pre-theatre restaurant London

A Great Dinner at Hawksmoor Knightsbridge

December 14, 2015 by cheriecity

With so many renowned London institutions to strike off the list, it’s likely that a few will slip through the net. After visiting this weekend, I’m now kicking myself that I didn’t experience the beauty that is Hawksmoor much earlier!

When I first started blogging in 2009, Will Beckett and Huw Gott’s British steakhouse Hawksmoor was on the lips (and keyboards) of London foodies, who raved about its superior steaks and burgers punctuated with small nuggets of bone marrow. It’s fair to say that this grassroots acclaim has paved the way for Hawksmoor to expand to six locations across London and one in Manchester. The original restaurant is based in Spitalfields, appropriately named after Nicholas Hawksmoor, the architect of nearby Christ Church.

After a leisurely afternoon of Christmas shopping, we arrived at Hawksmoor Knightsbridge for an early dinner. The subterranean restaurant is discreetly tucked away on Yeoman’s Row, just a short walk from Harrods, V&A and Hyde Park. Designed by Macaulay Sinclair, it has a retro clubhouse feel with reclaimed walnut panelling, brass lamps, touches of grey marble and stunning amber-hued Art Deco windows.

It’s a slick, polished operation yet the ambiance cultivated is unpretentious with a cool indie soundtrack and friendly staff mostly dressed in plaid shirts and glasses. There’s also an intimate cocktail bar away from the main dining room where you can graze on burgers, steak sandwiches and lobster rolls.

Dining at the pre-theatre time of 5pm may seem early, but since Hawksmoor Knightsbridge is a popular restaurant, it was already buzzing and filled up quickly. The set lunch or dinner is an excellent way to get a taste of Hawksmoor’s signature dishes at a very reasonable price – two course for £24 or three courses for £27.

I started with a very generous portion of Tamworth belly ribs with vinegar slaw. The pork was so tender and flaky, with lean meat packed between layers of melt-in-the-mouth fat. They were nicely charred on the outside and coated in a punchy dry rub with aromatic flavors of cumin, star anise and chipotle chilli.

The paper-thin ribbons of red cabbage doused in a tangy vinegar added freshness and helped offset the unexpected spiciness – my mouth was left tingling after I finished.

Steven tried the Potted smoked mackerel, which was a simple classic done well. The mackerel had a bold, clean flavour with a layer of clarified butter on top and served with dill cucumbers and crispy toasts. The other dish on the set menu was Roast beetroot salad with goat’s cheese, which looked colourful, fresh and inviting.

For the main course, I was happy to find two steak options, avoiding any potential squabbles over who would order the meat. For a £5 supplement I enjoyed the most heavenly, medium-cooked Fillet tail (200g). The presentation was minimal without any leaves, herbs or garnish in sight, but that didn’t really matter, as the steak certainly impressed.

Fillet is my favourite cut of steak and this one was excellent with a pink, succulent centre graduating to smoky, chargrilled edges and with a pure, natural flavour. I always ask for my steak medium, but with this thick cut, you could easy go down to medium-rare for a little more juiciness.

The set dinner also includes one side and I highly recommend the Baked sweet potato. The potato flesh is so soft and tender, it simply falls off the buttery skin and is the perfect accompaniment for the steak. The only thing missing is a choice of sauce, but you can order a side of Béarnaise, peppercorn or Stilton Hollandaise for an additional £3.

Steven’s Rib-eye (250g) was just as tasty and beautifully-cooked with a mature, aged flavour. The layer of fat and softness of the meat gave it richness – well-suited to those who prefer a more complex taste. The thick-cut Triple cooked chips were golden, hot and crispy and served with a delicious home-made tomato ketchup that had a sweet hint of cinnamon. Other options are Hake or Ricotta dumplings with autumn vegetables, but really, it’s all about the meat.

We found the steaks to be just the right size for a filling, satisfying meal, however the steaks on the main menu go up to a whopping 500g! You’ll need to loosen your purse strings a little more, but then again the quality is undisputed, with steaks from ethically-reared traditional British breeds.

For dessert, I went all out with the indulgent Peanut butter shortbread, which was even better than I expected. A freshly-baked pastry star was filled with molten dark chocolate sauce and velvety peanut butter, finished with salted caramel ice cream and crushed peanuts. It was simply heaven on a plate, ending my meal on the sweetest note.

Steven’s Lemon and yoghurt cheesecake was zingy and refreshing, but I found it too creamy. The whipped cheesecake filling was a bit overwhelming and lacked the tartness that a cheesecake should have, plus the biscuit base was mixed in so there was no crunch. Go for the Peanut butter shortbread (or perhaps the other option of Passionfruit pavlova) instead.

I can safely say I’ve been initiated into the cult of Hawksmoor and am already planning our next steak jaunt, perhaps to the Spitalfields restaurant closer to home. The set dinner is excellent value with a great selection of winning dishes and you’re sure to leave feeling happy and well-fed.

For more information and booking, visit: www.thehawksmoor.com

Chérie City was a guest of Bookatable

Photos by Chérie City and Hawksmoor Knightsbridge

London, Restaurants

Dinner at The Noodle House, London

August 25, 2014 by cheriecity

The Noodle House opened on London’s busy Shaftesbury Avenue earlier this year and has grown throughout Asia since launching in Dubai in 2002.

The casual South-East Asian street food restaurant offers signature dishes from a number of countries including Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. It also takes inspiration from Asia’s tea house culture with an extensive tea menu, plus exotic cocktails and juices infused with tea.

We visited The Noodle House on a particularly hot day and light, tasty South-East Asian food was exactly what we were craving. The restaurant was already busy for dinner with a mostly touristy crowd, perhaps due to the proximity of the West End theatres.

We were served quickly by the friendly staff and were asked if we’d like all of the dishes to arrive as they were ready or if we preferred our starters to come out first. There was hardly any wait before the first dishes came out of the open kitchen and the others were followed swiftly, so our table was covered with a feast to tuck into.

The Noodle House has a tempting cocktail menu, but as it was so hot outside, we went for a mocktail instead. I loved the refreshing and summery Jasmine & Peach Iced Tea (£3.30) – a delicious blend of sweet jasmine tea, white peach purée and lemon.

The first small dish of steamed Prawn Hacao (£3.90) was enjoyable but they came apart easily and there was a little too much filler and not enough prawn.

Spicy Wings (£5.45) were succulent and nicely charred, marinated in a sweet and smoky Sambal chili glaze. The portion size was substantial yet they made a perfectly light starter.

For the main dish, I was tempted by the classic Cantonese Roast Duck (quarter for £8.60).

The slow-roasted aromatic duck was tender and juicy with plenty of delicious crispy skin. It was carved to order and served in bite-size slices with a basket full of paper-thin steamed pancakes, julienne cucumber and leeks on the side and a rich, sweet hoi sin sauce.

A quarter portion is more than enough for one person with a few sides, or you could order a half portion for the table if you want to share.

Steven’s Black Pepper Beef (£12.25) was full of lean steak smothered in a sticky, punchy sauce with lots of black pepper and a strong chili kick. It was cooked with mixed peppers, red onion and topped with fresh spring onion.

We accompanied our main dishes with a side of Fried Jasmine Rice (£5.25). The aromatic, slightly sweet wok-fried jasmine rice was packed with chicken, prawns, bean sprouts, egg, chili and Thai basil. It went well with the Cantonese Duck, but the Black Pepper Beef was already spicy enough and might have been a better match with simple Steamed Rice.

I really liked the side of Broccoli (£3.80), which was steamed to perfection with lots of oyster sauce and crispy garlic chips.

After such a flavoursome, spicy meal, we cooled down with a few scoops of Mango Sorbet. I was tempted by the Banana Spring Rolls and Chocolate Fondant, but the mango sorbet was refreshing, sweet and bursting with exotic fruitiness.

To round off the meal, I chose the White Peony Single-Estate White Tea from the excellent choice of Asian teas. It was served in a cast-iron teapot with a small cup and was a calming, fine quality tea.

While the food and drinks were done well at affordable prices, I didn’t really enjoy the restaurant experience. The open-plan kitchen was far too close to the table where we were sat and the noise from the roaring woks, too-loud music and the non-stop traffic quickly became irritating and made conversation difficult.

The interiors of the restaurant were also starting to look a little tired with scuffed tables and curling paper menus. I can’t help thinking the concept would work a lot better if the restaurant was located in a slick shopping centre like Westfield, as per The Noodle House at the Dubai Mall.

It may not be a destination restaurant but The Noodle House is good for a quick South-East Asian fix when in central, plus they do take-out if you fancy a quieter Asian picnic in the park.

Chérie City was a guest of The Noodle House

Photos by Chérie City (interiors by The Noodle House)

London, Restaurants

Italian Small Plates At Assaggetti, London

August 28, 2012 by cheriecity

When it’s summer in London, I usually favour a selection of small plates to graze on, rather than one heavy and rich dish. Assaggetti brings Italian cicchetti and rustic regional favourites, with a New York vibe, to central London.

The two-floor restaurant is bright and colorful, with exposed brickwork, trattoria-style terracotta tiles and leather banquettes. The tables are casually dressed with paper place mats (think Polpo and Ombra) handily printed with the whole menu and cutlery presented in retro Italian tomato cans.

As suggested by our friendly Italian waiter, I started with a perfectly-made and very reasonable Assaggetti Aperol Spritz (£4.95), from a menu of authentic Italian and New York cocktails. I loved that it came served in its own branded glass – a perfect way to lift the spirits and be transported to the Venetian Riviera.

It’s all about small dishes at Assaggetti, so we ordered a good selection from the menu and they arrived at different times throughout the meal.

One of the first dishes to arrive was the Spicy Tuscan Sausage Pizzettine (£5.25). This was larger than expected and deliciously fresh, with creamy mozzarella, a slow-cooked tomato sauce, a crispy base and a small scattering of meaty tuscan sausage and fresh herbs.

The beef Meatballs (£3.25) were a perfect light bite and were infused with fresh sage, giving them extra character. The tomato sauce was home-cooked, but a little watery – a richer sauce would have complimented the meatballs more.

The pasta dishes are a must at Assaggetti and they come as a small dish or a main course portion, should you want something more substantial.

The Spaghettoni & duck ragù (£4.75) was rich and lean with thick al dente pasta and topped with shaved parmesan. I thoroughly enjoyed this dish and would definitely order it again.

Another hit was the Taglierini with crab (£5.50), which was full of shredded, meaty crab in a light, creamy sauce with roasted cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs and perfectly cooked pasta.

One of my favourite cicchetti is Mozzarella i fritti (£2.50) and Assaggetti’s are definitely worth trying. Creamy, stringy mozzarella is encased in fine, golden breadcrumbs and bursts slightly when eating – so delicious!

The Sweet potato fritters (£3.50) were rather disappointing – bland pancakes with shredded, uncooked sweet potato with no seasoning at all. I doubt they’d be missed if they disappeared off the menu.

Giulio’s beef tagliata (£7.75) was succulent and tender, cooked medium and served simply on a bed of rocket with a subtle balsamic glaze. The steak was nicely charred and full of juicy flavour.

Straccetti di pollo al Parmigiano (£4.75) is one of Assaggetti’s specials made with Parmigiano Reggiano. The lean, plump chicken strips were chargrilled and covered with shavings of high quality Parmigiano Reggiano, on a bed of leaves. The chicken had a delicious smokiness and was a very pleasing dish.

All desserts are priced at a competitive £3.50, so you can be guided by taste rather than price. I chose the Wild berry pannacotta and Steven went for his usual favourite, Tiramisù.

The pannacotta was so heavenly, I found myself almost scraping the bottom of the cute little glass in search of more. It was extremely creamy, with a hint of white chocolate and had a dense, silky, set texture. The red berry compote balanced out the richness of the cream and made it the perfect dessert to finish a great meal.

Steven’s Tiramisù was also mostly cream-based and the sponge was lighted dipped in espresso without being too wet. Both desserts were presented beautifully and really showed how tasty simple Italian dishes can be.

Assaggetti’s Haymarket location, in the heart of Theatreland, means that it attracts express pre-theatre diners and seemed to have a quick turnaround on tables. Service was therefore quick and attentive and the crowd was lively and international. Rather than a place to linger and absorb the atmosphere, Assaggetti is the place to come and share comforting Italian dishes, or enjoy a few cocktails and bar snack with friends.

Assaggetti has all the makings of a good boutique chain of restaurant, in the same genre as Jamie’s Italian and Canteen. I’m not sure if this is a goal for Metropolitan Restaurants, however their branding is already strong and the concept could easily work in other major cities (helped along by the very reasonable prices). I will certainly be back, particularly for that divine pannacotta….or two!

Chérie City was a guest of Assaggetti

Photos by Chérie City (interiors by Assaggetti)