5 Things You Need to Eat in London This WeekBy Alicia Grimshaw
London is alive with new openings, soft launch offers and special collaborations. If you’re hungry and in the mood for some discounted grub (let’s be honest – who isn’t?), it’s time to discover where you should be eating in the capital this week:
What: It’s fair to say that the capital’s love affair with the flavoursome cuisine of the Middle-East shows no sign of slowing down. And if you need your fill of small plates, take a trip to the new kid on the block, Amber, an all-day eatery opening for soft launch in Aldgate East on Monday (29th January).
Why: Expect bags of flavour throughout the menu, beginning with breakfast dishes such as Israeli pita with garlic and chilli peanut butter; whipped feta with dukkah, burnt aubergine with crushed olives; and salt baked salmon on bazlama with harissa hollandaise and gin-pickled cucumbers. For lunch, the oven is fired up ready to bake a selection of freshly made Pide. The boat-shaped flatbreads are topped with aubergine, basil, goat’s cheese, roasted peppers and chilli or shakshuka style with baked tomato, pepper ragout and an egg. And for something a bit lighter, there’s a huge selection of fresh, zingy salads.
Where: 21 Piazza Walk, Aldgate East E1 8QH
2. For a New Soft Launch: Farm Girl
What: Next month, Farm Girl will open the doors to its latest restaurant and bar in Chelsea. And to celebrate the launch, Farm Girl are offering 50% off food (excluding drinks) from Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th February. Located on Park Walk, off Fulham Road, this new addition to the Farm Girl family will be open from 8.30am-11.30pm (from 9am Sunday) and is the largest of the three, seating up to 90 guests.
Why: Expect brunch and super lattes, as well as, the group’s first dinner menu and superfood cocktail bar. The Australian-inspired menus have been created by Executive Chef Benoit Marmoiton, whose career has included stints at Michelin-starred restaurants and high profile private clients. The new dinner offering includes cod croquettes with a green herb sauce, and lamb gyro with roasted pistachio yoghurt.
Where: 9 Park Walk, Chelsea, London SW10 0AJ
3. For a New Collaboration: Benares x The East India Company
What: Atul Kochhar, chef Patron of Michelin-starred restaurant Benares in Mayfair, has partnered with The East India Company to create a bespoke gin and tea cocktail paired menu, exclusively available throughout February. The specially curated menu developed by Atul Kochhar is inspired by frequent trips to his homeland and features vibrant ingredients and fresh flavours.
Why: Starter options include South Indian tellicherry pepper and tamarind soup, oyster pakoda, and bhaitti spiced guinea fowl tikka with smoked aubergine purée. Mains continue to capture the essence of India, with dishes such as fenugreek flavoured chicken supreme in a kadai pepper sauce with leafy baby spinach and Royal Mysore kedgeree, served with crispy lentil pearls and curry lead dressing. To finish, indulge in a selection of dessert options, including coconut panna cotta, cranberry flapjack and gulab jamun, and mascarpone delice. The cocktails to go alongside the menu have been created by Head Barman, Stefano Marchetto of Benares using The East India Company’s first gin and tea combinations.
Where: 12a Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London W1J 6BS
4. For a New Branch: Zia Lucia
What: After conquering north London with their 48-hour slow-fermented doughs and Italian ingredients, founders Claudio Vescovo and Gianluca D’Angelo are bringing their neighbourhood pizzeria, Zia Lucia to Brook Green, west London. Opening on Saturday (3rd February), the restaurant will be rolling out a special soft launch offer until Thursday (8th February) with 50% off all food.
Why: Maintaining its ethos of great value genuine Italian food, the majority of the wood-fired pizzas at Zia Lucia Brook Green will be under a tenner and will feature fresh, classic Italian toppings, signature Arianna and Andrea Pirlo pizzas, and will be available on all four types of dough. Toppings range from Italian favourites such as fiery nduja, spicy spianata salami, truffle honey, burrata, rich gorgonzola and vegan butternut squash cream. Alongside the pizzas, will be a selection of Italian-style starters, plates, salads and desserts. The drinks menu focuses on spritzes, Zia’s famous Negronis, bottled beers from Italy and locally brewed in London, as well as wine and prosecco sourced from small Italian producers back home.
Where: Zia Lucia, 61 Blythe Road, W14 0HP
What: SUSHISAMBA are relaunching their incredibly popular Omakase menu on Monday (29th January). Omakase is the Japanese tradition of letting the chef choose your order, it’s a phrase that translates to “I’ll leave it to you”. In Japan it’s widely regarded as being the best way to enjoy the chef’s creativity.
Why: The menu includes dishes such as plantain chips with ají amarillo; crispy yellowtail taquitos topped with avocado and roasted corn miso; a nigiri selection; and wagyu gyoza with kabocha purée and sesame snow. The menu continues with El Topo with salmon, jalapeño, shiso leaf, crispy onion, spicy mayo and fresh melted mozzarella; heritage carrots served with quinoa; sea bass tempura with heritage tomato and beetroot ceviche, aji verde and lime; and chocolate banana cake with maple butter, plantain chip and vanilla rum ice cream for pudding.
Where: Heron Tower, 110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AY
