my favourites.
Here’s my rolling list of all the places that are present in my mind so far. I will update it periodically as I discover new things. It is by no means exhaustive, these are places I have been in the past, and a few of…
Ikoyi London, Sept 2020
September 2020, London, UK. Post Lockdown, Jeremy Chan and team are better than ever. Plantain, kombu, ginger and thick-cut honey truffle ‘cookies’. Mackerel, langoustine oil, the greatest cuisson on mack ive ever come across. Tetra squash, Ikoyi’s own-made pumpkinseed miso, husk cherries, juicy like a…
#scrambledkang: beef tartare with endives
beef tartare with endives With angus sirloin, shallots, chives, pickles, capers, lemon, salt, pepper, sriracha, mayo, touch of brandy, balsamic, aged rice vinegar, sesame oil, evoo. Topped with crispy onions, more chives, egg yolk. Then smashed, mixed up and covered with endives. Prep Assembly
#scrambledkang: Egg(s) and Asparagus
======== we’re all on IG these days, and my blog has really become a bit of a digital museum. I do treat it like one as well, and upload my favourite memories here. Mainly because this is my own url and I get to keep…
Le Clarence, Paris
restaurant details: website , IG I finally made it here and can genuinely say that I totally believe all the fanfare bandied around Christophe Pele’s gem in the house of Haut Brion. His cuisine is one of modernity, subtlety and clarity. Decidedly French with flourishes…
Endo at the Rotunda
restaurant details: website , IG I am so glad to finally see Endo san in his own digs. I’ve been waiting 3 years since my first taste of Sushi Endo courtesy of @natsukipim‘s Hoxcup sake bar popup, and knew then that he had something very…
Greenhouse Mayfair, Oct 2019
restaurant details : website , IG It’s now been over a year since Alex Dilling took over the reigns from Arnaud Bignon, and what year it has been for this this charming little restaurant that has survived the decades with its series of chefs. Alex…
Chef’s Table at Tayēr+Elementary
I really liked Viajante when it was around, this is going back nearly a decade now, then latterly Taberna, both pushed out some delicious things for us Londoners, though both are now shut and superseded by Nuno’s other projects (Chiltern holding fort, Maos gaining steam,…
The Sea, The Sea
…It was with a heavy heart that I dined at Londrino for the last time in February this year. It was one of my favourite new openings in London, as it stood apart from the mass market IG-friendly model, here was a Chef interested in…
Bao Borough
Another year, another new Bao opening. As I understand, up till now, Erchen has been the creative soul of the kitchen, but for Borough, she is sharing the role of developing the new menu with Anaïs van Manen, who works as a development chef for…
Tonkatsu Hinata, Tokyo
The last time I wrote about Tokyo tonkatsu, was a back to back post on two of Tokyo’s best – Narikura and Tonta. As you know I love tonkatsu and this year chose to visit this relative newcomer to the Tonkatsu scene, which is slowly…
L’Arpège, Paris. May 2019
Other visits: Nov 2018 • April 2018 • Nov 2017 • June 2016 • April 2016 The 2019 prices have risen nearly across the board, though quality remains ever so high here at L’Arpege. Spontaneity and creativity reign supreme, Passard and his kitchen still immensely spirited in their practice of…
L’Arpege, Nov 2018
other visits: May 2019 • April 2018 • Nov 2017 • June 2016 • April 2016 This time out at Rue Varenne, it was a full-on ALC affair, in the deep Autumn of 2018, during which arguably the best White Truffle season in memory was in full swing. The Celerisotto…
Florilege Tokyo <-> logy Taipei
Having followed the rise of Restaurant Florilege with great interest for the last few years, I’m glad to have finally made it not just to honten, but also to the crew’s sister restaurant located in Daan, Taipei. I’m certain you’ve already come across Hiroyasu Kawate,…
Wagyu Mafia, OAD2018 London
It’s been over a year since Wagyu Mafia crew were in London to ‘perform’ (in their vernacular) a one-off event (titled Grilleasy) for the OAD awards ceremony for the 2018 revision. This year Steve is in food heaven Donostia to announce the 2019 list. It…
Sorrel Restaurant, Dorking
There were many highlights in my 2018 calendar, though the one that stands out is without a doubt Sorrel. Steve Drake is someone whose been round the block, yet because he has operated outside of London for most of his career as head chef, he…
Perilla – March 2019 GBM Blackbird Special
Pictures and descriptions from a revisit to Ben Marks’ ever improving Perilla. This time, I asked Ben if he would make his Blackbird dish which he entered for GBM 2019, to which he kindly obliged. I’ve been thoroughly impressed by the young Chef’s progression ever…
Frantzén x Bosi at Bibendum
Bjorn Frantzén was in London for one night only, pitching up at Bibendum’s on a tuesday night in May to do a collaboration with our Claude Bosi. I was rather excited about it, a dinner with two two leading lights in gastronomy at the peak…