The Dairy

Number of visits: 2

Big sister to the Manor (see December 2014 post), The Dairy has amassed a huge following for its sort-of-Nordic-influenced-but-still-resolutely-British food. (they grow some of their ingredients on the roof!)  Together, with the top notch cooking and big flavour hits amidst the rustic setting, they form a couple of my favourite places in London right now; dishes here are meant to be shared, but you might not want to after tasting them, like this one of Skate, toasted cauliflower, romanesco and dulse butter.

The delicate flavour of the Skate was lifted by the sweet nuttiness from the cauliflower and romanseco, while the dulse butter brought everything together beautifully (i love seaweed!)

Chef Robin Gill has had his hands full over the past few months, launching The Manor and the Bloodshot Supper Club, while preparing for the opening of a deli next to the Diary. He’s not done yet though, not by a long shot.  He’s working on another (!) opening in Benthal Green, and it’e due to open in the middle of the year. Keep your eyes peeled for the launch; it promises to be a hit.

The Dairy
15 The Pavement
SW4 0HY

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Restaurant Story

Number of visits: 2

I think a quote from Zagat on the restaurant’s website best describes Story, in that it is the closet you can get to the Fat Duck in London. Far from being an imitation, it tells its own distinct story: wildly innovative food, bold flavours and some really eye catching presentations (think smoked prawns on top of a smoke drum of sorts and a melting candle of beef fat). One such example is the pudding of almond and dill.

The almond: almond ice cream, milk and crumb formed the “white” of the dish, while the dill: dill snow and oil formed the “green”. Visually striking, it delivered on the taste front as well. The grassiness from the dill and the sweet nuttiness from the almond may have come across as a slightly odd pairing, but in truth it was a brilliant combination that will leave you wanting more. I really liked this.

So, what’s next for chef Tom Sellers? He opened a pub, the Lickfold Inn, a few months back and will publish a book later on this year. The main focus is still on writing his Story, and the sky’s the limit.

Restaurant Story
199 Tooley Street
London SE1 2JX

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The Clove Club

Number of visits: 2

Upon pushing open the blue doors of the Shoreditch Town Hall, you’ll walk past a room on the left with cured meats hanging from the ceiling. It’s a common theme as you get to see more hanging about in the bar and the main dining room itself; it adds to the casual, inviting feel chef Isaac Mchale is gunning for. Modern British food is the order of the day here, where daring flavour combinations make for interesting eating, like this dish of Scallop, Hazelnut, Sudachi and truffle.

Sweet creamy scallops were sandwiched by citrusy sudachi zest and an intense truffle puree, while earthy slivers of Perigord truffle and white mushrooms sat on top. Each component worked together to produce a quite astonishing medley of flavours and textures; it certainly was one of the most unique dishes I’ve ever had.

Not wanting to be too caught up in new fangled techniques and showmanship, the meal also featured 2 really superb broths (one was a really flavoursome duck consommé with mushrooms and ginger, while the other was made from turbot bones and could easily star at a top Japanese restaurant), where the focus was solely on flavour itself. A really lovely touch!

As things stand, it looks like they will be the first restaurant in London to adopt the Tock ticketing system (used by Per Se and the French Laundry in the US), where you pay upfront for your meal, just as you would for a sports event or the theatre. It will be really interesting to see how it will be received here.

The Clove Club
Shoreditch Town Hall
380 Old Street
London EC1V 9LT