Burger & Lobster, London

29 Clarges St

London WIJ 7EF

 www.burgerandlobster.com

 

I love a bit of crustacean action…except the time when I was aged 8.

My mother brought home seafood feast of blue swimmer crabs, prawns and lobster which we happily tucked into one afternoon, and a few hours later, I broke out in horrendous hives!!

 

Not too sure if I was bawling my eyes out because I was pink like a lobster doused in calamine lotion, or if I was crying at the idea of being allergic and never eating all this good stuff ever again…

 

But I digress…Thankfully it was just a one off incidence, and so crustaceans still remain heavily featured in my diet.

 

Last night I found myself heading over to the recently opened Burger & Lobster, to see what the hype and queues were all about.

 

From the team behind Goodman’s Steakhouse (supposedly one of the best steaks in London), they’ve certainly stuck by the rules of keeping things simple. There’s no food menu as such, except what has been scrawled on the chalk board, Burger or Lobster. Beef burger, whole lobster, or a lobster roll; all served with fries and salad for £20 a pop.

 

For me, there was only one thing to order, and that was the Lobster. Grilled and served with a side of lemon-garlic butter. But for my friend, a self confessed lobster virgin, as he wasn’t a fan of crab nor the idea of extracting his supper from the shells, opted for the Beef burger.

 

With our Prosecco and delicious cocktail of Gin, Cucumber and Chamomile syrup in hand, our waiter swiftly brought out our meals on silver trays.

 

My lobster definitely looked impressive. Taste-wise, the meat was sweet and perfectly grilled with a firm chunky texture. Once my plastic bib was adjusted, I tucked into this baby with great gusto, leaving no cavity un-prodded with my lobster pick. Luckily this wasn’t a date, as I’m doubtful this part looked particularly lady-like.

 

Grilled Lobster, Chips & Salad

The accompanying lemon-garlic butter was lacking the lemon tang or the garlic flavour, and it probably could have done with a bit of salt, and a dash of tabasco sauce.

My friends burger just looked OK, and probably not worth the money compared with the whole meaty lobster I had in front of me. I’m pretty sure he would have had food envy!

 

Overall, the atmosphere was buzzy, and service was fairly swift once you get through the door, but I’m sitting on the fence with this, and still working out what the hype is about if I’m honest.

 

Yes, it’s definitely good value by London standards, especially for a whole lobster, but for the over-priced burger, the lobster roll (which I didn’t see anyone eating and understand it’s just the claw), and the slight attitude you get from the hostess at the door holding all the power via a clipboard, I’m not sure it’s really worth the 1.5 hour wait?!

 

The upside is that you don’t physically have to wait in queue (you can leave your name and number as we did), and the restaurateurs have managed to bring lobster, normally a considered a treat to the masses, so worth a visit if you have the patience just for that I guess…

 

Did You Know?

• The lobsters are sourced from Nova Scotia (Canada) and delivered to Burger & Lobster three times a week, where they crawl around in a tank in the basement until they are ready to realise their fate.
• Before the Lobsters are steamed or grilled, they are put into an electric machine called a CrustaStun, which shocks the lobsters into unconsciousness within seconds, one of the only ethically approved method of dispatching lobsters in a commercial kitchen. 

 

Tags: Beef Burger, crustaceans, Goodman's, Lobster

Sapore, St Kilda, Melbourne

Sapore

5 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda 

Melbourne  Vic 3182

www.sapore.com.au

My girlfriend Leah was in town for a Tuesday night, so we decided to keep it within walking distance and opted for a nice little Italian opposite the beautiful St Kilda Foreshore.

Sapore Restaurant has kept its one chef hat for the last several years, so this information, together with the very well priced signature $45 dinner menu of 3 courses with a glass of wine, seemed enough to make it a safe and relatively cheap bet.

We were only the second table to arrive for the evening so we chose to sit by the window overlooking St Kilda bay. Sapore’s décor is simple with clean lines and a great soaring starlit ceiling.

Leah the wine expert took charge of the wine selection, so we could have a nicer drop before we started on our set menu wine. Unfortunately as we could only have a couple of glasses (me breastfeeding, her early morning meetings), we were glad to see a good selection of wines by the carafe.  We bypassed the tempting cocktails and settled on the lovely Chard Farm Pinot Gris.

Now onto the food. The entrée option was a chef’s selection of small tasting dishes to share. Now being a natural born cynic, whenever I see chefs selection I immediately think of all the stuff in the kitchen that is either at its used by date or they’ve managed to score cheaply in bulk. However, I can confidently tell you this was definitely not the case.

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We received 3 different full sized and generous entrees to share between the 2 of us:

• Beef carpaccio with a caper and cornichon dressing, garlic croutons and watercress – all I can say is AMAZING!!! This is one dish you have to try, and this is coming from someone who is never usually a fan of beef carpaccio. The beef is just incredible. Fresh, flavoursome and melt in your mouth, with the taste and texture almost of a fine tuna sashimi. The unusual dressing accompaniment looked like it would overpower the subtleness of the meat, however was just the opposite. The saltiness of the cornichon, the crunch of the croutons, and the creaminess of the rich egg dressing was a great contrast with the softness of the meat.
• Red pepper arancini with woodside goats curd was hot, golden and crunchy, the pepper a nice twist on the usual arancini suspects.
• ‘Cold smoked’ salmon with lemon (don’t ask me why this is in inverted commas, I’m just repeating what I saw on the menu) was more of a gravalax style of salmon which I preferred, so not as salty as a typical smoked salmon.

So coming out of a very impressive starter, we obviously had high expectations for our mains…unfortunately we were very disappointed. Let me caveat this by saying that I think the ingredients used were very good quality, however the final product for both of us was quite a let down.

I opted for the house-made potato gnocchi with braised rabbit, truffle butter and parmesan. The gnocchi was completely overcooked so as lovely as the sauce was, all I could really taste was the mushy pasta. As a self-confessed gnocchi addict this was just an unforgiveable mistake.

Leah ordered the hand cut spaghettini with Crystal Bay prawns, crab bisque, preserved lemon and rocket. Although the pasta was al-dente, the sauce was unfortunately very under-seasoned, and the prawns had a floury quality to them, almost as if they had been cooked for too long in an attempt to lend another dimension of flavour to the bisque.

As disappointing as these mains were, the dessert was a true joy. We both opted for the chocolate and cointreau mousse with toasted marshmallow, passionfruit and lemon balm. The mousse was a rich, chocolaty masterpiece, paired well with the sweet marshmallow and tartness of the passionfruit and lemon.

So this was a really perplexing restaurant to review, and took us on a rollercoaster of amazing entrees, mediocre mains, and heavenly desserts. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and put the mains down to an off night in the kitchen. Either way, I’ll definitely be back for that carpaccio and mousse.

I must also give a special shout to the well trained and attentive wait staff- the service was absolutely faultless.

Did you know?

• The word Sapore is Italian for taste/flavour.
• Head chef Simon Moss has retained the coveted one chefs’ hat from The Age Good Food Guide at Sapore for the last three years. His career started in his native New Zealand, learning the trade in hotels before taking his first head chef role at Cin Cin and then making his mark at One Tree Grill, voted Auckland’s best restaurant. After a stint in charge of the city’s busiest restaurant, Orbit, Sky City Casino, he was headhunted by Sydney’s Wildfire, before finding his spiritual culinary home in Melbourne.

Tags: arancini, Carpaccio, chocolate mousse, gnocchi, italian, melbourne, prawns, rabbit, sapore, simon moss, smoked salmon, spaghetti, st kilda

Sake Restaurant & Bar, Sydney

Sake Restaurant & Bar

12 Argyle Street, The Rocks 

Sydney  NSW 2000

www.sakerestaurant.com.au

Back in Sydney and with babysitters on tap I was keen to have a rare night out and catch up with my girlfriend (and guest GB blogger) Jacqueline. So on a balmy summer eve we drove into The Rocks, parked just before the Harbor Bridge and hiked it past the revelers at Lowenbrau Beer Café and The Argyle.

One look at the 2 braless yet perky hostesses as you enter the restaurant and you get the impression that this is where the beautiful chic people come to mingle. We arrive early and take a seat in the bar area, where a lovely young bartender comes over, introduces himself and gives us tips on the cocktails. A definite must try is the Shibuya Tiger (Tanqueray Gin, Grand Marnier, caramel, cinnamon, kaffir lime and passionfruit).

We were soon shown to our seats at the bar around the great open kitchen, with a nice view of all the chefs in action including the good-looking taco sashimi chef Jure who seemed to be a favourite with the waitresses (cant imagine why!). Highly recommend reserving these seats, we got to watch each and every dish prepared, all checked thoroughly by the head chef as he barked a generic ‘bella/bello’ at his bevy of chefs wearing matching karate kid headgear.

With so many options for a-la-carte we opted for the most expensive ‘chef’s selection’ banquet menu, which at $110 pp isn’t bad value. So here’s a look at our menu pictorially:

1. Sashimi of salmon, tuna and kingfish

2. Tuna tasting plate – a mix of tuna sushi maki, tuna tataki & tuna tacos, served with chilled Kozaemon Junmai sake shots

3. Butterfish lettuce cups – grilled miso-marinated butterfish pieces topped with crunchy kataifi & served in lettuce cups

4. Octopus carpaccio – tender slices of steamed QLD octopus served with jalapeno dressing

5. Popcorn shrimp – bite-sized prawn tempura pieces tossed with creamy spicy sauce

6. Scampi tempura – crunchy tempura scampi tails with sweet ponzu, coriander & jalapeño slices

7. Wagyu teriyaki – marble score 7 wagyu beef sirloin, cooked medium-rare & served on sautéed shiitake & buckwheat with yakiniku sauce

8. Chocolate fondant – warm chocolate pudding with white sesame ice-cream & black sesame tuile Highlights included the popcorn shrimp signature dish.

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A typical Nobu throwback, tender pieces of prawn in a crunchy tempura batter coated in a salty, lemony, chilli mayonnaise had me picking the crumbs out of the bowl with my chopsticks (though my dinner companion thinks the batter was too thick).

Sashimi was the best I have had outside of Japan, the salmon and tuna like eating a rare tender steak, though the kingfish was average. The tuna tasting plate was also a masterpiece, with the tuna tacos (diced sashimi filled hard corn shells) a real triumph of fusion food. It had our neighbours leaning over for a closer look, admitting to us that they had a serious case of food envy! Not so successful was the butterfish, although nice and meaty with an interesting Kataifi (middle Eastern sweet) topping, the miso marinade was a massive let down – more a wet sauce than the unciious caramalised intensity that is the Nobu signature miso cod. Another minor gripe was the octopus carpaccio, which we received 5 pieces of, poor form for a shared banquet for 2 people.

Another area that was a little disappointing was the wait staff. They didn’t seem to have a good grasp of the menu, just rattling of each course exactly as described on the menu, even when pressed for further information. A couple of the dishes were also out of sequence. The dessert was truly worth saving room for and a great end to the meal. The chocolate fondant was absolutely divine, and the gooey red bean centre gave a nice Japanese twist. Heavenly! The next day I rang my hubby back in Melbourne to tell him about the great find. The response? “Oh yeah Sake, I used to take my clients there, they get a kick out of the two hostesses at the door”. Hmmm.

Did You Know?

• The one hatted Sake has been around since 2009, taking over the previous event space of The Argyle in a beautiful heritage sandstone building.
• Head chef Presland graduated from a business degree in QLD before spending 2 years in a small Japanese town Yamagata to immerse himself in the culture and food, working in the kitchen of a 350 year old traditional riyokan (Japanese inn) where he had to stay hidden in the kitchen because he was a ‘geijin’ (white man). Later in 2000 he was invited by hotelier Justin Hemmes to open the now famous Sushi e in his new Establishment hotel complex where he worked for 5 years. 
• Presland (a Junior Masterchef Guest Chef) has also previously worked for Nobu Atlantis, and the Nobuesque modern Japanese flavour definitely shines through on the menu, with favourites like Popcorn shrimp and miso fish

Tags: anchovy, Clove Club, Duck Egg, fondant, junior masterchef, Mutton, nobu, Pheasant Porridge, Pigs Blood, pop up, Rhubarb and Buttermilk, sake, sashimi, sean presland, sushi, sydney, tempura, Ten Bells, tuna tacos, wagyu, Young Turks

The Young Turks, London

Ten Bells

1st Floor, 84 Commercial St

London E1 6LY

www.youngturks.co

 

 

It’s January, and just because we’re detoxing in an attempt to squeeze back into our skinny jeans and starving ourselves for #ProjectBikini2012, doesn’t mean we have to starve our dedicated followers too.

 

So we have started eating (out) again…just for you…cause that’s just the nice people we are…we eat for YOU!

 

Not sure if you recall, but back in June 2011, we went to a quirky little pop-up called “Restaurants in Residence“, set in a 1980′s office building in London’s Canary Wharf? Well the clever boys behind that successful pop-up are now taking it to another level and cooking up a storm at the Ten Bells pub in Shoreditch, which was originally made (in)famous by the attendance of Jack the Ripper himself, and some of his victims.

 

Collaborating with the boys from The Clove Club again, the concept is similar to The Young Turks previous projects. A no choice, weekly changing menu derived from unusual varieties of vegetables sourced from independent growers, and daunting meat cuts and extracts such as pigs blood have also been added to the mix. The focus here is on lesser-used, high quality produce.

 

We went last night with a couple of girls for a New Years catch up - our first meal out for 2012 due to the sort of detox, and errr…may have fallen off the dry Jan wagon too. It seems that if you present girls with some gorgeous looking cocktails to kick off a highly anticipated meal in this charming dining room, we’re hardly going to say no…And besides, there was beetroot (and Gin) in it, so technically considered part of our 5-a-day!

 

To start, we had Chicken Thigh & Pine Salt, Smoked Cods Roe Tarama, both of which we had tried before at their Restaurants in Residence and Franks Bar takeover pop-ups, but the Pig’s Blood Cracker, Pear & Lardo were an interesting new addition. The only time I’ve ever seen this used is on Chinese menus where the pigs blood is jellified and added in congee or stir-fried with chives. Mmmm…but I digress.

 

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A procession of meticulously crafted plates of food came next for mains, consisting of Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Duck Egg and Anchovy, Pheasant, Parsnip and Oat Porridge, and Mutton, Cabbage and Seaweed. The simple techniques used on these dishes allowed the bright intense flavours of the ingredients to shine through on these subtlely balanced plates.

 

Despite the Pheasant Porridge being slightly salty and the Mutton a bit pink for my taste, all our plates were completely empty, with the final slice of table bread being used to mop up all the sauces.

 

To end, we were each served a giant bowl of Rhubarb, Chervil and Buttermilk. This was a panacotta-like pudding, and with the addition of bittersweet rhubarb, it really refreshed the palate. 

 

The wine list was extensive and reasonably priced; we ordered a lovely medium bodied red Valpolicella from Italy for our warm up, and a delicious Mendoza Malbec to go with the mains. Service from the boys was attentive without being intrusive, and for £39 for all that food and the complimentary cocktail to start, it really is excellent value. The perfect night out with great food, great friends…and a great way to fall off the wagon with a thud – Thanks Boys! 

 

They’re fully booked for the rest of January now, but will be operating out of the Ten Bells until the end of February. Reservations are strongly advised by calling 07530 492986, but tables do become free after 9pm Monday-Saturdays for walk ins.

 

Did You Know?

• As much as they love running these successful pop-ups, word around the dining room is that the boys are currently looking to invest in some bricks and mortar once their residence at the Ten Bells is over. East or Central London are the likely destinations, so watch this space!
• Ben Greeno from the original Young Turks trio, is now heading up the kitchen of David Chang’s first Momofuku branch outside of New York – Momofuku Seiōbo, inside Sydney’s STAR Casino complex. http://www.momofuku.com/restaurants/seiobo/ Another branch of Momofuku is due to open in Toronto later this year

Tags: anchovy, Clove Club, Duck Egg, Mutton, Pheasant Porridge, Pigs Blood, pop up, Rhubarb and Buttermilk, Ten Bells, Young Turks

Our favourite ELEVEN of 2011

2011 - What an indulgent year of eating!!

Not only did one half of Gourmet Belly literally *pop* (Freya is her name), we really pushed the boat out this year in terms of fine dining, travelling across continents just to experience some of the San Pellegrino top restaurants of the world.

We had an incredible 5 hour lunch at Noma in Copenhagen (ranked #1), and got a tour around their kitchen, dined at Daniel in NYC (ranked #11), and saw the talented Daniel Boulud fluttering around the dining room; and finally made it to Quay in Sydney (ranked #26), to enjoy the majestic views of Sydney Harbour while devouring the world-famous Snow Egg, to name just a few.

These certainly were exceptional meals, with two of these now sitting very comfortably in my personal list of “Best Dining Experience of My Life”…so far, and definitely most expensive  

So without further adieu, as we sit here in our stretchy pants, we present to you in no particular order, the remaining eight of our eleven favourite meals (of varying price ranges), that filled Gourmet Belly: 

Koya ~ London, United Kingdom

Since opening in Spring 2010, Koya has been the dinner destination of choice particularly when we have international guests dropping by London. 

Specialists in udon noodles, this Japanese restaurant keeps the decor basic, shifting the focus to its food. The udon noodles are made fresh on the premises everyday in the traditional Japanese way, by kneading their dough by foot.

Our favourite dish is the Beef brisket Udon Noodles with an onsen egg on the side, and if the Sake Clams with Samphire are on the specials board, then you absolutely have to order it!  

Turners of Harbourne ~ Birmingham, United Kingdom

Probably the best valued Michelin Starred meal I’ve had to date.

We had such a lovely 3 course lunch which included an assortment of amouse bouche, pre desserts and matching wines - all for just £35!

The creamed celeriac with hazelnut foam pre starter, and the seabass and gnocchi topped with shaved white truffle mains, were both perfectly executed and totally moreish. 

My dining companions and I ordered differently for each course, and were pleasantly surprised by the calibre of all the dishes served in the intimate surrounds of Turners. Service was exceptional, and our Spanish waiters knowledge on their cheese offerings – incredible!

Put Turners on your list if you are ever in the Birmingham area.

Koch & Vin ~ Gothenburg City, Sweden

This was the second trip to Gothenburg City this year, and the city’s food offerings continue to WOW. We came here specifically for the Liseberg Christmas Markets, but as true foodies, still managed to squeeze in a sumptuous 4 course modern Scandinavian meal with wine pairings at Michelin starred Koch & Vin, in between reindeer kebabs and hot dogs topped with mash and prawn cocktail.

Voted one of Sweden’s top ten restaurants, the seasonal menu here at Kock & Vin showcases local produce, so expect to see lingonberries, lobster and moose on the menu.

I particularly enjoyed the daily catch of weever fish served with kale and shellfish bouillon, raw shrimps and topped with dustings of roasted shrimp shells.

A warm welcoming environment, these guys really go the extra mile by offering a gluten-free selection of breads too, so everyone, regardless of dietary requirements are kept equally happy!

The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town ~ London, United Kingdom

They say it’s important to have a balanced diet, so we’ve been taking one for the team this year, and spent countless nights exploring the drinking scene to keep the fluids up for all of you…

The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town is a fun yet quirky, speakeasy-style cocktail bar, so cool that you have to walk through a SMEG fridge to get into. 

Go for the Rosie and Gin, or go off menu and ask for a French Martini. It’s definitely less about the food and more about the drinks and good vibes here. Great date place, but be warned, no heavy petting allowed.

Vintage Patisserie ~ London, United Kingdom

For a lady-like affair and a tea party with a difference, check out Vintage Patisserie who will transform you back to the magic and decadence of the 1920′s.

Hosted by the fabulous Angel Adoree, we sipped champagne tea, ate freshly baked scones with dollops of clotted cream and jam, personalised chocolates and cupcakes, and the usual sandwich suspects normally found on a high tea menu.

All this food, was accompanied by a 1920′s soundtrack as we played dress ups from the vintage trunk, and had victory rolls, curls, and makeup styled by Angel and her gorgeous staff.

A genius idea, and at only £45 per person, it’s the perfect girly afternoon for any occasion. 

  

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Opera Tavern ~ London, United Kingdom

 

Sliders (or mini burgers) seemed to be one of the buzz words of 2011. Everyone was serving them, but only a few managed to serve them well.

Opera Tavern, located in London’s Covent Garden is one of these. Their iberico pork foie gras sliders served medium rare hit all the right notes, and the addition of the shaved foie gras gives it that extra juiciness. Topped with melted aged manchego cheese, and a garlicky aoili and home-made onion jam below, this little gem is definitely the star of the show.

The crispy Iberico pigs ears, San Daniele ham, and Truffle Pecorino cheese were also the ideal accompaniment to a nice big glass of Rioja.

Bar Zeruko ~ San Sebastian, Spain

 

Any one that loves food, and Tapas in general should have ticked, or have high on their EAT list, the Spanish town of San Sebastian.

 

Late this summer, armed with a group of foodie friends, we spent 3 blissful sunny days swimming at the beach, rested our bellies on a surfboard, but mainly ate some cheap but incredible pintxos at every opportunity (read: while we weren’t sleeping).

 

Bar Zeruko was a nice new find for this trip in one of the back streets, specialising in modern pintxos. An impressive array of beautifully presented pintxos are displayed on the bench top. From gold dipped artichokes, sea urchin, tempura langostines, every dish we ordered was superb, but the foie gras dishes…plate licking gorgeousness. Try the seared foie with squid and also the foie with medium rare beef – oh my…DELISH!  

 

#MEATEASY ~ London, United Kingdom

I love London for the food options available to us. Good food doesn’t have to come in fancy surroundings or in a restaurant for that matter, and London best represents this eating ethos with street food and pop-up restaurants giving the permanent fixtures a run for their money. 

#MEATEASY was probably one of the most talked about (and successful) Pop-Ups of 2011. Serving freshly minced beef patty burgers, gigantic fluffy onion rings and cocktails shaken with flair served in jam jars; for us, it still remains one of the most memorable burgers consumed in London, and definitely the best onion ring goodness – dare I say…EVER!

Fear not for those that missed the experience. The team behind #Meateasy have resurrected the buzz in the form of @MeatLiquor, a permanent fixture in Marylebone. 

 

We’ll probably lose some friends amongst the Twitterati, but I didn’t think the standard of the burgers or the onion rings were nearly as good as the original at #MEATEASY. That said, the Fried Pickles, Buffalo Wings and the Momofuku inspired Crack Pie are certainly worth dropping in for a casual meal with a great atmosphere.

 

So there you have it – a round-up of our favourite eats of 2011.

Here at Gourmet Belly, our meals are seldom sponsored in exchange for favourable reviews, and we’d like to think that our palates extend well beyond fine dining. In fact, we’re actually happiest when we’re sharing good food with great friends…from all walks of life…

A huge THANKS to you all for the continued feedback and support, tweets and foodie suggestions over the past year. The encouragement has certainly been overwhelming but appreciated, and we take great comfort in knowing that our waistlines are expanding together.

 

Finally, a shout out to our guest writers this year - Chris Cokalis, Andy Wright and Jacqueline Leko – can’t wait to eat together again soon.

 

Here’s to an exciting 2012 full of great food and drink shared with friends, and we hope that everything your bellies desire are ful-FILLED!

 

Lots of Love,

Gourmet Belly xx

 

Tags: beef, beef brisket, buffalo wings, Burgers, crack pie, creamed celeriac, Daniel, foie gras, gluten-free, Koya, sake clams, samphire, sliders, Snow Egg, Squid, Turners of Harbourne, Vintage Patisserie

Pizarro, London

194 Bermondsey St 

London SE1 3TQ

www.josepizarro.com/restaurants/pizarro

 

If I haven’t been banging on about this enough already, I love my hood. And with restaurants like José, Zucca and The Garrison practically on my doorstep, what’s not to love?

 

Often being accused of neighbourhood bias, I almost didn’t want to write about Jose Pizarro’s latest opening, but when I accidentally found myself dining here at Pizarro twice in the one week, it definitely justified a review.

 

Similar to the tapas being served down the road at José, Pizarro extends its offerings beyond small plates to more substantial dishes (still suitable for sharing), a reasonably priced drinks menu featuring a wide range of Cavas, and seating for about 40 people!! Salud! 

 

My first experience of Pizarro was at a “Dine With Dos Hermanos” event last Monday (a week before opening), hosted by Jose and Simon Majumdar; blogger extraordinaire and author of food/travel memoir “Eat My Globe“, one of the many inspirations behind us starting Gourmet Belly!

 

So apparently the restaurant was still a building site that morning, and it was the first time the chefs behind the kitchen and front of house staff had worked together, but José, and his dedicated team still managed to deliver faultless service and 5 courses of exceptional food with wine and sherry pairings.

 

So naturally, I couldn’t stop telling everyone about it. And when José confirmed that there would be soft openings later that week at 50% off, my curious friends insisted that I join them for another meal there on Saturday night.

 

And to be expected, upon our arrival, the restaurant already had an orderly queue forming outside, but we were quickly seated at the front of the restaurant where a large communal table made from old wine crate panels adorned the table top. A nice touch…

 

As the Spanish proverb goes, “The belly rules the mind”, and that it did, because I had only just finished a late lunch two hours prior, and here we were, practically ordering every entree on the menu.

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The squid with potatoes and allioli was one of the winning starters for me. Perfectly cooked tender squid, and just the right about of garlic in the allioli bind the dish together. Our Jerusalem artichoke soup with truffle oil topped with monchego cheese was moreish, and the vinegary boquerones with roasted peppers and black olives, reminded me of the tapas we devoured in San Sebastian. DELISH. 

 

The ham croquetas were a familiar choice, and hit the spot as always, while the grilled chilli garlic prawns (also served at José), were improved (if that was at all possible) with slices of Serrano ham. It really was heaven on a plate.

 

I was slightly underwhelmed by the butternut squash with blue cheese, which my vegetarian friend happily demolished, and despite the quail romesco being flavoursome with hints of lemon thyme, trying to eat a whole quail while maintaining lady-like table manners just proved to be a little too much effort that night.

 

By the time our mains arrived, I was seriously stuffed and stressing about how I was going to snap out of this sudden food coma to meet the girls for cocktails out East. But you know me…never one to let food pass me by.

 

The Hake with black cabbage and clams, and the carnivores choice of lamb, lentils and radicchio still managed to find a way to my mouth. Possibly due to soft opening hastiness, both dishes appeared a little too rare for my liking. But still, the hake was a good texture, and the lamb beautifully seasoned, nonetheless.

 

Overall,  a very enjoyable meal with a bustling vibe. My only regret was literally having to eat and run while my friends stayed behind to mop up the plates with the crusty bread. I suspect I shall be back very soon; if only to appease my curiosity over the chocolate, toast and caramel ice cream, and Cava, pear sorbet I sized up from our fellow diners. Both looked a-mazing!

  

Restaurant opening hours are from 12 – 3 p.m and from 6 – 11 p.m daily, while the bar is open all day, so plenty of chances to sample their extensive wine and Cava list at the least…

 

Did You Know?

• “Pizarro” does not take bookings, but does have a gorgeous private room at the back of the restaurant which can accommodate up to 12 people. Get in touch at michelle@josepizarro.com to reserve.
• Following the success of his critically acclaimed cook book “Seasonal Spanish Food”, which was a finalist in the Guild of Food Writers award here in the UK, José Pizarro is due to release his new book in May 2012. Watch this space…

 

 

Tags: allioli, boquerons, cava, clams, croquetas, garlic prawns, hake, jeruselum artichoke soup, José, José Pizarro, monchego, serrano ham, sherry, Squid

Gramercy Tavern, New York

42 East 20th Street

New York, New York

www.gramercytavern.com

 

Sharing is caring, by Guest Reviewer J. Leko

 

Today I feel like a bona fide New Yorker. After 9 days here, I’ve resumed my love affair with Manhattan, reacquainted with the subway and some Americans have even asked me for directions, which I easily give. I was determined my last meal in NYC, for this visit at least, was going to be a real hum dinger.  Whilst most visitors scramble to soak up the last bits of NYC, shopping, & sight seeing, not me. I eat.

Gramercy Tavern had been on my list of must-try’s, but then, the next dilemma. Do I dine in the tavern or do I hit up the dining room? Given this was lunch and no other real foodie dining companion, I opted for the tavern. When fine dining, one needs a supper group. To diagnose, dissect and discuss. Much like a biology class I imagine (if I had ever attended one).

Walking into the restaurant, the first thing that strikes me is that there is a very real sense of homely sophistication. Rustic is far too crude a way to describe the welcoming Gramercy Tavern.  The warmth and charring timber embers of the wood fire oven waft around the autumnal colours; the decorative pumpkins and art high above, captures a simple celebration of the vegetable.

I was settled in very quickly with a drink – a Jalisco pear cocktail. Yes tequila at high noon. Arriba! A long haul flight toLas Vegaswas my justification. A little somethun’somethun’; to put me in the mood. I did a thorough recon of the drinks list and can vouch for a wonderful wine list with great options at different price points – a good selection of wines by the glass, and a fairly decent beer list.

I start with Sweetbreads, Hen of the Woods Mushrooms, Bok Choy and Almonds: The sweetbreads were lovely with crisp caramelisation searing the outside, the inside tender, without being gelatinous. I was a little confused by the taste of this dish. The ingredients shout Asian, but the subtlety of the broth was a little too pale in flavour, and the scallions and chives don’t hold their own either.

Being a Sydney-sider, I’m a little spoilt for choice when it comes to balancing the striking flavours of Asian cooking with delicate flair. This dish needed just the slightest of lifts to help the flavours in the stock and I think it would take just that little tang of a lime squeeze to get it over the line.

Jalisco Pear Cocktail

Smoked Pork Shoulder & Cornbread

There is one protein I enjoy celebrating and it is pork. The Pig is such a versatile beast and I have made it my mission on this trip to taste pork in each big city I visit (and the little towns too). So for my main, it was obvious… Smoked Pork Shoulder, Cornbread, Salsify & Bacon Broth. After spending a fair amount of time in the south where pork is revered, and I’m certain, classified as a confectionary item, in some areas, this pork shoulder was a welcome change in tune. Nothing BBQ or syrupy sweet about the way this pork has been cooked. A little slow roasting, a hint of wood fire; shards and shreds fill the bowl in the fashion of a Pho, but tasting nothing like it. This dish dazzled with porcine goodness. The meld is worth the trouble and I would encourage you to take your time with this dish. A little broth, a lotta pork and a bit of soaked cornbread in every mouthful really does the trick.

My dining neighbour, also alone, is delicately manoeuvring his fish dish and it epitomises the last days of summer on a plate. Flounder, Spaghetti Squash, Walnuts and Sherry Sauce house a perfectly cooked fillet of fish. Maybe it was me staring his meal down, or perhaps it was the soul’s recognition of a fellow foodie. We did the unspeakable…We exchanged bites from our plates! What was I thinking, swapping solids with a NY stranger?

Finite stomach space restricted me from ordering more, so I was prepared to take the risk. And do you know what? It was sooo good. Whilst we did swap food, we didn’t swap numbers. It was a one bite wonder.  It was great while it lasted and I can see why he left no prisoners behind on his plate by mopping up the remains of the day with his side plate bread. I spy the other diners tilting their plates to scoop up the last bits of goodness on theirs, which leads me to think that there is probably no bad dish here.

In total food bliss, this whole meal was the perfect end to my New York stint. So good in fact, that I’m at risk of missing my plane because I’ve decided to take time I don’t have, to take tea here and soak up the ambiance a little more…

Did You Know?

• Gramercy Tavern was voted most popular overall restaurant for the sixth time in ten years according to the  2011 Zaga Survey.
• The bricks used in the wood fire oven at the Gramercy Tavern originate from the last existing foundry in the USA to cut bricks by hand.

Tags: cornbread, Flounder, mushrooms, pork shoulder, sweetbreads, Tequila, Zagat