London Calling - Page 4

markh · 21st January 2010, 12:13 AM

Good post from LondonEater HERE on the Michelin awards in his home town.

(also posted on Michelin thread)

meatmonger · 28th January 2010, 11:19 PM

thanks for tip on Alan Ducass at the Dorchester. Amazing 3 course lunch this week including 2 small glasses of nice wines, mineral water, coffee and petit fours. Basically all you could want for £45 each money v well spent. Service amazing, and generously offered to meet the Head Chef with full kitchen tour and what a kitchen it is. Everyone clearly beaming at the third star and fair played. Really impressing, money no object! I want their knives!

Launceston place offered two brilliant dishes; venison tartare (never thought I would be saying that!) and also the truffle risotto were exceptional otherwise experience let down a little by being slow and little help on wine front.

burkean · 6th April 2010, 01:04 PM

Went to the Harwood Arms on Friday night. Just re-read Chefsmith's post from earlier this year and remembered he's visited too.

Awesome visit - had the snails, bone marrow, oxtail and parsley to start. GF had a smoked eel tart with rhubarb and horseradish.

For mains - I'd the lamb-chops, haggis fritters, pickled cabbage, cale and caper berries. GF had beef cheeks (can't remember what they came with - was too engrossed in mine).

Shared a cheese plate for desert - ok - but not brilliant (I'm often underwhelmed by cheese in restaurants - don't know why).

With a really good red "Cal Pla" (Spanish - £27) and four ports (one was vintage at £15) the bill (incl. service) came to £137.

Bargain. Will definitely go back.

meatmonger · 6th April 2010, 02:00 PM

Made use of day closed by eating in Hereford Rd on Good Friday.

It was good and simple, but wasn't blown away! Very good value though and worth checking out. I'm pretty sure that starters were bigger than the mains which is a first in my book.

burkean · 7th April 2010, 08:22 AM

It was actually a a close call between the Harwood Arms and Hereford Rd for us! I very nearly was there myself. Only reason why we went to H-Arms was because we were in the bar at Harvey Nichols and it was a shorter hop to Fulham for us than normal (whereas Notting Hill is always easy).

Cocktails in H-Nic's bar were brilliant. I had a cognac, vanilla, lemon and fig martini that was bloody amazing.

chefsmith · 22nd April 2010, 12:22 AM

Im going to work in the Ledbury and Harwood for July, Cant wait.

markh · 1st June 2010, 03:55 AM

Has anyone been to Hawksmoor, In Commercial Street, EC1 ? It seems to be popular with the blogger community but I'd be interested to hear any first-hand experiences.

I'm returning from a one a half year stint in Eastern Indonesia in two weeks' time and stopping off in London for two or three days there en route to home. Some friends have suggested that we go there for my first western dinner in a long time so I hope my stomach can take it !!

hutspot · 4th June 2010, 04:13 AM

Are you going to london for the whole month chef smith, think it s a great idea. A friend of mine here in his late 30s just finished a stage in a 3* over here and came back refreshed and back in love with cooking(after he got over the exhaustion). If you have the time definetly keep us posted on how things go over there

burkean · 4th June 2010, 07:50 AM

Markh - a friend of mine tried to get us into Hawksmoor last night (she lives just round the corner in Spitalfields) and it was absolutely rammed. We hadn't a hope of getting a table. I've heard a lot of good reports.

All ended well though. We went for something a lot more seasonally appropriate and ate at Ottolenghi. If you've not yet seen their cookbook, then have a look at it for some brilliantly original salads. Ideal for barbeque season.

I had lamb sweetbreads with a caper salad last night. That was great. But the pork belly with gooseberries was amazing.

chefsmith · 4th June 2010, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hutspot

Are you going to london for the whole month chef smith, think it s a great idea. A friend of mine here in his late 30s just finished a stage in a 3* over here and came back refreshed and back in love with cooking(after he got over the exhaustion). If you have the time definetly keep us posted on how things go over there

hi hutspot,
Im hoping to get over for as long as poss. about 3.5 weeks is the plan. But i'll be doing double shifts every day to try and soak up as much as possible, im off on holidays then for month of Aug so plenty of time to recouperate.
I'm doing half in The ledbury and half in Harwood Arms, which is a similar style of what we will be aiming for, though we have a different set up. we will be hoping to be the first Irish pub in Austria to get a Haube ( German Equivalent of michelin - 1 haube = a touch more than a Bib Gourmand)

Will def keep updated, im nervous about going over and making a tit of meself to be honest!

hutspot · 8th June 2010, 08:19 AM

Respect Chef Smith, am hearing great things about both places and it will be an education,pity but I will be in London in August and they are definetly on the list to go to.
An added bonus for my friend was that he lost about 9kg in 3 weeks, he also told me one night he was so exhausted he fell asleep on the stairs of his friends house after an especially tough saturday service,(i think alcohol may have been involved but he was going for dramatic effect)

chefsmith · 8th June 2010, 03:57 PM

IM hoping to lose some weight, this viennesse food is heeeaaavvvvvvvyyyyy and i've gained a fair bit of weight.

I know a guy who did a stage in le manoir au quat saisons in oxford and he worked a long day and fell asleep in the car park as he put key into ignition, woke up at 3am with 3 hours to go until his next shift.....

YumYum · 10th June 2010, 07:13 AM

Heading to London this weekend. Tried to book a table at Wild Honey for either Friday or Saturday night but 21.45 is the earliest I can get either night. Similar problem with Scotts.
*
So have booked Bibendum for Saturday evening.
*
And have booked Cocoon on Regent Street for Friday evening
Has anyone been to either?

YumYum · 10th June 2010, 09:57 AM

Does anyone have a recommendation for Soho or nearby also?

unclepat · 10th June 2010, 10:32 AM

I've never been to Cocoon or Bibendum but can recommend Arbutus, Tierra Brindisa and Hix in Soho. I understand also that Alexis Gauthier has opened his own place in Soho recently called Gauthier. Haven't been but I ate his food before at Roussillion and it was excellent.

bigjoe · 10th June 2010, 11:35 AM

another vote for Arbutus. really enjoyed my meal there.

burkean · 11th June 2010, 07:26 AM

Bibendum is awesome. Absolutely fantastic.

Unclepat is bang on the money with Hix (try the cocktails downstairs) and Tierra Brindisa. To that I'd also add Dehesa and Boca di Lupa.

Just the far side of Soho, heading into Covent Garden is the Giaconda Dining Rooms on Denmark St - also extremely good.

YumYum · 14th June 2010, 08:06 PM

Thanks for the tips. On the basis of the suggestions here on FnC we went to Wild Honey on Friday, following a nice cocktail in the Polo bar around the corner. Not overly impressed with the honeycomb and honeycomb icecream for dessert, but the veal main and smoked trout tart starter were very good.

On Saturday lunch in the Refinery Bar and Restaurant was tasty, but the service was terrible. That night night four of us went for truly delicious cocktails in Milk&Honey, followed by dinner in Yauatcha - which was great because I got to try lots of exciting dishes. I recommend it.

YumYum · 14th June 2010, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burkean

Bibendum is awesome. Absolutely fantastic.

Unclepat is bang on the money with Hix (try the cocktails downstairs) and Tierra Brindisa. To that I'd also add Dehesa and Boca di Lupa.

Just the far side of Soho, heading into Covent Garden is the Giaconda Dining Rooms on Denmark St - also extremely good.

We were going to try Tierra Brindisa, but our London friend told us that we might end up queuing for a long time, as you cannot book. One of the girls had thrown her back out, so that was out - next time! You are lucky, foodwise, to be based in London Burkean. So much choice!

burkean · 1st July 2010, 01:52 PM

Went to Boca di Lupa last night.

We had:

Clam risotto with wild garlic (eye wateringly tasty)
Deep fried buffalo mozzarella (very flavoursome chesse)
Pan roast rump of lamb (awesome)
Pork and foie gras sausage with faro and porcini mushrooms
Chilled spinach with lemon
Courgettes with chilli and garlic

Drank a very nice Sangiovese from Abruzzo (about £37). Bill in total came to £84 incl. tip.

Really, really enjoyed it. Last time I went to BDL, I thought it was quite overrated and a bit too caught up in its own hype. This time, now that the fashionista hordes have buggered off elsewhere (presumably to that new place in the Mandarin Oriental that everyone's raving about), BDL has settled into somewhere very good indeed.

Good value if a little bit extravagant for what was meant to be "just a quick drink after work" on a Wednesday.

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21st January 2010, 12:13 AM	#61
markh Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Bray, Wicklow Posts: 49	Good post from LondonEater HERE on the Michelin awards in his home town. (also posted on Michelin thread)

28th January 2010, 11:19 PM	#62
meatmonger Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Bridgend, Co Donegal Posts: 370	thanks for tip on Alan Ducass at the Dorchester. Amazing 3 course lunch this week including 2 small glasses of nice wines, mineral water, coffee and petit fours. Basically all you could want for £45 each money v well spent. Service amazing, and generously offered to meet the Head Chef with full kitchen tour and what a kitchen it is. Everyone clearly beaming at the third star and fair played. Really impressing, money no object! I want their knives! Launceston place offered two brilliant dishes; venison tartare (never thought I would be saying that!) and also the truffle risotto were exceptional otherwise experience let down a little by being slow and little help on wine front.

6th April 2010, 01:04 PM	#63
burkean Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: London Posts: 315	Went to the Harwood Arms on Friday night. Just re-read Chefsmith's post from earlier this year and remembered he's visited too. Awesome visit - had the snails, bone marrow, oxtail and parsley to start. GF had a smoked eel tart with rhubarb and horseradish. For mains - I'd the lamb-chops, haggis fritters, pickled cabbage, cale and caper berries. GF had beef cheeks (can't remember what they came with - was too engrossed in mine). Shared a cheese plate for desert - ok - but not brilliant (I'm often underwhelmed by cheese in restaurants - don't know why). With a really good red "Cal Pla" (Spanish - £27) and four ports (one was vintage at £15) the bill (incl. service) came to £137. Bargain. Will definitely go back.

6th April 2010, 02:00 PM	#64
meatmonger Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Bridgend, Co Donegal Posts: 370	Made use of day closed by eating in Hereford Rd on Good Friday. It was good and simple, but wasn't blown away! Very good value though and worth checking out. I'm pretty sure that starters were bigger than the mains which is a first in my book.

7th April 2010, 08:22 AM	#65
burkean Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: London Posts: 315	It was actually a a close call between the Harwood Arms and Hereford Rd for us! I very nearly was there myself. Only reason why we went to H-Arms was because we were in the bar at Harvey Nichols and it was a shorter hop to Fulham for us than normal (whereas Notting Hill is always easy). Cocktails in H-Nic's bar were brilliant. I had a cognac, vanilla, lemon and fig martini that was bloody amazing.

22nd April 2010, 12:22 AM	#66
chefsmith Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Dublin Posts: 543	Im going to work in the Ledbury and Harwood for July, Cant wait.

1st June 2010, 03:55 AM	#67
markh Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Bray, Wicklow Posts: 49	Has anyone been to Hawksmoor, In Commercial Street, EC1 ? It seems to be popular with the blogger community but I'd be interested to hear any first-hand experiences. I'm returning from a one a half year stint in Eastern Indonesia in two weeks' time and stopping off in London for two or three days there en route to home. Some friends have suggested that we go there for my first western dinner in a long time so I hope my stomach can take it !!

4th June 2010, 04:13 AM	#68
hutspot Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: amsterdam Posts: 81	Are you going to london for the whole month chef smith, think it s a great idea. A friend of mine here in his late 30s just finished a stage in a 3* over here and came back refreshed and back in love with cooking(after he got over the exhaustion). If you have the time definetly keep us posted on how things go over there

4th June 2010, 07:50 AM	#69
burkean Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: London Posts: 315	Markh - a friend of mine tried to get us into Hawksmoor last night (she lives just round the corner in Spitalfields) and it was absolutely rammed. We hadn't a hope of getting a table. I've heard a lot of good reports. All ended well though. We went for something a lot more seasonally appropriate and ate at Ottolenghi. If you've not yet seen their cookbook, then have a look at it for some brilliantly original salads. Ideal for barbeque season. I had lamb sweetbreads with a caper salad last night. That was great. But the pork belly with gooseberries was amazing.

8th June 2010, 08:19 AM	#71
hutspot Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: amsterdam Posts: 81	Respect Chef Smith, am hearing great things about both places and it will be an education,pity but I will be in London in August and they are definetly on the list to go to. An added bonus for my friend was that he lost about 9kg in 3 weeks, he also told me one night he was so exhausted he fell asleep on the stairs of his friends house after an especially tough saturday service,(i think alcohol may have been involved but he was going for dramatic effect)

8th June 2010, 03:57 PM	#72
chefsmith Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Dublin Posts: 543	IM hoping to lose some weight, this viennesse food is heeeaaavvvvvvvyyyyy and i've gained a fair bit of weight. I know a guy who did a stage in le manoir au quat saisons in oxford and he worked a long day and fell asleep in the car park as he put key into ignition, woke up at 3am with 3 hours to go until his next shift.....

10th June 2010, 07:13 AM	#73
YumYum Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 250	Heading to London this weekend. Tried to book a table at Wild Honey for either Friday or Saturday night but 21.45 is the earliest I can get either night. Similar problem with Scotts. * So have booked Bibendum for Saturday evening. * And have booked Cocoon on Regent Street for Friday evening Has anyone been to either?

10th June 2010, 09:57 AM	#74
YumYum Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 250	Does anyone have a recommendation for Soho or nearby also?

10th June 2010, 10:32 AM	#75
unclepat Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 733	I've never been to Cocoon or Bibendum but can recommend Arbutus, Tierra Brindisa and Hix in Soho. I understand also that Alexis Gauthier has opened his own place in Soho recently called Gauthier. Haven't been but I ate his food before at Roussillion and it was excellent.

10th June 2010, 11:35 AM	#76
bigjoe Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Dublin Posts: 486	another vote for Arbutus. really enjoyed my meal there.

11th June 2010, 07:26 AM	#77
burkean Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: London Posts: 315	Bibendum is awesome. Absolutely fantastic. Unclepat is bang on the money with Hix (try the cocktails downstairs) and Tierra Brindisa. To that I'd also add Dehesa and Boca di Lupa. Just the far side of Soho, heading into Covent Garden is the Giaconda Dining Rooms on Denmark St - also extremely good.

14th June 2010, 08:06 PM	#78
YumYum Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 250	Thanks for the tips. On the basis of the suggestions here on FnC we went to Wild Honey on Friday, following a nice cocktail in the Polo bar around the corner. Not overly impressed with the honeycomb and honeycomb icecream for dessert, but the veal main and smoked trout tart starter were very good. On Saturday lunch in the Refinery Bar and Restaurant was tasty, but the service was terrible. That night night four of us went for truly delicious cocktails in Milk&Honey, followed by dinner in Yauatcha - which was great because I got to try lots of exciting dishes. I recommend it.

1st July 2010, 01:52 PM	#80
burkean Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: London Posts: 315	Went to Boca di Lupa last night. We had: Clam risotto with wild garlic (eye wateringly tasty) Deep fried buffalo mozzarella (very flavoursome chesse) Pan roast rump of lamb (awesome) Pork and foie gras sausage with faro and porcini mushrooms Chilled spinach with lemon Courgettes with chilli and garlic Drank a very nice Sangiovese from Abruzzo (about £37). Bill in total came to £84 incl. tip. Really, really enjoyed it. Last time I went to BDL, I thought it was quite overrated and a bit too caught up in its own hype. This time, now that the fashionista hordes have buggered off elsewhere (presumably to that new place in the Mandarin Oriental that everyone's raving about), BDL has settled into somewhere very good indeed. Good value if a little bit extravagant for what was meant to be "just a quick drink after work" on a Wednesday.