Not only do I love cooking at home, but I also enjoy eating out. Here are some reviews of restaurants I have enjoyed; I only review those that I would recommend as life is too short to write about bad food!!…
*I’d love to hear about any restaurants you would recommend – contact me here!…
January 2023
We had a real treat last weekend, we were taken out to dinner by our son, Felix. I was a bit apprehensive when Felix mentioned he’d booked Artusi, an Italian restaurant in nearby Peckham, as I had eaten there some years ago and had been rather disappointed. I’m not very forgiving of bad restaurant experiences, perhaps I should be more open to giving them a second chance, but when you live in London there are just too many other restaurants waiting to be tried. However, since that single experience over 7 years ago, I’ve continued to hear wonderful things about Artusi. So, it was on my list to return to, I had just never gotten around to it; it’s not the type of place you can pop along to at the last minute as it seems others have heard how good it is and you need a reservation!
Artusi can be found in Bellenden Road, a gentrified corner of Peckham, in fact, it’s neighbours with my favourite Thai restaurant, ‘The Begging Bowl’ (review below!). It has a simple interior with white walls, school-style chairs and a menu scrawled on a blackboard, it is nevertheless welcoming and it was particularly appreciated by us last week on a freezing January evening. On entering we were greeted by a friendly waitress who enthusiastically explained the short Italian-inspired menu and the enticing list of Italian aperitivi. I couldn’t resist starting with an espresso martini and I have to say it was one of the best I’ve had in a longtime. What a great start, I was hopeful that I may have a review on my hands!… Artusi is well-regarded for its homemade pasta, so both Nick and Felix chose pasta dishes as their starters. ‘Casarecce, Braised Cuttlefish, Harissa & Parsley’ borrowed spicy flavours from Sicily to produce a rich, unctuous sauce, whilst ‘Spinach and Potato Gnocchi, Brown Butter & Sage’, was gloriously light – both dishes got the thumbs up. Meanwhile, I opted for the ‘Chestnut Pancake, Taleggio, Carrots & Kale’, I have had these pancakes in Italy, they are particularly popular in the Lunigiana region. I love the sweetness of the chestnut flour and these were some of the finest I’ve tasted – lighter than I’ve had before but wonderfully matched by the creamy, melted taleggio. The main courses were ‘Haddock, Niccola Potatoes, Monk’s Beard & Winter Tomato’; the haddock was cooked to perfection with a crispy skin, whilst the simply quartered sweet tomatoes dressed in a vinaigrette with the bitter monk’s beard were a perfect balance. ‘Braised Rabbit Leg, Swede & Cavolo Nero’, came falling off the bone in a delicious white wine sauce; with the sweet swede it was almost overly rich, but the bitterness of the cavolo nero saved the day! Finally, desserts, ‘Carrot Cake & Walnuts’ which Nick and Felix shared and exclaimed at its moist lightness – unfortunately, being gluten-free, I couldn’t try this! The other option was ice cream which, as it was so cold outside, I couldn’t bring myself to order, so instead I had another of those delicious espresso martinis, not a bad choice(!), but I have since discovered that their homemade ice cream is revered – so I will definitely have to return on a warmer day!
Our meal at Artusi left me kicking myself – why on earth hadn’t I returned sooner?! It was a delicious, rounded meal, a real January treat. Although Artusi is essentially a neighbourhood restaurant it’s worth a trip even if you don’t live in the vicinity of Peckham. I urge you to make the detour, but do make sure you book!…
January 2023
Just recently Nick and I have tried a couple of new restaurants which I was hoping to share, but I’ve struggled to find one that ticked all the important boxes; not only is a restaurant’s food important but there’s also the ambience and service to think about. For example, one restaurant we visited stood out for its food, but the dining room was so cold that a lot of the diners, including us, were complaining – the interior designers had not thought through the consequences of the magnificently high ceilings. Admittedly we were dining on one of the coldest weekends that London had experienced in years but even the waitress agreed, in her elegant French accent, “it’s so cold that my nose hasn’t stopped running all day!”, they were words which I never imagined I’d hear a waitress utter! The same waitress suggested we return in the springtime when the weather was warmer, and yes, I may consider revisiting ‘Maison François’ in Mayfair as the food was good if somewhat pricey, however for the time being it doesn’t merit a review as I couldn’t recommend such an uncomfortably cold restaurant.
Fortunately, as luck would have it, just when I needed a ‘January kick-start’, last week I found a restaurant that ticked all my boxes and which was on my doorstep. ‘Wood and Water’ can be found in the heart of Brixton. Anyone who’s been over to Brixton lately will know that these days it’s very ‘on-trend’ with a lively vibe. So, whether or not you’re in the younger age bracket or, like Nick and I, over fifty-plus and in need of a youthful hit, it’s definitely a good area for a fun evening. The interior of ‘Wood and Water’ is soothingly low-lit, and has a moody, cool ambience with marble tables and velvet upholstery – it was just the type of cosy refuge that Nick and I needed last Saturday night when London was experiencing ‘monsoon-like’ rainstorms! There was a cool, R&B soundtrack playing, the type that you want to ‘Shazam’ (and yes, we did, the ‘Frankie Knuckles’ track will be turning up on one of my playlists!) – the atmosphere box was most definitely ticked! But it was the menu that was intriguing, ‘Wood and Water’ calls itself a ‘British restaurant with a Jamaican soul’. Its fusion cooking at its best– modern British meets West Indian. Being partial to West Indian food, I already had a good feeling about the menu and was to discover that the combination was one which really works. But before we started ordering the food we were easily navigated by our waiter to the cocktail menu (service was very good – another box ticked!). Cocktails are a big part of the menu, it’s actually possible to just pop in for a cocktail and nibbles at the small bar (duly noted!). With cocktails in hand and some very good ‘Plantain Chips’ on the side – these were super fresh and still warm – we moved on to our choices from the menu of small sharing plates…. There were ‘King Prawns, Scotch Bonnet & Cassava’, a wonderfully balanced dish – the prawns were meaty and fresh tasting with a zing from the chilli. ‘Ackee & Saltfish Pie’, was one of the best fish pies I’ve had in a long time, there was just the right level of chilli combined with the tasty salt fish – Nick exclaimed that he could eat it “all night long”, which was a great compliment! Alongside we had ‘Plantain, Butter Bean & Beetroot’, it’s subtle sweet flavour cut the spice and salt of the fish pie beautifully. ‘Duck Breast, Parsnip & Plum’ was a perfectly cooked dish, if I were being picky I would suggest it was a little on the sweet side – perhaps it would have been better with another vegetable instead of parsnip – but would I eat it again?… Yes! Finally, dessert was the ‘pièce de résistance’, a take on Baked Alaska; ‘Sweet Potato, Meringue, Rum and Ginger Ice Cream’ was simply delicious!
Not only is the food wonderful at ‘Wood and Water’, but its smart yet casual atmosphere with its trendy soundtrack, irresistible cocktails and friendly service makes it an attractive venue for all – a date night for two, a rendezvous with friends or a dinner for an older couple like Nick and I who simply need to feel rejuvenated!…
October 2022
It’s not often that you find a piece of food heaven at the back of a clothes shop, but last Saturday I discovered Mambow! In the heart of Peckham, just opposite Peckham Rye station, Mambow can be found in ‘Market’, a shared workspace for independent professionals and the home to a few fashion and food outlets. Behind these fashion outlets Mambow serves up authentic Malaysian dishes. It’s a casual affair with just a handful of tables and counter-seating facing a tiny open kitchen, but the small menu delivers a powerful punch of perfectly-balanced flavours. Last weekend, seated at the aforementioned counter, I had the chance to see the food both being made and plated up, it was entertainment at its best; it’s quite astonishing how, from the compact galley kitchen, chef Abbey Lee manages to serve up food of such high quality.
The great thing about the menu is that it’s short enough to order, more or less, every dish to share between two – or rather Nick and I did, being greedy as always! To start with there was ‘Lor Bak’, a fabulous five-spice pork and prawn roll wrapped in crisp-fried layers of bean curd skin, rather like a sausage roll but much better. ‘Achar Awak’ were pickled vegetables, they were sweet and sour with a splendid spicy punch. There was also the evening’s special, ‘Crispy Cornflour Fried Chicken with Sambal Mayo’ – a fantastic show-stopping dish. Moving on we had the ‘Ikan Assam Padas’, a fish curry with tamarind and laska leaf, this was the hottest dish of the evening, but nevertheless delicious, the heat was bearable and rather moreish! My favourite dish was the ‘Black Pepper Curry Chicken’ made with Sarawak Black Peppercorns and red onion; the melt-in-your-mouth chicken literally fell off the bone whilst the peppery sauce managed to be subtle yet pleasingly complex. Finally, dessert was ‘Cendol’, with its green jelly noodles, sticky red aduki beans and shavings of coconut ice it was a wonderfully unusual dessert, sweet and cooling; a perfect end to an extremely good meal.
Mambow is one of those places that leaves you feeling quietly smug; it’s a real find and offers good value for money. So, if you know what’s good for you, get down to Peckham now and whilst you’re there pop upstairs to ‘Forza Wine Bar’ for a cocktail – they have a breathtaking roof terrace with incredible views over the city of London!…
Kudu Collective – Kudu & Kudu Grill, Peckham, SE15
February 2021
Since opening its first restaurant in Peckham in 2018, the ‘Kudu Collective’ has been making itself very much at home in this small corner of south London. Having expanded in 2021 it now has two restaurants, a bar and a private art gallery/dining space. Head of the kitchen is Patrick Williams, he injects his South African roots into a Modern European style menu, creating dishes that sing with flavour, whilst his wife, Amy Corbin, concentrates on the front of house. Corbin is the daughter of Chris Corbin of Corbin and King, the partnership responsible for a number of iconic London restaurants including The Wolseley (review here!), and she has obviously has been taught a thing or two about the restaurant business – Kudu Collective has the air of being professionally managed yet retains a relaxed, casual vibe. The interiors of the establishments are seriously stylish; with their signature low-lighting, dark tones, marble tables and velvet banquettes they have a wonderfully seductive atmosphere.
In the last month, I have dined at both the original ‘signature’ Kudu restaurant and at Kudu Grill. The former is in the heart of Peckham and has the advantage of being a ‘stone’s throw’ from their cocktail bar, ‘Smokey Kudu’. Unfortunately, on the evening that we were dining at Kudu, the cocktail bar was closed for a private party, so we didn’t get the chance to try their full cocktail list!…But, fortunately, each restaurant has a small bar serving a few signature cocktails, so we did try their ‘Smokey Kudu’ and ‘Cape Old Fashioned’, which were both beautifully balanced with smoky overtones.
Menus at both Kudu and Kudu Grill consist of snacks, small plates and medium plates, which can be shared or chosen as individual starters/mains. On our visit to Kudu, we chose the sharing option, and to be honest, I wish we’d ordered individually as I think some of the dishes are not suited to sharing – or perhaps I’m just greedy?! Bread is where most meals start, and at Kudu, you definitely shouldn’t miss it, it’s a spiced brioche loaf baked in a pot, served with either melted butter with bacon lardons or shrimps – fantastic. Other stand out dishes were the ‘Scallop Potjie’ – stewed scallops on a light stew of celeriac and sea rosemary, ‘Pan Fried Duck Breast, Golden Beets, Parsnip Puree, Pomegranate Molasses’ – the duck was beautifully tender and well balanced with the subtle sweetness of the vegetables, and ‘Onglet, Hispi Cabbage, Enoki Mushrooms & Truffled Potato Mousse’ – the onglet was served perfectly rare and was very tasty, I wasn’t as keen on the hispi cabbage as the chargrill flavour overpowered it, but the truffle puree was divine!
A few weeks later, after our very enjoyable meal at Kudu, Nick and I decided to check out their newer restaurant, Kudu Grill. I must admit that this restaurant was my favourite of the two. The larger interior has a particularly elegant air and the menu has more robust flavours, featuring ‘braai’ dishes. A braai is the South African equivalent to a BBQ, so the dishes tend to have smoky, charred tastes, which are in turn lifted by subtle sweet and spicy seasonings. First of all, we enjoyed a couple of snacks – ‘Grilled Potato Flatbread, Lardo & Wild Garlic’, a refined take on ‘garlic bread’ and ‘Pork Belly, Squid, Pineapple Blatjang’, a delicious skewer bursting with sweet and salty flavour. Afterwards, we enjoyed starters of ‘Cape Malay Curried Crab, Avocado, Paaper Bites’, which was wonderfully fresh and ‘Grilled Prawns, Peri-Peri Butter’, was a must-try! For my main course I chose ‘Poussin, Honey Mustard Glaze, Green Goddess’, the skin was sweet and crispy whilst the meat was succulent. Nick chose the ‘Pork Chop, Monkey Gland Sauce’, no monkey was involved it was just a very good BBQ sauce! We shared the ‘Smoked Pomme Purée’, which I could have happily eaten all night, it was a dish of deliciousness – smooth, slightly salty and smoked, whilst ‘Grilled Carrots, Cumin & Coriander’ were sweet, chargrilled and subtly spiced – who knew carrots could taste so good! Finally, desserts did not disappoint; there were only two choices but both were very good – a chocolate mousse with malted ice cream was like a deconstructed Malteser and the choux bun with jasmine ice cream was a surprisingly light dessert with the faintest hint of jasmine.
The Kudu Collective, particularly Kudu Grill, is everything a good neighbourhood restaurant should be and more. I loved the stylish interiors and the food with its different yet delicious flavours. If you don’t live nearby, I would suggest that Kudu Grill is definitely worth a detour….
October 2021
Last weekend we fancied a casual ‘quick eat’ so we popped along to Brixton Village Market to check out its newest opening, Danclairs. For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, Brixton Market is set out over three covered arcades, it offers an eclectic mix of independent stalls, shops and places to eat and drink. Since the 1950s Brixton and its market have been known as the vibrant hub of the Caribbean community. These days although its become a little more gentrified and, for better or worst, is on the tourist map, it still manages to retain these West Indian roots, and this is what makes it so special. It is a totally original space, a little rough around the edges but with a big heart. Since 2012 it has been the home to Brian Danclair’s ‘Fish, Wings and Tings’, which despite only having seating outside in the unheated arcade, has become a local institution serving West Indian favourites such as curried mutton and rice & peas. His new venture, Danclairs, is a slightly more elegant affair, it brings Caribbean ‘fusion food’ to Brixton with tapas-style dishes inspired by not only the Caribbean but Europe and the Americas. It also has seating inside, which is a huge plus for me as I’m always feeling the cold!…
On entering the small space you can’t escape the giant and very bright mural of Danclair’s grandmother which covers one wall (apparently she was Danclair’s inspiration for becoming a restauranteur). The menu is short, but everything shouts flavour, there are also a few cocktails – how could I resist an ‘Eldorado Rum Old Fashioned’, particularly as my Dad is from Guyana which is the home of this fantastic rum, it was a good start!… We then shared ‘BBQ Wings with Guava Glaze’ – these certainly packed a spicy punch, Nick loved them as did I, although my eyes were watering! I particularly enjoyed the ‘Chicken Empanadas with Chimichurri’, whilst the ‘Pepper Prawns’ were wonderfully sweet and fresh and, with the sauce on the side, rather fiery in a very tasty way! There was also Sea Bass, grilled and served with Tomato Concassé, a sauce of fresh, diced tomatoes with slightly piquant olives, and finally, a sirloin steak with chimichurri. All of the dishes were flavoursome with good, honest, home-comfort flavours, the only disappointment was that they don’t do desserts!
Danclairs is just the type of place you want to nip into for a quick bite, not only is the food super tasty, but the prices are reasonable and the service is really friendly!…
The Begging Bowl, Peckham, SE15
October 2021
Since opening in 2012, The Begging Bowl has become a Peckham landmark, attracting diners from all over London to try its authentic Thai menu. Pre-covid, more often than not, there was a queue outside, the fact that this now isn’t the case is by no means a bad thing – they have finally introduced a booking system and done away with their ‘first come first served’ policy…I hate queueing, so this has made the Begging Bowl even better! We returned just the other week for a fantastic meal in their relaxed, light-filled conservatory-style space. We have always eaten wonderful food here and our recent meal was no exception…
The menu consists of small sharing plates served with unlimited sticky and jasmine rice. As always we overordered, but somehow managed to eat everything! First, there was ‘Chive Cakes with Chilli & Soy Dip’, which were wonderfully sweet and salty and extremely moreish, and ‘Charcoal Grilled Sweetcorn, Toasted Coconut & Roasted Chilli Oil’ – these chargrilled sweetcorn bites were a step above the norm; the coconut dressing spiced with chilli was an inspired addition. These were followed by ‘Ginger, Peanut, Shallot, Coconut, Gagangal & Palm Sugar on Betel Leaves’, these were tiny explosions of punchy, sublime flavours – they were seriously good (we should have ordered more!). Next up, ‘Minced Mutton Salad, Tamarind Leaf, Celery, Green Tomato & Crispy Pork’, this was a type of spiced ‘bolognese’ lifted by the light, fresh flavour of green tomato and celery whilst ‘Stir Fry Pork, Ginger, Cloudy Ear Mushroom & Kajorn Flower’, was an eruption of flavours – including a touch of lemongrass perhaps?… the flavours were complex and very good! Our final savoury dish was the ‘Jungle Curry, Grilled Beef Rump, Grachai, Apple & Pea Aubergines’, I must admit I’m a little ‘shy’ of very spicy food, and this was quite spicy for me, but Nick absolutely loved it! Moving on to desserts, we shared the ‘Som Chom – Green Mango, Flat Peach, Lychee, Pandan Syrup, Crispy Shallot &Ice’, this was a beautifully light fruit salad-style dessert with a fresh sorbet base and ‘Banana Sesame Coconut Fritter, Palm Sugar Ice-Cream & Peanut Brittle’ – was, well – I think you can imagine how delicious the combination was – totally satisfying for any sweet tooth!
The Begging Bowl is by no means your ‘bog standard’ Thai restaurant, you won’t necessarily find a green chicken curry featured on its menu, but you will, without doubt, savour vibrant and complex tastes with hot, sour, sweet and salty Thai flavours… plus they do great cocktails!…
September 2021
After eating at Maremma on quite a few occasions since it opened a few years ago, I have decided that everyone needs a neighbourhood Tuscan restaurant like this on their doorstep…excuse me for sounding smug when I tell you that Maremma is just ten minutes from mine! I like to think that I know a thing or two about Italian food, particularly that from the Tuscan region – we have been visiting this area regularly, having bought a small bolthole in the slightly unfashionable (cheaper) corner of Tuscany, ‘Lunigiana’, 18 years ago. During that time we have not only experienced the food on the well-trodden tourist track but also discovered some hidden gems known only to the locals and have eaten at the homes of our Italian neighbours (the best experience of all!). Italians are incredibly proud of their cuisine and each region is fiercely competitive with the next, each claiming theirs is the best the country can offer. Perhaps I am biased after spending so much time around the Tuscan people, but I think that it’s difficult to beat the specialities that evolve from Tuscany. The region is bordered by the sea on one side and the mountains on the other – enabling it to serve up the freshest seafood ‘al mare’ and also the rich, rustic food inspired by the produce inland and around the mountains, ‘alla terra’.
Sorry, I’m digressing(!)…the point is, is that neighbourhood restaurant, Maremma, brings these regional specialities to the outskirts of Brixton. Serving up authentic Tuscan food, they focus on a simple menu with quality ingredients; salumi, cheese and olive oil are sourced from the heart of the Tuscan region, fresh pasta is made on the premises daily and often meat and fish are cooked on a charcoal grill.
We recently enjoyed another delicious dinner in Maremma’s small, light, slightly rustic dining room. The short menu offers few surprises but is well executed. To start with we enjoyed their platter of salumi which was very fresh and flavoursome. We then enjoyed a rich and creamy ‘Pea and Broad Bean Risotto’ and a plate of ‘Pappardelle with Wild Boar Ragu’, that was fantastically meaty and slow-cooked to perfection. For our main courses, Nick chose the ‘Tagliata of Beef, Maremman Salt, Rocket and Pecorino’, this is a dish that we often eat in Tuscany, so it needed to be extremely good to please us, fortunately, it passed the test – the meat was ‘like butter’, beautifully tender! I chose the lighter option of ‘Guinea Fowl & Endive with Tarragon Aioli’, the guinea fowl had a wonderfully crisp skin and the meat was tender and moist; the tarragon aioli was the perfect complement whilst the bitter endive balanced its richness. We also ordered a side of ‘Crispy Potatoes’. Finally, we shared a chocolate lovers dream – ‘Chocolate and Plum Tart’ and ‘Yogurt Gelato & Stewed Figs’, which managed to be fresh and light despite the sweetness of the figs… both desserts were superb!
Maremma brings a small corner of Tuscany to South London, if you’re in the neighbourhood, it’s definitely worth a visit; I would, without doubt, recommend that you try out its simple, authentic menu at the soonest opportunity!…
September 2021
I was back eating out in London last week and decided to return to our local neighbourhood restaurant, Naughty Piglets. I hadn’t eaten there since before the pandemic and was looking forward to returning as I had always enjoyed their well-priced, small tasty plates. Fortunately, little has changed.
Naughty Piglets describes itself as having ‘an English heart with a French accent’, which reflects the husband and wife team behind this small, buzzy bistrot; Joe, who is British, is the chef whilst his French wife, Margaux, is the friendly front-of-house face. Likewise, the modern British food has a French accent, indeed one can imagine this tiny, casual bistrot along a back street of a Paris suburb, fortunately for us, it’s just down the road in Brixton.
With just 29 covers the restaurant is very snug, on our recent visit we sat at one of their high bar tables, there is also a compact dining room with tables at the back; the space has a wonderfully casual vibe, just what you want when popping out locally. The menu is designed to share, so I was rather pleased that my son, Felix, had decided to join Nick and I as that meant we could share more plates and really do the menu justice!…We started with their ‘Ham Croquettes’, which for good reason are a regular feature on their menu – they are deliciously crisp on the outside and gooey in the middle. Next up was ‘Burrata Puttanesca’, the burrata was as it should be, wonderfully soft and creamy in the middle whilst the flavours of a deconstructed puttanesca sauce – capers and a rich tomato salsa – complemented it perfectly. ‘Isle of Mull Scallops with Garlic Butter & Parsley Oil’ were sweet, fresh and absolutely delicious with the garlicky butter which we quickly mopped up with bread! These were followed by ‘Raw Beef, Coffee Mayo & Focaccia’, the beef tartare was good and the coffee mayonnaise although a little different, strangely lifted the meaty flavours, but we couldn’t quite understand the need for the chargrilled focaccia on the side. Next, there was our favourite dish of the evening, ‘Roast Cod, Scottish Girolles & Beurre Blanc’, the cod was beautifully cooked with a crisp skin and the blanc beurre sauce was rich yet delicate and perfectly matched the tasty girolles. Finally we enjoyed ‘BBQ Pork Belly with Korean Spices’, the pork melted in our mouths whilst the spices made it sing. Desserts were a fantastic ‘Chocolate Delice with Hazelnut’ – the rich chocolate mousse was lifted by the slightly salted crumb base and whilst there were no surprises with the ‘Crème Caramel’, it was well done, sublime and creamy.
So, it goes without saying that if you are in the vicinity of Brixton do visit Naughty Piglets, but make sure you book first as I noticed a couple of customers without bookings being turned away!
October 2020
We returned to our local restaurant, Franklins, on Saturday night. Our ‘home from home’ – a local institution which rarely fails us. How lucky are we to have this restaurant serving quality, traditional British food on our doorstep. The menu is a meaty affair with earthy and robust flavours, often featuring game and offal, although it does offer fish and vegetarian plates. We have been eating at Franklins since it first opened, around 20 years ago, so it must be doing something right! Admittedly, it can occasionally disappoint, but more often than not the quality of the food is consistent. Situated in an old pub, the restaurant offers a casual dining experience, retaining its ‘pub’ atmosphere; it is a quintessential local, neighbourhood haunt.
On Saturday night, on entering, we were greeted by Boris Johnson, on the front of house TV, in the bar area (the dining area is at the back). He was announcing another national lockdown, this would probably be our last meal out for at least four weeks, so we were determined to enjoy ourselves!
We started our meal with a couple of cocktails – as Espresso Martini for me and of course a Negroni for Nick. For starters we had a ‘Pea & Mint Soup’, a bowl of warmth on what was a dreary, rainy day, and ‘Smoked Haddock Brandade & Piquillo Peppers’, the combination of the smoky fish and the sweet pepper was great, whilst the salad on which it sat was well dressed. Moving on to our main courses, Nick choose, ‘Ham Hock Hash & Fried Egg’, whilst I opted for the ‘Red leg Partridge, ‘Spiced Red Cabbage & Crab Apple Jelly’; earlier that day we had ventured out to Kent for a very wet walk, and having got lost a few times(!) we were pretty exhausted, so these main courses were definitely well deserved – perfect comfort food! Finally, desserts, I can never resist Franklin’s traditional desserts, on this occasion I opted for the ‘Chocolate Rice Pudding & Raspberries’ – a little ‘hug on a plate’, whilst Nick choose the ‘Bread & Butter Pudding’, which was “fantastic”.
So our ‘last supper out’ for a few of weeks did not disappoint! Franklins is an excellent neighbourhood restaurant that everyone needs and should have on their doorstep…
October 2020
If you live in South London, you will probably know or would have heard of the restaurant, Chez Bruce. Chez Bruce is a gem in South London’s restaurant scene, situated on Wandsworth Common it first opened its doors in 1995 with the intention of ‘serving the best food and drink but within a relaxed, informal yet professional environment’, it has certainly achieved its goal and 25 years later is still as successful as ever. I must admit, that as a South Londoner myself, I have been a customer for most of those 25 years, and have never been disappointed with the food – now that is an achievement!
A couple of weeks ago Nick and I enjoyed our first Sunday lunch there since before lockdown and I was so happy to see that little had changed. In fact we were planning to return at the weekend for dinner with friends, but unfortunately due to London entering tier two of Covid restrictions we had to cancel our reservation. However, I am happy to be able to share our fantastic Sunday lunch visit with you.
Chez Bruce serves a modern menu of food based loosely on classical and regional French/ Mediterranean cuisine. The price is fixed for 3 courses, depending on whether you are having lunch or dinner and on which day – the Sunday lunch option at £50 is a particularly good choice. The restaurant itself maintains a lovely neighbourhood feel, its simple dining room has a relaxed interior, with service which is on a par with any top Michelin starred restaurant in town.
On arrival for our Sunday lunch we were pleased to see that everything seemed to be as great as ever; it’s the little extras that Chez Bruce exceeds in, for instance, on receiving the menu you are also presented with their light, crisp parmesan biscuits (and for those who are gluten free, like me, toasted spiced nuts – very moreish!). After these and a cheeky lunchtime glass of champagne, we were more than ready to tuck into our starters, for me, ‘Loch Duart Salmon Rillettes with Horseradish, Smoked Salmon, Potato, Beetroot and Dill’, it was a winning combination of classic flavours and beautiful textures. Nick chose one of the restaurants classics, ‘Foie Gras and Chicken Parfait with Toasted Brioche’ – creamy and fantastic, as always! Moving on to our mains, I wanted something autumnal to suit the outside, blustery Sunday afternoon, so it had to be the ‘Venison Loin with Glazed Game Burger, Cabbage à l’ancienne and Celeriac Purèe’, it was exactly what I wanted, ‘a proper plate of food’! Nick couldn’t resist the ‘Roast Beef with Dripping Roasties, Crushed Squash, Stuffed Mushroom and Yorkshire Pudding’, with its refined flavours it was an elegant take on the traditional English roast. Finally, desserts, Nick opted for Chez Bruce’s classic ‘Hot Chocolate Pudding with Praline Parfait’, as always a winner, whilst I had the ‘Baked Cheesecake with Rum & Raisin Ice Cream and Candied Peel’ – honestly, I think that this was the real winner!
Eating at Chez Bruce is a win-win event and, is thus, money well spent, plus the complimentary chocolate truffles at the end of the meal are more than worth the visit!
August 2020
Over the next few weeks I will be celebrating a number of birthdays of friends and family…so I have the perfect excuse to eat out! This week it was my friend’s big ‘5’ ‘0’, so we decided to treat ourselves to a fine dining experience at Trinity, Adam Byatts restaurant which is local to us in Clapham. I have been fortunate to celebrate a number of special occasions in the past at Trinity and I was pleased to see that post lockdown, under the new Covid conditions, that it was still buzzing with energy. We ate in the Michelin starred restaurant downstairs, but there is also a more casual dining room upstairs which serves small plates designed to share (I haven’t tried this yet but it is on my ‘to eat out list’…watch this space!). Downstairs the dining room is a lovely, bright modern space with white tableclothed tables (I love a white tablecloth!), it is all very stylish but still manages to retain the charm of a neighbourhood restaurant.
I am pleased to say that the food was, once again, ‘show stopping’, not only well presented, but bursting with beautiful flavours. The dinner menu is a four course menu. For my first course I had Poached Salmon, Dressed Summer Beans, Cockles & Lovage, the salmon was beautifully cooked whilst the subtle flavour of the lovage and the bright, fresh flavours of the cockles and beans really lifted the plate. We also tried the Salad of Beetroots, Cherries and Graceburn, Rye Bread and White Soy – which was equally delicious. Second courses were Buttered Cornish Crab with Provençal Tomatoes, Gazpacho & Fig Oil – the light gazpacho was particularly memorable, and the Norfolk Quail with Scottish Girolles & Summer Squash was apparently ‘incredible’. Third course was Wild Turbot braised with Tomatoes & Fennel Lyonnaise; the aniseed flavours of the fennel took this dish to a superior level, we also chose Stuffed & Pot Roasted Sutton Hoo Chicken, Ceps, Leeks & Summer Truffle – exquisite. Finally the fourth course was Fig Leaf Soft Serve Ice Cream – a connoisseurs ‘Mr Whippy’ ice-cream, seriously smooth and creamy with a gorgeous fig syrup, and also a Savarin with Blood Peaches – ‘heavenly’. We enjoyed all of this wonderfully executed food with a beautifully, well balanced, White Burgundy wine. What a wonderful evening…it was one of those meals that you would like to return to and savour all over again!
So if you haven’t already tried Trinity, I definitely recommend that you put it on your ‘to visit’ list – either the main restaurant, where we dined, or ‘upstairs’ for a less formal menu – I am sure you won’t be disappointed!
Menu Mistress 