Summer likes to play tricks on us English folk. On most days in the season, you will wake up to cloudless blue skies. As soon as you turn back to dress yourself for good weather, in sneak the clouds. You might notice one or two as you leave the house but convince yourself that there is no need to worry. But by lunchtime, the clouds will have aggregated to leave only miniscule vistas through which the sun can poke out and as you head home, the sky has taken on a deathly pallor, ruining all those plans you had for a meal outside.

There should be some sub-section of Murphy’s Law, the decree that if something can go wrong it will. Entitled English Weather Law, it simply states that if the weather can mess up an event that has been long in the planning, it will.

Such are the conditions that thwart attempts at al fresco dining, that those who endeavour to put on meals in the open are to be heartily congratulated. One of these venues is Courtyard at 51, an open-space area attached to Michelin-starred restaurant the Quilon. Boasting a veranda that looks out onto a fountain and one of the largest Shakespearean friezes in the world, this is a place that manages to combine grandness with a sense of intimacy.

The venue also offers a mixture of food, alternating between Arabian, Moroccan, Lebanese and other barbecue classics. Due to the weather being predictably dank, a group of us headed inside to sample some of the food. Although there were some grumbles amongst us, there are infinitely worse places to retreat to than a Michelin-starred restaurant.

What was put before us was a hybrid menu featuring elements from the a la carte menu, dishes that have a distinct south Indian feel to them. These are ideal for the grills and barbecues that the venue offers, simply for the way in which they are cooked and the effect that this has on the food. By cooking in a way that drains the excess oils, the food is filling but not in a way that leaves you feeling bloated. While it is not possible to describe everything that is on the menu as the lack of space would leave only a cursory glance at each, there are some items that are worthy of comment.

The curry leaf and lentil crusted fish was superbly done, having a fantastic texture as well as being exceedingly flavoursome. Other notable items were the prawns byadgi with the sweetness of the prawns combining excellently with the byadgi chillies and the mapla chicken. The Courtyard will also be hosting opera recitals in the later months of the summer. Hopefully by that time, the weather will have sorted itself out.

Courtyard at 51
51 Buckingham Gate
Westminister
SW1E 6AF

Tel: 020 7769 7766

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Courtyard at 51

Dishoom considers itself as part of trendy Covent Garden but in actuality is more Leicester Square, conveniently near either tube station. As my companion and I arrived at the opening of this Bombay café, we were slightly bemused by it classifying itself as ‘Bombay’; Having both been to Mumbai, we have been trained to be as PC as possible, referring to it by its new name.

Whatever Dishoom is, it is certainly trying to avoid being lumped into being categorised as a stereotypical Indian restaurant. As we walked through the door, we were greeted with a choice of two cocktails and moments later Adarsh, organiser and brain behind Dishoom, greeted us. He is clearly proud of his baby and gushed over the menu, comparing Dishoom to a traditional ‘Bombay café’ like ‘Leopold’s', he described how the menu is inspired by dishes from Chowpatty Beach, street vendors and cafés but aspires to infuse food with a familiar English twist.

Looking at the menu, it is certainly unlike your average curry house. Open from breakfast until midnight, there is an unusual range of dishes from the house porridge and bacon or sausage naan rolls to shorba (lightly spiced soups), salads, grills, daals, biryani and chocolate fondue.

Surveying the scene, we rapidly consumed our bombalada and house punch cocktails and having been chastised as ‘silly girls’ for failing to replenish our drinks, we positioned ourselves next to a black and white image of an Indian Ugly Betty.

Dishoom is a great open glass-fronted space with mahogany panels dotted between mint green brick walls filled with old family photos; an extremely high ceiling covered in welcoming fans and a long bar attractively fitted above with mirrors between what appeared to be an old station clock.

Sitting at our marble effect table, we were impressed by the attentive and friendly staff who tried to ply us with multiple drinks and tempt us with Bombay sausages, calamari, minced lamb with Nepal bread, chilli cheese toast, chicken tikka, sheekh kebab, lamb samosas, Desi fish fingers, masala prawns and paneer and grilled vegetables.

Three hours on and the once pumping room was still trendy but less suited – it was almost possible to hear the indiscernible beats through the nattering. Finishing our kulfi on a stick that unavoidably reminded me of corn on the cob, we sat back to sip the stomach settling Masala chai. So full of drink and chatter, it was time to explore the vast expanse downstairs, where we were impressed by the medicinal toilet décor and ten-person booths.

Dishoom certainly felt a bit different, but it was relievingly dissimilar to the uncluttered Leopold’s it was first compared to. And, unlike its model, there was room to relax, intimately converse and savour the delights before you.

Dishoom
12 Upper St Martins Lane
Covent Garden
WC2H 9EF

Tel: 020 7383 2686

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Dishoom Covent Garden

My companion and I arrived at the restaurant to be met by the staff with large grins on their faces. We soon found out the reason why. El Pirata de Tapas had received a top-rate review, which had been published on the day we visited. It was from Giles Coren, a man famously quick to ire. He had accidentally washed up there rather than at his planned assignment down the road and had been pleasantly surprised.

No wonder the staff couldn’t stop beaming that Saturday when my companion and I went to try the new seasonal menu of head chef Omar Allibhoy. We’d just thought we were special.

While the lunch time service was quiet, the tempo was right for the restaurant’s muted décor of black wood, amber lights and walls of sherry bottles.

My vegetarian friend had moaned before we arrived that tapas were usually too meaty. But she seemed very happy with her pisto – slow cooked vegetable stew, endives with valdeon cheese foam and grilled asparagus with manchego. The foam was a little excitable, I thought, but the firm asparagus spot on.

I’d chosen the stunning-looking octopus carpaccio, mandarin caviar and paprika, whose cream octopus slivers were smeared with blazes of flaming paprika and orange pearls. It didn’t taste quite as vibrant as looks promised but the parsnip purée – which accompanied the six-hour roasted pork belly with red wine pear – was delightful, bursting with wonderful honeycomb and almond flavours.

We had a good Spanish omelette – perfectly gooey in the middle, and a lovely tower of fried potato, scrambled egg and garlicky prawns. The Serrano ham croquettes were cute, though nothing fancy. And I was still going with the generous helping of paprika crispy fried squid after two hours.

What was best was that El Pirata had created hearty, tasty food with the most basic of ingredients – just as tapas should be. No need for frippery or delicate flounces with this rustic grub, perhaps excepting the foam. We don’t know if they’re still smiling but a purposeful visit, I’m sure, will reward as much as a serendipitous one.

El Pirata de Tapas
115 Westbourne Grove
Notting Hill
W2 4UP

Tel: 020 7727 5000

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El Pirata de Tapas

Forget all the clichés you have read about rosé wine. Even if you are happy to drink rosé and defend your choice of drink, you may need to update the stock phrases you trot out when talking about wines of this type. This is not because you are banal or ignorant about rosé, but you’ll need to become a bit more sophisticated. It’s now not enough to think you can get away with statements such as `You know, rosé has come a long way in the past couple of years’.

This is due to the dramatic development of rosé over a short space of time. The types of rosé now coming out require a new seriousness and a finer appreciation. There is a much greater variety in the wines being produced, with greater complexities and nuances than ever before. Sales of rosé wine have gone up by about 15 per cent in the last year and rather than cash in on what might seem to be a passing fad, wine producers are giving much more thought to the rosé wines they produce.

Such is the interest in rosé that All Bar One even hosted a festival this week to show off the emergence of these wines. There were four wines to enjoy, each with different characteristics and it was a handy showcase for those looking for new wines on the market and how well they combine with food.

First off was an English rosé, from Chapel Down – one of this country’s largest wine producers. Their wine is made from pinot noir grapes and its lightness makes it a good combination with most types of fish.

The second wine was a Chateau de Sours, which has a very lurid bubblegum pink colour. It is a mixture of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in a ratio of 4:1. I personally found it a little pallid with not much in terms of substantial flavour, but I feel that it would make a reasonable wine for drinking out in the open.

Much more complex was the Agustinos Syrah. It was much more dark and rich than the previous wine, with elements of rosehip and cranberries. It had a very clinical nose as well as a sharp finish. This is a wine that would go very well with something like chicken.

The final wine, El Muro Garnacha, was a little heavier than the wines that had gone before; quite dry but very rewarding. Its complexity is due to the wine being made completely from garnacha grapes, with raspberry, gooseberry and blackberry notes coming to the fore.

Given the range of wines, there is bound to be something that will attract you. They are also worth the time and investment to give a proper consideration to what is fast becoming a very important sector of the wine market.

www.allbarone.co.uk

Image courtesy of Piotr Poznanski

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Rosé Wine Tasting at All Bar One

As I walked down Brick Lane into The Brickhouse I was greeted by an apple. She was there along with her colleague, a lemon. Together they were there to promote Eager fruit juices. I saw them later in the loo, struggling out of their suits to have a wee.

Making my way through the club, I came to the back yard, which had been decorated with green paper decorations. But the spectacle was spoilt by the wind whistling bitterly through; a typical London summer night.

I was handed a drink by a tiger: was this a jungle rather than a garden? It was something long with vodka, chilli and pineapples. It had a hint of pina colada. Let’s start a campaign: bring back ’70s cocktails!

My friend arrived and we scuttled inside to the ‘supperclub’. This term seems to be bandied about for almost any event that includes dinner nowadays. Top chefs host a few dinners in a tent, double the price and it’s a supperclub.

Here it meant supper with entertainment. I felt for the pencil-slim singer with bleached blonde hair crooning Radiohead. No one was listening. Likewise the dreadlocked stand-up comedian boomed to an empty room. It’s probably better at weekends. The fire-eater and the hula hoop girl were outside. Your intrepid reporter couldn’t motivate herself to get up to see them. It was far too cold and I like a sit down.

The canapes, delicate filo baskets filled with mushrooms and micro-herbs; teriyaki salmon on a stick and chocolate strawberries showed promise in the kitchen. Two terrifyingly attractive waitresses with professional smiles and guttural accents pirouetted trays.

I left thinking about Brick Lane and how it used to be: Indian cafes with formica tables, a Bengali pub with snooker in the back room selling beer and pakoras, Jewish fabric shops, Saatchi’s first gallery. On Sundays, hollowed-out faces sold a few broken belongings on a blanket. In those days the bagel shop fried fresh doughnuts on a Saturday afternoon. The local Sainsburys in Bethnal Green Road was like shopping in communist Russia: it only sold white bread, fish fingers and fondant fancies.

Now on my journey to Brick Lane I pass huge concrete edifices, more Berlin than the East End, housing the Crossrail. In an area famous for its resistance against the Blackshirts, finally the Aryan architectural ambitions of developers have won.

The Brickhouse
152c Brick Lane
Shoreditch
E1 6RU

Tel: 020 7247 0005

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Brick Lane’s Brickhouse

It is the ultimate dining cliche; to covet your friend’s meal. You have your own choice set down in front of you. It is what you have chosen after a long deliberation. The waiter has come, you have announced your choice and you have waited for it to be delivered. Your companion does the same and you have both waited for it to be cooked and brought in. A period of time elapsed and up comes the waiter with the brace of dishes.

You look upon your meal, you glance over to your companion’s choice and immediately a sense of envy kicks in. A quick glance to your dish and a longer linger over your companion’s meal only exacerbates the feeling of inadequacy. Why, you ask yourself, couldn’t I have been more thorough with my selection and taken the only one true meal that exists within this curryhouse?

Fortunately, the people at the Cinnamon Kitchen have managed a way to circumvent this particular cliché. By people, I mean Abdul Yaseen, head chef at this highly esteemed restaurant. He created the menu consisting of 14 dishes spread across four courses in recognition of the fact that the regulars of this restaurant based near the City have a limited amount of time on their hands.

The first course consisted of rice crusted seared scallop with aubergine crush, tuna and salmon ceviche, Bengali crab cake and a shot of chilled tomato and green mango soup. It is quite some accomplishment to get dishes such as these down to a small size without compromising on their flavour. All remained intact apart from the tuna and salmon ceviche which was a little muddled.

The next course faltered slightly in terms of the idea of setting everything as a canapé. The grilled aubergine with peanut crumble was overdone in terms of the spices used and it was difficult to gather together the crisp zucchini and tamarind in one handful, a necessity of all canapes. However, the same could not be said of the delightful yoghurt cake and fruit chaat and steamed chickpea cake and chutney.

It was time for some meat and this came in the form of lamb seekh kebab, duck with sesame tamarind sauce fenugreek and a vegetable biryani bowl. My favoured selection was the chicken whilst my companion was quick to eulogise the richness of the duck with its luxurious tamarind sauce.

To finish off, we had shrikhand cheesecake with tamarind glazed berries, iced lemon and basil granita and mango cardamom brulee with mango salsa. All three were exquisite, giving a range of flavours and styles whilst maintaining a luxurious feel.

The canapé tasting menu costs £30 per person and this might seem a little excessive for 14 canapes. However, if you stop to consider the craft and the expertise that is put in to create these dishes in these portions, you’ll soon come to realise that this is a necessary treat.

Cinnamon Kitchen
9 Devonshire Square
The City
EC2M 4WY

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Canapés at The Cinnamon Kitchen

The World Cup final means that this is the end of the road for our Know Thine Enemy feature. With no more matches, there are no more opponents and therefore no more looks at the cuisine of other countries.

It’s been a globe-spanning feature taking in food from four different continents and detailing where it all can be found in London. It’s a shame that no Asian countries were able to make it through to the later stages. The challenge of detailing North Korean cuisine would have been irrestible but ultimately did not come to pass. Perhaps they will progress further in Brazil in 2014.

So to the final on Sunday which sees Spain take on the Netherlands. First of all, one point needs to be clarified. If I interchange The Netherlands, Holland and the Dutch during the course of this article, please do not think I am unaware of the differences between the terms. It’s just that I have been assured by a Dutch friend that it’s really not worth being so English and overly mannered about the possibility of causing offence.

So onto Dutch cuisine. Given that this is a very flat country with a lot of arable areas, it is no surprise to see a lot of Dutch cooking with a foundation of meat and vegetables. There is also a lot of dairy produce with the familiar Gouda and Edam cheeses. However, these are two that are the most well known and there is a great deal of depth beyond these. For a large selection of Dutch cheeses, head along to Borough Market on a Friday or Saturday. There you will find the Dutch Farmhouse cheese stall. Their Boerenkaas, literally meaning ‘farmer’s cheese’, has a very good reputation although the stallholders will be happy to recommend other cheeses depending on your taste.

The potato, or as it is known in Holland, the stamppot, forms the basis for a great deal of dishes. Sometimes it is combined with endives in the dish stamppot rauwe anijive. Other times it is mashed together with sauerkraut to create the dish Boerenkoolstampot, which is served up with curly kale and a rookworst (smoked sausage).

But for all these earthly dishes, Holland also takes its desserts very seriously. Its pannenkoeken are an early predecessor of pancakes. They are often much bigger than our pancakes, often reaching the size of car wheels. A good place to sample some of these is My Old Dutch, which can be found in Chelsea. Also try their bitterballen, which are a form of meatballs.

However, this would be an improper round up of Dutch cuisine without mentioning the beer. Amstel and Heineken are both Dutch products but there is more to Dutch brewing than these familiar faces. For a taste of something different, head to De Hems near Chinatown. I would particularly recommend the Tripel Karmeliet as well as Oranjeboom. And plus, if the Dutch win on Sunday, there’s no place you would rather be than with beered-up Dutch fans in the midst of celebrating taking the World Cup home.

My Old Dutch
221 King’s Road
Chelsea
SW3 5EJ

Tel: 020 7376 5650

De Hems
11 Macclesfield Street
Soho
W1D 5BW

Tel: 020 7437 2494

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Know Thine Enemy – The Netherlands

It’s semi-final time and the Germans have made it through to face Spain. The winners of this match will be facing The Netherlands in the final on Sunday. So it is the Dutch who will be the last country profiled as part of our guide to different nations’ cuisine and where to find the places offering it in London.

Onto Spain, and this country offers a wealth of culinary excellence. In addition, now seems the right time to take a closer look at Spanish food given how the standard has increased in recent years. No more dodgy bowls of paella served up alongside two day old salami. A more sophisticated form of Spanish cooking has hit the capital with a distinct improvement in tapas bars. One of the best of these is Tapas Brindisa near Borough Market. Start with some toasted Marcona almonds before moving onto the charcuterie or taking a few of the tapa plates.

These showcase the variety you can find in Spanish cuisine with grilled lamb cutlets, ham croquettes and cured beef with goat’s cheese from Garrotxa. For dessert, you should try the crema catalana, a dish similar to crème brûlée. So similar in fact that many Catalans will insist that it was stolen from them. Also recommended is the turrón mousse, which has an intense almond flavour.

Another place to head to if you’re looking for traditional cuisine is Cigala. This restaurant provides great examples of the dishes that are familiar to those with cosmopolitan tastes. Items to look out for are Huevos a la flamenco, which is baked eggs with peppers, onions, green beans and peas and Parrillada de pescado, literally meaning a fish grill which features grilled John Dory, squid, prawns and scallops.

However, the place that probably strips both of these places in terms of excellent cuisine is El Faro in the Docklands. Long celebrated as the best Spanish restaurant in London, this restaurant not only offers a riverside view but the best of Spaniards’ obsession with meat and fish. Particular highlights are the Andalusian squid with romesco and the roast sucking pig served with mango tatin. Grab a reservation and settle down to the finest of what Spain can offer.

Tapas Brindisa
18-20 Southwark St
Borough
SE1 1TJ

Tel: 020 7357 8880

Cigala
54 Lamb’s Conduit Street
Bloomsbury
WC1N 3LW

Tel: 020 7405 1717

El Faro
3 Turnberry Quay
Docklands
E14 9RD

Tel: 020 7987 5511

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Know Thine Enemy – Spain

The Ambassador is like a favourite uncle: you defer to its better judgement, impeccable taste and  ambivalent charm. A simple menu betrays the quality of produce and diverse flavours.  The relaxed, familiar atmosphere puts you instantly at ease.

On our visit I started with a glass of Palermo Milano: Prosecco with Campari and Sicilian blood orange juice. We then ordered venison, pork and leek terrine and the smoked mackerel pate. The combined flavours of the venison and pork coarsely mixed together with the leek meant you didn’t even need the grilled poilane sourdough toast – it tasted fabulous without it. 

Stealing a bit of my boyfriend’s mackerel pate I found it melted in my mouth, creamy to taste while the cucumber salad complemented it with a fresh crunch. After sipping on our smooth 2005 Saint Joseph Pierre Gonon red, and leaning back on our soft booth style seat, we felt totally at ease.

Then came our main courses and my cider-soaked mussels were a surprising improvement on the normal moules marinière. The cider made the mussels even more juicy and flavoursome. The boyfriend tucked into his pork belly. I am never a huge fan of pork belly. I generally find it too fatty and rich, but the clever chef at The Ambassador spit roast this little pig, and so a lot of the fat had dripped out and in its place appeared perfectly crisp crackling.  The skin was crisp, the meat tender and the marbled herb stuffing a delightful extra.

By the time it came to pudding we were full to brim with food. I decided to pass on dessert while my boyfriend chose a chocolate and orange mousse with honeycomb on the side, but when it arrived I changed my mind.

The Ambassador does a special seasonal four-course dinner once a month on Monday nights for between £40-£45 per head. The food is always exceptional, and with a different glass of wine with each course included you end up leaving rather contentedly tipsy. 

The Ambassador
55 Exmouth Market
Clerkenwell
EC1R 4QL

Tel: 020 7837 0009

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The Ambassador Exmouth Market

So England bow out of the World Cup 2010 with an atrocious display against the Germans. But the tournament goes on and so does our Know Thine Enemy feature, a look at the cuisine of England’s opponents and where to find it in London.

In the absence of any suggested teams to follow, we shall be adopting a knockout approach to the countries profiled. Given that Germany knocked out England, we shall be following Germany’s opponents, which are Argentina. If Germany get knocked out by Diego Maradona’s men, we will be profiling the team playing against Argentina, one of Spain or Brazil, which is in itself an intriguing prospect.

Onto Argentina, which is distinctive amongst South American cuisine due to its European influences. It has Spanish and Italian aspects to its food. In addition, the presence of a Welsh community in the southern province of Chubut has given rise to teahouses which feature scones and torta galesa (Welsh cake).

The mainstay of Argentine cuisine is the asado which also goes by the name of parrillada. This roughly translates to the grill or the barbecue, on which many, many slabs of beef and chicken are put. Steaks are exceedingly popular in Argentina and also done to a very good standard in many London Argentine restaurants. I would particularly recommend La Pampa Grill down in Clapham and The Gaucho Grill near Liverpool Street.

Other things to try are empanadas, pastries with a variety of fillings such as ham, cheese, beef, olives and corn. Some of the best empanadas can be found at Buen Ayre in Broadway Market. This restaurant also does some excellent specialities such as braised ox tongue and choripán, pork sandwiches.

It would be remiss to talk about Argentine cuisine without mentioning some of the fantastic wines which are produced in the country. Argentina tends to produce a consistently high standard of Syrahs and Malbecs, both of which are good accompaniments to steaks. Also worthy of consideration are the Chardonnays with their crisp acidity.

Finishing with desserts, the first place to start is with something that Argentines are very fond of; dulche de leche. Literally translated, it means sweetened milk but is more of a caramel with a jam-like texture and is combined with every kind of dessert. A good place to find some of these is Garufa in Arsenal. There you can get dulche de leche cheesecakes and dulche de leche pancakes.

For those who are tempted by the Argentine way of eating, there is even a supermarket dedicated to all things Argentine. They stock all kinds of commodities, including some of my favourite biscuits called alfajores. These are traditionally brought home by people coming back from holiday. Diego Maradona will surely be hoping that isn’t something he’ll have to be doing any time soon.

La Pampa Grill
4 Northcote Road
Clapham Junction
SW11 1EH

Tel: 0872 148 4268

The Gaucho Grill
5 Finsbury Avenue
Moorgate
EC2M 2PJ

Tel: 020 7256 6877

Buen Ayre
50 Broadway Market
Bethnal Green
E8 4QJ
Tel: 020 7275 9900

Garufa
104 Highbury Park
Highbury
N5 2XE

Tel: 020 7226 0070

Mercado Argentino
Unit 6
Glenville Mews
Kimber Road
Wandsworth
SW18 4NJ

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Know Thine Enemy – Argentina