THEGAYUK

Tag: Five Star Restaurant Review

The latest Five Star Restaurant Review from THEGAYUK.

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Bala Baya, London – A real find!

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Bala Baya, London – A real find!

    ★★★★★| Bala Baya, Southwark, London

    A real find in the restaurant scene is Bala Baya. It’s a real find because it’s tucked away in a spot hard to find and it’s a real find because it’s extremely delicious. 

    A few minutes walk from Southwark tube station in the revitalised railway arches now chock a block full of restaurants and a couple of small theatres is Bala Baya. 

    Top-notch Israeli food cooked with care and to perfection is delivered to tables with grace and elegance in a space that is uniquely designed to make everything just perfect. 

    There are many choices on the menu but the best value is the set menu where you’ll share 7 dishes at £42 per person where each dish is so unlike the others.

    The Chickpea Hummus (£7 on the a la carte menu) is an excellent blend of mixed spices, pine nuts (superb and plentiful), pickled chillies (for that extra kick), with tomato pulp, and served with two fluffy and very soft pitas. Just superb overall. The Mackerel & Harissa (£13), a dish I would normally never order, was an unexpected delight thanks to the combination of the Sharon Fruit (variety of persimmon), mustard cress and tomatoes which gave the dish a nice zing! While the mackerel was, of course, very fishy, the non-fish portion of the dish pushed it over the edge into delicious category. But what was more than delicious was the Wild Tomatoes dish. Very large (£10) and with each ingredient superb, it consisted of Mooli (white root), pickled red onions, Manouri cheese (similar to feta but cooked and better-tasting), and coriander with blackberry vinaigrette to top it off. Superb, zingy, and beautifully presented, with all the ingredients a great mix. It’s a dish I could eat every night! The Cauliflower & Roe (£13), while not as fabulous as the Wild Tomatoes (it’s hard to beat), consisted of a large cooked cauliflower with harissa, sweetcorn black pepper and cured fish roe on top of acidic vinegar, which, along with the harissa, gave the cauliflower a minor kick but it was an excellent texture. Next up was the Crispy, Sticky and Crunchy dish (£11) of chicken thighs – and all four pieces were of the name, with bitter orange, harissa, kimchi, butternut squash puree, hazelnuts sprinkled on top, and sumac.

    While the Kimchi was too spicy, the combination of the rest of the ingredients gave this dish the perfect taste. But what was to come after just topped everything: the Cheeky. It was Ox cheek (a nice round portion, and slow-cooked for 3 hours we were told), with a large aubergine resting comfortably on top, and plum tomatoes alongside with the entire dish swimming in beef and date jus. And if this sounds mouth-watering it’s because it was! A dark brown dish, with the plum tomatoes giving it colour, it was large enough for us to share, but to be honest I wanted more of this dish even though I was getting full! Superb. It’s £18 on the a la cart menu by the way. 

    Too full is an oxymoron when you know there is dessert still to come. And we had two from the menu: the Burnt Babka and the Malibu Malabi. And if they both sound delectable it’s because they were! The Babka (dough baked into a golden brioche-like bread with added chocolate and hazelnuts and plums) reminded me of a cinnamon bun but with much more flavour. I absolutely loved this dish – and it was up to standard with the mains we had just devoured! The Malabi was coconut, orange blossom, mango, citrus fruit, sumac and rose all compacted into a glass dish.

    My dining companion loved it but I was very happy with my Babka! Both desserts are also on the a la carte menu (£9 and £8 respectively).

    As mentioned previously, the tasting menus are a bit better value than the a la carte menu. The other tasting menu is £53 per person – you get one more dish but this menu does not include the Cheeky nor the Wild Tomatoes dishes – which were two of my favorites.

    As for drinks, it’s a given that Bala Baya has a drink for everyone. Cocktails are fine, with the Flying Camel a standout (Ketel One, Cointreau, grapefruit, sumas and rose), but I need to go back and try the Champagne Martini (yummy!), the Pomegranate and Ginger, and (!!) the Peach (with peach liqueur, lemon and prosecco). The wines are a good value, at two pages you have your pick of white, rose and reds, but as Bala Baya is an Israeli restaurant, your best bet is to jump in with both feet and go for the Israeli wine.

    Chef Eran Tibi, a descendant from a Middle Eastern family, successfully brings his family’s cuisine to London. Trained at Le Cordon Bleu and the kitchens of Ottolenghi, the Roundhouse’s Made in Camden kitchen and founding Executive Chef at Zest@JW3, Eran’s passion and creativity are apparent in every one of his dishes.

    It’s a slick, cool two-story restaurant with the downstairs in full view of the open kitchen but it’s upstairs where you want to sit. With an overhang of plants in the back, to the high ceilings and the floor to ceiling windows at the front, it’s a very comfortable environment where the tables are not too close to each other. And it’s under the concept of Desert Bauhaus, with interiors designed by the award-winning architect Afroditi Krassa. The wait staff are superb, attentive and very nice, and there is nothing bad to say about this place. It’s just perfect, like a lazy Saturday afternoon on a Tel Aviv Beach. 

    For bookings click here

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Xier, London – A feast for the eyes and tastebuds

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Xier, London – A feast for the eyes and tastebuds

    ★★★★★ | Xier, Marylebone, London

    Behind the frosted glass windows and the outdoor flowers around the entrance is Xier – a restaurant that is a feast for the eyes and the taste buds – a feast so unlike any other I have ever eaten.

    Entering the cosy looking restaurant on Thayer Street in Marelybone, we were led upstairs to a brightly lit room – rather posh I would say. This is where the Xier experience starts. From there we were taken on a culinary journey, led by a very knowledgeable staff who all knew what they were serving, from the exotic drinks to the even more exotic food. We were guided by them through a 10-course tasting menu accompanied by a selection of wines and cocktails chosen to enhance the food and the experience. And what an experience it was. The food was very different yet extremely delicious!

    Herewith is a breakdown of the 10 course meal we had (the courses on the menu are subject to change according to seasons and what is available): 

    1.) French Kiss. A glass block with literally a red kiss on it, made up of passionfruit, pistachio, and fennel with Japanese pumpkin. I imagine that this is exactly what the color red tastes like if it were food. And what an explosion of taste! It’s the best kiss I’ve had all year (thankfully the year is still young!) This is served alongside:

    2.) Kabocha (Japanese squash) Crispy Pancake topped with black truffles (delicate and delicious and to die for!) and chestnuts resting on a bed of pumpkin seeds (not to be eaten). It was small but sumptuous. Then came

    3.) Orkney Scallop Crudo, Cured Duck with Caviar swimming in an absolutely stunning Soy Dashi (Japanese stock soup) and Malabar sauce (sprayed) served, cleverly, in a large sea shell over a bed of black rocks. And to top it off, to get the full effect of the dish, a bowl of moss is delivered with liquid nitrogen poured onto it, releasing an earthy-smelling vapour across the table, the perfect accompaniment to the rich flavours of the dish. It’s one of the many actions of the evening that is very theatrical which enhances the experience. The scallops were just divine, as was the sauce. All in all an incredible dish and perhaps one of the best dishes I have ever eaten! The scallops literally melted on my tongue and the tiny bits of black caviar were just heavenly. 

    4.) Rose Cured Salmon, Foie Gras, Kumquad, Yuzu and Hazelnuts topped with coriander leaves and passion fruit puree, with beetroot was next. Hard to top the scallops, this small block of salmon – one of Xier’s signature dishes – where the salmon was solid – was a extreme combination of flavors all packed into a very small portion – yet it worked very well. Next was

    5.) Gyoza dumpling (consisting of edamame beans) with hints of pepper, ginger, shallots, and spring onions – to be eaten with chopsticks – and served swimming in a stunning red cabbage tea – which was so unique and flavourful that one was not enough. Bravo for this dish – it was divine.

    6.) Cleanser. Time for a break from the food. A Mandarin granita with Blue Curacao sorbet in a small glass cup served on top of a bed of ice in a white glass bowl on a white glass plate was just what was needed to clear the palet for what was to come next – more incredible food!

    7.) Black Cod in Caramel Miso, Walnuts, Pistachio, Celeriac & Pear. The cod was so delicious, cooked well done on the outside yet tender and moist on the inside. Xier’s second signature dish – it was beautifully cooked and served with Burnt Kiwi leaf oil and celery Pear Puree. This was preceded by the amazing

    8.) British Beef Cheek and Pickled Beetroot, on top of Collard Greens and topped with Bone Marrow. The Beef – sourced from the UK – was tender, moist, and literally falls apart on the dish and on your fork. And the red wine grapes au jus is just icing on the beef – the best beef I’ve had in many years. This was the last of the main courses and it was a high to top all highs!

    9.) Swedish Cheese and Fresh Fizzy grapes were a nice delicate touch to wind down the meal. This is served alongside small ginger bread snaps with three jellies that consisted individually of white wine, red wine and walnut & pear. So many tastes – your taste buds will thank you! 

    10.) The final course was, of course, dessert, called Sweet Pleasure on the menu. And these were normal portions, but we realized bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better. Four desserts were delivered to our table – Chocolate passionfruit Mousse (funny looking but with delicious banana crips); very good banana ice cream; an unusual chestnut parfait on a bed of blackcurrant sauce with mandarin segments and topped with a nice hazelnut cracker; and a small slice of pear cake. The mousse wasn’t our cup of tea, it didn’t have a great taste, and the pear dish was too sugar-coated, but credit is given for the mousse – it was unusual, unique, and visually appealing. 

    Drinks come at price – of course. You can choose to have the wine & Cocktail Pairing for an additional £85 or alternatively the Deluxe Wine Pairing at £190 extra, or better yet just order drinks from the drinks menu separately. One drink I recommend is the Mango Tiki served in a pineapple tin cup. Mouth watering with rum, papaya, mango with orange juice and topped with Mango foam. Stay away from the Apricot Tai – too too sweet. Of course Xiers’ wine list is very very extensive – too many to mention here, but my dining companion had a Vodkatini – which he very much enjoyed – as well as a few glasses of wine which were all very very fine, even though the pour was small. 

    In each and every bite of the food we can taste the hard work done in the kitchen to prepare, cook, and serve all these amazing dishes. Xier, the first solo venture from Italian Chef Carlo Scotto – has rewritten the rules on fine dining with Xier. The menu is from his culinary experiences, with aspects of his travels through Europe, Scandinavia and especially Japan, which you can tell had a huge influence on his skills as a chef.

    I had commented to my dining companion about halfway through our meal that I felt the courses were too small and that I would probably need more food on the way home, well that was not the case after the tenth course. We both were comfortably full and were just taken aback with the whole experience.

    Open for only one year, the room has clean lines, is very minimalist, stylish yet very much on the quiet side, with the excellent staff hovering about to make sure you know what you are eating. They do explain, in lots of detail, when the food is delivered what you are about to eat, otherwise you’d have no idea. Downstairs is XR, which offers prestige A-La-Carte dining. So it’s up to you to decide what you prefer. But the ten course tasting menu is just absolutely divine, and worth every penny of the £95 you will be charged. And with this menu being changed from time to time – it will be interesting to know what type of dishes Scotto will be dreaming up next. But guaranteed they will be amazing and out of this world.

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Bōkan, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Bōkan, London

    ★★★★ | Bōkan, London

    Three floors of great food, drinks, and a spectacular view is what Bōkan is all about.

    Located across the water from the Heron Quays DLR stop in the Southwestern section of Canary Wharf, Bōkan is on top of the Novotel hotel building – it’s a bit hard to find and a bit in the middle of nowhere, but once you arrive you will be rewarded.

    Bōkanis on the 37th, 38th and 39th floors of the hotel, and as you can imagine, the views facing west (and south and north) are simply stunning, with the Thames almost literally at the foot of the hotel, and the buildings of the Shard and the City, along with Tower Bridge, straight ahead, and the new high rises of Vauxhall in the distance. The views are superb in either cloudy or sunny weather, day or night. The early evening we were there it was still light on a cloudy day but as it got darker the clouds added a cool effect to the view.

    Start your evening with a cocktail in the bar (38th floor). Their cocktail menu is limitless. We had two amazing drinks – the delicious Flying Dutchman (orange in colour, with unique ingredients including mandarin with ginger beer, and Peroni, with lime and corn wine topped with a cherry and a lemon skin twist), and the other was the Dark Whale – which was a notch better than the Dutchman and included rum, lime, mandarin, mint, ginger beer, and aromas of cinnamon, dark chocolate and unmistakable Angostura aromatic bitters for an explosion of flavours. Their cocktails are unique and tasty and very affordable in a bar that is laid back and not stuffy at all – very cool, just like the drinks!

    We were given a filo pastry over a mix of beetroot and apple as a pre-meal treat – it was interesting and inventive and tangy. One starter was a chilled dish, light and fresh: steamed organic hen’s egg which was well complemented by fresh tomatoes and creamy goats cheese and perfect for a summer evening, and was a beautiful looking and very colourful dish, while the courgette cannelloni with a small slice of watermelon was adventurous and quite different, but the bisque foam sauce did not enhance the dish.

    Dinner was a struggle to chose. Bōkan offers a sunset menu (£37) and an a la carte menu. We chose the Sunset menu (served before 6 pm every night) and we were glad we did as it’s excellent value with three courses. My main course of Osso Bucco (Short rib) was just perfect. Tender and succulent meat was accompanied with perfectly cooked mash and was topped with gorgeous baby carrots and strips of lemongrass. Every bite was mouthwatering. My dining companion had the Josper grilled cod with vegetables. The sugar snap peas contrasted perfectly with the saltiness of the samphire, all further enhanced by the rich butteriness of the hollandaise sauce. The dish was chunky, juicy and very flavoursome.

    As one would expect desserts were fantastic. The creme brulee with fresh blackberries and ice cream was one of the best – a thin caramel shell to break over the creamy brulee filling combined with a fruity coulis and the burnt toffee flavour of the sugar shell made it special. Meanwhile, the Ivory chocolate mousse, crunchy coconut, pineapple & ginger compote with coconut sorbet was a perfect way to end a dinner – it was not heavy and the crunchiness was a nice change – and it was not that filing.

    With Bōkan being an upscale modern European restaurant, the wines are très fabuleux! We were served the Asiato wine – Portuguese wine – which was a bit sweet but not too much – it went down very well and was a great accompaniment to our main courses. Other wines Bōkanserve include wines from every region imaginable – UK, Italy, New Zealand, Spain – the list goes on. The Graham’s port is a great way to end the meal – they have several so pick one – anyone!

    After our dinner, we retired to the 39th floor which is the outdoor space, and the very top of the building. It’s nice and cosy and, as you can imagine, it’s all about the views. If you do nothing more when you go to Bōkan and just have a drink in the outdoor terrace then you’re missing out on a great experience of both the 37th and 38th floors.

    Executive Chef Guillaume Gillan (protégé of the late Joël Robuchon) succeeds in bringing delicious dishes to Canary Wharf, with the added pleasures for cocktail lovers to enjoy the 38th-floor bar and 39th-floor rooftop terrace for a tranquil escape from the buzz of city life. Bōkan is a true experience in dining and drinking, with each floor a destination in itself. It is a place I want to experience again.

    Bōkan
    Floor 37-39, 40 Marsh Wall, London E14 9TP
    T: 020 3530 0550E: hello@bokanlondon.co.uk

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Romulo Cafe, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Romulo Cafe, London

    ★★★★★| Romulo Cafe, London

    There are many undiscovered restaurant gems in London, but I’ve found one that will perhaps not be undiscovered for very much longer.

    Romulo Cafe, a restaurant that is a taste of the Philippines in the heart of Kensington (and London), has food that I guarantee you can’t find anywhere else in London. It’s Filipino food that is unique, flavorful, sumptuous and excellent value for the money. But don’t let the name fool you – Romulo Cafe is not really a cafe but a proper restaurant, beautifully designed and perfectly replicates Filipino food and culture, filled with the Romulo family history of General Carlos P. Romulo, hence you feel like you are in his home, with great staff who take care of you like you are family.

    But the food – wow the food – it’s just incredible, and at times indescribable. Romulo food is full of recipes passed down from generation to generation, and in Filipino style, sharing is the tradition. But I didn’t want to share the Sizzling Chicken Inasal Sisig – Jack Brand Diced Chicken thighs marinated in annatto sauce, ginger, green chilli, garlic, and lemongrass. Arriving sizzling to your table, it’s the aroma that hits you first – it’s a mix of sweet, nuts and pepper (annatto) – and a dish that has a perfect balance of all ingredients all in harmony – and was simply delicious. My dining companion and I were just simply amazed at how good it was! We carried on with more sharing plates – including the Dingley Dell Pork Belly Adobo which is slow-cooked in soy sauce, garlic and cane vinegar, and this too was simply delicious. Five large pieces of pork swimming in the sauce which tasted a bit like bbq, with a mixture of different coloured potatoes – this is a main course in itself – and so so good. Also so so good was the Kensington Fried Chicken. Four large pieces perfectly cooked (they are marinated with Romulo’s very own adobo mayonnaise and catsup sauce), and nice and brown on the outside, white on the inside, and crunchy. They are just the best! And best of all is that these dishes are great value at less than £8.75 each! Yes, excellent value.

    We, of course, had to have rice with our meal, and the large Garlic Fried Rice was just absolutely perfect, with only a hint of garlic which made the ride back home with my friend bearable! We were also suggested to try the Young Jackfruit and Coconut Stew as our vegetable. It was plentiful and was a liquid-like stew with loads of jackfruit, green beans with a small number of chillies but it was the sauce that made the dish absolutely amazing!

    And now on to the desserts. I can’t recommend enough the Banana Turon. It’s five banana fritters served warm with a side of toffee sauce. A fritter is, if you don’t know, made in the shape of a spring roll in a hard pastry shell – and inside was the best part-baked banana and jackfruit – for an absolutely yummy experience. Wow! And on the side is jackfruit ice cream – yes, it’s too much but I ate them all! We also had to try the Ube Cheesecake (ube is purple yam, hence the cheesecake is purple) with a graham cracker crust, topped with coconut and served with ice cream – exotic colour and a good flavour! And we also had the Sans Rival – a hard dessert made with dulce de leche and buttercream, cashews, chewy and sweet meringue – while good it did not, and could not, match the cheesecake nor the Banana Turon (which is a steal at £5).

    And I can’t finish this review off without mentioning Imelda’s High Heels cocktail. It’s strong (thanks to the Stolichnaya Vodka) with strawberry puree, Crème de Framboise, Crème de Mure and topped with Prosecco. And the kicker – it’s served in a high heel shoe! Ha! Also recommended is the Pinoy Mai Tai – a rum drink with Amaretto, Gran Marnier and pineapple – and it comes in a flaming (literally) Tiki mug! Don’t do what I did and panic and blow it out – let it burn, it’s part of the experience.

    Romulo Cafe is also a cafe in front, and there is a private dining room downstairs with a bar and karaoke machine, and the venue is licensed for both marriages and civil ceremonies.

    And the experience of eating at Romulo Café is an excellent one. It’s not just the food but the history of the restaurant, which is in the family name Romulo. In 2009, The Romulo family opened up its first cafe in Manila to celebrate the legacy of grandfather General Carlos P. Romulo. The London restaurant honours his memory with a large photo of him (and one of his wife) in the dining room. Meanwhile, their grandfather’s tastes were legend, and cultivated during years following a distinguished war career when he served as Philippine Ambassador to the United States, as President of the United Nations General Assembly (his signature is on the UN charter) and finally as the longest-serving Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines. He was also the first and only Filipino to win a Pulitzer Prize and awarded the highest American civilian award, Medal of Freedom. And he loved food, and Romulo cafe London is a fitting tribute to his memory, with its extremely delicious food, nice and friendly staff, very comfortable surroundings, and a warm welcome from owners Rowena and her husband Chris – the nicest people this side of the river. Romulo Cafe is just simply a perfect place.

    Romulo Café London,
    343 Kensington High Street
    London, W8 6NW
    020 3141 6390
    www.romulocafe.co.uk

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Brasserie of Light, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Brasserie of Light, London

    ★★★★★ | Brasserie of Light, London

    The second you walk into Brasserie of Light, (the recently opened restaurant in Selfridges) you are wowed. And the wows don’t stop there.
    Located on the east side 1st flr of the building in a space that used to be a loading bay, Brasserie of Light is not just an amazing looking restaurant, the food is also exceptional.

    Bathed in chrome, glass and some glitter, the room is absolutely stunning (think the Delaunay or the Wollesley, and then crank it up by 100%). But what’s most noticeable is the Pegasus in the room, yes, literally. It’s a behemoth piece of art, created by Damien Hirst (to the tune of £6 million). It’s a 24-foot crystal encrusted statue with a 30-foot wingspan that soars over diners – it’s simply stunning.

    Though Brasserie of Light feels a bit cramped and claustrophobic, once you start eating your way through the menu these thoughts quickly disappear.

    The Starters are amazing. Choices such as King Crab with Avocado and Watermelon (£17.95), and the Chicken Dumplings with Truffle and Citrus (£9.50) are unique to any menu, but it was the Sesame Fried Chicken with a delicious Avocado dip and the Popcorn Shrimp that won us over. The chicken, at an amazingly good £8.50 price, comes with about 10 medium size crunchy chicken nuggets with strips of celeriac sprinkled on top. Divine. Also yummy was the popcorn shrimp (about 10 pieces), which was bathed in a creamy but not very spicy sauce, and for an added Instagram ready photo, a leaf-littered with sesames stuck out on the side. These two starters I would absolutely order again.

    The main courses only upped the ante. While I wanted, and was looking forward to, the Rib Eye Steak, the Thursday me and my friend went, at 7:45 pm, they had already run out of the Rib Eye – very disappointing. So I opted for the Fillet Steak (7oz at £29). It was tender, moist, perfectly cooked and very delicious. My friend had the Pan-fried Sea Bass Fillet, and at £22.95 it was good value for the money. It was served over tomatoes and black olives and fennel, with a warm tomato chickeree, paste on top. She was thrilled about it! Our sides were also very good. Green Herb Salad with Avocado was just that, and my Sprouting Broccoli with Lemon and olive oil (both £4.50 and both very good), but the Steamed Rice and Red Quina was a bit dry (£3.75). But all in all our choice of mains was perfect. Other items on the menu include a delicious sounding Moroccan Spiced Sweet Potato, Aubergine Baba Ganoush with Coconut Yogurt (£13.95), Glazed Swordfish (£19.75) and Chicken Milanese (£17.50).

    The Desserts were filled with light. My Butterfly Flutterby – iced passion fruit parfait with pistachio meringue and vanilla cream bursting with unique flavours was presented beautifully. My friend had the Chocolate Bubbles which was all about chocolate, chocolate (with vanilla ice cream), served in a bowl with a wafer on top.

    Cocktails were exceptional as well. The Passion Fruit Cosmopolitan, one of three drinks highlighted on the main menu, was in a generous large glass (£9.85), while my Immunity Smoothie – non-alcoholic – is one I highly highly recommend (9 healthy ingredients, including ginger and turmeric). It was just refreshing and very delicious, so delicious that my dining companion also wanted to have one. At the end of the meal, I had the classic Expresso Martini, and it was perfectly chilled and just sublime – pure perfection.

    What left is there to say about Brasserie of Light? The service is very good, the ambience trendy (there is a DJ Thursday – Saturday nights if you like to have your meals in a club-like element), and the food, as mentioned above, is absolutely delicious. Brasserie of Light is the next generation Wollesley, with its signature and unmistakable quality and ambience, classic British menu and internationally inspired dishes, style, flavours and service. The Richard Caring Group has delivered another gem of a brasserie.

    Monday – Friday: 8:00 am – midnight
    Saturday: 9:00 am – midnight
    Sunday: 9:00 am t 11:00 pm

    Selfridges, 400 Oxford St, Marylebone, London W1A 1AB

    Home

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Swan, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Swan, London

    ★★★★★ | The Swan, London

    Tucked inside the world-famous Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre on the South Bank right next to the Tate Modern is a restaurant where you can get perhaps one of the best Sunday roasts in London.

    The Swan, a multi-level restaurant and bar, has an excellent great-valued Sunday lunch that is very delicious. At just £26.50 for two courses, or £29.50 for three courses, not only do you get great food, you also get to sit a beautifully designed restaurant as well as savour an amazing view of the Thames (from all the tables) in surroundings that include white tablecloths, Robert Welch cutlery, all which looks very upscale and expensive but actually isn’t.

    It’s best to make reservations for Sunday lunch as the day my friend and I were there the place was 90% full mid-afternoon. We, of course, opted to have the Roasts. I preferred the pork belly while he wanted the beef, and we both were not disappointed.

    My Old Spot Roast Pork Belly, baked apple sauce with all the trimmings was delicious. A nice large slab of pork, resting in a fetal position over a mound of very soft cabbage, was very tender, moist and cooked to perfection. Served with quite a few large cooked carrots, a nice helping of browned potatoes, and a big yorkshire pudding, plus a cooked onion sitting in pork juice was an extra touch. My friend had the same exact trimmings but his Sirloin of aged Ayrshire beef was cooked exactly as per his request (medium well – though The Swan does recommend medium rare). He said his meal was very good. And luckily for me, he could not finish half of his portion, so I polished it off for him (thanks buddy)!

    The two starters we had were very good. My friend had the Ellie’s Dairy Goat’s Cheese with salt baked Heritage beetroot, and glazed hazelnuts, and it was a very colourful (because of the different varieties of beets) and different. I helped him to finish it, and even though I am not a fan of beets, I particularly liked the orange and pink flavoured ones – so different and so good which gives a great taste to an otherwise dull vegetable. I had the Bitter Leaf Salad, Kentish Blue Cheese, poached pear with walnut dressing. It was on the small side but it was perfect as a prelude to the main course. It was simple yet very tasty as I was given several leaves that were filled with the walnut dressing with blue cheese and the bits of pear sprinkled on top – I can still taste the walnut dressing, unique and delicious.

    The Puddings are a must must must! My friend had the Bitter Chocolate Marquise in salted caramel sauce with grue nib tuile (a chocolatey biscuit made with almonds). His dish was three layers of different coloured chocolate, including an inner portion that was like a chocolate mousse. It is a dish that is decadent and delightful! And he finished it all! I opted for the Almond & Apple Tart with Devon cream – and I was not disappointed. The tart was moist (and tasted almost like it was soaked in rum – but it wasn’t unfortunately), with a graham cracker crust, and almonds baked on top for a tart that is one of the best that I have ever had. Recommended!

    There are cocktails and mocktails on the Sunday menu. We had two mocktails. My Mango Fiesta was just that – a fiesta! Multi-coloured and multi-tasty – very juicy and served up lots of flavour without any alcohol. The Seedlip & Pink Grapefruit that my friend had lacked the kick of the Mango Fiesta but it was nonetheless refreshing. The Swan also has an extensive wine list and a range of draft, craft and bottled beers.

    Of course, The Swan is more than just Sunday lunch! There is an excellent regular menu with something for everyone, as well as a breakfast menu (I want to go back for pancakes), and a theatre menu (excellently priced like the Sunday menu). There is also a bar menu for the cosy bar downstairs, and just to add there is a room on the top floor for private events. But it has to be mentioned again that the views from the bar, restaurant and the private events room are spectacular, overlooking the Thames and north of it including St. Pauls and the skyscrapers of the City (and the Millennium Bridge just right outside). Just beautiful. And to also mention the service is very good. The courses were impeccably timed, and we were not rushed at all. But for an extra kick before you leave, have a cup of their strong Arabica coffee – it’s good if you like your coffee strong!

    Their Midsummer Night’s Dream afternoon tea, inspired by the journeys of the characters found in the play is also a bargain at £28.50 per person. The people sitting next to us had it and I had to refrain myself from grabbing one of their cakes!

    And let’s not forget that this Mother’s Day The Swan has a set menu (priced at £29.50 for 2 courses, and £32.50 for 3 courses) which will include starters of Cured Cornish mackerel, poached Yorkshire rhubarb, yoghurt and tarragon; Corn fed chicken, carrot and savoy cabbage terrine, celeriac puree; and Jerusalem artichoke veloute, truffled creme fraiche topped with artichoke crisps. Mains follow with Baked Stonebass fillet, charred asparagus, pea puree and morels; Roast lamb rump, leek and parmesan gratin, lamb fat potato; Roast free-range pork belly, confit shallots, roasted apple sauce; and Roast 28 day aged Sirloin, glazed bone marrow and a cauliflower cheese puree. Indulgent desserts are found in the Chocolate fondant tartlet, salted caramel ice cream; Bramley apple parfait, raisin puree and walnut crumb; Mango Bavarois, tropical fruit salad, caramelised white chocolate or a selection of British farmhouse cheeses

    The Swan has the best of contemporary British cooking, and a proportion of their revenues goes to the Shakespeare’s Globe Trust, a charitable organisation set up to further the experience and international understanding of Shakespeare in performance.

    The Swan is a fantastic restaurant in a convenient location offering great views, amazing value, delicious food in a superb and cosy environment. 

    To book, please go here: https://www.swanlondon.co.uk

    020 7928 9444

    reservations@swanlondon.co.uk

    Swan, Shakespeare’s Globe
    21 New Globe Walk
    Bankside
    London SE1 9DT

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | VIVI, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | VIVI, London

    ★★★★★ | VIVI, London

    (C) PR SUPPLIED

    For those who remember Centrepoint 101 – the bar and restaurant on top of Centrepoint – 33 stories above ground – you’ll remember how great it was, more so the views and the cocktails and less so the food. Well, that space is now someone’s flat (boo hoo), so now we have the new Vivi.

    Vivi, located in the wing that connects the original Centre Point building to Centrepoint House – the 1970’s tenement building – is a throwback to the 1960s when the Centre Point building went up – presenting food that is both traditional, safe but not very sexy. The venue itself is sexy, one flight up, overlooking New Oxford Street and the new piazza next to the now fully residential Centre Point.

    It has a streamlined look with beautiful floor to ceiling windows that are used to great effect to maximize the space. There are gorgeous tables smack dab in the middle of the room as well as along the sides of the restaurant. It’s such a beautiful space, with an art deco chandelier that holds centre attention, it’s just absolute perfection architecturally.

    So how’s the food you might ask? As mentioned before, it’s safe and traditional but you will struggle to find anything on the menu that is different. I’ve been twice now (the first time was during its soft opening – on its first night) and I have to say the food on my second visit was much much better. On their All Day Dining menu, the starter choices are fine but nothing really sticks out. They were out of the Quiche Lorraine on that Tuesday night of my second visit, so I settled for Grilled Leeks – four leeks served with a dollop of egg mayonnaise with mimosa dressing. It was good, as was the Waldorf Salad that I had on my first visit (both priced at £8.50). My dining companion on my second visit had the Prawn Cocktail – it was a massive glass stuffed with prawns with thousand island dressing over a bed of lettuce. For £12.50 – it was more than worth the price, and he said it was ‘great!’ But you might struggle to find anything better (Steak Tartare, Coarse Farmhouse Pate, and Cornish Crab, among others, add nothing unique to the menu).

    It’s a bit of the same with the Signatures and Mains. Sure there is the standard steak dish – Rib Eye Steak (£34), but Rataouille (£14.50), Truffled Mushroom (£19.50), and Madras Monkfish (£24.50) are not dishes that particularly stand out. These are among the better choices (Beef Burger or Roasted Guinea Fowl Breast might good second choices). Chicken Kiev, one of their Signature dishes I had on my first visit, was just ok. Served with mash – it really wasn’t worth its £17.50 price tag. However, I had the Berkshire Pork Chop on my second visit – and it was superb! A large pork chop, perfectly cooked – nice and brown and meaty – served over a bed of hispi cabbage, with prunes and a prune sauce that was just superb and tasty. A surprise dollop of mash was also on the dish, though this is not mentioned on the menu – I had ordered a side of mash – which I am glad I did because both mashes were perfectly whipped – the way mash really should be!  (The pork chop was worth every cent of its £20.50 price). My dining companion ordered the Salmon Hollandaise, and he said it was moist and very good. Served with spinach, it was a nice size portion (at £22.50), and the potatoes on the dish were just about perfect, very buttery with a nice sprinkle of dill – melt in your mouth tasty!

    And the best was yet to come – the Sweets. On my first visit, I had the Apple & Rhubarb Crumble – it was a very large portion (almost like a mini pie!), but it was served cold. This time I had the Rum Baba – and it was unique and superb! Sponge cake soaked in rum with chantilly cream and caramelised orange sprinkled on top, with vanilla ice cream which was literally the icing on the cake. Absolutely delicious! And my dining companion loved his Millionaire’s Chocolate Bar – pure Cocao chocolate ice cream, chocolate bar and a chocolate crisp too boot! Just yummy!

    Vivi has a few other menus on offer. Their Breakfast menu looks very good, and reasonably priced, and includes Waffles or Pancakes (£8.50), Full English (£15.00 – very full!), and Eggs Benedict, Royale and Florentine (£10.50 – £12.50), among other excellent choices. The Brunch Menu is a mix of the Breakfast and Main menu, while the Lunch Set and Theatre (5-7pm and 10-11pm) is great value – two courses £21.50 and three courses £24.50, and includes a complimentary glass of prosecco. Traditional Afternoon Tea is proving quite popular – Classic at £29.50 and Champagne at £39.

    Of course, Vivi has a full-on bar, wine and beer menu. There are Back to Classics Cocktails – including the Pink Floyd Rhubarb, which was sweet and punchy with the rhubarb giving it a nice flavour. There are also non-alcoholic cocktails – I had the Refresh Your Berries shake that was berrylicious! Gins, rums, vodkas, tequila, cognacs and brandy are also on the list – pretty much anything you fancy Vivi has it!

    Vivi is not just a name but it’s also an identity.

    As roman numerals, Vivi gives a nod to 1966, the year Centre Point was born. And while most of us were not around at this time, we can still celebrate the old Centre Point by visiting Vivi. I just wish there were sexier choices on the menu, but everything else is flawless, from the service to the decor, to the ambience, and to the location – right next to Tottenham Court Road – you can’t get more central than that. Vivi has retro food in a very stylish setting – which alone makes it unique and stands out. Long live Vivi!

    Address
    Centre Point, 11 St. Giles Square, London, WC2H 8AP
    Tel: 0300 500 0958
    Book a table and find opening times here

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Iron Bloom, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Iron Bloom, London

    ★★★★★ | Iron Bloom, London

    Iron Bloom restaurant in Shoreditch is easy to walk right past, not knowing it’s there. Well, don’t walk past, go straight in!

    Iron Bloom, on Great Eastern Street, in one of the trendiest parts of London, is recognisable only by its beautiful chandelier in the large front window. Next to the window is an imposing iron door. Once you get into the restaurant, you will discover that it is cool and laid back and warm and friendly, just like the food and the staff.

    The brunch menu, which was on offer on the bright sunny Saturday afternoon we went, is a potpourri of food. There are typical brunch items (French Toast, Full English Breakfast, Eggs), as well as more unique lunch items (Wild Boar, Sunday Roast Yorkshire Taco, and Spinach Pancake Fritters). The menu says that the main course plates are small dishes and that two or three dishes per person are recommended, so that is what we did, we ordered two dishes each. Boy, we were in for a surprise!

    My first order was the Spinach Pancake Fritters, American style pancakes but made with spinach, with bacon and a poached egg on top, and lots of butter to substitute for syrup. They were nice and brown and delicious. While a bit pricey (£13) – I had never had pancakes made this way before. There was a hint of chilli in the fritter, but it didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the dish. My friend had the Wagyu Beef and Bone Marrow Burger with Bacon and Cheese (£15), and with the meat being Wagyu, it had to be very good, and it was, and perfectly cooked. The burger included fried onions and lettuce, with a black sesame seed bun for an extra dose of uniqueness – highly recommended. So these two dishes were main course sizes, and I was beginning to wonder if ordering second dishes was a smart move. Well, my second dish – the French Toast – was a massive portion good enough for two people! Huge Challah-style bread, with wild forest berries sprinkled all over, served with banana dairy-free ice cream & chocolate sauce – was an enormous dish. The french toast was also enormously perfect – perhaps the best looking ones I’ve ever had in London (I am American, and I know my french toast!). Chocolate Sauce is a very good substitute for syrup, though I still do prefer syrup, it was excellent and worth every pound (£14 to be exact) – highly recommended. My friend’s side dish of Crack & Cheese (the crack being a cracker of parmesan embedded into a macaroni and cheese dish consisting of brie, stilton and cheddar) was a perfect, and large, accompaniment to his burger.

    All the food we ordered was just perfect. And I have to say that we left the restaurant with very full bellies!

    The drinks were also very memorable! I had the Berrigroni – a drink that was light and fruity – with Put e Mes vermouth, and light syrup with an orange slice – which made for a delicious, and affordable (£10), drink. My friend loved his Bloom Sour – a twist on a Pisco Sour – with homemade pineapple, syrup, chilli bitter, lime, egg white and a sprinkling of homemade raspberry powder on top – all squashed into a petit cocktail glass. It definitely had a kick! Meanwhile, their Peruvian and Chilean coffee was perfect to end the meal with, and then we were treated to a shot each of Ammazzacafe´, a liquorice-tasting liqueur which is usually drunk after coffee. Highly recommended whether you have coffee or not.

    Iron Bloom has an upstairs and a downstairs. It’s a very industrial look that fits in perfectly with the neighbourhood. There are two cosy booths upstairs that would each fit a party of 5 comfortably, while the rest is stool-style eating (for about 30 people total upstairs and perhaps a bit less downstairs, which is where the kitchen is). It’s actually very stylish and cool, as is Del the bartender, the lovely hostess and waitress Elena (Hi Elena!), and Dean the chef, a born and bred Londoner who really knows a thing or two about cooking. Thanks to the entire staff we had an amazing meal and experience. And you will too, just make sure you don’t walk past the iron door!

    IRON BLOOM

    46 Great Eastern Street

    London, EC2A 3EP

    email: reservations@ironbloomshoreditch.co.uk

    phone:  02077294235 or 07896718880

    instagram:  /ironbloomshoreditch

    OPENING HOURS
    Monday: Closed
    Tuesday-Friday: 6pm-11:30pm
    Saturday: 12pm-11:30pm
    Sunday: 12pm-5pm

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Old Compton Brasserie, Soho, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Old Compton Brasserie, Soho, London

    ★★★★★ | Old Compton Brasserie, Soho, London

    Old Compton Brasserie, in Soho, is in a space that’s been a bit of bad luck for previous tenants. Leon, the healthy food chain, lasted only a couple of years. Next it was Muriel’s Kitchen, which was a light and lively mama’s style restaurant with comfort food – but at high prices, perhaps this is why it didn’t last. But Old Compton Brasserie will more than succeed. Why? Because it’s fabulous!

    Old Compton Street is one of the few streets in London that is constantly busy. With its plethora of bars, restaurants, shops, and a few adult retail businesses, it’s never been a place where it’s hard to find somewhere to eat.
    Old Compton Brasserie is the new kid in town, sandwiched between two Balan’s Restaurants, and right next door to Cafe Nero, where the same people linger every single night for want of nowhere else to go. Old Comptons Brasserie is the place to go, designed to a high standard, and the minute you walk in you will feel, see, and hear the excellent vibe that emits, not just from the front bar, but also from the back where people are happily eating and socializing in an environment that is cool, hip and fun.
    But, you might ask, how is the food? It’s actually fantastic! From the starters to the mains and the desserts, everything was almost perfect the night me and a friend went. It was at 8:00 pm on a Thursday night and the place was jam-packed! Every table was taken, and every customer in the place was happy happy happy. And after eating the food, we understood why.
    The Kedgeree Scotch Eggs were just to die for. It was a Scotch egg in a beautifully-breaded crust (with peas mixed in) where every bite was just delicious (and at only £5.50 – an excellent deal). This dish was recommended to us by the lovely Samantha our waitress and she was right on – we loved it. The Tempura Prawn Taco was also very good, and it was served on top of a tortilla and included shreds of carrots, celery, onion with vinegar and mayonnaise slathered over, and for £8.50 it’s a big starter. My main was the Pressed Pork Belly – a perfectly cooked long strip of pork served over colcannon mash, with a dollop of applesauce on the side. The pork was – cooked medium well, along with the mash – was on top of a sea of gravy, and every bite was delectable – it was just superb – and at a superb price of £14.00. Fabulous! My friend decided to have the Steak Frites – by far the most expensive dish on the menu (£28). We tried to figure out why it was so expensive. Could it be because the quality of the 10-ounce steak was brilliant? Or because of the huge amount of chunky chips (not frites) or the delicious bearnaise sauce? Who knows why it cost so much but my friend enjoyed every bite! We also ordered sides which were really not necessary but it was more so that we could taste more items on the menu (surely you don’t blame us)! The Roasted Field Mushrooms and the Heritage Tomato Salad were both just about perfect – with the mushrooms perfectly cooked, and the salad topped with onions and chives in a delectable creamy dressing.
    How could Old Compton Brasserie get any better? Well, the desserts we ordered were delectable and delicious. My five star Strawberry Trifle was a winner – a massive glass dish with strawberries, crushed nuts, toasted walnuts and of course the trifle layered beautifully inside – it was divine. My friend had the Lemon Posset – a pudding-esque lemon dish that he enjoyed, but it was my trifle that was the winner.
    Old Compton Brasserie cleverly offers a ‘Faces of Soho’ cocktail menu where cocktails are named after people who were/are known to be ‘denizens of Soho’. Paul Raymond, Soho Pam, Francis Bacon and Ronnie Scott, among others, have drinks named after them. My friend had the Ruby Venezuela – which was berry vodka, rhubarb & apple Juice, rhubarb tea and prosecco Le Dolci Colline, with a swig of candy floss attached to the side. It was quite subtle, unlike the drag queen, it’s named after. There is also the Regina Fong, which is served in a disco ball – one that I will have to try on my next visit. Most of these drinks are £10 and under. I had an espresso martini. At £10, the glass was a bit small, but it was refreshing and perfect.
    The establishment recommends wine with the main courses, and ours, selected by the wine waiter, went very well with our meals. The Red Le Petit Syrah (from Spain) was light and woody, while the Pinor Noir went well with the steak.
    Old Compton Brasserie has food for everyone, from plant-based mains to fish and seafood to hamburgers and sandwiches and salads – all at very affordable prices, with a wine list that any restaurant in Soho would envy.
    When we finished our meal after 10:30 pm, the place was still rocking and very buzzy, with more people coming in (the after-theatre crowd). It looks like Old Compton Brasserie is here to stay –  an excellent restaurant that’s in a perfect spot for a perfect night out. 
    34-36 Old Compton Street, Soho, London, W1D 4TT  
    Tel: 020 7434 2214 
     
    Monday: 12pm – 11.30pm
    Tuesday: 12pm – 11.30pm
    Wednesday: 12pm – 11.30pm
    Thursday: 12pm – 1am
    Friday: 12pm – 1am
    Saturday: 10am – 1am
    Sunday: 10am – 11.30pm
     
    Email: bookings@oldcomptonbrasserie.co.uk
  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Wellbourne Brasserie, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Wellbourne Brasserie, London

    ★★★★★ | Wellbourne Brasserie, London

    There’s a hidden gem of a restaurant right at the doorstep of the old BBC studios in Shepherd’s Bush that’s still a bit undiscovered but well worth the effort to seek out.

    The restaurant is Wellbourne Brasserie, and the food is really really delicious, and very very unique. One look at the menu and you will understand why; you’ll know you’re in for something very different and very satisfying.

    Wellbourne Brasserie is steps away from the White City tube stop of the Central Line, which is also steps away from the western end of Westfield Shopping mall and the new John Lewis megastore. The trendy new Soho House is right down the street, as is the new buzzy Bluebird Cafe. But I recommend you continue walking up Wood Lane, past White City tube station, where you’ll see a small park and just beyond that park is Wellbourne Brasserie in a building complex called Westworks that still houses some BBC offices. There are some other cafes in this complex (Feast is one of them), as well as a Starbucks across the way, but it’s Wellbourne Brasserie that will want to be your destination.

    It’s well worth the visit for the food. I want to go back to re-experience eating the Vol-au-vents. They are small stuffed puff pastries, and for the bargain price of 3 for £6, you can have one each which include broad beans, ewe’s cheese & mint, salt cod brandade, and pulled lamb shoulder with violet mustard. They’re so unlike anything you’ve ever tasted; cooked with care and eaten with love – highly recommended. Me and my dining companion, in between sips of glasses of their refreshing Aperol Spritz (£6), asked each other ‘how can they top this?” Well, they did. The mussels, 15 for a mere £8, were served in a big bowl with two large pieces of sourdough toasted bread with vinaigrette dressing, were a mussels lovers dream. Also very good was the Lyonnaise Salade which came with a hen’s egg, bacon, and a divine dijon mustard vinaigrette – for only £7.50 a delicious starter. We also ordered ‘La Latteria’ burrata with white asparagus – it was a mozzarella and cream blob, and if that’s your thing, you will enjoy it (£8).

    I’m not exaggerating when I say I had the best duck I’ve ever had. Their duck leg confit is smashingly served over crushed apple and green lentils in a large bowl where I absolutely savoured every bite. The dish looked gorgeous and tasted even better. And for only £12, it’s perhaps the best bargain on the menu. My dining companion was very satisfied with her Whole lemon sole, which came with sea vegatables. The sole is boned, its a very light dish, and perhaps a bit pricey (£17), but with delicious and large sides of spinach (£3) and green asparagus (£6), she, and me, were fine. But It was the duck that spoke, not the sole, and it spoke wonderfully!

    Wellbourne Brasserie has an amazingly extensive wine list, too large to mention here. However, our courses were paired with the perfect wines. Our first wine was the lively white Australian Berton Vineyard wine – perfectly smooth, see-through – making it very light, and an excellent choice. With our mains, again I was elated with the Rose Groot Constantia from South Africa, as I didn’t fancy red so this rose was a perfect match, as was the Red Colomba Bianca which my dining companion highly enjoyed with her fish. I would be remiss if I left out dessert. We had the amazingly delicious and fresh Lemon Leaf Sorbet (£4) – a nice way to finish off our meal. If you prefer something a bit more substantial I say go for Summer pudding or the Dolce de Leche Ice Cream Sandwich (both £6).

    The team behind Wellbourne Brasserie have over 30 years experience running a restaurant. Ross Gibbens was most recently head chef of the popular Dabbous while Michael Kennedy comes from Bristol’s popular Wallfish Bistro. Between both of them, and an amazingly nice staff, both front and back of house, bring to us a restaurant, while minimalist in decor but at the same time sharp and clean, food that is cooked with care and that tastes absolutely wonderful. Wellbourne Brasserie is a quality dining experience in a relaxed brasserie atmosphere at reasonable prices. I hope the locals, and others, find this hidden gem as it offers an excellent alternative to the many chain and fast food restaurants at the nearby Westfield Shopping Centre.

    https://wellbourne.restaurant/whitecity/

    Westworks Building, 195 Wood Lane,
    London, W12 7FQ
    Telephone 0203 4174865
    Monday – Friday 11.30am-10pm
    Saturday – 11.30am-9pm
    Sunday – Closed

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Indian Accent, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Indian Accent, London

    ★★★★★| Indian Accent, London

    Why settle for a brunch of steak and eggs with champagne or ordinary American-style pancakes when you can have an exquisitely unique and totally different brunch of Indian food at a reasonable price?

    Then Indian Accent is the place for you. Nestled amongst high end shops (including Paul Smith) in Mayfair on Albermale Street and across the street from Brown’s Hotel, Indian Accent is now serving a weekend brunch that takes its inspiration from regional dishes, but with a twist of fusion which redefines Indian food where the food is not at all spicy yet very delicious and, dare I say it, perfect.

    Their brunch menu, at two courses for a mere £25, or the shared brunch which features nine dishes for £40 per person, has food that you will find to be totally unique and totally wonderful.

    It was a bit difficult to choose dishes from the £25 menu as I don’t usually make a beeline for Indian restaurants, but luckily my brunch companion was Indian and knew the dishes on the menu to save me asking the wait staff what each dish was. Of the nine first course choices, I ordered the Lamb Seekh Kebab with cumin potato and stilton – and it was delicious. The two pieces of lamb were shaped like two sausages with chutney and was a very good choice for a starter. My friend had the Chilli Crab Cheese Toast, with summer cucumber pickle and a dollop of tamarind ketchup, where he said was good but a bit too cheddary. It was, however, the mains where Indian Accent proved to be one of a kind.

    My Paper Roast Dosa, Mushrooms, and Water Chestnuts was just superb. The mushrooms and chestnuts are served under a teepee-style covering in a beautifully designed dish. The mushrooms and chestnuts go so well together and are served in an oil and is perhaps one of the best dishes I’ve had all year. Also excellent was the Chicken Chilli Dabba Gosht (Indian Mutton), Baked egg and Paratha (fried dough bread) that my friend had. The Mutton, even though it was chicken, had a ground beef taste, and the egg was a nice touch, to make a beautifully-tasting dish that is just so so different. We were also treated to the Potato Sphere Chaat – which is a street-style Indian street crunchy snack food that is just wonderful! For those of you who are Indian or who have been to India you would know what these are, but I had never had one before and I am now hooked! They are delicious!

    The main courses, by the way, come with nan (kulcha) so you will be quite full after your two courses. But you are craving a typical bacon dish, then the flatbread naan-style dish (Kulcha) stuffed with bacon will be your dish.

    But wait! You must order dessert! I luckily had the ‘aamras’ (beautiful) cardamom sauce with summer berries on a bed of mango sauce littered with pineapples – absolute heaven and perhaps the best dessert I’ve had all year! And it was not heavy at all! What looked heavy was my friend’s Makhan Malai made with saffron milk cream – a beautiful mound of all these ingredients sprinkled with almonds and rose petal jiggery brittle – it’s quite large but actually very light, and I might add very delicious. Two five stars for the desserts – they both almost made us cry!

    Of course, their brunch menu has more options to choose from, as does their lunch, dinner and Pre-Theatre menu, and all can be viewed here: http://indianaccent.com/london/#menuID– but we feel that we had the perfect combination of food on the brunch menu, and I highly recommend you have the same dishes as well.

    But of course, there are drinks to be had as well. And of course, the drinks we were given were just perfect. The Transcendental Meditation drink, made with Honey Infused Gin, Mountain Sage Liqueur and Thyme & Lavender, and served in a copper cup, was absolutely divine, delicious, refreshing and perfect. And the wines chosen for us – the chardonnay Macon-Vinzelles Clos de Grand Pere and the Barbera d’Alba DOC by Francesco Rinaldi (Italian Red Wine) were just superb.

    Indian Accent is chic, elegant, modern, with great prices and food that is top notch. Chef Manish Mehrotra puts his unique spin on brunch with expertly spiced, imaginative plates and the restaurant has won much critical acclaim since opening just a few months ago and with the arrival of brunch alongside a whole host of new menus – including the arrival of the Summer menus earlier this month, a 45-minute £19 business lunch and a two course pre-theatre at £28. Indian Accent is firmly establishing itself as a restaurant for all occasions. I urge you to go…excellent food at excellent prices.

    16 ALBEMARLE STREET, MAYFAIR, LONDON

    +44 207-629-9802
    Restaurant Hours:
    Dinner: Sunday – Thursday; 5:30pm – 10:00pm; 10:30pm on Friday & Saturday
    Lunch: Monday – Thursday; 12 noon – 2:00 pm; 2:30 pm on Friday
    Brunch: Saturday – Sunday; 12 noon – 2:30pm
    Pre-Theatre: Monday –Thursday; 5:30pm – 6:00pm (One Hour Seating)

    http://indianaccent.com/london/