5 Things You Need to Eat in London This WeekBy Alicia Grimshaw
Looking for some amazing London restaurant openings and foodie news? You’re in the right place. Whether it’s a new gin garden or veg-centric dishes, we’ve found the best food in the capital this week. Stop your Google searching now – here’s five things you need to eat in London this week:
1. For a New Summer Menu: Bala Baya
What: Join Bala Baya on the terrace this summer for sun-soaked London evenings, relaxed Tel Aviv-inspired vibes and a new seasonal menu, complete with cocktails to complement. Owner and Chef, Eran Tibi, has created an array of fresh new dishes to embody the flavours of the warmer months, with a focus on seafood and salads – all with his signature Bala Baya twist.
Why: The new dishes include squid, sauteed in arak (a Levantine alcohol) and a delicate butter sauce, decorated with Kalamata olives and plum tomatoes. A refreshing vine stoned bass ceviche, doused in a tart black grape Tiger’s Milk, crunchy vine crisps, fresh grapes and anisseedy chervil, mixes a bespoke balance of flavours from South America and Israel together. And a feast plate of poussin and fig – designed for sharing – offers exotic flavours mixed with the best of British seasonal ingredients; spatchcock spring chicken with tart lemon, sumac, and Kalamata salad scattered with figs and a perfumed jus.
Where: Arch 25, Old Union Yard Arches, 229 Union Street, London SE1 0LR
2. For a New Evening Menu: Where the Pancakes Are
What: Where The Pancakes Are is now open for evenings with a p.m. pancake menu featuring ‘Blinis and Bellinis’, along with summer cocktails. Twenty quid gets you a platter of blinis with home made dips; choosing from classic smoked salmon, sour cream and dill, a hot artichoke, cheddar and parsley dip, house-cured spiced pickles plus two Bellinis.
Why: The evening menu includes favourites from the all-day menu such as the English, vegetarian or vegan breakfast; the classic American (bacon, maple syrup and blueberries); hangover-cures Welsh Rarebit, pulled beef pastrami and the much-loved, Ottolenghi-inspired 1000 Baby-Greens pancakes. And, of course, you can order their notorious Dutch Baby (Yorkshire pudding meets pancake that has nothing to do with the Dutch – it’s America’s nod to European immigrants’ history).
Where: Arch 35a, 85a Southwark Bridge Rd, London SE1 0NQ
Photo Credit: Nina Sarkhel
3. For a New Site: Pleasant Lady
What: Pleasant Lady has another home: Old Spitalfields Market. Following the success of their Greek Street opening earlier this year, Pleasant Lady has now brought China’s most-loved street food to east London.
Why: Made fresh to order, Pleasant Lady knock up hand held Jian Bing. If you’re not familiar with Jian Bing – it’s a thin, crispy folded up pancake served with a variety of savoury fillings: aromatic Iberico char siu pork, earthy cumin spiced lamb or grilled miso chicken.
Where: 16 Horner Square, London E1 6EW
What: Opening on Thursday (21st June), ROVI is a new veg-led restaurant by the Ottolenghi team. Expect a menu with vegetables at its heart, but with a fresh focus on fermentation and cooking over fire. Think Jersey Royals smoked on top of hay, hand dived scallops with cucumber kombucha, and grilled peaches.
Why: Sample dishes include: braised and smoked carrots with puffed black barley and pickled herbs; kohlrabi ‘ravioli’ with peas, broad beans and yuzu kosho; slow roasted cauliflower with crispy chickpeas, tahini and fermented chilli salsa; and hasselback kaffir lime beets with lime cream.
Where: 55 Wells Street, London W1A 3AE
5. For a New Terrace: The Wigmore
What: The Wigmore by The Langham, London, has partnered with Plymouth Gin to transform its courtyard into a botanical gin garden featuring climbing plants, self-garnish pots on tables and interactive masterclasses.
Why: Highlights from the Botanical Garden Menu feature cocktails like The Plymouth Fruit Cup – Plymouth Fruit Cup and ginger ale garnished with summer fruits, cucumber and mint; Shrub-a-glug-Glug – Plymouth Fruit Cup, strawberry and raspberry shrub; and Pea Gimlet – Plymouth Navy Strength Gin, lime cordial, pea
Where: The Wigmore, 15 Langham Place, Regent Street, London W1B 3DE
