London Restaurants

Dabbous, London

March 27, 2015

Patience is definitely your ally if you plan on eating at Dabbous, and I’d say flexibility doesn’t hurt either! The restaurant that has stunned critics and became the most talked about opening in 2012 is still riding the hype wave today which explains why securing a booking can be tricky. Two years and a couple of failed attempts later I finally scored a coveted table at 8:30pm on a Tuesday evening, as good a night as any to see if Dabbous is as phenomenal as it’s cracked up to be.

It is! Sitting on a quiet corner in Fitzrovia, the sheet metal front door will let you into a rather raw and industrial interior, not necessarily what you expect for such a high-end restaurant but it works perfectly here. I’d advise arriving early to get a drink in their downstairs bar which must be one of London’s best hidden gems and a wonderful way to start your evening with one of their inventive cocktails.

As for the food, there is no ‘a la carte’ but only a choice between a set menu of 4 courses for £52 and a tasting menu of 7 courses for £64 which really is value for money in London! We opted for the set menu only because the dishes appealed to us more and we were not disappointed. The Modern European cuisine is made up of small and seasonal plates, a familiar sight now thanks to restaurants like Noma and the somewhat recent foraging trend it sparked. Yes there are plenty of herbs here which lend a clean flavor to the light and at times complex dishes and everything presented is delicate in its looks as much as its taste. It’s a very pleasant contrast to be eating such sophisticated dishes amidst the industrial decor and I felt the kitchen’s creations were in that way shining as brightly as they deserved.

Home-cured goose with fenugreek

Barbecued octopus with cassava, sesame & violet mustard

Glazed pig’s cheek with hispi cabbage, clover & sage

Chocolate-soaked brioche with pecans, azuki beans & barley malt ice cream

So get on the booking wagon now if you want your chance to eat at Dabbous this year, it truly deserves the accolades it got!

Dabbous
39 Whitfield Street,
London WIT 2SF
T: +44 20 7323 1544
Map

 

Main course Recipes Vegetarian

Squash Ravioli

March 20, 2015

Happy National Ravioli Day! Yes, there is such a celebration and it falls on March 20th hence why I chose today to post this homemade ravioli recipe. Making your own filled pasta can seem daunting but honestly, with a bit of patience and handwork anyone can easily produce something delicious in their own kitchen.

This healthy and well-balanced dish is an excellent way to use leftover roasted butternut squash which makes whipping up the filling a breeze. The ricotta adds creaminess to the filling and the grated parmesan cheese not only adds a sharp flavor but also acts as a binder that holds it all together. Sure, this is more of a weekend project but you’ll be amazed at your capacity to produce a meal so full of flavor from scratch with so few ingredients. The simple butter sauce with chestnuts is simple but rich so it’s best served in small portions (which means you’ll have more of these raviolis to enjoy during the week…).

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Squash Ravioli

Recipe from The Seasoned Vegetarian
Active time: 1h15
Total time: 2 hours
Makes 4-6 servings

Pasta dough
700g (1lb 9oz) 00 grade pasta flour
Pinch of salt
4 eggs and 9 egg yolks
Some fine semolina to dust and roll

Filling
400g (14oz) roasted, cubed squash (roasted in olive oil with garlic and seasoning)
300g (10oz) ricotta cheese, drained
100g (3½oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten

Sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
100g ((3½oz) butter
150g (5oz) vacuum-packed chestnuts, finely chopped
Parmesan or pecorino cheese shavings, to serve

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Put everything for the pasta dough, except the semolina, in a food processor or stand mixer and pulse into a loose ball of dough. (You may need to do this in batches unless you’ve got a large food processor.)

Turn the dough out on a work surface dusted with semolina and knead for about 5 minutes until it is smooth and elastic (I separated mine in two as I find it easier to knead a small ball).

Wrap the dough tightly in a polythene bag and set aside to rest for 20 minutes.

Cut the dough into eight balls (as smaller portions are easier to manage).

To create really silky pasta, put each ball of dough through a pasts machine on its thickest setting 10 times. After each pass through, fold the dough in three and turn by 90 degrees. Then, reduce the gauge on the machine down to ‘5’ for ravioli.

For the filling, pulse the squash in a food processor until reasonably smooth, then combine this with the ricotta, Parmesan, sage and seasoning.

Cut the pasta into 7.5cm (3-inch) rounds. Put a small tablespoonful of filling on each round, brush the edge of the round with egg wash, then place another round on top and seal the edges.

Cook the ravioli in boiling salted water for 3 minutes until ‘al dente’.

For the sauce, simply melt the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium heat until the butter foams, add the chestnuts and cook for 5 minutes.

Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water with it, then toss with the chestnut sauce. Scatter with Parmesan or pecorino shavings before serving.

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Hong Kong Restaurants

Tim Ho Wan, Hong Kong

March 14, 2015

Eating dim sum when visiting Hong Kong is absolutely essential and will surely be one of your most enjoyable foodie experiences there, especially if you’re new to these small Chinese snacks. Picking the right place can be tricky though as there are so many of them, and prices/quality vary greatly. A pretty sure bet I’d say would be to check out the super popular Tim Ho Wan at any one of its locations and to just follow the crowd…

Opened by a former Lung King Heen chef in 2009, Tim Ho Wan was an instant hit and really rose to fame when it earned a Michelin star one year later. With a quality meal averaging HK$50 (about US$6.50), it also became the world’s cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant and has since expended across SE Asia. I visited the third Hong Kong location under the IFC mall and although it is pretty much a hurried ‘mall dining’ experience (i.e. you need to have your order ready before you sit, your food will arrive within minutes, and don’t you even think about lingering after you’ve cleaned up your plates…) it’s a great place to grab a cheap and fun dim sum treat.

The menu is a single sheet of paper with checklist boxes and most items average around HK$20. If you’re new to dim sum, you might want to go for Tim Ho Wan’s ‘Heavenly Kings’, the name they’ve given to their signature items which include their famous baked bun with BBQ pork (you MUST order them, it’s the best thing on the menu),  pan fried turnip cake, steamed egg cake and vermicelli roll stuffed with pig’s liver. Whatever you order you can’t go wrong, the brand is pretty consistent in terms of quality and although there are better dim sum restaurants in Hong Kong, none will set you back only a few dollars to fill you up nicely!

Baked Buns with BBQ Pork

Pan Fried Turnip Cake

Prawn Dumplings

Spinach Dumplings

Fresh seasonal vegetable
Tim Ho Wan - Fresh seasonal vegetable

Rice with Chicken, Sausage & Mushroom

Tim Ho Wan
Shop 12A, Hong Kong Station (Podium Level 1, IFC Mall)Central, IFC Mall, Hong Kong
T: +852 2332 3078
Map

 

New York Restaurants

Dover, Brooklyn

March 8, 2015

Gone are the days when ‘upscale’ and ‘Brooklyn’ would rarely be mentioned together with the majority of new Michelin stars being awarded in the borough lately and housing prices soaring to record-breaking heights. It is a new era and restaurants such as Dover are there to fill in a need for refined dining without having to commute to Manhattan… I like to say they succeeded by playing it ‘Brooklyn cool’, offering luxury goods with no pretension and a lot of flair like the trend-setting Carroll Gardens area they settled in.

The unadorned space feels casual enough but the food is definitely not, thanks to the culinary team behind wildly successful sister spot Battersby, and the only two New York delegates in Food & Wine’s 2014 class of “best new chefs.” Dover offers a glimpse into French cuisine with incredibly well thought-out dishes at once elegant and generous.

Meals here start with a delectable amuse-bouche, followed by homemade bread and spreads, and end with an equally palate pleasing petit four; the kind of details that really add to the overall experience of eating at an upscale restaurant. The rest will be picked from a changing menu of Raw, Appetizers, Second (seafood) and Third (meat) of which I must say the vegetables and seafood are a shining star.

The roasted cauliflower appetizer was mind-blowing, every bite a mix of crunchy/savory/sweet/soft with the accompanying pistachios, raisins, and anchovy sauce and a good example of the kind of cooking happening here. Maybe not for your local hangout but definitely a great place for the occasional celebration and out-of-towner visits – they’ll understand now what Brooklyn has turned into and it’s delicious!

Gougères

Bread service – Italian stecca with fennel crackers and homemade spreads

Ceviche of shrimps, scallops, clams, and ginger

Ruby Red Shrimps – lardo, aji dulce

Cauliflower – raisin, pistachio, colatura

Gem Lettuces – smoked trout, crème fraîche, egg mimosa

Peconic Bay Scallops – aromatic vegetable broth, spinach, pistachio

Potato Crusted Cod – fennel, tomato confit, Taggiasca olive

Spaghetti – Peekytoe crab, chile, garlic

Affogato – chocolate, Fernet Branca

Salted Caramel Tart – Mast Brothers Chocolate

Coconut Rice Pudding – pineapple, pistachio

Little treats…

Dover
12 Court St,
Brooklyn, NY 11231
T: (347) 987-3545
Map

Europe Gibraltar Travels UK

The Rock of Gibraltar

March 3, 2015

Brits are known to flee their brutal weather at home for sunnier climes on the Mediterranean and are particularly fond of their little enclave of Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory in the south of Spain. The Rock, as Gibraltar is known, whose impressive silhouette dominates the strait between Spain and Morocco, crams an extraordinary amount of history, culture, and nature into an area less than 6 square miles, making it an ideal short holiday destination.

Gibraltar is unique in many ways and  the first one you’ll notice right away as you literally have to walk across the runway (which also happens to be a public highway) to get into town.

Almost entirely surrounded by water except for the narrow strip linking it to mainland Spain, Gibraltar has vibrant marinas with plenty of restaurants to feast at and boat trips to go spot the wild dolphins that swim and feed in the strait.

Fresh seafood can be enjoyed at any one of the Mediterranean restaurants lining the marinas like this fish of the day at El Faro in Marina Bay.

Leaving the water behind, a quick stroll will bring you to the town center which you can access most directly by walking through the Grand Casemates Gates.

You’ll find yourself in the middle of the main tourist haunt of Casemates Square where everyone gathers at any of the various cafes during the day and come for the live entertainment in the evening.

Foodies will appreciate Gibraltar’s heritage of Moorish, Spanish and British rulers in sampling all kinds of different dishes within a few feet of each other, whether it’s the excellent fish & chips at Roy’s Cod Place…

…Spanish tapas at Cafe Solo or grabbing Moroccan sweets from a street cart.

Grand Casemates Square - Gibraltar

At the end of Casemates Square starts the focal point of town, Main Street, a pleasant and pedestrian stretch that first showcases the VAT-free shopping Gibraltar is known for (think plenty of jewelry, tobacco, and electronics shops) before getting quainter with colonial-style buildings as you go up.

Venture into intricate side streets and lanes for colorful Moorish decorations and a taste of the local life.

About halfway up Main Street you’ll find the beautiful Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned.

The nearby John Mackintosh Square has been the centre of city life since the 14th century and is home to Gibraltar’s Parliament and City Hall.

When you’ll feel like resting your feet, make a stop at Gibraltar’s most famous coffee shop, Sacarello’s. The family-owned coffee roasting/restaurant business has been serving the locals for over 125 years from its location on Irish Town, a street buzzing with bars and restaurants that runs parallel to Main Street.

It’s famous for its coffee and breakfasts but also quite delectable at tea time with a variety of cakes on offer. I’ve indulged in a very British Victoria sponge cake for the occasion.

Towards the end of Main Street, shops make space for official buildings such as the Convent Place (the Governor’s residence) and more vestiges of an imperial past.

Continuing your route you’ll soon arrive on Grand Parade once Main Street ends and next to it the perfect excuse for a quiet afternoon stroll – the Alameda Gardens. Gibraltar’s Botanical Gardens boast flora and fauna from all over the world with the majestic Rock Hotel rising above.

While the town is cute and all, the real reason anyone should come to Gibraltar is to explore the rock itself which is a very unique treat for any nature enthusiast. There is a cable car right by the botanical gardens which is the most direct route to the top, but hiking through the nature reserve is truly the way to do it…

The stimulating walk takes in the unique vegetation and species of migrating birds…

…and that’s not mentioning the views which as you go up will only get better and better, showcasing that airport runway you just landed on recently and gorgeous southern Spain.

As you go up you’ll also encounter the rock’s most famous inhabitants – the Barbary Macaques – which act as true rulers of the territory. They’re mostly concentrated on the higher slopes though quite a few venture down as far as the lowest part of town.

There are a few worthwhile stops on your way up, fascinating remnants of Gibraltar as a strategic military base, such as the Moorish Castle and its Tower of Homage.

Even more fascinating are the Great Siege Tunnels which are arguably one of the most impressive defense systems anywhere. Hewn into the rock with only the aid of gunpowder and the simplest of tools, they total more than 30 miles in length and make for a pretty historical indoor hike.

Back out, make your way towards the center of the rock where the last stop of the cable car is for a nice view of the east side of Gibraltar. This is where vacationers soak up the sun on one of the beaches in the warmer months.

You have now officially entered monkey territory as they outnumber humans at this height and even have their own den where they get fed and looked after.

The tailless monkeys are the symbol of Gibraltar, having survived in the rocky wilderness for the best part of 1,000 years.

They are now Europe’s only colony of free-ranging primates and a favorite of visitors as far as capturing magical photos goes.

Obviously used to human presence, they’ll let you get real close though it is at your own risk… they won’t hesitate to grab your purse, food, shiny object or anything else they fancy and warning signs abound as to their occasional aggressive nature.

Lucky for me it was lunch time and they were way too busy munching on veggies to pay me much attention.

Food coma…?

After your thousandth monkey shot, it’s time to make your way back down as there is still more to see. A brief visit to St. Michael’s Cave is a must as it is one of Europe’s most dramatic natural grottoes.

Once fitted out as a hospital during WWII, it is now a unique natural auditorium with an ongoing light and sound display to astound visitors during the off hours.

Once you’ve made it all the way down the rock, head straight to Europa Point at the southernmost end of Gibraltar for its mosque…

…its lighthouse…

…and its superb vantage point across the strait to Morocco (evidently better on a clear day…!).

It was a lot of walking and chasing always better views for two days and there was no better ending than that terrace at the airport where you could only let the great limestone monolith fill your field of vision one last time…

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