Life enhancing mash, a mushroom dish worth talking about and an interesting American fizz are just some of the things that made our hit list over the past month of dining out.
Lilibet's (Mayfair) - The Lilibet’s Mash
What could be so special about a potato dish you might wonder? But this superlative side at new Mayfair seafood spot Lilibet’s is no ordinary bowl of mash. It comes swimming in a sea of intense lobster bisque and topped with a generous portion of lobster, too.
Alta (Carnaby) - Hen of the Woods
Rob Roy Cameron's Alta runs over a big section of Kingly Court and the chef's take on Northern Spanish food is undeniably impressive. From a menu packed with hits, it was this vegetarian main that really wowed us, particularly with the crunchy edges of the mushrooms and (like pretty much everything on the menu) fantastic sauce. Look out for a Test Drive from us very soon.
Tiny Wines (Fitzovia) - American Pet Nat
There was plenty to enjoy on the food menu on this appropriately-named wine bar from the same team behind Crudo, not least all the ceviches. But having tried a few of their by-the-glass offerings, we can’t stop thinking about this incredibly drinkable Pet Nat by Long Island winery Channing Daughters.
The Grill at The Dorchester (Mayfair) - Portland crab, Marie Rose, apple
There's been a change of the guard at The Grill, which now sees new Culinary Director, Martyn Nail in charge, together with chef Jacob Keen-Downs. We've always had a soft spot for this restaurant and the new direction, which brings back its classic name, looks like being another winner. There were some very bright spots in our meal here, but this crab starter was exceptionally good - one of the best crab dishes we've had in recent memory and highly recommended.
Legado (Shoreditch) - The Legado sandwich
There is a LOT on the menu at Nieves Barragan’s new Shoreditch hotspot, but the one thing that’s an absolute must-order is her titular Legado ‘sandwich’. Inspired by the kind of childhood snacks her grandmother would make her, this clever treat features air-dried beef and smoked cheese inside a sandwich where the bread is actually panko-coated, deep-fried Swiss chard.
Fan (Notting Hill) - Nigiri hotate fungi foie
London has a lot of swanky central restaurants serving up sushi, but the offering at Notting Hill newbie Fan is different, because of its Nikkei bent (that’s Japanese meets Peruvian). Our tasting menu here featured a procession of amazing nigiri but the standout was this piece topped with a cube of butter-roasted foie with Maldon salt.
Carmela's (Islington) - The Pep
New pizzerias in London are (currently) ten a penny but there are standout additions to the genre, and one of those is newcomer Carmela’s on Upper Street. The vodka pie is very good, but we were swayed by the addition of hot maple drizzle all over this exemplary pepperoni East Coast-style pizza.
Pintxito (Covent Garden) - Lamb skewer
This sees the people behind Camino taking over a space in the Covent Garden Pizza to deliver the kind of pintxo bar you might find in Northern Spain. Of the dishes we tried, these lamb skewers proved to be a perfect match for a glass (or two) of txakoli. Make sure to make use of our reader offer, which is running until the end of the month.
Lagana (Shoreditch) - Lamb belly with cumin yoghurt and tomato sauce
The latest restaurant in the London Pachamama Group to get a Mediterranean makeover, Lagana has been packed since the early days of its soft launch. Our standout dish from dinner here was a piece of beautifully cooked lamb belly fresh off the grill. It was a perfect mix of crispy skin, rendered lamb fat and tender meat.
Teo Hotpot (Bloomsbury) - Mooli beef broth
A recent visit to this newish hotpot restaurant in Bloomsbury saw us taste testing a variety of their hotpot broths. But the soup base that won our hearts was this mooli beef broth, made from beef marrow bones, which was so clear it let the amazing beef we were cooking in it take centre stage.
Lore of the Sky (Compton Abbas) - Smoked beef brisket bun
On a trip to Dorset, looking for a lunchtime pitstop led us to the sibling outpost of Guy Ritchie's Lore of the Land. This is a restaurant and bar right on the edge of a local airfield, and it proved to be a very relaxed lunch, eating smoked meats while watching the local pilots heading off for a spin.
Nela (Bayswater) - Torched Toro
The first new restaurant to open as part of The Whiteley (which was Whiteley's) is proving to be an instant hit, judging by our visit last Friday. It seems the area is certainly ready for a live-fire restaurant, which has taken a little influence from Nobu too. Everything here has a little bit of fire applied to it and this excellent dish was a great example, with a perfect light char around the edges of the tuna.
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