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…
Gourmet food for a fiver – Jason Atherton
As the shock of Jason Atherton’s resignation from the Ramsay Empire begins to die down, here is his new cookbook to console us until he pops up elsewhere, as he surely must. And far from being a Maze cookbook, delicious dishes beyond the reach of most of us, it’s a book that promises us that we can cook well and for under a fiver a head.
The Pear Tree, Margravine Road, London
The Pear Tree pretty much epitomises the archetypal ‘local’. This early Victorian pub stands out, surrounded as it is by somewhat more modern flats and houses. It is true to say that it is a work in progress, with its continuing restorative work. The place is already a popular haunt for locals and I can see that developing, as well as the prospect of attracting those further afield.
The Forge, London
Covent Garden isn’t all about jugglers and tourist traps you know, there are some pleasant surprises along the way if you wander for long enough.The Forge is not only a smart, grown up restaurant with chef Andrew Barber at the helm,but it also boasts one of London’s most impressive wine lists. So, go there thirsty, with plenty of time on your hands……..