Bryn Williams at Somerset House

It’s B’s birthday, so we’ve been to the Charlie Brown exhibition at Somerset House, and are then on to Bryn Williams – my father’s name.   I hadn’t realised by the eponymous chef also cooks at Odette’s in Primrose Hill, somewhere I’d recently been told was excellent.

We arrive a little early but are shown through the attractive bar and a couple of large, empty rooms to our table in the last room along. We have a booth by the window, which on this sunny day, overlooking the river and Waterloo Bridge, is a very attractive spot.  There is one table of 8 and about 8 other punters in there.

 There is a “Detox” set menu, but naturally we pass over this quickly.  The wine list unsurprisingly goes up fairly quickly (SB £34, Malbec £36), so we settle for the house Trebbiano at £23.

 The a la carte menu seems very veggie-oriented, but looking a bit closer there are other options too. For starters, B orders “heritage” beetroot with cured organic salmon and smoked rosemary mayonnaise, while I go for a starter sized tuna niçoise.  Our choices for mains are grilled hispi cabbage – with piglet belly – and boulangere potatoes – with slow cooked lamb.

 

Once we’ve ordered, we also get some soda bread, which comes encrusted with wheatgerm (I think) and butter with sea salt.  This is just one roll, but it is lovely; however, we’ve not eaten half of it before our starters arrive.

 B’s beetroot is three slices in different colours – yellow, red and black. The cured salmon is very pink, looking like beetroot has already bled into it.   The mayonnaise works very well with the salmon, and the beetroot is crisp, al dente.

 My salad, with yellowfin tuna, is also very flavourful and fresh. The tuna is cooked nicely pink, the egg and anchovy sharp, the tapanade a good complement and the beans also al dente. There is no unifying dressing or sauce, so the flavour of each the item shines through clearly.

 

Main courses also arrive quickly and are similarly sparse.  Cabbage, pork belly, apple sauce. The cabbage nicely singed and with some flavour; the pork (piglet – really?) belly perhaps a little dry on top, but good otherwise – no crackling though; cider apple sauce is a valuable, peppery addition to the pork.

 The slow-cooked lamb is what many places would call “pulled” – shredded pieces of meat rather than a solid steak. It is very full-on lamb flavour, perhaps a little fatty – it needs wine to wash it down. The sauce is not a big plus, but the caponata does give some good contrast. The potatoes (with onion) in their separate pot are very good indeed.

We opt out of desserts – nothing specifically appeals – to finish our second bottle. And the waitress suggests we might like to take the rest of the bread away. Both waitresses have been very attentive and friendly. The total is a pretty modest £120 including service. Lots of flavour for that money.

 

 

 

Re-opened old favourite

Our local tapas bar, Las Fuentes, has been closed for a while as the building it’s in is being re-developed.  It re-opened just before Christmas, though apparently it will need to close again while further work is done.

Previously it had been a very charming, very Spanish-looking restaurant with lots of blue tiles and friendly staff. Many of the same staff are back and are still as welcoming, but the atmosphere has changed as the décor is now much more ordinary.  The tiles are gone, and we just have a collection of simple wood tables, sitting underneath a ceiling of “industrial chic” air-conditioning tubing.

 We’re there with our neighbour K who for some reason is treating us. She wasn’t a regular of the place previously – unlike us, and another neighbour J who arrives with her son later. So the change in décor doesn’t worry her, though she’s not keen on the tubing.

 The menu is similar in content to before, though now organised by main ingredient (fish, lamb, beef etc) rather than tapas and mains. So you have to judge by the price what to order. They have always served relatively large portions for a tapas bar, and that seems to still be the case.

 We order the house white Rioja at £19, and the same wine as before arrives. K has a coke.  K wants us to suggest what we have, so we fall back on our usual selections – wild boar skewer (ordered with chips rather than polenta for K), kidneys, gambas pil pil and spicy mushrooms – plus a lamb cutlet each for K and me as that is one of her favourites.

 The wild boar, on its usual impressive vertically-hanging skewer, and the lamb cutlets arrive first.  The lamb doesn’t come away from the bone as well as you might like, and K declares it not as good as her favourite, Mekan.  We think the wild boar is very tender, but K seems to struggle, with some gristle and then losing interest.  The kidneys, despite arriving on a dish that is “too hot to touch”, are in fact lukewarm – still tasty but not the reliably warming dish I choose on cold days.  The prawns and the mushrooms are both excellent though – good hits of spice in both of them.

 K chooses ice cream for dessert, so I have a crème brulée to keep her company. It’s quite a good burnt topping, but the main body is far too chilled.

 K is paying so I don’t get a close look at the bill, but I think including service it is a little over £100 (2 bottles of wine).  It’s close enough back to its old ways for us to keep it as a regular, but I don’t think K was that impressed.

Catching up since July

I’ve been a bit remiss these last months, but here is a quick summary of places visited in the second half of the year. I no longer have all the details of what everyone had, and not all the prices, but I still have the memories!

India Club, Strand:  threatened with closure because of re-development, this throw-back to the 60s/70s was granted a reprieve. It used to be a traditional haunt of our Varsity match group, so we went along to celebrate. The room is basic – though the tables are no longer secured to the floor.  Drinks are obtained from the bar on the floor below – don’t expect anything beyond a Kingfisher or gin. Starters are standards – samosa, onion bhaji, plus a remarkably dangerous chilli bhaji. Mains are also fairly standard - lamb, butter chicken, dhal, aloo sag - but with good portions of rice and breads.  At £30 a head, it’s great fun.

Mar I Terra describes itself as “contemporary Spanish tapas”.  We’ve been before in the evening, but on this lunchtime visit after the Picasso exhibition at the Tate, we sit outside in the garden which is very pleasant.  Chilli prawns, crab-stuffed peppers, chicken livers, chorizo and morcilla with beans, chick peas are all good. Bill (with probably two bottles) comes to £92. Excellent – definitely recommend it if you are in the area. On a second visit in the early evening a couple of months later we have garlic prawns, sardines, chicken livers, beef, beans and jambon, chick peas (£75).

Guiseppe’s in Borough High Street has become B’s “go-to” restaurant. We went just the two of us first to research it, then as a group of 6, and then B went again with 4 other ex-colleagues. It’s as  clichéd as an Italian can be, short of candles in Chianti bottles. There are specials on the blackboard and all the traditional dishes you can remember.  Starters have included bresaola, scallops, prawns, calamari. Mains, spaghetti “My Way” (under a photo of Frank), veal Holstein, chicken Milanese with penne arrabiatta.  Good choice of Italian wines; generally around £50-£70 a head. Fine, convenient, but not sophisticated.

Ivy Market Grill . There are loads of Ivy spin-off places now, some of which have had unflatteringly reviews, but I think this in Covent Garden may have been the first one when the original restaurant closed for refurbishment for a while.  We went one lunchtime with S&L, and were sat next to Nicholas Lyndhurst (though he did ask to be moved!).  I had steak tartare followed by sea bass fillets and the bill came to £105 for the two of us. A very good experience. B went back again and that was good too.

Babur Brasserie I have reviewed before, but it remains worth the visit to Honor Oak Park.  Regional dishes feature strongly – this is no ordinary curry house. My meal this time was prawns and gourd to start followed by rabbit. At £106 for two this is good value.

The Oxo Tower Brasserie is a good place for a celebration. This time it was J’s 30^th, and there were 16 of us, on two tables of 8 with good river views. It’s not cheap though, and the wine does make the bill mount up. I had grilled crispy squid followed by chicken breast in a herb sauce and a tart.

Sticks ‘n’ Sushi, Wimbledon has rather less charm than its Covent Garden sister, the room being bigger and more open, with several refectory style tables, but has the same interesting menu and would be a nice reliable place to have on your doorstep. After the usual spicy edamame beans, we had beef tataki, crab croquettes, crudities and miso. Then shrimp rolls, crispy chicken rolls, duck breast and scallop and bacon sticks. With two bottles this is good value for £109

Chez Bruce:   I’ve reported on it several times, but it is still a reliable favourite for a good lunch. The parmesan crisps are still gorgeous and the atmosphere and service top-class. This time I had fishcakes with boquerones, followed by calf’s liver and then a caramel crisp. The set lunch price means this comes to £150 with a good amount of wine (though you have to hunt through the wine list to keep the cost down).

A Wong in Victoria has been around for a while, but though we’ve tried a couple of times we’ve not been able to get into this Michelin starred Chinese. So with S&L we book one evening and take on the challenging menu. It’s hard to decide how much to order, and I think in the end we were a bit conservative  for 4 Choices between us were prawn cracker, crab and prawn fritter;  duck and pancakes, lamb slider; kung pao chicken with peanuts, waygu beef, pork belly, “gold fish” dumplings, abalone, rice. £150 for two with not a lot of wine. Not yet convinced, but worth another try.

Our local tapas bar has been closed for refurbishment, but its sister, Las Fuentes in Selsdon was P&M’s choice for a birthday celebration for around 16 people. B and I had wild boar skewer, kidneys, chorizo, gambas pil pil and mussels. As good as the Purley version, with similar ambience.

After wine tasting we need something to soak up the alcohol, so twice in quick succession we go with T&K to Dim T in Victoria.  Each time we begin with beef wontons, chicken gyoza, edamame beans and various dim sum. The first time we go round again on the dim sum, but on the second visit we move on to firecracker prawns, special chicken stir-fry, chilli beef, pad thai, and Singapore noodles. It’s a big place, so generally no need to book. Coincidentally it cost £80 each time.

My colleagues organise a “round the world” series of lunches and this time we are in Jamaica at Cotton’s, Curtain Rd.   It’s a fairly basic place (though another outlet in Vauxhall is rather smarter) and being a “rum shack” does a good line in cocktails. I have the trio of vegetarian fritters followed by a lunchtime special of oxtail and bean stew with boiled rice. With one cocktail and a modest amount of wine my bill was £25.

Imperial China in Chinatown has become a regular dim sum place. After a wine tasting over in the City, we fetch up and order soft-shell crab followed by steamed king prawns, fillet beef and Singapore noodles. All for £100.

Masala Zone, Covent Garden  is another good place for a celebration, with lots of space and side rooms,  so we fetch up there for our housemate Christmas gathering. The Rajasthani  puppets dangling from the ceiling give it a great atmosphere, and despite the time of year we get good service too. There are 12 of us – any more and you have to have the set menu, but we are allowed to order individually. I have Delhi samosa, followed by Coondapur Duck, black dhal, spinach and steamed rice. With a good amount of wine this is £100 for two.  It would be interesting to try as a couple.

 

Ottolenghi-like modern Turkish

We’re meeting S&L again, so that means cocktails to start. We’re going to Kyseri, a “modern Turkish” place in Grafton Way that B has seen reviewed, so a bit of research turns up Simmons in Maple Street nearby. Its USP is that it serves cocktails in teapots!  We’re there first when it is quite empty, but it fills up quickly with lots of reserved tables. We’re there in 2-4-1 happy hour so begin with mojitos each; L arrives and has something very strange, then S has a strawberry one. For our teapot we naturally have long-island iced tea!

 

It’s then just a short walk to Kyseri. Another small café-like place which gets very full, but with a counter for walk-ins. We have a nice table in the corner. The Ottolenghi-sounding menu is a little confusing – it’s hard to know what is what – but the waitress talks us through it well enough.

So we start off with just two sumac breads (one piece each) and a very interesting sheep’s milk feta dish that comes with candied watermelon and something else that has a bit of a kick to it. 

The second course is a sort of beef ravioli (beef and sour cherry manti), and a pasta (erişte) with egg yolk.  Both full of flavour – and a pretty good size.  More recognisable main courses follow: lamb rack, rice stuffed courgette flowers (çiçek dolmasi),  and seared tuna, accompanied by a salad and potato gratin. Lots of strong and interesting tastes, quite spicy too.

Desserts are delicious too – creamy and chocolatey.  L paid, so I don’t know the cost, but I’d imagine about £70 a head.

(Back in July!)

Blind date Japanese

We’ve been reading the “Blind Date” column in the Graun again, and although the couple decided not to meet again, one did want to go back to the restaurant!  Jidori, near Covent Garden – there’s one in Kingsland Road too.   Apart from the karaoke evenings (which I’m pleased to say we avoided), this Japanese place’s claim to fame is that it showcases the whole chicken.

For a moment it seems like they only do beer and sake, but we do find a wine list and get the house white at £21.  The menu also looks a little complicated so we opt for the set meal, “Omakase”, at £30 a head – 13 dishes with pickles and two desserts.

It’s not all chicken. The first three dishes are a tuna sashimi, grilled peas (interesting) and mushrooms. Then, with the pickles we have chicken thighs and onions and minced chicken with egg yolk.  Followed by spicy chicken wings and the remarkable heart and bacon. Plus chicken livers and four dishes I can’t recall (the translations from the Japanese include scissors, peach and leather!!!).   All really good, including the heart, which I guess we wouldn’t have chosen ourselves.  Dessert is coconut water sorbet, which seems a little dull after all that excitement. 

Just up from Lion King, the place is pretty small, more like a café, though there is an upstairs we didn’t see. Service is very good and friendly, explaining the dishes well. Total with a second bottle comes straightforwardly to £102 – plus 12.5%.  Interesting experience, well worth a try, but not somewhere I’d rush back to.

Fish near Piccadilly

After a bit of culture at the RA Summer Exhibition, we’re looking for lunch. It’s a lovely sunny day so we try Swallow Street, but our choice of Fishworks does mean we have to take a table inside. It’s pretty busy when we get there, but does thin out and become quite relaxing.

The wine selection includes several at under £30, so we go with the Pays D’Oc Viognier at £26.  We start by sharing the smoked fish plate: smoked salmon, smoked haddock croquettes and homemade smoked mackerel pate with oatcakes. Tasty but light on a warm day.

For main course, B goes for the whole crab.  It’s a whopper, nearly a kilo, served attractively on a bed of ice.  It’s a classic of its kind, with some largely unnecessary mayonnaise on the side.  And of course takes an age for her to work her way through.

My seared yellow fin tuna is more manageable. It’s coated in an interesting crust with watercress and soy dressing.  Excellent, though I need the bowl of chips while B finishes.

With a second bottle and some water, plus 12.5% service, the bill comes to £135.  Solid rather than special.

Long weekend in Hove

We’re staying with M&G in Hove for the Bank Holiday weekend. After an excellent meal cooked by M on the Friday, we go to Pike and Pine in St James St on the Saturday. This used to just be a coffee place, but it has gone upmarket into a modern English restaurant. It’s still fairly relaxed and casual with a big counter for several diners – though we have a table.

Our table isn’t ready when we arrive, so we sit outside for a bit with a bottle of “Duke of Marlborough” NZ Sauvignon Blanc at £34. At the table G also tries a glass of Toh! from Italy, which we follow up with a bottle (£36), then a bottle of Soli, a Bulgarian Pinot Noir (£34). There were cheaper options, SA False Bay chenin for example, but it was good to branch out for a change.

 From the “small plates for sharing” section we chose the duck leg with peanut butter, citrus cured halibut fishcake, and two crab mayonnaise.  An interesting combination of flavours.
 The menu is rather limited, with just five “larger plates” options. However, we did manage to select four different dishes: lamb shank with an intriguing walnut pesto; chicken breast with truffled leeks; poached trout, unusually paired with ox tongue; pork belly with roasted peppers. Supported by confit potato with caramel onions and gruyere, and buttered peas with spring onions. Top marks all round.
 
 G decided he’d have the rice pudding with tonka bean (nope, me neither), so to keep him company I went for the popcorn cheesecake – remarkable.


 With some coffee and water, this came to a very reasonable £240 for the four of us, despite the pricier wines. Then they added only 10% service, a pleasing change from the norm. Service had been helpful and friendly, and the place had a lively buzz – a good choice.
 Sunday lunchtime is lovely and sunny, so M&G direct us to a backstreet seafood restaurant where we can sit outside. In fact, The Urchin is a “shellfish and craft beer” pub, so G was in his element with a huge range to choose from – this time he had the Beavertown Neck Oil, while the rest of us went with the French Viognier at £20.


 The regular menu here is very short indeed: cockles and oysters, 4 starters and 3 mains.  But the highlight is a very innovative sounding range of specials on the blackboard.  My first choice starter from the specials was already “off” even though we were eating early, so I had a spicy beetroot spring roll instead, which was surprisingly good. Other choices were scallops with chive, ceviche and potted crab (off the regular menu).


 Although these were all fine, the highlight was the mains – and how they were presented. All came in big round metal pots with lids that opened up to be used to put discarded shells.  B and I had similar dishes – Malaysian prawns from the regular menu, and Goan prawns from the specials.  Both dishes were 6 large prawns in a rich spicy sauce over pulses – green or red lentils – and very messy!  M’s feijoada, also included 6 prawns with the beans and rice, while G had Thai mussels.  It was intriguing to note the different attitudes to peeling the prawns: M peeled all six at once, while I peeled and ate. Something about being prepared to accept deferred gratification for a cleaner result against my urge to be greedy!


 The dishes were all very filling, so we almost didn’t need the chips, and certainly didn’t need the two dishes of leaves. No room to test out desserts.


 It’s only a small place, so the outside area filled up quite quickly, and it’s informal so you order at the bar. The staff were efficient and friendly though, and teased us about completing the meal without getting messy splashes on our clothes!


 With three bottles of wine and some water, the bill came to £170 without service – excellent value.  Well worth seeking out, away from the main drag.