Having started out as a series of pop-ups, with spells at Dinerama, Hawker House, KERB at Camden Market, and Seven Dials Market, vegan street food eatery Club Mexicana enjoyed a stint at London’s first vegan pub, The Spread Eagle. Having tested the water, it then opened up a permanent base, first in Kingly Court and … Continue reading Club Mexicana
Located in that glossy little corner of St James’s, Toba is an Indonesian restaurant by Pino Edward Sinaga. It’s taken over the spot of Michelin-starred West African restaurant Ikoyi. It's a strange part of town, St James’s. Essentially a lesser-known southern extension of Mayfair, it's barely a half mile square and yet contains a high … Continue reading Toba
Andrew Clarke and Daniel Watkins describe their live-fire restaurant in London’s Dalston as “More than just a restaurant.” It’s a “cult”. After a series of successful pop-ups, together they’ve opened their first permanent site in a rough old yard at 40FT Brewery. A large custom-made grill and smoker stand proudly in the covered yard. Bringing … Continue reading Acme Fire Cult
Fully plant-based eatery Mallow comes from the team behind Mildred’s. Though at the forefront of veggie dining, Mildred’s has always felt a bit run-of-the-mill. The sort of world food that you might cook at home. Mallow, on the other hand, feels far more creative and special, with an equally varied menu but thoughtfully done. Though … Continue reading Mallow
Taking over the space of what was once Passo (on which, see my review here), Lilienblum has landed in the somewhat transitory space of the Old Street roundabout. Another eatery from world renowned celebrity chef Eyal Shani, Lilienblum is the street in Tel Aviv where you’ll find one of his most celebrated restaurants, Hasalon. Like … Continue reading Lilienblum
The much anticipated debut restaurant of Mexican chef Adriana Cavita had been on My List for some time. A June birthday or two seemed like the ideal opportunity to tick off. Cavita, the person, is a well-known talent: previously trained at El Bulli, she has a degree in gastronomy and has explored her country’s under-appreciated … Continue reading Cavita
For me, Greek food screams Spring / Summer. So Notting Hill’s Suzi Tros – which conjures up all the vibes of the Mediterranean, visually and culinary – was a natural choice for small plates over Easter weekend’s very blue skies and the final arrival of Spring. For years, you could count the number of genuinely … Continue reading Suzi Tros
Much talked about chef, restauranteur and author Cynthia Shanmugalingam has now opened her debut restaurant Rambutan in Borough Market. This in itself is something to celebrate: Cynthia is the first Sri Lankan Tamil woman to open a restaurant in central London – better still, within the City’s oldest, renowned food market. Its setting is a … Continue reading Rambutan
A review of another “Levantine” restaurant here and it’s no surprise. Often labelled as the “Ottolenghi effect”, London’s love affair with Middle Eastern food has transformed our relationship with vegetables. Boiling to eternity is thankfully out; (whole) roasting, charring and grilling has come to the forefront – not to mention dips, spices, tahini and all … Continue reading Bubala, Soho
We’ve come to define Middle Eastern – or Levantine – cooking in a generic way. Encompassing a range of regions, the term overlooks the region’s diversity. Franco-Palestinian chef Fadi Kattan proudly rejects this and is much more specific. Describing the food at his renowned restaurant in Bethlehem – Fawda, Arabic for “chaos” – as “modern … Continue reading Akub
Yumtini 