The Square - W1

The Square is definitely one of my favourite places in London for ticking almost all of the boxes. Whether for the (absolutely bargain value) lunch menu, or for a more leisurely dinner, The Square is the best. So it was with great pleasure (having found out that Pied a Terre is closed on Sundays) that I rang up and reserved a table for two for Sunday.

Sunday evening eating in London’s great restaurants is kind of hit-and-miss. Your maitre d’ is usually at home watching television. The A-Team of servers has taken an easy jet flight to Nice. And who knows what is going on in the kitchen. Last week’s Angela Hartnett service debacle was a clear sign of this.

Despite The Square’s Jacques Carlino not being on the floor on Sunday night, this team has been trained to perfection. And this meant coping, and coping well, with the demands put upon them, as you shall soon read.

More Ceps

Well, we’re still awaiting our ceps to arrive from the southwest of France. Monsieur la poste has been very unkind to us and has yet to deliver the goods. Of course, grandma also decided to append various things to our postcode, so that could be part of it as well.

A number of you are looking for ‘where to find ceps in London’. I realise (see previous posts) that this can be frustrating. But do not despair as they have appeared in the farmer’s markets and in Borough Market. Turnips have some (but frankly not many and too dear) as does the fruit and veg shop next to the Monmouth Coffee stall (not the shop) in the market proper.

So, happy cep hunting and eating!

Angela Hartnett - W1

Hmmm.

Ok. So, you decide to arrange a pleasant combo social/business dinner on a Sunday evening for some Middle Eastern clients who normally stay on Park Lane. Why not Angela Hartnett?

It starts well. Efficient reservation staff is usually a good sign and A.H. has great reservation staff.

Following a drink at the Dorchester Bar (mid-90’s interior design realised in the mid-00’s with awful music too loud, although they have Junipero, so… they can be forgiven), we hopped in a taxi (I know, ALL THE WAY) to the Connaught.

I have to say, before continuing, that I adore the Connaught. It is, without a doubt, the best kept secret in London for a charming drink, a good meal, and a roaring fire in Mayfair. But for all of that, we were off to A.H.

Cellar Gascon & Comptoir Gascon - EC1

Whenever I get the opportunity to pop into Cellar Gascon, I try to take it.
Last week, I had a meeting in the City and on my way up to Farringdon station I popped in for a quick glass of the Cotes de Gascogne (£6) and a read of Le Monde which is always there. It’s great if you can get in before the city crowds make it, and have a seat at the bar, and a chat with the barman (who, from the southwest of France, is probably a runner up in the cute waiter department).

Meeting up with some friends at the Cellar on Friday, we enjoyed a bottle of the Chateau de Sabazan which is one of our own personal favourites at home.
Sabazan is a charming spot in the south of the Gers, and the wine produced from the vines there by Plaimont is one of their best. Available here in London at Nicolas for around £12 - £15, a bottle at the Cellar is still reasonable at £24. Sabazan is produced on 16 hectares and kept in oak for 10 - 14 months at the chateau before bottling. If you end up in the Gers, then I encourage a quick stop in Sabazan if just to admire the view (the chateau remains private).

After some drinkettes at the Cellar, we moved on to the Comptoir…

Glacier Crisis

Hmmm… I’ve had a bit of a setback on the ice cream making front. The day after receiving my new Magimix Le Glacier for my birthday, I was terribly excited to get things going. The Frog has scored a wonderful coup with this prezzie.

And then, my friends, tragedy struck.

You see, we’re going to have to move house. That’s right, the ‘pre-freeze for 12 hours’ part of Le Glacier does not fit into the freezer in my flat. I am completely gutted. You can imagine the various contortions that I’ve been through to try to make it fit, but without a blow-torch, I’m a bit stuck at the moment.

It’s kind of like getting a remote control car for Christmas and then realising that it requires triple A batteries and you only have a pair of D’s.

*sigh*

Vinoteca - EC1

Located just up from Smithfield market, and within striking distance for anyone who has to spend too much time around St Paul’s, the stock exchange, and the various banks in the neighbourhood, Vinoteca is a local gem, no doubt about it.

To be fair, I could be enormously biased by the fact that they happen to have one of the most interesting lists of wine by the glass at reasonable prices in town. Of course, it could also be the fact that they have one of the most gorgeous waiters in town. Either way, what they have going works very well.

The menu at Vinoteca is straight forward fare with reasonably sized starters (and some that can be increased for sharing - like their selection of Spanish cured meats, including a salcichon that was like butter (that’s a good thing)). Janice and I shared this and then launched into the mains - she having the quail, and I a hunk of braised beef with mash, button mushrooms, and some sour cream and sauce. It may have been a bit early yet in the season for braised beef, as Janice rightly pointed out - that may be more of a November/December thing, but it still hit the spot.

Dessert was coffee and a chocolate truffle for me, and that was the perfect way to round off the meal before continuing to dash about town in the afternoon.

So, how does Vinoteca stack up?

Lunch at Vinoteca

Lunch for two: I didn’t pay! Hurrah! (Thank you Janice!)

Food: 7 out of 10

Service: 8 out of 10

Atmosphere: 7 out of 10 - something’s missing and suits are starting to appear

Sexy Factor: 9.5 out of 10 - and it’s not just for London’s hottest waiter (did I mention this already… *drool*), but the crowd at Vinoteca has that hip, Clerkenwell, I-work-for-a-charity-so-please-love-me thing going on

Return?: Definitely! (Did I mention the sexiest waiter in London?)

Le Glacier from Magimix

Hurrah! After many years of nagging, I have finally received a Magimix Glacier ice cream maker. Admittedly, it’s a bit late for the fresh fruit sorbet season, or the granita season, but just in time for the walnut maple creamy deliciousness ice cream!

The Magimix Le Glacier has a 1.5 L capacity, and requires you to put the bowl in the freezer for 12 hours prior to use. I’m looking forward to some ice creamy deliciousness and will update you with progress!

Happiness! Gadgets!

Confit and Cepe Tarte Tatin

I’ve been promising you this for some time, and with all of you writing about the abundance of ceps globally (aside from here in my corner of London) I hope you’ll put them to good use. Full credit for this recipe belongs to Stephanie Alexander with some slight changes from us. Check out her (extremely good) cookbook, Cooking and Travelling in South-West France.

Confit and Cepe Tarte Tatin

St John - Smithfield

I’ve always enjoyed the atmosphere of St John at Smithfield, particularly the bar, and the general attitude of the staff. Today’s lunch was no exception.

The four of us had different takes on the menu. I like the fact that they work with some of the more interesting ingredients like bone marrow, tripe, and put them together with traditional elements like swede or sprout tops. Not that I’m ordering the tripe, mind you, but I like the idea. Another in the group searched long and hard for the least meaty, least offensive element - fair play. And the others seemed to head towards game birds.

Morning Coffee

It seems that coffee making is a particularly sensitive issue. What’s the right coffee? The right method?

Here at home, Frog and I have agreed for some time that anyone who makes coffee with a Nespresso machine should probably be sent to therapy. It’s not that the coffee is disagreeable. It’s just, well… it just doesn’t seem right. That’s all. We prefer instead to stick to the classic Bialetti Moka Express. And don’t even get us started on, ahem, ‘filter coffee’.

The Bialetti avoids all of that espresso maker nonsense of integrated grinders and winders-uppers and steam machines and £££ price tags. And it makes a fantastic cup of joe.

As for the coffee itself, that’s where it becomes even tougher. We still stick to the Lavazza Rosso, which is basic but flavourful. For those of you who are more adventurous, the sometimes surly staff at the Algerian Coffee Stores will doubtless be able to hook you up.

And you, dear readers, what are you drinking this morning?