Tamarind and Thyme

When I secured a booking a few months ago (for early June!) for a lunch at Dinner, Heston Blumenthal’s restaurant in London, I knew we’d probably be dining off his set lunch menu: it’s the most affordable option at £28 for three courses and is only available on weekdays. There were four of us dining that day (me, Blai and his parents) and this would help us not rack up a very big bill.

But first, first impressions. Well, it’s in the Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge and yes, it’s certainly as plush inside as the exterior leads you to imagine. I honestly don’t remember the last time I ate in a restaurant situated in hotel but I’m sure I haven’t eaten in one like this. The restaurant’s decor reflected the theme of modernised historic British gastronomy, with its views to the large kitchen and the jelly mould lamps on the walls. All very modern and all very comfortable.

As we arrived early, we were first led to the bar where we ordered pre-lunch drinks. And here we tarried until I, of a nervous disposition, asked about our reservation again – we were then led to the dining room, which seemed smaller than I was expecting. When we were seated at about 1pm, the restaurant was still only about half full but soon it was heaving, with tables turning right before our eyes (people were sitting down to dine at 4pm…).

The set lunch itself has only two options for each course and so Blai and I decided to order one each between us and swap plates halfway through. After our order was taken, bread and butter was set down. The bread (both white and brown) was lovely but really, we weren’t there for the bread, however nice it was.

The Lemon Salad (c.1730), Goats curd, raisins and verjus was exactly as described and was certainly a very nice salad with the tangy pickled lemon and the plump and sweet raisins playing off the creamy curd. It was just a little dull though and we certainly didn’t see fireworks while eating it.

The other starter of Ragoo of Pigs Ears (c.1750), Anchovy, onions and parsley was definitely more interesting. A rich, sticky braise of pig ears was presented on a long bit of toast and we couldn’t get enough of it. The ears still retained a bit of cartilaginous crunch.

To supplement our set lunch (though it certainly wasn’t necessary in terms of quantity of food), I ordered a Meat Fruit (c.1500), Mandarin, chicken liver parfait and grilled bread (£13.50) for the table. I mean, I can’t go to Dinner for the first time and not have the meat fruit!

It was still exciting to see and taste despite my reading about it everywhere. I’m also quite glad we split it as the chicken liver parfait inside was insanely rich. The mandarin jelly encasing the parfait complemented the richness with its fruity tang.

Onto the mains. This was the Cured Salmon (c.1670), Beetroot, purslane and olive oil and a definite hat tip to the kitchen for actually making me like, nay, enjoy the beetroot on my plate that day! The salmon was beautifully cooked with a soft translucent middle.

The second option, the Roast Quail (c.1590), Smoked parsnips and thyme, was also delicious. Both main courses were quite conventional but both were of a good size  and were excellently prepared.

Dessert time. The Chocolate Wine (c.1710), Millionaire tart certainly had us scratching our heads – what would chocolate wine be? Well, I can tell you that it looked frothy and like a well made hot cocoa but with a definite flavour of red wine. Yes, a cross between red wine and hot cocoa; I’m still not sure whether I liked it but it was certainly surprising and definitely different. Don’t worry, we drank it all! The accompanying millionaire tart, a chocolate caramel slice, certainly looked fit for a millionaire, what with its little sprinkling of gold bling.

The Orange Buttered Loaf (c.1630), Mandarin and thyme sorbet was also a surprise! The buttered loaf turned out to be a tender brioche-like cake with an orange jammy filling, all coated in a thin crackly caramel layer. Quite sweet and very moreish.

Prior to coffees, we each received a little cupful of Earl Grey tea and white chocolate ganache, served with a crumbly biscuit. It had the texture and look of condensed milk and we were scraping the sides of the cup down to get at it all.

Lunch for four, including water, a bottle of wine, coffees, pre-dinner drinks and service, came to £230; it’s certainly not a budget meal but I’m glad to have tried the restaurant. It’s not a substitute for the Fat Duck (and I’ll state now that I haven’t eaten there yet) but it’s still worth a visit, even if for just the set lunch. Bookings required – do look at their website for the next booking period.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
66 Knightsbridge
London SW1X 7LA

When asked where we could meet outside of London for a meal, I suggested The Sportsman at Seasalter, Kent, a pub/restaurant I’ve been wanting to visit for ages, to my friend. The date was duly set and the restaurant booked (though not far ahead enough to order their famous tasting menu) and off we went recently for a lunch by the sea. I was very lucky that my friends had a vehicle to take us there – it’s only about an hour’s drive out of London. Otherwise, it would have been a train to Whitstable and then a taxi to the restaurant…or should I say pub? There’s nothing on its exterior that would give any indication of the delicious food they serve inside. It really looked like any other pub along the narrow, winding road – well, perhaps apart from the number of cars parked outside.

Inside it does still look like most pubs, albeit a pub with quite a bit of seating for dining. We were welcomed at the bar by the very kind Phil Harris, one of two brothers who own the place (his brother Steve was in the kitchen along with head chef Dan Flavell). As a bit of a geek myself, it was fascinating to learn that Phil’s hobby is building computers that play chess as evinced by one of the trompe l’oeil paintings in the conservatory and the large rook piece used to hold open the front door to let the breeze in.

At The Sportsman, unlike many pubs, almost all the meat and produce is sourced locally and their menu changes daily based on what is available. It’s certainly quite the place to visit if you enjoy your food as the many reviews it’s got signifies. If you’re curious to see them, I’ve uploaded the a la carte and dessert menus for that day onto Flickr.

Soon after we sat down, homemade bread and butter were brought out, along with some delicious, plump, green olives. The focaccia style bread was studded with caramelised onions and the brown sourdough had the most amazing crust but our favourite was the dark brown soda bread that had a sweet maltiness from the addition of molasses. Absolutely gorgeous stuff and I’m still thinking about it. We tried our best not to fill up on that bread.

To start, I had to try their Slip Sole Grilled in Seaweed Butter, a dish I’d heard lots about. It was exactly what it was and its preparation highlighted the freshness of the fish and well, the deliciousness of the butter. So good, so tender, so I want more please.

My friend tried their Chilled Beetroot Soup which looked absolutely beautiful and tasted absolutely stunning. Again, simple but very well executed. (If all beetroot preparations tasted like this, I might be more of a fan.)

I sought Phil’s opinion on what I should have for my main course and he suggested the Roast Belly of Monkshill Farm Pork with Crackling and Apple Sauce. Yes, oh yes, I do like me some pork belly and this was amazing. The top of the tender belly had the finest piece of crackling I’d ever had in a restaurant. Again, this was seemingly so simple but Phil then told us that they confit their pork belly in goose fat…. so yeah, not so simple really! And the apple sauce too: I was scraping that little potful clean. (Apologies, we started tucking into our main courses before I remembered to take a photo!)

It was the Crispy Duck, Smoked Chilli Salsa and Sour Cream for my friend. He thoroughly enjoyed it! I had a bit of a taste and it was indeed delicious with the most fabulous looking roast potatoes.

Again with Phil’s recommendation, we split a Jasmine Tea Junket, Raspberries and Flapjack Crumbs for dessert. I knew a junket was set milk and actually, of all the desserts listed, this was the only one I didn’t get particularly excited about when reading its description. But still, gotta try everything once, right? I’m glad I did; this junket was a wibbly wobbly treat. It wasn’t too sweet nor too milky and was infused with a lovely jasmine tea flavour. The flapjack crumbs on top gave it a lovely textural contrast and the raspberries added a sweet and sour hit. It was a beautiful dessert.

After the fabulous lunch, we did explore the immediate surrounding area (lots of grassy marshland) and found it to be perfect for a post-lunch walk (well, apart from the fact that we had to go a little further on down the road to gain access to the beach).

I’ve got to get back there with Blai one day and we definitely need to try their tasting menu. And from what Phil’s told me, I have to aim for autumn when the pears are in season (Well, he didn’t lead me astray that day!).

The Sportsman
Faversham Road
Seasalter
Whitstable
Kent CT5 4BP

My happy days are the ones where after I come home after a long day at work, I find a new Saveur magazine waiting for me to curl up with on the sofa after dinner. Their latest issue was dedicated to the art of all things barbecue and while I absolutely adore all the slow cooked and smoky grilled meats featured, I have nowhere where I can actually make them at home. We have no outdoor space to speak of and barbecues are forbidden in our local parks.

I did find one recipe though that catered for us no-outdoor-spacers. I just couldn’t stop staring at the gorgeous photo of the St. Louis style barbecue ribs, where the meat is cooked in barbecue sauce, and the impetus was so great that I actually made them the next day. They are fantastic, all tender and flavourful, and the barbecue sauce recipe is delicious. As I failed to obtain some of the more American ingredients in the recipe, I fell to substituting them with whatever I had or could find and these substitutions certainly didn’t diminish the dish. Just a bit of barbecue love indoors then.

St. Louis Style Barbecue Spare Rib Chops
adapted from this Saveur recipe.
serves 4.

For the barbecue sauce:
4 slices streaky bacon, finely chopped
1 large chipotle en adobe, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 can (400g) whole, peeled tomatoes, pureed
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 heaped tbsps whole grain mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I like quite a bit)

4 large pork spare rib chops
2 tbsp sunflower oil

First make the barbecue sauce. Heat a pot over medium heat and then add the bacon. Fry, stirring constantly, until all the fat renders out (if your bacon is quite lean, add a bit of oil to help it along). Add the chipotle, garlic and onions and continue frying until they are all soft. Pour in the rest of the ingredients: tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and stir thoroughly. Turn up the heat to bring it to a boil and cook it for 5 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and set aside. Prevent yourself from sticking your finger in one too many times for a taste.

Preheat your oven to 180C.

Heat a large frying pan over medium high heat and then add the sunflower oil. When hot, lay in two of the spare rib chops and fry, turning once, until brown on both sides. Set aside and repeat with the second batch of two. Place the browned chops into a baking dish that will fit them (I used a roasting pan) and pour over the barbecue sauce to cover the chops. Bake for about 1 hour (or until the chops are cooked and tender – and a knife cuts through them easily). Serve.

Last Saturday, six excited eaters gathered for a relatively late lunch at the Chennai Dosa in Wembley. I had heard of a particularly large dosa, a family dosa, that one could order there to feed quite a large group. Being ridiculously excited about this kind of large format eating, I had organised a group to tackle one. Thank you, Jen, Nayan, Rahul, Wen, and Mr Noodles for coming along!

It being a late lunch, we were absolutely starving. To quieten our stomachs, we started with a few of the smaller dishes from the menu. Gobi Manchurian (dry) (£2.99) was battered cauliflower florets tossed in a spicy, thick, cornstarchy sauce with onions and peppers. It’s a good example of Indian-Chinese food and it was delicious!

The Chilli Paneer (£3.45) was luridly coloured chunks of paneer again tossed in a thick sauce with onions and peppers. We weren’t able to differentiate between this sauce and the previous but luckily it was tasty.

A Babycorn Pepper fry (£2.99) again looked very similar but for some reason, the battered and fried babycorn were the best. I think it was something to do with the firm texture of the miniature corn with the batter.

The 14 Mini Idly with Sambar (£2.60) were indeed miniature and the perfect way to try the steamed pillowy rice cakes without filling up too much. I thought they were pretty good and I loved the sambar (not too sweet, not too thin) they were served with.

And just when I was thinking of ordering more food, a frenzy of activity around our table distracted us all. Our main event was coming and our dishes were being cleared to make room for it. A platter of chutneys was set down. While normally I’m not particularly fussed with coconut chutneys, I was shoving this white one down – we all were and it was the only one we finished that afternoon.

And this was the Family Dosa, all six feet of it (£9.99).

Six feet! Sadly, it had collapsed a bit on its journey from the kitchen to the far end of the restaurant where we were sitting. Still, that didn’t affect its flavour and crispness. I guess an uneven temperature under the cooking surface caused the uneven hue of the dosa; I like to think of it as ranging from rare to well-done – something for everyone! It was a very tasty dosa indeed with plenty of ghee and two dishes of potato masala to go along with it. The conversation went quiet a bit as we tucked it and somehow we managed to finish almost all of it. (If you want more views of the beast, they’re available here!)

Drinks made up the majority of the bill: a salty lassi, a couple of mango lassis and countless sweet lime drinks pushed the grand total to £47.73. Including service, that worked out to a little less than £9 a head – a serious bargain! Next time, perhaps we’ll tackle their family sized bhatura (a deep fried bread) with the family sized dish of channa (chickpeas)!

Chennai Dosa
3 Ealing Road
Wembley
Middlesex HA0 2AA

They have a few branches and while we visited a Pure Veg restaurant, they have others that do serve meat. One of them was right next door to the one at which we ate.

Late last year, the focus of Ba Shan, a small eats restaurant in Soho, switched to Hunan cuisine, as announced here on Fuchsia Dunlop’s blog. I hadn’t tried it in its previous incarnation but when I suddenly read blog posts on the change and how it was certainly for the better, I arranged to catch up with a friend there a couple weeks ago. I made a booking and was told that we’d only have 1.5 hours to eat; gosh, a little pushy but they did get us in and out in exactly that amount of time.

While I’m not the most familiar with the cuisine of this region of China, I did recognise that red braised pork is one of the most well known Hunan dishes and we ordered it with fried tofu puffs. What arrived was a highly flavourful and lip-tingling dish of pork belly cubes with the tofu puffs also braised in the same “red” liquid. The tofu puffs were gorgeous, having soaked up the spicy sauce but the pork could have had more cooking time though to make them more tender. Still, it was awfully good on rice.

I’d heard about the catfish fillets with salted red chillies from Lizzie’s post and what sealed the deal, so to speak, was seeing it on a neighbouring table (it comes in a massive platter). Our waiter said that we absolutely must have the noodles alongside (an extra £2.50) and we were so glad we did. The slippery noodles were slurped up with the delicious broth and despite the alarming redness of the salted chillies, they were quite mild and were very moreish with the fish. Another version is also available with pickled green chillies instead of the salted red ones.

Feeling a need for a vegetable, we ordered the silk gourd with century egg, which came in a thick stock. I hadn’t had a silk gourd in a while and it was lovely to eat this juicy vegetable in this soothing, chilli-free preparation.

With one order of rice and only tap water to drink, the bill, with service, came to £37. Yes, a little more expensive than your usual Chinese restaurant here in London but everything was very good. What I didn’t like about the bill was that it wasn’t itemised, just a grand total on the top sheet, with a few prices for the dishes scattered about on the order sheets stapled underneath; it took a bit of faffing with our mobiles to calculate that service was already included. Not cool and I’m glad we figured that out. Bookings are essential, even for a weekday, unless you like to wait for up to an hour.

Ba Shan
24 Romilly Street
London W1D 5AH