Weekend lunch at The Square

Another impromptu visit to The Square today for a casual lunch ...

Amuse-bouche: chicken consommé jelly topped with butternut purée, cauliflower foam and thyme crumbs.

Very nice combination of various intense flavours - the thin layer of sharp and salty jelly at the bottom was aptly balanced by two thicker layers of sweet purée and foam (both of which had an amazing smooth and creamy consistency), and the thyme topping provided further aromas and a nice crunch.

Starter: risotto nero with Cornish skate and gremolata.

I should clarify that there was no squid ink used in this dish - the rice is naturally black. It is a really healthy food with high protein and fibre content, similar to brown rice, but a lot rarer. It tends to turn purple when cooked, but careful control here has preserved its original jet-black colour. The risotto was rich and creamy with individual grains still preserving a nice form and bite, and the fish was also topped with a black rice cracker which was appealingly light and crispy. The skate (stingray in the Asian context) was extremely fresh, moist and flaked effortlessly. Its light flavour was very nicely enhanced by the gremolata topping (chopped parsley and garlic with olive oil and lemon zest, almost like a vinaigrette). A very satisfying dish with a successful combination of various subtle flavours.

Main course: sauté of John Dory with crushed butternut squash, beurre noisette and pickled walnuts, with a side of garden salad.

The portion was quite underwhelming - the smallest main I've ever had in this restaurant, about the same size as the starter to be honest! But it was really good while it lasted - the fresh fish fillets, sautéed in brown butter, retained their moisture, a nice meaty texture and all their fresh flavours in addition to a slightly charred and crispy skin. The brown butter residue was then deglazed to make a sauce that was extremely rich and savoury. The accompanying butternut squash was sweet, fibrous and appealingly chunky with bits of chanterelle mushroom and chestnut (I think) scattered throughout. A topping of trompettes de la mort gave an earthy dimension to the dish. The accompanying salad (just fresh leaves, no dressing) was a good balance, with notably spicy and nutty flavours from the rocket.

Dessert: blood orange tart with chocolate ice cream.

This was truly excellent. The combination of chocolate and orange is classic and needs no further elaboration, but there is something to be said about the exceptional quality of individual components here. The ice-cream was incredibly smooth and heady, with intense cocoa flavours, and topped with chocolate biscuit crumbs that provided a nice crunchy texture. The blood orange tart was bursting with citrusy goodness and felt extremely light - just like a good crème brûlée, with a wobbly custard-like filling, and a thin burnt glazing on top which was very evenly done. The execution of this dish was simple, yet wonderfully precise.

Overall, it was a pleasant way to spend a Saturday afternoon. The portions felt significantly smaller this time, but for this quality, the set lunch price is still a pretty good deal I think!

V-Day outing at Kimchee restaurant

The usual three of us went out on Valentine's Day to Kimchee restaurant near our hostel for a deliberately unromantic evening. This Korean restaurant is very new (opened late last year) and has already gained huge popularity in the past few months, presumably for the quality of its food as well as the very reasonable prices (which is surprising because it looks so spacious and classy!). They don't take reservations for small groups, so we had to wait for about 45 minutes for a table.

So many couples that evening! Great food, perhaps,
but surely not the best place for a date!

Open kitchen - always fascinating for a foodie.

Elegant ceramic lamps on the long tables.

Unlike most Korean restaurants, this place doesn't serve the usual complimentary range of side dishes - everything has to be paid for. But as we would find out, they were worth every penny charged. Here is the first of three starters we ordered, kimchee (sometimes also spelt kimchi). This dish of pickled cabbage is a staple in Korean cuisine, and I do know for a fact that a special fridge is often set aside in Korean households for homemade kimchee.

Beautiful presentation on a turquoise celadon plate.

Very neatly arranged layers.

I haven't been to Korea, but as far as my experiences go, this was the best kimchee I'd ever tried. Fresh, crunchy, sweet, sour, spicy - truly astonishing quality in this humble starter which really whets the appetite.

This was our second starter of pa jeon, a traditional Korean pancake with spring onions and mixed seafood, served with a chive and soy sauce:

This was also delightful - aromatic and crisp on the outside, packed in with generous bites of seafood including clams and squid. The soy sauce (somewhat different from the Chinese and Japanese varieties) enhanced the savoury depths of this dish and also cut through its richness with a sharp flavour.

The final starter, dduk bok gi, rice cakes with fish cakes and vegetables, served in a hot and spicy sauce:

Another excellent dish. Successful juxtaposition of textures - the thick rice cakes were delightfully smooth and chewy, while the thinly-sliced fish cakes were fresh and with a gelatinous bite. The sauce packed a real punch - really spicy, fragrant (due to the onions), and just slightly sweet, as most authentic Korean chilli sauces are - truly satisfying.

Now for the mains! First one up, chicken dolsot bibimbap. This quintessentially Korean rice dish is served sizzling hot (what could be better for winter?) in an earthenware pot, with rice, sliced/shredded vegetables, a raw egg, and red chilli paste. Diners have to mix the ingredients in the pot themselves before eating. The bottom of the pot is lined with sesame oil to prevent the rice from sticking, and also to intensify the aromas of the dish.

Before - all the ingredients arranged nicely around the mound of rice. 

After mixing them ourselves - looked hearty and smelled amazing!

Perfect comfort food for cold climates - a wonderful smorgasbord of textures and flavours, with warm & fluffy rice, sweet & crunchy vegetables, tender and well-seasoned slices of chicken, rich & creamy raw egg (when broken and mixed), all lifted by a refreshing & spicy chilli sauce and aromatic sesame oil. What more could one ask for?

 We also had a jigae (hotpot) to share. This is a soft tofu and seafood hotpot:

More spicy comfort food. This was an aromatic and flavourful stew. Good portion with substantial bits of seafood, well complemented by the silky smooth tofu.

No Korean meal is complete without a barbecued dish - this is spicy chicken bulgogi, chicken pieces marinated in a hot and spicy chilli pepper sauce:

This didn't disappoint either - the chicken pieces were extremely tender, well-seasoned, and really fragrant (it's that aroma you get from using a real charcoal grill). Not as spicy as we'd expected, but nonetheless delicious, almost like a very good satay (see the C & R review) without the wooden skewers. I thought the presentation with alfafa sprouts, lotus root and garlic cloves was pretty classy.

We finished with two desserts, one scoop of ice cream each, and chap ssal ddeok (traditional soft chocolate rice cake with a light dusting of cocoa powder) to share:

Anticlockwise from top: roasted green tea, green tea and black sesame.

Nice ending to the meal. I'm not sure if the ice creams were made in-house, but they were pretty rich and creamy. The sprinkling of pine nuts, green tea powder and black sesame seeds added a touch of luxury and authenticity. The individual flavours, admittedly, were not that pronounced - they seemed somewhat uniformly milky, though the roasted green tea ice cream was slightly more intense, with hints of toasted brown rice/barley (like Japanese genmaicha). Good portion though!

The chocolate rice cakes were nice while they lasted (very small portion!) - the texture was exactly like Japanese mochi, with a rich chocolate filling, and cocoa dusting on the surface. Not sure it was entirely authentic (chocolate in Korean food?) but I wasn't going to complain.

In summary, great food with good portions and presentation, in a nice and well-ventilated environment - despite sitting next to the open kitchen, our clothes didn't smell after the dinner. I learnt that you get 50% off all day, every Sunday, on everything in the menu, which is even greater value-for-money! It was a very good first experience for me, and I know that I will be back very soon.

More pictures of the restaurant as we left near to closing time:

I love those ceramics!

Long tables throughout the restaurant -
supposedly a traditional setting.

Beautiful rock garden feature at the waiting area.

Main entrance along Holborn High St.

A taste of home at C & R Malaysian Cuisine (Bayswater branch)

(More food indulgences after Roganic yesterday, albeit of a very different nature!) I visited C & R Malaysian Cuisine with a Malaysian friend this evening, to sample their dishes for an upcoming Singaporean/Malaysian food outing that he was organising for our hostel. We had received good reviews about this place from a Singaporean friend, and the dishes are very reasonably priced, so we were really looking forward to the dinner! C&R has two branches in London, one in Chinatown and the other in Bayswater; we decided on the Bayswater branch as it was bigger and could accommodate a larger group if necessary.

Front counter with a prominent logo of Tiger Beer,
the ubiquitous brand found all over Singapore. 

There was only so much food that two of us could have, so we decided on a rice/noodle dish each, and ordered two side dishes to share. Here is the first dish and probably the most representative snack of the region, chicken satay with a spicy peanut sauce:

This was somewhat pricey for 4 skewers, but they were truly excellent while they lasted - the meat was tender, moist, really well-seasoned and grilled with just the right degree of charred taste. I doubt the kitchen was using a real charcoal fire, for that would have made the satay even more aromatic, but that is just being picky. The accompanying spicy peanut sauce (for us no less important than the satay itself) also hit all the right notes with its richness and intensity. The only element of this dish which was regrettably missing was the ketupat, small plain rice dumplings which one always finds in Singapore & Malaysia to accompany the satay, and to mop up the delicious peanut sauce with.

Another typical side dish: kangkong belacan (water spinach stir fried with a dried shrimp paste). You have to ask for this because it's not part of the standard menu.

This didn't disappoint either. The whole point of this dish, really, is the belacan, and this tasted really authentic, with generous use of the aromatic and slightly spicy shrimp paste (chewy bits of shrimp scattered all over the dish is always a good sign). The kangkong was also well-cooked - the leaves were completely soft while the stems retained a juicy crunchiness. Very good indeed.

On to our mains: this was my friend's dish of nasi lemak. The name itself merely means 'rice cooked in coconut milk', but the dish usually comes with an array of accompaniments (all present here!), such as (clockwise from the front) achar (pickled shredded cabbage and carrots with sesame seeds), sambal chilli (dried and ground shrimp chilli), fried peanuts, ikan bilis (deep-fried dried anchovies), sliced cucumber, hardboiled egg and chicken curry.

I tasted a little of each element in the dish and can testify to its excellence and authenticity.  Standouts were the chicken curry (the chicken was tender and succulent, while the curry was very rich and only slightly spicy, with an intense coconut milk flavour), the ikan bilis (very light and crispy), and of course the rice (very fragrant and fluffy, with a strong hint of coconut milk). The sambal chilli was a tad disappointing - while it was as spicy as it should have been, the presence of shrimp was rather feeble, so it didn't quite go beyond being a mere chilli sauce. All things considered, I would still love to have this all to myself on my next visit!

My main: Penang prawn noodles - egg noodles with king prawns, chicken, beansprouts, kangkong, fried shallots and half a hardboiled egg, in a spicy prawn broth. This dish originates from the island state of Penang in Malaysia, hence its name.

The main point of this dish is the broth (similar to Japanese ramen), and on that count alone was somewhat disappointing. It wasn't bad - in fact, it was extremely tasty, but the flavour seemed to come more from the copious amounts of MSG used, than from real prawns simmered for hours to create an intense stock. Having said that, all the stuff in the broth was pretty good, from the chewy egg noodles, to the tender pieces of chicken and the fresh & succulent prawns. However, I would not recommend it as an authentic experience.

Now for desserts to finish the meal! While it might seem bizarre to have iced desserts in winter, they are hugely popular for us due to the warm and humid tropical climate back home. We did regret our choices slightly, but only because the restaurant was extremely drafty and the desserts made us feel even colder!

First up: ais kacang, with red beans, corn, chin chow (grass jelly) and the all-important attap chee (fruit of the Nipa palm, sweet, translucent and gelatinous, often used in desserts in Singapore and Malaysia), topped with a huge mound of shaved ice, and generous lashings of colourful flavoured syrups. Back home, further toppings such as mango, durian (a spiky and very pungent tropical fruit) or ice cream may be included; here, a single lychee does the trick:

This was a good portion, and all the prerequisite ingredients were present, so no complaints at all - very nice and authentic experience.

Finally: chendol, a popular coconut milk-based dessert drink, with jelly strips (at the bottom of the glass) made of rice flour & green colouring (usually derived from the fragrant pandan leaf), shaved ice, and a generous lashing of gula melaka (brown palm sugar). Simply stir and mix all the constituents together for a sinful but heavenly experience.

I personally felt that the one served here could be even richer in coconut milk and gula melaka, but that is probably just me being picky again, and making unfair comparisons to the ones found back home. It was already much better than I had expected to find it in London, and I would recommend it to any coconut lover.

In summary, it was a very satisfying meal, and I know that I will be back whenever I am craving for a taste of home! 

(More pictures and descriptions will be added to this post upon subsequent visits.)

The full 10-course experience at Roganic

I visited Roganic this evening as a well-deserved end to two very busy weeks. This restaurant, named after its chef patron Simon Rogan, is the sister establishment to Rogan's Michelin-starred flagship in the Lake District, L'Enclume. As a newcomer to London's dining scene, it also has a rather interesting history - calling itself a 'two-year pop up restaurant' because it is currently running on the remaining part of the lease that the previous owner of the space sold to Rogan.

Situated along Blanford Street (nearest tube: Baker Street station), the restaurant is very small and its façade so nondescript that one might walk right past and miss it completely. This simple front, however, belies the great cuisine that is served behind its doors, cooked with fresh seasonal British produce, in an authentic style very different from the usual French-inspired fine-dining restaurants. There is no à la carte menu; only 2 tasting menus are offered (either 6 or 10 courses; vegetarian options available) in addition to a budget 3-course menu at lunchtime. I decided to go for the full experience of 10 courses.

I arrived early so the restaurant was relatively empty,

but it was a full house later on!

The stone slab in the middle is for butter,

in case you're wondering. 

Canapés: corned beef croquette with pickled apple and carrot, and a salt beef sandwich with horseradish cream.

The croquette was pure comfort food: tender & well-seasoned ground meat coated in crispy breadcrumbs, and balanced with the sourish & crunchy pickles. The flower presentation was extremely eye-catching and added a touch of sophistication. The 'sandwich' consisted of two pieces of salt beef, sliced incredibly thin, with a layer of horseradish cream - just spicy enough to tickle the tastebuds for a great meal ahead.

Bread and butter: I don't usually write about this in a separate section, but this was really the most impressive quality I've experienced in a while. From left to right: Irish sourdough, potato and buttermilk, pump and nickel, chestnut and thyme flatbread. Served warm and fluffy (except the last one, of course, which was more like a crisp) - delicious throughout. I loved especially the Irish sourdough and the flatbread. Accompanied by freshly churned Gloucestershire salted butter, which managed somehow to combine intense dairy flavours with a light & smooth consistency - simply amazing and even better than those served at some Michelin establishments.

First course: millet pudding with grains, burnt pear, rope leaves and Devon blue cheese. 

A posh take on rice pudding, this was extremely creamy and satisfying. The grains retained a firm and chewy texture, and the infusion of blue cheese into the pudding imparted a richness of flavour that one would not normally expect to find in this humble dish. The rope leaves (a type of sea vegetable) provided a saltish crunch, while the juicy burnt pear both balanced and enhanced the dish with its sweet and smoky flavours. The dish was then surrounded by a pool of fragrant marjoram oil - light and fruity, like a very good olive oil. Beautiful presentation on a large grey plate, and intentionally arranged off-centre to enhance the overall visual effect.

Second course: razor clams flavoured with fennel, squid toast, brown butter and Legbar (egg from the rare Legbar chicken breed) emulsion.

This was an interesting dish - I didn't quite know what to make of it. Very strong and unusual flavours from the combination of the emulsion (mainly smoky and salty) and the fennel (with its distinct aroma). These accompaniments were perhaps a tad too overpowering for the razor clams, which were well cooked but just bordering on a chewy texture. The squid ink toast was delicious. Of special note was the presentation, where the emulsion with the clams was poured into the dish from an open Legbar eggshell, which itself came in a small carton amidst other fresh uncracked Legbar eggs. I thought that was pretty fun and novel, and it was a pity I didn't get a picture of the carton because the eggshells had a beautiful pastel blue colour, which is apparently peculiar to this rare chicken breed (as I found out later at home).

Third course: langoustine wrapped in pork skin, Jerusalem artichoke purée, carrot and sea buckthorn vinaigrette with a sprinkling of red cress and dehydrated cabbage.

This was a really unusual way of preparing langoustine, and it worked beautifully, with the aromatic, salty and crispy crackling enhancing and preserving the natural flavours of the langoustine within. The only complaint from me would be that the outer crackling was too thick in places (could be a little difficult to bite through) and the bumpy bits frequently & annoyingly stuck to the teeth. The purée added an aptly rich sweetness to the dish, while the rather astringent vinaigrette provided an essential balance.

Fourth course: 'Grown up yolk from the Golden Egg', bok choi, warm mayonnaise and barley milk.

I think the 'yolk' needs to be explained - a mixture of chicken thigh and vegetable stock is cooked to caramelisation, then puréed, sifted, set in a mould and frozen. Before serving, the ball is left to thaw, and dipped into gold leaf mixture for a shiny coat. The thick creamy consistency of the purée was amazing, and the flavours intense. Served on a bed of chopped deep-fried chicken skin laced with sweet barley milk, and mayonnaise on the side - pure sin, thankfully mitigated by the bok choi in a savoury sauce (chicken stock or roasting juices?). Overall a satisfying and tasty dish.

Fifth course: poached and grilled King Oyster mushroom, buttered mushroom purée, 'mushroom soil' (dehydrated & smoked mushroom and almond), pine, beetroot, chicory and coastal sea leaves.

One of the highlights of the evening, which tasted every bit as good as it looked. The mushroom was meaty and substantial, and grilled to juicy perfection, allowing its wonderful earthy and smoky flavours to emerge. It was complemented by a rich purée and equally intense powdered 'mushroom soil'. The vegetable accompaniments provided a refreshing crunch amidst the sheer indulgence of this dish.

Sixth course: caramelised cauliflower, sour cream, raisin purée, roasted baby gem, and pennywort, with a generous sprinkling of dehydrated cauliflower powder across the plate.

Solid, if unspectacular, dish. A sort of palate cleanser, perhaps? Both the cauliflower and lettuce were very nicely roasted, retaining their natural sweetness and moisture whilst possessing an subtle and appealing charred taste. The sweet-and-sour raisin purée and drops of sour cream were excellent accompaniments to this light dish. 

Seventh course: roasted Cornish gurnard, celeriac (jus and purée), brown shrimps and sprout leaves.

The plating of this dish seemed rather haphazard, but it was delicious nonetheless, bursting with flavours of the sea. The fish was extremely well done, remaining tender and moist within, whilst having a thin and crispy outer layer that contributed a subtle and appealing charred taste. The natural sweetness of the fish was well complemented by the celeriac accompaniments as well as the crunchy sprout leaves. Lashings of marjoram oil imparted further aromatic depth to this dish.

Eighth course: 52-hour braised Longhorn shortrib in its roasting juices, parsnip (both roasted and puréed), mayweed, smoked redcurrants, toasted pumpkin seeds, and lily bulbs.

This was the other highlight of the evening. The premium Longhorns are apparently the oldest British breed of cattle, originating in the North, and probably the closest one could get to the world-famous & insanely expensive Kobe beef from Japan (not that I've ever tried the latter!). Although this was a substantial chunk, the increased marbling of fat and long hours of slow roasting produced a tender, almost melt-in-your-mouth experience, full of deep flavours and aromas. The savoury roasting juices were simply delicious. This rich dish was aptly complemented by lily bulbs and parsnip, both sweet and starchy, and balanced with a few very tart redcurrants. The toasted pumpkin seeds were delightfully fragrant and crunchy. A true masterpiece in every respect.

Pre-dessert: spiced bread with a cinnamon sugar coating, sea buckthorn emulsion with atsina cress, smoked clotted cream ice-cream with glazed almond shavings.

Perfect dish for the winter climate, with the combination of cinnamon, spiced bread, almonds, and atsina cress (an unusual herb with strong hints of liquorice and aniseed). The ice-cream really stood out - rich, smoky (salty) and sweet - both unusual and luxurious. I wasn't too convinced by the use of buckthorn because of its very distinct tartness, but it sure made for very nice plating!

Ninth course: Warm Bramley cake on liquorice curd, Granny Smith strips, Pink Lady sorbet on walnut crumble, and atsina.

Essentially variations on three different types of British apples. I really enjoyed the warm cake with its brandy-soaked apple filling, and the tart & incredibly smooth sorbet which balanced the overall richness of this dessert. The strips made for very nice presentation and added a touch of sophistication, whilst the crumble, liquorice and atsina provided apt seasonal flavours, as with the pre-dessert.

Tenth course: Yorkshire rhubarb, dried caramel powder, natural yoghurt sorbet and iced lemon thyme.

A most refreshing end to the menu, with predominantly sourish flavours. The sorbet had an incredible lightness and consistency, the iced lemon thyme was very aromatic, and the rhubarb contributed an appealing crunchy texture.

Petit fours: in the shot glass, custard infused with winter savory, topped with pear purée, gingerbread crumble & atsina; on the granite slab, orange marmalade cake.

Very satisfying end to the whole meal. The custard was warm, rich, and very aromatic with the inclusion of various winter herbs and spices in the shot glass. The presentation was rather interesting too - almost like a science experiment in school with plants growing out of a soil layer! 

The orange cake was light, moist, fluffy, and intensely flavoured, with a nice dollop of orange icing on top. I'm not a fan of cupcakes generally, but was won over by this mini version.

In general, an excellent meal and real value for money. The atmosphere of the restaurant was truly lively and unpretentious (no dress code but don't go there too shabbily either!) and the service was incredibly friendly, attentive and patient, considering that I was a new customer and asking a lot of questions about various dishes. Simply solid food, with comforting, intense flavours throughout, good presentation and interesting use of native produce. The restaurant already has 3 AA Rosettes, 7 months into its opening, and I hope it goes on to win bigger accolades very soon (provided it stays open long enough!). I'll definitely be returning!