City Social
Number of visits: 1
Jason Atherton’s restaurant empire has been growing at an impressive rate; the Social family of restaurants can also be found in Singapore, Hong Kong and soon, Dubai. A tiny worry about him spreading himself too thin was proven to be unfounded, as the kitchen sent out dish after dish of wondrous cooking, with a bowl of linguini and seafood a particular highlight.
Al dente linguini was adorned by prawns, squid, mussels and a razor clam, looking like an interpretation of the crown King Neptune would wear while ruling the seas. Each piece of seafood tasted delicious on its own; the flavours were rounded and brought together by a sauce made from the cooking juices, which really did bring the dish to the next level. I had to stop myself from licking the bowl clean.
City Social
24th Floor, 25 Old Broad Street
London EC2N 1HQ
Fera at Claridge’s
Number of visits: 1
Simon Rogan’s taking over of the Claridge’s space was always going to generate a buzz in food circles, given his success with L’enclume and the French. His style of food is evident here, turning ingredients grown on his Lake District farm into delightfully creative dishes.
This dish of quail had a really amazing depth of flavour, the tender meat marrying well with the other ingredients on show, while the surprising addition of roe provided a nice textural contrast. A fine example of the clever combinations, great ingredients, and maximum flavour showcased during the meal.
Fera at Claridge’s
49 Brook Street
London W1K 4HR
Manchester House (Manchester)
Number of visits: 1
The kitchen here is headed by Aiden Byrne, who you might recognise from the Great British Menu. His ability to utilise modern techniques in the quest for flavour makes for an interesting menu, as evidenced by this dish containing elements from the land and sea.
Would you have guessed the dish or its ingredients from the picture? It was a real clever bit of cooking; reminiscent of the Portuguese Alentejana dish (pork, potatoes and clams), the different components here produce flavours that are more than a sum of its parts. The salt cod potato “soup” treaded close to foam on a scale from liquid to gas, providing a light savoury mouthfeel of the sea as you reach for the soft, beautifully cooked pieces of pork belly hidden underneath.
Manchester House
18-22 Bridge Street, Spinningfields
Manchester M3 3BZ
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