10 Things You Need to Eat in London This WeekBy Alicia Grimshaw
Hungry? Thought so. From sushi platters to freshly made pasta – here’s 10 things you need to eat in London this week. Knives, forks, chopsticks and spoons at the ready:
1. For New Opening Hours: 10 Greek Street
What: 10 Greek Street in Soho are now open on Sundays for the first time ever. The daily-changing menus have been redesigned to incorporate a selection of small plates which sit alongside more traditional starter and main course size dishes. And to celebrate this new chapter, every Sunday throughout February, 10 Greek Street will offer a 25% discount on all wines featured in the Black Book.
Why: The menu offers small plates such as burrata; Padron peppers; and fried baby squid. Starter sized plates include spiced squash, yoghurt, olives, pomegranate and mint; fried whole quail, chicory and piccalilli; and prawns, fregola, nduja and fennel. Typical main courses include confit duck, bread pudding, savoy cabbage, lardons and baby onions; hake with mussels, blood orange, monk’s beard and bottarga; and Brecon lamb served alongside duck-fat potatoes, cavolo nero and anchovies. For pudding, select either rhubarb and prosecco trifle with pistachio; chocolate pudding and Amaretto ice cream; or cheese.
Where: 10 Greek St, Soho, London W1D 4DH
2. For a New Opening: Via Emilia
What: Via Emilia takes its inspiration from the famous Roman Road that runs through Emilia Romagna, the Italian region where the beloved homemade egg pasta was born. Recently opened, Via Emilia offers signature pasta dishes from each Emilian city that the road connects, all of which are authentically named in the local dialect and handmade from long-standing family recipes.
Why: A small selection of shared plates to start are mainly made up of charcuterie and cheese platters, all sliced fresh to order. A succinct list of eight pastas follow, all of which pay homage to the Emilian city they originate from. No pasta machines in sight, all pastas are expertly hand rolled and dishes include tagliolini from Parma, ragu from Bologna and pisarei from Piacenza. A classic tiramisu is the only dessert on offer and, in keeping with Via Emilia’s ethos, is made from an entirely authentic recipe from the region.
Where: 37a Hoxton Square, London, N1 6NN
3. For a New Pop-Up: Great Guns Social x Jay Morjaria
What: Great Guns Social has teamed up with Jay Morjaria for a East Asian cuisine pop-up, titled Dynasty by Jay. Taking over the kitchen until 2nd March (Mon-Fri), expect a veg-led menu inspired by Morjaria’s lengthy stays in Asia and beyond.
Why: While the menu isn’t fully vegetarian, meat plays a secondary role, as part of Jay’s ‘plant-forward’ ideology, which sees every dish created with vegetables at the forefront of his offering. Tuck into a series of exciting, plant-based small plates like the Nikkei style tostada, samphire pajeon, and fried bibimbap. The larger plates embrace meat, with the Korean slow-cooked lamb and grilled octopus our top picks.
Where: 96 Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 0EF
4. For a New Chef Collaboration: Jamavar
What: Samyukta Nair of Jamavar is welcoming renowned chefs from across the capital to go head to head and put their stamp on the kulcha, a classic Indian stuffed bread. This week, it’s the turn of Robin Gill.
Why: Surender Mohan, the restaurant group’s Culinary Director has touched down in London to work with the guest chefs, who have created their own unique filling for the kulcha, in homage to this versatile Indian staple. This week, Robin Gill of The Dairy will serve up his special of ‘nduja, pecorino and cavolo nero pesto, and to conclude, Judy Joo will bring guests her Korean lamb flatbread, filled with pulled lamb, pickled jalapenos, shiitake mushrooms, cheese and Jinjuu’s famous kimchi, served with cooling yogurt and kimchi salsa.
Where: 8 Mount St, Mayfair, London W1K 3NF
What: Chinese New Year is just around the corner and that marks the first day of the Lunar New Year which is honoured by many Asian countries including Vietnam (as well as China, of course). And to show some love and mark the first day of the Vietnamese New Year (Friday 16th February), the kind guys and gals at Pho are going to be dishing out special red envelopes at random in all of their restaurants.
Why: If you’re a lucky red envelop recipient, you could win complimentary meals, free bowls of pho for next time, and some lucky folks will even get their hands on Pho’s mythical VIP cards (a casual 50% off food all year). Wolf down crispy spring rolls with lashings of peanut sauce, vegan curries, spicy chicken wings, and noodle soups along with their Vietnamese beers and bangin’ cocktails. Just make sure you order the hot and spicy beef brisket pho – good for the soul, even better for the stomach.
Where: Locations here
6. For a New Breakfast Menu: Joe Allen
What: Joe Allen in the West End has launched a new breakfasted menu, available Monday-Friday from 8am. Think eggs dishes, hearty US-style pancakes and freshly brewed coffee.
Why: Dishes include Stateside classics such as grilled steak and eggs with hash brown and tomatoes; the breakfast bun, layered with scrambled eggs, smoked slab bacon, smoked sausage and melted cheese; ricotta stuffed field mushrooms on sourdough with toasted pine nuts and herb butter; and waffles with blackberry compote, whipped cream, maple syrup and cinnamon sugar.
Where: 2 Burleigh St, London WC2E 7PX
Photo Credit: Steven Joyce
What: Orrery has marked its 21st anniversary by re-opening with beautiful new interior by Sagrada, and a new menu from Chef Patron Igor Tymchyshyn.
Why: The menu features new dishes of fillet steak tartare with a sourdough and truffle dressing and a signature Kentish lamb wellington with salsify and garlic, for two to share. Original favourites remain, including the Tournedos Rossini with celeriac and sauce périgordine and Igor’s Jerusalem artichoke risotto. Orrery’s celebrated cheese trolley is on offer after dinner, and showcases over thirty artisan cheeses all curated by the restaurant’s very own ‘frommelier’ – and for those keen to learn more, the restaurant hosts regular cheese and wine evenings throughout the year.
Where: 55 Marylebone High St, Marylebone, London W1U 5RB
8. For a New Chef Series: Carousel
What: Carousel, Marylebone’s revolving creative hub, has announced its upcoming roster of guest chef residencies taking us into the spring months. As always, each of the esteemed chefs will work alongside Head chef Ollie Templeton and his team to prepare a set four or five-course dinner menu that showcases their signature style.
Why: From 13th-24th February, Mexican chef Santiago Lastra Rodriguez who has worked with Rene Redzepi at NOMA Mexico, will be knocking up a stella menu. Returning for his third Carousel residency, which includes a stint during the restaurant’s hugely popular Tate Modern collaboration last summer, Santiago will bring a menu that demonstrates his skill in using local ingredients to realise ambitious and creative dishes like Chilpachole De Jaiba (crab, tarragon and Mezcal broth); scallops, bone marrow and burnt grape tostada; and salt bakes Welsh lamb shoulder barbacoa.
Where: 71 Blandford St, Marylebone, London W1U 8AB
9. For a New Foodie Celebration: Temakinho
What: To celebrate Brazil’s most exuberant annual festival, Temakinho is encouraging Londoners to don their most dazzling carnival costume, to receive a complimentary Carmen Miranda sushi platter and punchy chupito.
Why: For two days only (12th and 13th February), the Soho restaurant will be encouraging everyone to visit Temakinho wearing show stopping headpieces and masks, in return for a delicious Carmen Miranda sushi platter, made with white tuna marinated in wasabi and filled with mango, and one Mais Amor chupito (shot), filled with Temakinho’s signature cachaça.
Where: 10 Old Compton Street, London W1D 4TF
10. For a New Event: The Coal Shed x Tom Brown
What: Continuing its series of monthly collaborative dinners featuring an esteemed line-up of guest chefs, The Coal Shed London is set to welcome former Head Chef of Outlaw’s at The Capital Tom Brown for an exclusive five-course menu for one dinner service only on Saturday (17th February).
Why: For the series, each visiting chef works on a creative menu in collaboration with The Coal Shed London’s Executive Head Chef Dave Mothersill, Head Chef Chris Ditch and Head Pastry Chef Laura Petersen. Tom Brown’s menu will, in some ways, offer an exclusive preview of a number of signature dishes diners can expect on his Cornerstone menu when it opens next month in east London. Enjoy snacks of coal-roasted oysters with Café de Paris hollandaise; smoked suckling pig nuggets; and coffee-baked celeriac with truffle. The second course will be octopus cooked in cider with apple and lentils followed by a third course of BBQ duck with blood orange, sprouting broccoli with pickled walnuts. Finally, the fourth and final course will be pauper cake, served with Yorkshire rhubarb, clotted cream and buckwheat.
Where: One Tower Bridge, 4 Crown Square, London SE1 2SE
