Eat Out » Kavey Eats

Le Cercle’s Flower Menu

22 May 2012 No Responses »

May 222012

In celebration of the annual Chelsea Flower Show and the Open Garden Square Weekend, Le Cercle restaurant is currently offering a Flower Menu, available now until the end of June.

The day before it launched, Pete and I went along to sample all five courses (£35), and the matching wines (£25).

My first hurdle was the tiny entrance lobby, where the reception and cloakroom is located. The space is so tiny that more than two people is a squeeze, which isn’t ideal if you arrive as other guests are leaving.

Additionally, the stairs down to the basement dining room are poorly lit (a number of the floor level lights were broken on our visit), the steps don’t extend the full width of the stairwell and the bannister is troublingly thin. These in conjunction with my vertigo meant I my heart was thumping by the time I reached the bottom and we were shown to our table.

Most tables are in the open central area of the room, but I spotted one very private table in a curtain-protected alcove and there are two larger booths on a platform level a few steps above the main floor.

Both types of bread (plain brown and one made from an eggier dough full of plump spiced dried fruit) were lovely.

They were served with a pat of butter heavily sprinkled with multi-coloured dark crystals. On asking, I was told it was a home-made mélange du trappeur (trapper’s mix) including sugar, salt and pepper, dried garlic and onion. Whatever was in it, I absolutely loved it, particularly with the sweetness in the fruit bread.

The idea behind the flower menu is to use local flowers and herbs in all five dishes. For me, the theme was a little tenuous in the starter of confit salmon, white beetroot, horseradish granite and borage, with only a single borage flower as edible decoration.

Still, I enjoyed the dish. The salmon had a decent strong smoke and was oily soft.

I loved the cold white horseradish granita which worked on texture, taste and temperature fronts.

Inside the salmon was grated white beetroot with a semi-crunchy texture which reminded me of celeriac remoulade.

Instead of seasoning, fat orange salmon roe provided mouth bursts of saltiness.

Lastly, there was a tiny spoon of a brown jellied substance. I’ve no idea what it was, nor did I like the flavour, but wonder whether it was an additional use of borage?

The first wine, a very “fresh, green” dry white from Alsace, did a good job of cutting through the strong, oily fish.

Next came the pan fried seaf bass, green almond coulis, black aubergine and daisies. I’m not sure that green almonds are either local or fit the flower theme, but the smear of puree was alright, if not thrilling.

The sea bass was beautifully cooked and very enjoyable; soft flesh and crisp skin.

But the aubergines were the best thing on the plate, marinated or basted in something sweet that intensified their flavour during cooking, resulting in rich, sticky, sweet and savoury goodness.

Again, the single daisy on top struck me as decorative rather than integral to the dish. I know daisies are edible, but I didn’t eat mine.

Pete commented that he’d had a moment where he came over all “Mastercheffy” and put a little of all three main elements on his fork at the same time. It was, he said, “very tasty”!

This dish was matched with a really fruity organic rosé from the South of France. Pete liked it’s “dry fruitiness” with the fish.

The plate of roasted lamb chump, polenta fries, confit tomatoes and rosemary flower was generous, with two large pieces of meat. The lamb was very full flavoured, so much so that I thought it might be hogget, but its tenderness belied that possibility; it was super soft. The surface was properly browned, giving lots of flavour, with the inside a deep pink.

I dislike polenta; there’s something about that granular texture that simply doesn’t sit well with me. Pete thought the fries were OK but we both agreed we’d have enjoyed potato ones far more.

The gravy, still with flecks of meat clearly visible, rather than strained and made to gloss, was deeply savoury.

Again, the flower theme seemed a bit of an afterthought with just one single flower on the plate, which I failed to capture in my picture. Instead of the rosemary flower listed in the menu, a pretty purple-pink chive flower was used, with a delicious raw garlic bite which was lovely with the lamb. A couple more would have been nice.

Pete wasn’t as sure about the choice of a full bodied Bordeaux red which he felt was too big a wine for the sweetness of the lamb, with its punchy tannins knocking that aside somewhat.

Though the menu listed St Maure and lavender it hadn’t come in on time so we were served a slice of Langres, preserved figs and rhubarb pate de fruit. Langres is a cheese I love, a mild smelly sock odour and matching taste. The figs were preserved like a chutney, spiced and brown, but whole or halved rather than chopped up small; very good. The square of green jelly was apparently made from rhubarb, though it didn’t taste like it to us, with a herbal rather than tart fruit taste.

The cheese was served with a dry red from Saumur, a wine Pete really liked, describing it as “a proper lip-curling Saumur”. That said, he didn’t rate it with the Langres, though liked it better with the fig chutney and jelly. We suspected it had been chosen for the original dish of St Maure and lavender.

Finally a dish where the chosen flower was integral – a dark chocolate tart and violet ice cream.

The pastry shell was thicker than one often encounters in posh restaurants (or patisseries) but it was so buttery soft and crumbly, and perfectly cooked, that I liked having a little more of it. The chocolate filling was deliciously dark and certainly melt in the mouth smooth.

The faintly purple ice cream was subtle but at the same time, the perfumed flavour of the flower came through clearly. I’d have liked it to be just a touch stronger to hold its own against the chocolate, as it was lost a little when the two were eaten together. On it’s own, it worked well.

The Gaillac dessert wine was a good choice, not quite as syrupy sweet as some, but still sweet enough not to be rendered unpleasantly acidic by the tart and ice cream. Pete felt it reminiscent of mead.

With tea and coffee, chocolate truffles and very mini macarons were served. The macarons looked adorable but tasted of very little. The truffles were good, though.

We enjoyed the special menu, but didn’t feel as strong connection with the proposed floral theme as we’d hoped for.

Kavey Eats dined as guests of Le Cercle restaurant.

Thai Square, St Albans

21 May 2012 8 Responses »

May 212012

Let me be candid for a moment. I’m a little bit of a snob when it comes to restaurant chains. Over the years of eating out in such places, whilst I’ve only occasionally had truly awful experiences, neither have I encountered truly great food either.

I’m not such a prat that I refuse to set foot in such places, and I’ve eaten my share of meals in Pizza Express, Wagamamas et al. They’ve been fine. And of course, I’ll grab a coffee and croissant from the various chains or a quick lunch on the run. But when it comes to choosing where to spend my hard earned cash for a nice meal out, it’s not usually a chain I turn to.

But there are upsides to chains, not least the expectation of a familiar menu, delivered in a consistent way, at prices that have benefited from economies of scale in purchasing. Many chains do a pretty good job of providing food that their public enjoy and can afford, in well-managed spaces run by well-trained staff.

Recently, I accepted an invitation to review Thai Square, a small chain of 17 restaurants in London and nearby towns.

Existing commitments made it easiest for me to visit the St Albans branch, located in the heart of the town centre, on the junction of the tiny George Street and Verulam Road.

It’s housed in a really beautiful 15th century timber-framed building which has been refurbished sensitively to retain original features. Large windows along the George Street side let in plenty of natural light during the day. It’s a very pleasant space.

To start, we both went for freshly blended non-alcoholic fruit drinks. My Melon Mint (£5) was delicious, like a glass of summer, full of the freshness of melon and mint. The layer of froth was enormous though, which meant that the glass contained far less drinkable volume than it appears. Pete’s Kiwi Berry (£5) fared better on that front, and was equally fresh and tasty, combining kiwi fruit with red berries for an altogether sweeter result. Both benefited from being light rather than smoothie thick or sticky; too many places make their non-alcoholic options too dessert-like.

Our first starter was the Giant Duck Spring Roll (£6.50). These were decent, crispy without being greasy and with a nice filling of duck, cabbage, carrots and vermicelli. The hoisin sauce alongside was a decent one, with pleasant slightly smoky flavour. Pete commented that it was like a fried version of aromatic crispy duck pancakes.

For our other starter, we actually ordered a main dish, the Yum Nua (Beef Salad) (£8.95). Described as thinly sliced grilled sirloin with a “fresh cucumber salad, Thai herbs and spicy dressing” I was a little disappointed that there was more celery than cucumber (but that’s because I dislike it and picked it out – the husband didn’t mind its presence at all). The textures and flavours were great, with lovely freshness from cucumber, tomato, raw onion and shredded lettuce, a nice bit of chew from the beef and great heat and flavour from the dressing and herbs. Another plus point is that the salad had been properly tossed, ensuring that all the components were nicely coated in the dressing.

The portion was decent, and would be ideal on its own for a light, healthy lunch.

For actual mains, we quickly selected a (Chicken) Gang Penang (£8.50) as it’s a dish we order regularly and have tried at many Thai restaurants over the years. Described as a “dry curry” it was served with a thick sauce, thicker than we’ve encountered elsewhere. Although the menu listed this dish as relatively hot, with the same two chilli icon as the beef salad, it was actually milder than we expected and could have benefited from a touch more heat.

Wanting to try one of the many fish and seafood dishes on offer, I asked for guidance from the staff and was directed towards the Chu-Chee Goong (King Prawns) (£13.95), recommended for the enormous size of the king prawns. Sadly, although our waitress had just written down our order for Penang chicken, it didn’t occur to her to point out that the sauces are virtually identical. Indeed, when I asked after the dishes had been delivered and tasted, staff confirmed that the only difference was the addition of extra lime leaves to the Chu-Chee. The lack of variation in flavours was a disappointment, but still, the prawns were good, and as promised, the four giants on the plate were truly enormous! Serving them in their shell underneath a thick sauce did make them difficult to eat, but I persevered!

A side dish of Pak Choi With Garlic And Oyster Sauce (£5.95) was excellent, cooked to just the right point of softness and crunchiness and coated nicely in the sauce.

Chicken Fried Rice (£7.50) is another dish we often order, a plain and simply comfort dish that we occasionally crave in place of richer offerings. Although egg fried, coconut or sticky rice might be a more appropriate choice to go with the rest of our order, we wanted to see how Thai Square’s version compared to those we know well. In short, the flavours were right but there was not enough chicken and the portion was much smaller than we’ve encountered elsewhere.

The Kooneow Mamuang (Coconut Sticky Rice With Mango) (£6.50) was surprising and delicious. Surprising because the faintly green rice was not only wonderfully chewy (which I expected) but also salty rather than sweet (which I didn’t). This dense, mildly savoury rice was a great contrast to the fresh mango, though the latter wasn’t as sweet as the best mangoes can be. The coconut cream on the plate served more as decoration than ingredient for me, as it had very little flavour of its own.

So, as you can see, we had a good meal. I’d rate it as decent rather than stellar, but I’m not trying to damn with faint praise. What we ate was certainly better than we’ve had in many (independent, non-chain) Thai restaurants, though not the very best we have experienced.

My only remaining issue is that the prices seem a little high, and that’s even to someone accustomed to London prices. St Albans has a great many dining options, and whilst there’s a large enough population (and visitors) to support them, I can’t help but feel most of the prices are £1 or £2 too spendy for what we ate.

On the bank holiday Saturday lunch time of our visit, we weren’t the only diners, but only 3 other tables were occupied in a space that can seat many, many more.

Kavey Eats dined as a guest of Thai Square.

Cinnamon Kitchen’s Special Vegetarian Menu for National Vegetarian Week

21 May 2012 3 Responses »

May 212012

This week is National Vegetarian Week (21st – 27th May). The idea is to promote inspirational vegetarian food and raise awareness of the benefits of a meat-free lifestyle.

Whilst one does occasionally come across the odd vegetarians who seems to subsist on little more than beans on toast, cheese and chips, I am sure most of us know that it is perfectly possible to follow a healthy, delicious and varied vegetarian diet, if one chooses.

Indeed, my mum was a vegetarian until she moved to the UK in her early 20s, and most of my relatives in India follow a vegetarian diet. Although she did eat meat for a couple of decades, mum has moved back towards vegetarianism, though she is most accurately described as pescetarian, as she has retained fish and seafood in her diet.

Whilst I can’t see me giving up meat any time soon, there are certainly many reasons to reduce the amount of meat I eat, including my health, the environment (it takes more energy and land to produce meat than fruit and vegetables) and of course, my wallet. (What meat I eat I want to be good quality, responsibly reared and delicious and that means paying more for it).

With so many vegetarians in India, it’s no surprise that the cuisines of that country – I use the plural because there are such enormous regional differences – offer a great way for vegetarians, and those simply wishing to reduce their meat intake, to enjoy meat-free meals that look, smell and taste great.

I know this and yet, I’m not very good at putting it into practice.

Recently, I heard about the special menu that Cinnamon Kitchen has devised in celebration of National Vegetarian Week, and was invited along to sample it ahead of it’s launch today. The set menu features 5 vegetarian courses, is priced at £25 per person and is available from the 21st to the 31st of May.

Cinnamon Kitchen is is the 2nd restaurant in a group of three, the first being The Cinnamon Club which opened a little over 10 years ago. Cinnamon Kitchen opened in 2008 and the latest sibling, Cinnamon Soho, just a couple of months ago.

Executive chef of the group is Vivek Singh but CK’s menu is the work of head chef Abdul Yaseen. Yaseen worked with Singh for almost a decade, before taking the head chef role at Cinnamon Kitchen when it opened.

Cinnamon Kitchen has an enviable location within a beautifully modernised old warehouse complex located in a leafy square a stone’s throw from Liverpool Street station. The restaurant entrance opens into the enormous glass-covered Western Courtyard where outdoor tables benefit from lots of light (or a view of the stars) yet are protected from rain and wind.

Inside, to the left is the Anise bar lounge and to the right the main dining area, with space for over 100 covers. As is common for Indian restaurants these days, it’s an attractive space with warm brick walls, modern furniture and enormous globe light fittings. Along one side is an open tandoori grill with a long row of bar stools, like a Japanese sushi bar. Behind, frosted windows give hints of frenzied activity in the main kitchen.

My friend Rachel and I chose a table in one corner, from where we could watch the restaurant fill to bursting with local office workers and empty again only an hour later.

Whilst I do often order vegetarian dishes when eating out, it’s rare for me to choose an entirely vegetarian selection for all courses, so I was genuinely curious as to whether I’d miss meat during the meal.

Before we started on the set menu, we were served an amuse, sent to all the tables. A spherical bread-crumbed potato fritter served on a stick, with gooseberry chutney and a little natural yoghurt, the fritter was soft and crunchy, and the gooseberry chutney a perfect balance of tart, sweet, spiced fruit. My only suggestion would be to be more generous with it, as just the tiniest smear was dabbed onto the potato fritter.

As the first two dishes from the set menu were served chef Abdul Yaseen came to tell me more about the dishes themselves and shared his cooking philosophy for Cinnamon Kitchen.

I tasted of one of the dishes and commented on how absolutely familiar and authentic the taste was, a surprise given the modern presentation of the dish. He responded that his “food is very much within the roots of Indian cuisine“… he aims to share a “modern Indian cuisine” which is “not fusion but innovation“, that is to say he “stick[s] to traditional recipes but play[s] with textures and presentation“. He wants to create “layers of flavour” and “to highlight the ingredients“, which themselves are “adapted to the seasons” here in the UK.

A shot glass of ambi panna was served ice cold. Chef Yaseen told us how he uses the first of the season’s raw mangoes, smoked in a hot oven before being combined with mint, fennel, cumin. Such a lot of flavour in such a small glass! I assume there’s also some chilli to create the intense combination of chilli heat and ice cold temperature… This amuse bouche really slaps the palate awake before the meal to come!

The menu describes the starter as smoked tomato & morel soup, pickled mushroom salad, coriander and lemon cress but chef Yaseen referred to the soup as rasam, a popular South Indian soup featuring tamarind water, tomato, pepper and chilli.

As we tasted it, we immediately thought back to Yaseen’s words about layering flavours and using texture to present traditional dishes in a new way. Slices of morel and a few micro herbs gave more substance to the thin, fragrant and incredibly rich soup. The pickled mushrooms and salad added bouncy chew, sharp vinegar and fresh vegetal notes. Salty, sour, bitter, sweet, and umami – all five taste sensations were present in this one dish and all were perfectly balanced.

The “middle course” of hara kebab, chickpea and sesame cake, English asparagus, curried yoghurt, aubergine crush was also very good. The first thing both of us tasted was the aubergine, deeply, deeply smoky and silky soft, and with a little crunch in the form of diced raw red onion. The spinach kebab was soft and rich with a hint of crispness to the surface. The chickpea and sesame cake was cleverly lifted by sweet pepper. The asparagus spear was perfectly cooked with just the right amount of bite, and with lovely charred flavour to complement the aubergine. I liked the curried yoghurt better than Rachel, though it didn’t have as much flavour as it could have, I liked its tartness. This course really was superbly conceived.

I loved the presentation of the main course of stir fried baby aubergine, cauliflower stuffed potatoes, curried petit pois, slow cooked onion gravy; simply plated, just like it might be at home, but taken to another level by the clever use of a hollowed out potato as edible bowl to the stir fried cauliflower! All the flavours were once again excellent, and very much familiar to those who’ve grown up eating Indian home cooking. The pea curry was probably my favourite, with the peas cooked just enough, bursting freshness in the mouth. The gravy pulled the plate together nicely. I even enjoyed the rice, served plainly but with that distinct delicate flavour of good basmati. My only criticism is that whilst the tomato-y flesh of my baby aubergine was soft and tasty, the skin was very tough, actually difficult to chew.

For dessert, Chef Yaseen stepped away from the Indian tradition and served a lemon grass panna cotta, seasonal berries compote, toasted fennel seeds. Those fennel seeds were the only nod to India, and actually I think they were superfluous. The panna cotta was superb, with wonderful wobble and the most delightful lemon grass flavour, gentle at first but singing by the end of each bite. The berries were cooked so briefly that they had a concentrated compote flavour but were still full of fresh juiciness and perfectly matched with the mint. I loved this and could happily eat it again and again.

Full to bursting, we ordered masala chai, which was served with petits fours. As we drank our delicately spiced tea we reviewed the wine choices sommelier Carlos Pinto had chosen to match with the special menu.

With the first two courses, he selected a pinot blanc from Alsace (Domaine Dopff). With the main, he served a Burgundy pinot noir (Domaine Chanson). And with dessert, a Bera Moscato d’Asti from Piedmont. Rachel felt that the matches were very well chosen indeed, and really worked well to bring out the best in both food and wine.

By the end of our meal, we agreed that the menu was a big success. Neither of us had missed meat for a moment, and the variety of flavours, textures and visual presentation were hugely appealing. For £25, it was also excellent value.

The menu is available until the end of May, and I hope it proves sufficiently popular that Cinnamon Kitchen decide to offer something similar on a permanent basis.

Kavey Eats dined as a guest of Cinnamon Kitchen.

Namaaste Kitchen Regional Indian Menus

18 May 2012 8 Responses »

May 182012

When I was first sent a press release about Namaaste Kitchen in Camden, I was intrigued. Owner, director and “patron chef” Sabir Karim has described the restaurant as an “Indian grill and bar”, with the grill open to view from the restaurant.

Unusually, drinks, bar snacks, and an all-day menu are served seven days a week which could prove useful when trying to dine outside of regular meal times.

But the main attraction for me was the year long regional food festival featuring dishes from a different part of India each month. In February diners tasted the delights of traditional Hyderabadi dishes; in March Karim showcased the cuisine of Goa; during our April visit we sampled specialities from Lucknow; in May diners can try food from Mumbai.

Karim has worked in the restaurant industry for many years, including time at Chutney Mary (which also offers food from across India). His first restaurant, Salaam Namaste in Bloomsbury opened in 2006 and Namaaste Kitchen was launched last year.

Incidentally, am I the only one slightly bothered by the two different spellings of namaste/ namaaste in the restaurant names?

2 images from restaurant website

In a continuing trend away from flocked wallpaper or faux Raj, Namaaste Kitchen boasts exposed brock walls, cream leather banquettes and seats and colourful modern art and light fittings.

Settling in, we quickly ordered drinks. A rich, thick Sweet Lassi (£3.50) for me made from good quality natural yoghurt with a decent tangy flavour. Mum enjoyed her Noon On The Equator non-alcoholic cocktail (£4.50) which included Tabasco, salt and pepper to spice up the orange, tomato and lemon juices, with grenadine for sweetness.

As we ordered, our waiter suggested we try their poppadoms and chutneys (£2.40 per person). We were particularly impressed on asking whether the poppadoms are fried or cooked in the oven, to be told they could accommodate either.

The chutneys were excellent, with one that was so good that mum and I spent a considerable portion of our lunch tasting and re-tasting in an attempt to work out what could be in it. Understandably, Mr Karim kept the recipe close to his chest!

He did tell us that the mango chutney was enhanced by the addition of pineapple. Certainly this gave a rounder flavour.

The green chutney was freshly made but fairly standard and not dissimilar to mum’s green chutney recipe, though we found it a touch bitter.

The tomato one is the one that blew us away! It was sweet and rich with a really distinct spicing. The tomato was still fresh tasting rather than cooked down long and slow. Mum guessed that it had turmeric, fennel seeds and perhaps smoked nigella.

I am going to be begging Mr Karim to reveal his secrets or at the very least, start selling it in jars to enjoy at home!

From the regular menu, Spicy Soft Shell Crab (£5.95) was OK. The texture was both crunchy and very soft, but let down by an excess of greasiness. The crab was very mild indeed and the key flavour that came through was of the green sauce dolloped over the crab. Listed in the menu as a “green pepper corn lemon sauce” to me it tasted the same as the green coriander chutney served with the poppadom. I guess the contents of that spoon must have been the “spicy fig n prunes sauce” and was nice enough, though not sure it was a particularly good match for the crab.

As we were still exclaiming over the last of the tomato concoction served with the poppadoms, a second dish of this was kindly brought out for us, and this worked better with the crab than the chosen condiments.

Also from the regular menu, the Chingree Samosas (£3.95) were disappointing. Described as “spicy prawns wrapped in home made filo pastry” the wrappers were very thick and soggy. The filling was stodgy with little taste of prawn, though I did spot one. The “crystal raw papaya chutney” served alongside tasted good but was a little lacking in moisture.

Our third starter was chosen from the special Lucknow menu. The Dal Chini Macchi Tikka (£5.50) made up for the other two starters. Three generous chunks of salmon fillet were nicely coated in spice and additionally flavoured using the dhungar (smoke) method of tempering that infuses the food with a pleasant smokiness. The fish was soft and moist within a crunchy, spicy coating.

For our mains, we stuck more closely to the Lucknow menu, as mum grew up in this region of India and would be able to comment on the authenticity of the dishes. Our first choice was the Lucknowi Shahi Kofta (£10.95). Shahi translates as fit for a king (or Shah) and usually described a rich sauce often thickened with ground nuts as well as cream or butter. Kofta is often translated as meatball (or meat kebab) but in India it can also refer to vegetable croquettes, as in this case. The deep-fried balls of vegetables were fabulous, with the textures of the different mixed vegetables still distinct, having not been overcooked to a mush. The sauce was suitably rich and beautifully flavoured and it was nice to find large chunks of cashew nuts left whole for additional bite. Both mum and I were impressed with this dish and mum agreed that it was certainly like versions she’s had in Lucknow.

Also from the Lucknow menu, we chose the Peethiwali Macchli (£13.95). The menu explained that sea bass fillets are coated in a rice batter before being fried in mustard oil and simmered in an Avadhi sauce. (Lucknow is located in what was originally known as the Avadh region and hence the cuisine of the area is often referred to as Avadhi). Again the fish inside the crispy coating was soft and moist and the flavours in the coating and sauce were delicious. I was a little disappointed to encounter quite a few fish bones in this dish, but again, we both enjoyed it very much.

From the regular menu side vegetables dishes we tried the Sesame Baby Aubergine (£3.50). Cooked with mustard and curry leaves this reminded me a lot of mum’s stuffed aubergine recipe, which is best made with small sized vegetables. The only negative here was that my little aubergine was undercooked, with that slightly tongue-furring texture that aubergine has until cooked through. But mum’s pieces were cooked al the way through. Good flavours.

We also tried a South Indian style stir fry Vegetables (£3.50) which we quickly realised wasn’t a good fit with anything else we ordered.

Roomali roti (£2.25) was nothing like the soft, draping ones I so enjoy at Dishoom. Rather it was dry and brittle, and we left it to one side.

But the Sheermal (£2.95) from the Lucknow menu was lovely. A rich, thick and soft bread baked in the tandoor and flavoured (and coloured) with saffron milk, this was like a sweet naan and very nice with the fish and vegetable curries.

As mum’s a pescetarian, I’d intended to avoid meat dishes as there were plenty of seafood and vegetable ones for us to choose from. However the friendly restaurant manager Mannu Dahiya recommended that I try the lamb chops, and since the restaurant prides itself on its grilled offerings, I agreed to try a half portion. They were pretty good, with robust spicing and soft meat, cooked deftly to retain a touch of pink inside but with the lovely flavour of charring on the surface. My only disappointment was that, typically for Indian style, every last scrap of fat had been trimmed away, denying me the very special pleasure of lamb chop fat cooked over charcoal. London Turkish restaurants get this right, always leaving a tasty layer of fat on their lamb chops.

Full to bursting, but when we learned that the Rasmalai (£3.95) is made in house, we ordered one portion to share. This sweet dessert is made from paneer or milk curds, cooked in cardamom-flavoured milk or cream. Usually, the balls are served in the cooking liquid, but Namaaste Kitchen presented the dish in a more modern way, with the liquid served chilled in a small shot glass. The liquid was thinner than usual, though this worked well given the way it was served. The curd ball was well flavoured, and not as sweet as it can often be in India. This was definitely a good thing!

We finished with Masala Chai (£2.50 per person) which was served in individual tea pots. We both liked that the tea is made unsweetened, allowing customers to sweeten to their taste, enjoy unsweetened or use artificial sweeteners if they prefer. As mum’s diabetic, this is really helpful.

In the main part, we really enjoyed our meal with some dishes really standing out above the rest. A few let downs mean the meal wasn’t wholly fantastic, but I’d certainly visit again.

We were looked after by a friendly team including Johnny, our waiter and Mannu, the manager who took our order and was able to give us some extra information on the dishes. It was good to see that the owner, Mr Karim, was also on site, and he answered a few more of our questions about the special menu in particular.

Kavey Eats dined as guests of Namaaste Kitchen.

Carom Indian Restaurant at Meza

17 May 2012 No Responses »

May 172012

I met up with a PR friend recently, to discuss new brands and projects her agency are working on, and to catch up about blogging in general. She also has her own blog, so can see things from both perspectives, which is a welcome insight.

We met at Carom at Meza (one of her clients) to sample their lunch menu and a couple of items from their a la carte.

The interior is absolutely cavernous, with regular dining tables near the front window and a mix of regular dining tables, lower chairs, sofas and coffee tables and even some booths towards the back. Quite an effort has been made to break up the space into different areas, and to inject colour. However, it still feels more like a bar and nightclub and given that there’s a DJ playing tunes from Wednesday through to Saturday nights, that’s not a big surprise.

I did like the huge stuffed toy tiger, much more fun than real taxidermy – Indian tigers belong in the wild, alive – not shot and stuffed for display.

The lunch menu offers a choice of three wraps (fish, chicken or vegetable) priced at £4.50 takeaway or £5.50 to eat in or the curry of the day (£5/ £6).

Or you can choose a bento box style meal, available to eat in only. Priced at £7.45 for the vegetarian, £7.95 for chicken or £8.45 for lamb, it’s a little spendy for lunch – you’re looking at a tenner (plus tip) when you include a drink. The box includes a portion of curry plus lentils, salad, raita, bread, poppadum, steamed rice and a dessert.

The a la carte menu is not usually available during lunch, but the kitchen kindly allowed us to order a couple of starters from it, which we enjoyed before our lunch boxes.

The bhelpuri, described on the menu as a puffed rice salad (£3.50), was excellent and a generous portion too. Crunchy puffed rice and sev (fried chickpea flour noodles), fresh red onion, pomegranate seeds and herbs mixed through with a sweet sharp tangy sauce; we both really loved it and the flavours were spot on to the ones I know and love.

The crisp fried chilli squid (£4.75) was described as being tossed in spice mix and served with a coriander dip. The dip seemed more like a sweet and sour than coriander, but was fine. The spicing on the squid was superb, and I was immediately delighted by the pungent taste and smell of kala namak. Kala namak is a dark volcanic salt which contains impurities which give it a very distinct sulphurous kick.

We asked our waitress to find out what spices were used, but to my surprise, she came back with a negative on kala namak. Later, we spoke to some of the chefs who explained that they use a ready-made chat masala, to which they add some roasted ground cumin and chilli flakes. They didn’t know the ingredients of the chat but I’m confident that it must contain this black salt. In any case, the spices worked really well with the fried squid, and I’d definitely go back for this dish.

The chicken curry of the day was butter chicken, which my friend really enjoyed. The lamb of the day was kofta curry, which I liked but didn’t love. Both curries were hotter than we expected, and I found mine a little on the sweet side. The bread was good, hot and freshly made. The lentils were in the form of a thick, tasty yellow daal. I liked that the salad included raw red onion, a very Indian choice though perhaps not ideal if returning to the office after. The raita was little more than a couple of teaspoons of yoghurt for dipping the mini poppadums and the poppadums themselves were the packet crisp style, rather than freshly cooked to order. The biggest disappointment was the stodgy pudding – an oddly sweet but bland blob, which both of us left.

Whilst I enjoyed the meal well enough, it didn’t stand out and wasn’t half as good as the Delhi Grill lunch thali which I tried recently. (I also preferred that Delhi Grill’s was served in Indian thali plates rather than Japanese style bento boxes, as here).

Kavey Eats dined as a guest of Carom at Meza restaurant.

Eating in Amsterdam: Coffee, Cake & Snacks

06 May 2012 8 Responses »

May 062012

Pete and I recently spent 48 hours in Amsterdam. Eschewing all the normal tourist attractions, we spent all our waking hours eating and drinking our way around the city.

I’ve already written about food specialities to look out for in Amsterdam.

In this post, I’ll share places we stopped for coffee, cakes and snacks during our visit.

TAART VAN MIJN TANTE

My Aunty’s Cake, as the name translates, may just be my dream cake shop. In the window is a display of crazy cakes, baubles and knick-knacks. Inside is an eccentric grotto of mismatched chairs and tables, many brightly painted or covered with vivid tablecloths, bright walls, multi-coloured lights and lots of random pictures and ornaments.

Along with our coffees, I ordered a slice of Swedish Princess Cake, described on the menu as “vanilla cake filled with a crème Suisse with light green marzipan“. It was absolutely fantastic, one of the lightest and loveliest cakes I’ve eaten, with a perfectly judged cream filling, a thin but tasty layer of green marzipan and visually beautiful too. Pete’s Chocolate Cake, described as “chocolate cake sprinkled with kirsch, a light sweetened cream filling, crème au beurre, chocolate royal icing” went down just as well.

Both cakes were €4.90 a slice and our lattes were €3.10 each.

Located just around the corner from the Heineken brewery, on the way from the tram stop to Albert Cuyp Straat Market, this is a definite must visit for anyone who loves really good cake with a big dose of kitsch.

Taart van Mijn Tante
Ferdinand Bolstraat 10
Open daily from 10am – 6pm

SINGEL 404

Named for its address, Single 404 is a popular cafe, particularly with students from the nearby university. Like us, I imagine they are drawn to the filling, tasty and great value sandwiches, toasties and oven melts and the relaxed vibe.

The space is small and always busy, though if it looks full at first glance, do check whether there are any free tables on the mezzanine level up the tiny stairs at the back. In warmer weather, the outdoor tables along the canal are a nice choice and the staff will come outside to take your order.

We visited twice during our weekend in Amsterdam, so impressed were we on our first visit, and particularly enjoyed the enormous, freshly made oven melts. Unless you’re hungry, you might want to share one and order a slice of cake afterwards. All Oven Melts are priced at €6.25 each – choose white or brown bread, panini or bagel and then one of the delicious combinations such as “goat’s cheese with honey, pinenuts and thyme“, “brie with smoked chicken, guacamole, sundried tomatoes and Italian herbs” or “ham with cheese, fresh tomato, jalapenos, mustard-mayonnaise and chives“.

Fresh smoothies and shakes, soft drinks, coffees, chai lattes and bottled beers are between €2.10 and €4.00.

Singel 404 is a great choice for brunch, lunch or an afternoon snack, especially for those looking for delicious options on a tight budget.

Singel 404
Open daily from 10:30am – 6pm.

DE LAATSTE KRUIMEL

We stumbled upon this recently opened coffee shop and bakery by accident and found it rather charming. The beautiful historic exterior leads into a quirky interior with a really home-made feel. The work counter has been made from old wooden pallets, as has some of the seating and light fittings include a row of colanders.

The Last Crumb is an appropriate name, as the savoury and sweet baked goods on offer are so good that crumbs are surely all that will remain. From sandwiches and quiches to cakes, brownies, tarts and scones (served with home made lemon curd or jam), everything has an appealing home-styled look.

I believe everything is baked on site from organic ingredients, but do check that with staff if its important to you, as I may have misunderstood.

There isn’t much seating, just one tiny table at the back with a couple of wrought iron chairs, and a few stools by the counter and next to a small shelf table, so I imagine most customers buy treats to takeaway.

Sandwiches range from €3.50 to €5. Sweet treats are priced around €2 to €4.

De Laatste Kruimel
Langebrugsteeg 4
Open daily from 8am – 8pm.

CAFE LATEI

This tiny space is a combination of brocante (bric-a-brac shop) and café, and I rather liked its cramped, quirky interior and all the random bits and bobs on display for sale – retro ’70s lamps and crockery, old comic books, vintage handbags, rock’n'roll memorabilia and even furniture.

The menu is short, with a few sandwiches, a small selection of cakes and a brief drinks list, but is all you need for a relaxing pit stop. Drinks are €2 to €3, cakes are about €3.50.

Café Latei
Zeedijk 143
Open Mon to Wed: 8am – 6pm. Thu to Fri: 8am – 10pm. Sat: 9am – 10pm. Sun: 11am – 6pm.

FEBO

Febo is the ultimate progression of cheap, mass-produced fast food and I can’t say I would recommend it for anything other than the novelty value. As soon as I mentioned our upcoming trip, this place was suggested by a number of food friends as an oddity we’d surely find amusing. We did!

Staff and customer interaction is kept to a minimum; staff stock prepared food directly into glass-fronted vending machines; customers drop in their coins, make a selection, open the appropriate window and claim their chosen poison.

As well as burgers, you can select local specialities such as bamiblok, frikadellen, kaassoufles and a variety of kroketten including beef, chicken and satay. Prices from €1.50 to €3.50.

Be warned, the food isn’t great, though Pete seemed keener on the kaassoufle than I was. Go only if you’re curious about these strange snack automats or are desperate for a quick and cheap alcohol soak!

Febo
Leidsestraat 94 (and other locations)
Open daily from 11.30am – 10pm

ALBERT CUYPSTRAAT MARKET

The market on Albert Cuyp Street was on our must-visit list for Amsterdam. Easy to get to by local tram, we stopped for breakfast at Taart van Mijn Tante before walking all the way down the length of the market and back up again.

On sale is a glorious mix of fresh and prepared produce, flowers, tourist souvenirs, cheap clothing, make up and accessories. And what we came for – the street food stalls.

The fresh produce in particular reflects the multicultural aspect of the neighbourhood, and I was mesmerised by cassava root, green mangoes, haddock roe and other ingredients I’d be hard pushed to find at home. And the biggest grapes I’ve ever seen, I was so focused on taking a photo I didn’t notice the serious-faced bespectacled little boy behind them!

A wide range of snacks are available, from Indonesian grilled meats (with or without satay sauce), hot fried fish and maatjes to stroopwafels and poffertjes. I’d also hoped to find a stall selling Surinamese food, which the area is also known for, but didn’t spot it on our visit.

Vlaardingse Haringhandel

Herring from the North Sea has been a staple of the Dutch diet for centuries. Today, maatjes are a popular snack available from stands around the city. Maatje derives from the Dutch word for ‘virgin’, by the way and refers to the fact that the best herring is caught after the fish have gorged on food but before they’ve had a chance to reproduce.

Though most guides describe maatjes as raw herrings, in fact they are very lightly soused (preserved) in brine. The meltingly soft fish is usually served chopped into pieces, with diced raw onion and pickled gherkins, on a small paper tray (€2.50) or you can opt for broodje (€3) and the vendor will stuff the fish, onion and pickles into a soft bread roll.

Vlaardingse Haringhandel has been in business since 1916 and I can certainly vouch for the tastiness of their offering. The fish was almost silken in texture, with a fresh taste, strong but not overwhelming. The pickled gherkins were so good I bought a jar (€2.50) to bring home. And those raw onions may have been hell on my breath for the next few hours, but I wouldn’t have wanted to miss out on them!

Poffertjes

Poffertjes are made to order, €2 for a portion of 10, €3 for 15 or €4 for 20.

Batter is poured into the specialist cast iron pan, with it’s deep round indentations. The stall holder knows just how long to leave them before flipping them over to cook the other side.

They are served hot over a melting pat of butter, with icing (powdered) sugar sprinkled over the top.

Albert Cuypstraat Market
Albert Cuypstraat
Open Mon to Sat 9am – 5pm.

Next, I’ll be sharing our restaurant finds and some great places to enjoy a drink.

Eurostar UK provided Kavey Eats with return train tickets to Amsterdam and the first night’s hotel reservation.

Eating In Amsterdam: Food Specialities

02 May 2012 7 Responses »

May 022012

There is much good eating to be found in Amsterdam, including a wide range of Dutch specialities and favourites that are well worth seeking out.

Appeltaart

Apple pie, cake or tart is popular in the Netherlands, and in Amsterdam we often saw an enormous apple pie, under its protective glass dome, atop many a bar and cafe counter and on many restaurant menus.

Bamiblok

This unusual recipe involves pressing noodles into a block shape, rolling the block in breadcrumbs and deep frying it. It is sometimes made in other shapes such as bamischijf (disc-shaped). This popular snack is usually accompanied by one of a large range of sauces; see Patat/ Friet, below, for an idea of the range.

Drop

Liquorice is one of the most famous and popular Dutch sweets and is available in a range of shapes and flavours. Zoute drop means ‘salty liquorice’, also known as salmiak (for the ammonium chloride in the recipe). Zoete drop means ‘sweet liquorice’ and flavours include mint, honey and laurel. English liquorice allsorts are known as Engelse (English) drop .

Frikandel

Sausage-shaped, but skinless, this minced-meat snack is are more like a burger in texture and taste, but is deep fried. Developed in the middle of the last century, it’s become one of the most popular snacks in the Netherlands. Most often served with curry ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise it’s also enjoyed with a combination of mayonnaise, curry ketchup and raw onion, in which case it’s called frikandel speciaal.

Gehaktbal

Meatballs are one of those universal dishes; so many cuisines have a version of these in one form or another. In the Netherlands they are often served plain or in a simple tomato sauce.

Haagse Hopjes

Originating from The Hague in the 18th century, these coffee caramel cream sweets are individually wrapped in distinctive packaging.

Hete Bliksem

I love the name of ‘hot lightning’ for this simple dish of boiled potatoes and apples (a mix of sour and sweet) served with stroop (treacle syrup) and an optional scattering of bacon or ham. Variations include the addition or substitution of pears for apples and a thunder and lightning version in which ham and mustard are added.

Kaas

Kaas is the Dutch for cheese. Traditional pubs often offer one or more Dutch cheeses on their bar snacks menu. As well as plain cheeses, versions with cumin, herbs and other spices added are also popular. You may find smoked cheeses too.

Kaassoufle

This cheese snack, popular throughout the Netherlands consists of hot liquid cheese inside a deep fried bread crumbed casing.

Kroket/ Bitterbal

Another very typical Dutch snack, croquettes are most commonly filled with meat ragout, but other fillings are also popular. A great choice with a glass of beer. Kroketten are formed into a short sausage shape. A smaller, round version are known as bitterballen.

Maatje

Though most guides describe maatjes as raw herrings, in fact they are very lightly soused (preserved) in brine. The gills and part of the gullet are removed, to eliminate bitterness, but the liver and pancreas are left in place during the pickling, as the pancreatic enzymes they release are said to contribute to the flavour.

In days gone by, there was much excitement when the herring season started as the nieuwe haring (new herring) was particularly prized for its oil-rich flavour. These days, all herring must be frozen following the catch (to kill nematodes) which means the best fish is available all year round.

The meltingly soft fish is usually served chopped into pieces, with diced raw onion and pickled gherkins, on a small paper tray. For a more filling version, opt for broodje and the vendor will stuff the fish, onion and pickles into a soft bread roll.

Oliebol

Literally ‘oil balls’, oliebollen are Dutch doughnuts, traditionally made to celebrate New Year’s Eve and also popular at funfairs. They are also sold from street stalls, most commonly during winter. Sometimes dried fruits, pieces of apple or citrus zest are mixed into the dough.

Pannenkoek

Dutch pancakes are thinner than American or Scottish ones, but thicker than French crepes and are usually much larger, often up to a foot in diameter. Savoury pannenkoeken often have bacon, apples and cheese added. Plain or sweet ones are usually served with treacle syrup or icing (powdered) sugar.

Patat/ Friet

French fries are ubiquitous in Amsterdam and a very popular snack or quick meal. They are most often served with mayonnaise but you may also find them offered with curry ketchup, variations of mayonnaise such as garlic or curry, Indonesian-inspired sate peanut sauce, speciaal – a mix of mayonnaise, curry ketchup and chopped raw onion, samurai – mayonnaise mixed with sambal oelek (Indonesian chilli paste) or oorlog (‘war) – a (perhaps jarring, given the name) mix of mayonnaise, peanut sauce and raw onion, though it can also be a combination of other sauces and toppings on offer from that vendor.

Poffertjes

These tiny fluffy pancakes made in specialist pans with shallow indentations into which the batter is poured. They are usually served hot with melting butter and icing (powdered) sugar and are enjoyed as a sweet snack or dessert.

Rijsttafel

Just as Indian food has become a national institution in Britain, given our country’s history in India, so Indonesian food is similarly prevalent in the Netherlands. Many Amsterdam restaurants offer the rijsttafel, which translates as ‘rice table’ and describes a meal in which tiny portions of many dishes are served together, along with rice.

Rookworst

Rookworst translates as ‘smoked sausage’, and is made from ground meat, spices and salt stuffed into a sausage casing and smoked. These days, smoke flavourings are sometimes used as a short cut. Rookworst is traditional served with stamppot.

Speculaas / Speculoos Paste

I love speculaas – delicious thin and crunchy spiced shortcrust biscuits, traditionally baked for St Nicholas’ Feast (December 5th) but nowadays available all year round. Often, the biscuits have a picture stamped onto the front before baking

A related delight is speculoos paste (note the French/ Flemish spelling variation), which you can buy in jars from grocery shops. The biggest brand making this seems to be Lotus but others, such as Vermeiren make it too. Thick and spreadable, I’m intending to enjoy the contents of my jar on toast, and maybe as a tasty cake filling.

Spekkoek

Despite the Dutch name translating to ‘pork belly’ or ‘bacon’, spekkoek is actually a cake; another Indonesian dish which has become very popular in the Netherlands. The stripes of cake, built up layer by layer, resemble streaky pork belly bacon. The cake is very rich, containing lots of egg yolks, butter and sugar and is laborious to make. In Indonesian, the cake is known as sweet layer cake or thousand layer cake, and is enjoyed during special celebrations. In the Netherlands, it is often served as dessert in rijsttafel restaurants.

Stamppot

Stamppot means ‘mash pot’ and is a really comforting winter warmer of a dish made from mash potatoes with the addition of onion, bacon and one of a range of leafy green vegetables. Rookworst is often served on top.

Stroopwafel

Much thinner and denser than the light, fat waffles I’m more familiar with, these circular beauties are two thin layers of pressed batter with a treacle syrup filling which has a lovely caramel flavour. These lovely chewy snacks are enjoyed fresh from roadside stands but cold, ready made ones sell very well too.

Tompoes /Tompouce

Although tompoes means ‘tom cat’ or ‘tom puss’ the name actually derives from tompouce, as it’s still sometimes written, i.e. ‘Tom Thumb’. It refers to a traditional pastry made from two layers of puff pastry, a filling of sweet pastry cream and a smooth layer of pink icing on top. The colour varies only on and just before Queen’s Day, when it is orange instead of pink, to reflect the main colour of the Royal Standard.

Wilhelmina Pepermunt

These simple, crumbly peppermint sweets are named for a former queen and come with her likeness embossed on their surface. Available from sweet shops and kiosks, we were often given a couple with the bill at cafes and restaurants.

Coming soon, some specific cafe, restaurant and bar reviews from our trip.

With thanks to Liesbeth for proofing my content and to Eurostar for return train tickets to Amsterdam and the first night’s hotel stay.

Umami Restaurant, Crowne Plaza Hotel, South Kensington

27 Apr 2012 3 Responses »

Apr 272012

Having accepted an invitation to review Umami restaurant, events (at my end) conspired against me and it was some weeks before I could reschedule a visit. By that time, my internal monologue had done a Chinese Whispers number on the cuisine of the restaurant from Asian to Indian, so I was quite surprised to discover on arrival that it offers dishes from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Oh and I went to the wrong tube station too, convinced it was closest to South Kensington but discovering on arrival that it’s right around the corner from Gloucester Road.

And if I ever took in that the restaurant was in a hotel, I’d forgotten that as well, though I quickly worked it out when I arrived. The restaurant is to the right of the entrance, and the reception and lobby to the left and both are open to each other.

The decor is modern East Asian, nothing unusual, quite attractive. My booking is for lunch so lots of light spills in from large windows in the traditional Cromwell Road facade. The restaurant is empty, and until my friend arrives, the waiter and I are the only people there. Later, a family of three arrive – and that’s it for the duration of our long and leisurely lunch.

If you’re looking for a buzzing atmosphere, this isn’t it.

But if the food is key, then you may agree that Umami is well worth a visit.

Black Midsummer Mango tea (£3.85) takes me back more than 20 years.

When I was a teenager, my friends and I would take the train into London and mooch around Camden Market. I always took the opportunity to visit a tea stall in the Canal Market, run by an elderly gentleman who was charming and enthusiastic about his tea. I always bought his black mango tea, plus one or two others and was very sad when, one year, I discovered him and his stall gone.

I may have to investigate where Umami source this one from, as I’d like to buy some for home!

My friend arrives and we indulge in cocktails, a Lychee Martini for her and a Great Lotus for me. At the moment, these are the only two cocktails available, so here’s hoping everyone likes lychee liqueur as it features in both. The martini mixes the liqueur with Martini Rosso and gin for a sweet cocktail with a slightly bitter and spicy aftertaste. Mine is a combination of lychee liqueur, vodka, grenadine and cranberry juice and is sweet and refreshing.

The starters are available in small (£3 – £5) and sharing (£5 – £9) sizes. We opt for small ones, so we can try more dishes, and our waiter recommends a couple more to add to our list.

Thai Calamari (£5) in a sweet basil, garlic and peppercorn sauce has a fantastic depth of flavour. The thick brown sauce is tangy, sweet and smoky. What excites me the most are the tiny peppercorns – they burst in the mouth like fresh vegetables rather than the shrivelled berries I’m used to, yet have the familiar taste of pepper! I’ve since discovered you can buy these in the UK, from Thai and Chinese grocery stores.

Chicken Satay (£3) is not like the usual chewy affair. The tender chicken skewers have been grilled rather than fried, and taken off the heat before they become tough. Often, the only flavour I can detect is of the peanut sauce itself, but this time the marinade comes through too.

I’ve never come across Tempura Lychee (£3) before. The lychees are stuffed with minced prawn and chicken, then battered and fried and served on top of a thin slice of scallop. Both of us really like the unusual combination of sweet exotic lychee with a savoury filling.

Roti Canai (£5) is a Malaysian dish which originally hails from India, brought over in the early 19th century by Indian immigrant labourers. The buttery, flaky flatbread is just like an Indian paratha and this is served fresh and hot with a thick, yellow dal described on the menu as an “Indian dipping curry”. Both are very good. Although I know that Indian food is very much a part of Malaysian cuisine, it’s still strange for me to encounter Indian flavours in a menu of East Asian dishes.

Gado Gado (£6) is an Indonesian salad of warm crunchy vegetables tossed in a tamarind and peanut sauce. This one features tofu, which I love. It’s a simple dish, where the fresh taste and texture of the vegetables is paramount.

The Keropok prawn crackers (£2) are light and spicy. They’re the style found in Thai restaurants, and far less greasy than the white ones served in UK Chinese restaurants.

The Ped Makham (£12) is a beautifully presented plate of seared duck with tamarind sauce, served over crunchy strips of mange tout and sprinkled with deep fried shallots. The duck is well cooked, pink and tender. The sauce is sweet, sour and intense but neither sickly nor greasy. This is fantastic!

Gang Kiew Wan Gai (£5 / £9) Thai green chicken curry with pea aubergines is a beautiful shade of green, far more vibrant and fresh than the usual pale green offering. The flavour is similarly striking, with fresh herb flavours in a nicely balanced paste. It’s sweet and sharp, not sickly sweet, and has a nice level of chilli heat. The meat is meltingly soft. I’d say the pea aubergines are underripe though.

The Satong Sumbat (£14) is unlike anything I’ve had before and I’m grateful to our waiter for recommending it. Baby squid are stuffed with spiced mince chicken and slow cooked in a spicy broth within a clay pot. The squid casing is soft, the filling is intensely savoury, my friend giggles as she describes it as “really chickeny” but I know just what she means. And that sauce, over some Steamed Fragrant Rice, is fantastic.

The Sambal (£1) is another of our waiter’s ‘must have’ recommendations and again, I’m glad of his advice. This condiment is popular in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Sri Lanka but the version presented to us is a Malaysian sambal belacun, made with 13 ingredients, of which our waiter can recall chillis, onions, star anise, cinnamon and of course, belacun – fermented ground shrimp. I think sugar and lime juice are also commonly included. Whatever is in it, we both love the spicy, sweet, salty sauce, particularly because it is the flavour of the chillis rather than excessive heat that comes through.

Surprised by our own greediness, but tempted because of how good everything has been so far, we decide to squeeze in dessert. The Kuih Dada (£5) is a Malaysian dessert of pandan-flavoured crepes filled with coconut and palm sugar. This is another intense dish, and we love it. The shredded coconut is soaked in a caramelly palm sugar syrup. Fabulous!

Our last choice is a scoop of Stem Ginger Ice Cream and one of Green Tea Ice Cream. It’s telling that, although we agree that the stem ginger is the weakest thing we’ve been served throughout our meal, there’s nothing really wrong with it – although it has a hint of “perfumed soap” about it, it does taste of stem ginger, as expected. The green tea ice cream is better, with a clean matcha flavour, though it doesn’t quite live up to the best green tea ice cream I’ve ever had, which I experienced at Kimchee recently.

It’s hard to comment on service as we were the only diners in the restaurant for most of our visit and our lovely waiter, Kenneth, knew we were on a review visit. However, he clearly had an excellent knowledge of all the dishes on the menu and was able to tell us more about all those we asked about, and give us personal recommendations.

Often there are one or two stand out dishes that make me want to return to a restaurant. Here, it’s hard to narrow it down and I’d go back for the calamari and lychee tempura starters, the Gado Gado salad, all three of our main dishes and that coconut palm sugar crepe, all of which were utterly delicious.

Kavey Eats dined as a guest of Umami restaurant.

Charlotte’s Bistro, Chiswick

26 Apr 2012 3 Responses »

Apr 262012

Charlotte’s is just the kind of bistro I’d love to have locally to me.

It offers thoughtfully designed and lovingly produced dishes in a convivial atmosphere. Service is from enthusiastic and friendly staff. Pricing, for London, is very reasonable.

My misfortune is the residents of Turnham Green’s fortune, as the restaurant is located in this residential neighbourhood of Chiswick.

Just inside the entrance is a cosy bar area with seating. Stairs lead up half a level, to a larger restaurant section, most of which sits beneath an enormous skylight, letting in lots of natural light, or a view of the night sky.

Cocktails to start, and there are some very innovative ones on the list, including my Venezuela Port (£7.50) featuring rum and fresh lemon curd which tastes just as you’d expect. It’s not visually very attractive but it tastes fabulous! Pete’s Rhubarb Fizz (£7.50) with fresh ginger root, poached rhubarb, rum, rum orange liqueur, lime juice and a Prosecco top is also deemed rather tasty, and has the added bonus of looking rather splendid too.

A board of bread and butter is brought out with our aperitifs, and the bread is excellent – fresh, great texture and good flavour.

Once we’ve made our menu selections, with the help of our waiter, we are served an amuse bouche, which is essentially a smaller portion of one of the starters we didn’t choose – parsley soup with a crisp bread topped with egg, bacon and some other bits and pieces.

Although the Vacherin fondant I’d been recommended by a friend is no longer on the menu, its successor, the Charlotte Potato & Goats Cheese Fondant . Wild Garlic . Grapefruit . Asparagus (£8) is very similar and absolutely fantastic. A feather-light, crispy shell releases a flood of soft melted cheese. The warm vegetable salad and dressing match it very well. This dish is a true winner.

I order the Beetroot Poached Salmon . Fennel Preserve . Burnt Orange Purée . Watercress (£8), asking for the chef to skip the fennel preserve, as I’m not a fan of aniseed flavours. When the waiter delivers the dish, he has brought me the preserve in a side dish, so I can try it if I’d like to, which is a nice touch and one I appreciate. The plating is really pretty. I really enjoy the plump, fresh pieces of salmon which have picked up a little sweetness from the beetroot. For more sweetness there are quenelles of beetroot puree and to balance in the other direction, the most amazing little dots of burnt orange puree. These are a revelation for me, as I assume on first glance that such tiny spots are purely decorative, but quickly realise they are sufficiently intense to come through very clearly on the palate. Also on the plate are dollops of sour cream or crème fraiche, with a welcome fresh acidity.

In the main, my Gilt Head Bream Fillet . Shellfish Bourride . Squid & Pork Dumplings . Paprika Aioli (£16.50) is excellent. The fish is perfectly cooked, the flesh soft and tender but not mushy, and the skin crunchy crisp. Beneath it is the shelfish bourride, with lovely small mussels and clams. The problem for me is the cubed squid and pork dumplings which are ever so salty, so much so that I have to leave them uneaten.

The side of purple sprouting broccoli is cooked simply, and not overdone, so the crunch of fresh vegetable comes through.

Although tempted by the Glazed Scotch Bavette . Ox Cheek Bordelaise . Bone Marrow . Watercress & Shallots (£16) Pete decides in the end to go veggie for his main as well, choosing the Organic Spelt Risotto . Cheddar “Gratin” . Cévennes Onion . Lime . Charred Spring Onion (£14.50). Though a touch heavy-handed on the salt, the risotto is very tasty. The slices of onion are fabulous, with all the deep flavours and none of the harshness of some onion varieties. The spring onions are a little tough but with great flavour.

Our amuses, starters and mains were served in very quick succession. But, after ordering our desserts, we have a long wait, longer than is comfortable, and am just looking to catch someone’s eye to ask after them when they finally arrive.

My Bitter Chocolate & London Porter Ice Cream . Treacle . Fleur De Sel . Sesame Cracker (£6) is a dish of two halves. The sesame cracker is deliciously thin, crispy and tasty. The chocolate mousse to one side gives me a deep, rich, dark chocolate hit. The salty nuts on the plate are lovely. But the scoop of London porter ice is so disappointing. On the flavour front, I pick up only a mild taste of chocolate and the porter doesn’t come through at all. More of an issue for me is the grainy texture, with big ice crystals right through it.

Pete’s Amalfi Lemon Curd . Lavender Meringue . Shortbread . Raspberry Sorbet (£6) on the other hand, is marvellous. All four elements are absolutely excellent in flavour and texture and go together beautifully. In addition, it looks stunning on the plate.

So, some great cooking, with lots of highlights and just a few dips. And, best of all, a chef who is creating some innovative dishes, rather than serving the same old same old.

On the drinks front, Pete is impressed with the wine list, in particular the ability to order wines by the 375 ml carafe (equivelant to half a bottle). He also appreciates the number of affordable options, with many bottles priced at less than £30.

In terms of pricing, the a la carte prices I’ve listed are more than reasonable for the quality of cooking, so no quibbles there – a three course meal ranges from £27 to £33.50.

But Charlotte’s becomes an absolute bargain if you go for lunch or an early evening dinner; the price for dinner drops to £26 per person, including an aperitif and lunch is a crazy good deal at 2 Courses for £12.95 and 3 for £15.95, ordered from the regular a la carte menu.

Talking to owner Alex Wentham after our meal, we learned that he is planning to further simplify pricing by setting a fixed price regardless of choice. Given that there is only 6.50 between the least and most expensive selections, that makes perfect sense.

Kavey eats dined as a guest of Charlotte’s Bistro.

Hawksmoor Spitalfields Bar

03 Apr 2012 6 Responses »

Apr 032012

The new Hawksmoor Spitalfields Bar is both a new venture, for restaurateurs Huw Gott and Will Beckett, and a return to their starting point, located as it is in the basement of their first restaurant, Hawksmoor Spitalfields.

Unlike the bars at their Guildhall and Seven Dials restaurants, the latest bar feels like a much more separate space, and indeed the regular restaurant menu is not available here, due to the small size of the kitchen. (The main restaurant upstairs uses the original kitchen, also pretty small).

Bang on trend, the space is dark and intimate with retro tiling and a simple decor. There are three huge booths, of which we are lucky enough to be seated in one, and a number of tall tables with stool chairs around them.

Some things are familiar though, such as a list of original cocktails and a short sweet list of mainly local beers from brewers such as Meantime and Kernel. A handful of cocktails are on the permanent list. These are joined by the Desert Island five, which will be devised and selected monthly by the large bar team across all three properties.

The menu is short and sweet, split into food, sides and puddings.

We order four items from the sides list, thinking some will work as starters and some as sides to our main order.

I’ve already heard great things about the shortrib nuggets (£6) and they don’t disappoint. Served piping hot with a vibrant and punchy dipping sauce these bread-crumbed beauties contain soft flakes of deeply flavoured meat, chopped pickles and oozing melted cheese. There are 6 in the serving and they don’t last long!

Smashed cucumbers (£3) seem a little steeply priced but are rather good. Very lightly soused in a mild, sweet pickling liquid, they still have the taste and texture of fresh.

The oxtail poutine (£6) comes out with our mains and is not an attractive dish. That’s because it’s all about the eating, and believe me, on that front it definitely delivers. Fantastic chips, fluffy inside but with a decent crunch on the outside, are smothered in gravy, melted cheese and immensely savoury oxtail meat. There’s gravy beneath them too, so the bottom chips get good and soggy by the time you reach them.

I am unable to resist the lobster roll, which is priced at £15 rather than the £20 listed on the online menu. That’s just as well as it’s not very large, though it’s reasonably generously filled. The roll is soft and sweet, which brings out the sweetness in the meat. Although the meat tastes really great, it’s a touch too soft, either overcooked or cooked and left aside for too long, I’m not sure which. In any case, it’s a minor quibble and I enjoy every bite.

Pete’s chilli cheese dog (£10) is also a little expensive though it tastes fantastic, with a lovely smoky dog, punchy chilli, though very little of it and some oozy cheese. However, the roll it’s on is far too small for it, so small that it’s actually not possible to pick it up in the conventional way, as the roll doesn’t extend at all around the sausage. It’s a delicious dog but a tenner ought to buy a big enough roll to hold the thing!

The Tamworth laab (£6) is the one thing on the menu that just doesn’t make sense to me. Laab is a Laotian / Thai ground meat salad and the Spitalfields Bar version is good and tasty – strong flavours and a pleasant but not too strong chilli kick. It could do with a few more lettuce leaves with which to parcel up the meat, I think, but the dish is decent. However, it doesn’t fit with anything else on the menu, and I can’t work out what it’s doing on there.

I am already full but, like a moth drawn to a flame, am unable to resist once again, when I see peanut butter shortbread with salted caramel ice cream (£7) in the puddings list. Served hot out of the oven, this is magnificent! I’d venture to say it’s one of the best desserts I’ve had for ages, and the mix of hot, crumbly pastry, a gooey melted peanut butter filling and the tangy sweet salted caramel ice cream is worth busting a gut for!

So good is my own sweet that I don’t even want to taste Pete’s lemon meringue pie (£6) as it’ll mean one less bite of my own that I’ll be able to manage! He assures me it’s a good example of the dish.

So that’s the food, what about service? We’ve been looked after by Miguel all evening, and he’s enthusiastically helped us with understanding some of the menu items, making our selection, and checked that everything is OK during our meal. Staff seem well trained and on the ball, as they do at all the Hawksmoor venues.

I know that if I worked locally, this is just the kind of casual bar restaurant I’d love to have around the corner, to drag colleagues into for a quick drink and tasty bite after work.

Kavey Eats dined as guests of Hawksmoor Spitalfields Bar.

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