Macellaio - London

This place has a beautiful aging cooler that faces the road and is obvious and incredible to behold. So how we managed to walk by several times without seeing it is beyond me. This is actually the second time we’ve been here. The first, while we were in town for an exhibit at the V&A was the time we kept walking past on our way to and from our hotel. On our second trip we made the trek back across town to try again.

Beef tartar on roasted marrow, grilled chicken, steak and crisps, a bucket of chips. Last time was steaks and table side grilled beef heart. They also have charcuterie in a cooler that you can order like a normal deli.

I wouldn’t fly to London to go here specifically, but I wouldn’t miss it if I was there - 8.8/10

 

Grand Cafe

It’s always fun when we have the chance to jump out for something new. Well sort of new. We walked through the doors of Grand Cafe many years ago but this wasn’t the place we visited the first time. Google calls it “Refined French bistro for imaginative takes on the classics, plus wine & beer in chic surrounds“. We found it an eclectic little place and cozy atmosphere. Jamie Malone has injected a delightful whimsy to an otherwise quiet corner of the city.

We didn’t have much time so we just sat at the bar and ordered some wine and a few appetizers. This is where my only complaint rises. The bar has no overhang under which to put my legs. She’s 5’ 1” and had no problem. I’m not and had to sit sideways. All the better to see her I guess.

The gentleman who served us was friendly and chatty in all the right ways. He offered us a splash of house vermouth and we happily accepted while we perused the menu. He knew not just the menu but the history of the restaurant and the chef.

The oysters were succulent and rich. I wanted to lick the cup that the Romesco was in. The liver was had all the rich, fatty, creamy texture and flavor that you look for. Definitely need to return for another round.

We had:

• Grilled Oysters with Shallot Cream and Black Pepper

• Chickpea Panisse with Sauce Romesco

• Duck Liver Mouse

Eating out with beautiful trying beautiful things - 9.1/10

 

Duck Curry

She came home with a duck and put it in the fridge. Then life happened. We just couldn’t get a plan together for us to do something with it. I took the initiative on a Saturday while she was out and decided to do a coconut milk and yellow curry. This is one of my favorited ways to cook.

I heated the pan and cooked down a whole yellow onion in olive oil. I added garlic, paprika, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves before adding two cans of coconut milk and a generous dollop of yellow curry paste. After coming to a boil I added about two cups of homemade turkey and ham hock broth before letting it simmer. 

While I was doing the curry prep I had already tied up the bird, salted it liberally, and put it in the oven. 425° F for about 90 minutes and it was mostly cooked with a nice crispy skin. After letting it cool far enough that I could handle it I broke it down and added it to the stock to finish braising. 

The end result was a warm soup that kept us going in the cold wasteland of winter. 

9.2/10

Burger Time

Sometimes you have a hankering that just won’t go away. She’s been saying “hmmmmm, burger would be nice for days”. We finally got some ground lamb and thawed out the ground beef in the freezer. She mixed the two  together with some salt and pepper and I smoked up the kitchen with a screaming hot skillet.  I’d like to say that I have some food whisperer type power when cooking the meets but the truth is I just set a timer and trust. This had 3 minutes a side and came out perfect. We used her sourdough toasted in the fat from the burgers as a bun. Target brand chips filled out the plates.

7.9/10 - It’s always nice when you can scratch that itch. 

The Principal - London

We were a little skeptical when we were told that The Principal had some good food but decided to check it out anyway. It was a nice little walk on a beautiful night. We started out in Fitz’s, their jazz bar, and had some great cocktails. We didn’t manage to hear any music, as the band was setting up while we were at the bar, but the staff and bartenders were great and the ambiance is really nice.

We moved on to the Neptune restaurant as soon as our table was ready.  The look and feel of the room is that of a 50s supper club in the New England area of America. Lots of pinks and pastels with flourished trims everywhere. Fortunately the food didn’t taste as peachy as the room looked.

At Fitz’s we had

• Enoki mushroom crudité, aubergine, red cabbage
• Salmon Tolstoy, keta caviar, sour cream

In Neptune we had

• Tomato wedge salad with creme freche 
• Mussels in pasta
• Braised lamb

All in all a fitting end to a lovely time in London 7.9/10

 

Ceviche - Soho London

When we got back from Peru last year she found a cookbook called “Ceviche” and was smitten with all the references to foods we had on the trip. Fast forward a month when I was going to London and she pointed out that the book was from a restaurant in Soho. I made the visit and was over the moon with the place. Nine odd months later we were in London and I insisted that we visit.

It hasn’t lost anything. She does not, ever, visit the same place twice when traveling. But we went back on this trip. 

Tempura buns, ceviche, grilled heart, it was all excellent. I haven’t been in the main dining room and don’t think I ever will. The bar staff are amazing and vibe is great.  I ended up discussing Mistura 2018 with one of the cooks; an event that we both attended in Lima in 2018.

Never a regret with this place - 9.9/10

Mews Hotel - Ossett England

Hotel food as I said in another post is often not great. And again, I’m happy to find an exception. The Mews Hotel is in an ancient building and, while the carving of the rooms and modernish decor made our room lack any of the charm of the building, shouldn’t be thought of as a hotel in that typical sense. At least not the restaurant.

We had dinner and breakfast and both were exactly what a person needs on cold rainy days in England. Dinner was a side of chips along with her salmon salad and my lamb casserole. Both hit the spot made us happy in that way that only an honest meal can. Nothing too fussy, nothing too simple.

Keeping warm and satisfied in the cold and rain - 10/10

 

Great Norther Hotel Bar - London

There’s nothing better after a long night than a hearty breakfast. We landed in London after what amounted to an exceptionally long day. By the time we made it to Kings Cross we had been going for most of 24 hours on little more than crappy coach sleep and airline food. We ducked into the Great Northern Hotel and found ourselves in the bar. I got a cappuccino and she a regular coffee. We shared the traditional English breakfast.

I love eating and traveling with her - 10/10