfortable, intimate and not remotely pretentious like some of the other well known celeb-laden Japanese eateries (mentioning no names…) in the vicinity. So if you want great food, attentive service in an un-fussy environment than Sake No Hana is for you. But if WAG culture, drunk D-list celebrities and rude staff and generic service is what your after then head to Berkeley Street for your Sushi
Incanto, Harrow
Less than a 30 minute drive from central London, Incanto restaurant is located in the affluent leafy green suburbs of Harrow-on-the-Hill, a stone’s throw away from the prestigious Harrow school. Set in a former 19th century post office, the front of the restaurant is a delicatessen-cum-café with a few scattered tables and some window seating, attracting locals with its Italian produce and quick-fixes like Italian coffee, sandwiches and assorted cheeses and salumi.
Sesame Crusted Trout Fillets with Spring Vegetables in Miso Soba Noodle Broth
In a bid to fight an oncoming cold, I was searching for some kind of comfort food to fill me with energy and cleanse me from the inside out… Don’t worry, I haven’t gone all ‘Zen’ on you, but sometimes greasy, chunky, starchy comfort food just doesn’t cut it and you crave something fresh, light and heart-warming.
The Botanist, Chelsea
With the RHS Chelsea flower show just around the corner, The Botanist is both aptly named and perfectly located for a pre or post show pit-stop and they have even conjured up some lovely cocktails to mark this year’s flower-powered festival and so it would be rude not to try them.
Persian ‘Mirza Ghasemi’ Aubergines
I don’t know how to best translate what this dish is into English. It is not a dip and definitely not your trendy aubergine ‘caviar’ but it is traditionally eaten as a side dish (or starter) with other dishes like grilled meat and chicken or even a stew with rice.
Petrus, Kinnerton Street, Knightsbridge
Gordon Ramsay’s latest opening comes in the shape of the re-vamped and re-located Petrus restaurant. The new location is so discreet that you could miss it, which in fact exactly what happened but I found it eventually. The staff at Petrus are very friendly; the food is really very good and even better than that is the value you get with the unbeatable set lunch menu is almost unbelievable.
Chipotle Chicken Pitas with Chunky Guacamole
Chipotle [Chee-pot-lay] are smoked chillies that have the most wonderful smoky flavour which when used in marinades for meat and poultry and Mole sauces, impart a deep earthiness into the dish that is incredibly comforting. I always keep a jar of Chipotle paste in the cupboards, because convenience is the name of the game sometimes and it is perfectly ok to get a little help to prepare a good meal and my Chipotle chicken pitas are a great meal.
Viajante, London
Viajante is not your average eatery, let’s be honest… it is more of an ‘experience’ than a run-of-the-mill restaurant, but it is quite special indeed. I think that it is definitely somewhere that the consummate foodies among you should experience before it becomes too trendy, too popular and too impossible to get a reservation at.
