February Special: 10 Things You Need to Eat in London This WeekBy Alicia Grimshaw
To celebrate all the great things about February (Pancake Day, and the arrival of naff Valentine’s Day gifts in supermarkets), we’ve decided to give you a special, bumper edition of 5 things to eat this week. From new menus to openings and special collaborations – here’s 1o new dishes you must try in London this week. Happy exploring, folks.
1. For a New Breakfast Menu: Minnow
What: Travel to Minnow in Clapham to get your hands on their new early morning menu featuring breakfast and brunch cocktails, coffee and freshly baked pastries made on-site daily.
Why: Head chef Jake Boyce and team have created a menu of homemade bakes and pastries, including crumpets, scones and teacakes, served with clotted cream and homemade jam. Available from 9am, other breakfast staples include classic poached eggs on house baked bread, bircher muesli, homemade yoghurt topped with granola, and fresh fruit salad bowls. And during the weekend, the brunch menu features some more indulgent dishes such as tattie scones with a fried egg, as well as brunch favourites: eggs florentine and eggs benedict.
Where: 21 The Pavement, Clapham Common, SW4 OHY
2. For a New Soft Launch Offer: Pomona’s
What: It’s all change at Notting Hill’s neighbourhood restaurant Pomona’s as it welcomes the arrival of highly talented and passionate local chef, Wolfe Conyngham. To celebrate the launch of Wolfe’s menu, Pomona’s will be offering 50% off food on weekdays between Tuesday 6th–16th February.
Why: Inspired by both sides of the pond, the eclectic new menu showcases nutritional, healthy and seasonal dishes, using locally-sourced ingredients. The menu offers a variety of plates; from ‘wood and charcoal’ to ‘healthy and light’, all made on-site. Pomona’s signature dishes such as Welsh lamb rump, beef short ribs and the house burger (British veal and beef patty, smoked bone marrow and wild Madagascan lemon pepper), all benefit from the technique of cooking with a BERTHA grill, bringing big flavours to the table. A fine selection of seafood dishes also feature on the menu, including grilled Madagascan prawns and Indonesian monkfish curry.
To claim the offer, tables must be booked in advance by calling the restaurant on 020 7229 1503.
Where: 47 Hereford Road, London W2 5AH
3. For a New Menu: Café Pacifico
What: Café Pacifico have produced a new menu: Taco Less Tacos. Combining three tacos consisting of quinoa and avocado tacos, scallop tacos and beef fillet tacos, these Mexican favourites are wrapped in either baby gem lettuce, blue corn tortillas or corn tortillas.
Why: The quinoa and avocado tacos featured baby gem lettuce filled with gluten-free pearl and black quinoa cooked with roasted garlic and sun blushed tomatoes, topped with roasted pumpkin seeds, sliced avocado, red onion, coriander and jalapenos. If you dig fish, try the scallop tacos – three blue corn tortillas, filled with pan fried scallops in black sesame seeds crust with jicama, pomegranate, edible flowers and mixed leaves salad with balsamic glaze reduction. And there’s also beef fillet tacos with caramelised red onions, coriander relish and radish.
Where: 49 Brixton Station Rd, London SW9 8PQ
4. For a New Dining Concept: TOKIMEITĒ
What: Japanese restaurant Tokimeitē in Mayfair have launched a new interactive and unique dining experience to give everyone the chance to embrace the authentic Japanese Kappo tradition. Only operating on the ground floor, expect a number of small plates from a beautifully crafted menu.
Why: Inviting guests into an immersive dining experience, the concept was developed by internationally renowned chef, Yoshihiro Murata, and Tokimeitē’s executive chef, Daisuke Hayashi. Here, a daily-changing menu of fine dining Japanese dishes are served adopting the ‘kappo’ tradition, an exquisite succession of Japanese small plates prepared in front of the guests by a dedicated chef. Diners at Tokimeitē will entrust Chef Hayashi to serve bespoke 6-10 course menus showcasing the finest Japanese ingredients, such as Wagyu beef.
Where: 23 Conduit St, London W1S 2XS
Photo Credit: Claire Menary
5. For New Traders: The Kitchens at Old Spitalfields Market
What: The Kitchens at Old Spitalfields Market announce two new openings; Monty’s Deli, knocking up some of the best Reuben sandwiches in town, plus a real taste of Taiwanese street food with the launch of JiaBa.
Why: Monty’s Deli’s crowning glory is their much-loved Reuben Sandwich: a hand carved tower of salt beef or pastrami with Russian dressing, mustard, kraut, cheese – served with a pickle on rye. Other Jewish culinary delicacies on offer include the matzo ball soup – chicken broth, matzo balls, lokshen, carrot, dill as well as drinks including Picklebacks and beers. Next up in The Kitchens is JiaBa, which serves traditional Taiwanese street food like braised beef noodle and Yansuji (Taiwanese fried chicken). The founder missed his hometown’s cuisine so much that he decided to bring over their innovative cooking techniques and capture the distinctive flavours of his motherland.
Where: The Kitchens at Old Spitalfields Market, London E1 6BG
6. For a New Evening Menu: The Habit
What: From Wednesday (7th February), The Habit at the South London Gallery will be serving up a new evening menu until near-midnight, four days a week.
Why: The Habit’s menus, created by head chef John Holland, are led by season with an emphasis on local ingredients and simple flavours. Segmented into a number of starters and snacks to share ‘For The Table’, the main menu is divided into sections: ‘From The Land’, ‘From The Sea’ and ‘From The Farm’. Enjoy dishes such as glazed chicory tart with Berkswell cheese and grape mustard; veal cutlet with ratte potato and smoked garlic; and handmade gnocchi with orange butter sauce, black olive and wild rocket.
Where: 65-67 Peckham Rd, London, SE5 8UH
7. For a New Foodie Deal: Benito’s Hat
What: In celebration of the release of their second cookbook ‘Everyone Loves Tacos’, written by Benito’s Hat founders Ben Fordham and Mexican chef Felipe Fuentes Cruz, they’re offering everyone the chance to pick up one of their tacos for only a quid each.
Why: On the Tuesday 6th and Tuesday 13th February, Benito’s Hat will be serving up their muy deliciosa tacos for only £1 each at every branch (excluding King’s Cross) after 5pm. Grab a couple of amigos and choose from Benito’s faithful fillings including super slow braised pork, grilled chicken, beef brisket barbacoa or sautéed vegetables with guacamole.
Where: Locations here
8. For a New Opening: L’Ami Malo
What: Turning the traditional crêpe on its head and elevating this humble dish into something altogether more elegant, L’Ami Malo is a new modern crêperie now open in east London.
Why: Breton-born head chef Williams Guillemot, formerly of Clos Maggiore, has taken buckwheat, an ingredient favoured for its healthy, gluten-free properties, and used it to create a whole host of innovative dishes. Begin with buckwheat goat’s cheese croquettes (roasted heritage beetroot, kasha seeds and honey and thyme dressing) and Bayonne ham, apple and celeriac remoulade. The L’Ami Malo ‘maki’ rolls are a must-try; smoked salmon (capers, shallot, dill, keta caviar and crème fraîche) and ham hock (gherkin, watercress and piccalilli) are just some of the options available.
Where: 14 Artillery Passage, London E1 7LJ
9. For a New Sunday Menu: Launceston Place
What: This month, Launceston Place will offer a brand-new series of Sunday-only tasting menus, with head chef Ben Murphy turning the traditional roast dinner on its head with a different meat and its cuts explored each month.
Why: First up, Ben will showcase a five-course roast chicken menu, utilising every part of the bird from the eggs to the bones. Dishes will include egg and soldiers with truffle, thigh consommé with a stock made from the bones and carcass, chicken parfait with granola and blood orange, and chicken breast with wild garlic and peanut, all finished with a soufflé dessert.
Where: 1a Launceston Place, London W8 5RL
10. For a New Collaboration: Massimo Bottura x Hai Cenato
What: There’s a new pizza now available at Jason Atherton’s Hai Cenato in Victoria, and it’s been created by three Michelin-starred chef Massimo Bottura. For every pizza sold, £1 will be donated to charity Hospitality Action.
Why: The pizza is served with an Italian pork sausage known as ‘Cotechino’, shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano and caramelised onions. It’s completed with a drop of Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena; a product of Massimo’s home town and the location of his restaurant Osteria Francescana which in 2017 placed at number two in the ‘World’s 50 Best Restaurants’ awards.
Where: 2 Sir Simon Milton Square, London, SW1E 5DJ
