Some events that are happening this week in Newcastle, Sussex and London.
Chicken Balsamico
As the weather warms up, rosemary, the wonderful aromatic herb is at its best. So now is the time to chop up a few sprigs and stir into your favourite dishes. Its fresh bittersweet flavour and distinctive woody frangrance make it perfect for giving poultry that extra zing.
Alan King says farewell to The Park, as Bar Boulud opens at The Mandarin Oriental in May
I have never written about The Park, though it has held a special place in my heart for some eight years now, long before I started writing for foodepedia, or for london-eating prior to that. It is with sadness tinged with excitement that I will say farewell to The Park, but look forward to the exciting times ahead.
Smeus is the word – Prawns and mash are a gourmet delight in Ostend
You can feel your heart having to pick up steam to handle the closing arteries as you eat smeus. This is not a dish for deskbound workers but for men who’ve spent a day at sea burning calories and getting horribly wet and frozen. The butterered potatoes are as rich and glorious as Joel Robuchon’s famous mash, but stirring in the poached egg makes them even better. And then of course there are the shrimps themselves; ocean fresh, juicy, sweet, briny and delicious
Hors d’ oeuvres – the nicest nibbles
There were ten guests at my most recent hors d’oeuvres party. Charles served wine, sparkling water and fruit spritzers. I served olives, roasted peppers and artichokes from the market, and a cheese platter. I made three hors d’oeuvres as well. Here’s how I did it:
The Chili Chutney, Streatham, London
Chilli Chutney has three branches; the mothership in Streatham, one next to the London Eye and another one in Croydon. They seem to me to be serious about what they are doing and keen to succeed. It’s not just my desire to see Streatham rise in the rankings, although a house price boom would be very handy, that makes me say that Chili Chutney is worth checking out if you’re looking for an above average local curry house to be your regular.
Monsieur M, Shoreditch, London
There’s a parade of rickety cutesy and authentic Vietnamese restaurants clustered down the Shoreditch end of Kingsland Road in London’s Hackney. They’re cheap, run by Vietnamese people – many originally refugees – and functional. Shoreditch’s fashion pack use them to chow down before drinking or just as a reminder of their hols to far off lands. But round the corner, in the beautiful Grade II listed Shoreditch Town Hall, Monsieur M is mounting a challenge to them all.
Coquine launches on a river of champagne
Coquine opened its doors to a battery of invited guests earlier this week. This new cocktail lounge/restaurant launched on a river of champagne, which merged into several tributaries of interesting cocktails. It is clear that a lot of thought and effort has gone into creating the space and its aura of respectable decadence, why not go there and enjoy a cocktail or two while you take it in?
Kensington Square Kitchen, Kensington Square, London,
One of the best things about living in London is that there’s always something new to discover, and last week, behind the old Barkers building, we found Kensington Square, a little haven on tranquility, yet within sight of the ever-busy High Street. We were charmed at once.
Yauatcha: Decadent Dim Sum
From minimalistic canteens, Wagamama and Busaba Eathai, to artisan bakery Princi and this chic teahouse, Alan Yau OBE has proved himself the archetypal, architect restaurateur. It’s tempting to call him the Asian ‘Conran’. But unlike Sir Terence, he’s an ace at collaborating revolutionary restaurant design with pristine plates; marrying a satisfying palette with a gratifying palate…