The Wharf [On The Road: Teddington]

Eggs are eggs. That is very profound. By the same token you could say fish is fish. Ha ha ha! I don't think so 

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Stand In”) 

I had the chance to go for dinner to The Wharf on Teddington. Lovely modern European restaurant set besides the Thames. Quiet, classic, perfect location, pictures of Duran Duran, and a pianist playing pop rock songs bringing me memories of brunch at bistrotheque. 

Scotch Egg

For starters I got Haddock and salmon scotch egg, perfectly executed, spotless. For main a beautiful black linguini with king prawns and crab. Again it was superb. 

Black Linguini

Lovely flavours, great presentation, good service, refined or you can call it posh but worthy if you’re around.

The Wharf

T: 020 8977 6333

European Cuisine

Approx Damage: £30pp

Teddington

Twitter: Wharfteddington

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Angels in Edinburgh [On The Road: Edinburgh]

No, Lindsay, it was not in the garbage. It was above the garbage. Hovering like an angel

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Gymnast”)

Angels with bagpipes is a modern fusion restaurant serving European and Scottish cuisine. Nice décor with a bit too warm dinning room. Opened in 2010 in the heart of the Royal Mile just in front of St Giles Cathedral.

Tartare

We got the lunch menu, for start a salmon tartare and a beef carpaccio. The tartare was delicate and nice, but the beef carpaccio was superb an explosion of flavours, great execution.

12 Hours Braised Beef

For main we got the 12 hours braised beef, really nice and tender. The onion risotto was creamy and well executed. Overall a nice lunch.

Angels with Bagpipes

T: 0131 220 1111

Scottish Cuisine

Approx Damage: £20pp

Area: Old Town

Edinburgh

Twitter: angels_food

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Michelin Star in Edinburgh [On The Road: Edinburgh]

I was covering. Elaine has been deported back to Scotland

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Blood”)

Our first lunch in Edinburgh was in Castle Terrace. One Michelin star, classic décor and atmosphere, quiet, and relax. There is a set menu option for lunch, and also a surprise 7-course menu. Scottish chef Dominic Jack brings a modern well-executed British cuisine menu using local produce with classic French techniques.

We got a bit earlier so headed to the bar and got some cocktails to start. While waiting we got greetings from the kitchen with a trio of amuse bouche one of them a decomposed Caesar salad that was superb.

Greetings from the kitchen

Ready on our table we got another amuse bouche, this time a baby potato with foam cheese, really nice. For starter fresh Newhaven crab with a avocado panna cotta, coriander, mango, and black olives. Quite delicate, nice balance, the sweetness of the mango played really nice with the creamy avocado, best of all they didn't overpower the crab flavour. Superb dish.

Crab time

For main the seared hampe of beef with crispy ox tongue, carrots, onions, and bordelaise sauce. Quite nice good flavours, the beef was tender and perfectly cooked, there was a bit of disconnection between some of the components, but overall a nice dish.

Scottish beef

Overall a lovely lunch, great service, and wonderful food.

Castle Terrace

T: 0131 229 1222

British Cuisine

Approx Damage: £53pp

Area: Old Town

Edinburgh

Twitter: dominicjack

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St John of Spitalfield

Somebody double parked, we couldn't help it. It might have been Saddam Hussein,

we're not really sure. He had a British accent though. 

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Dinner Party”) 

Recently I completed the trilogy of Trevor & Fergus visiting St John Bread & Wine. I had been before in the iconic Smithfield restaurant, the only saturday's bakery in Druid St, and also in the now closed Hotel in Chinatown. The placed is in front of the old market, operating since 2003 seven days a week from breakfast to supper. The original intention was to open just a bakery but soon the project became a full restaurant. Same formula as the other places, great British cuisine, offal dishes, same atmosphere, and same great British cuisine. 

The place

Welcome

Inside

We got a couple starters to share, first a blood cake with duck egg. Brilliant, simple but just perfect. The blood cake was rich, and the perfectly cooked egg with the running yolk a marriage from heaven. 

Blood cake

Then we got Foie Gras and duck liver toast, again out of this world, great flavours, beautiful. 

Foie & liver toast

Finally we took advantage of the bakery and ended buying brownies and madeleines to takeaway, but ate half of the madeleines over a lovely coffee. 

Coffe & Madeleine

Great flavours, amazing restaurant, sadly no bone marrow in the menu, but the beautiful baked treats make for it. STJBW is my kind of place.

St John Bread & Wine

T: 020 7251 0848

British Cuisine

Approx Damage: £25pp

Area: Spitalfield

Borough: Tower Hamlets

Twitter: STJBW

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Burger Wars Episode LXIV: F for Foxtrot and G for Gordon

“It's cleavage. I couldn't look away. What am I, waiting to win an Oscar here? This is all I have in my life” 

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Shoes” 

My last stop searching for the greatest burger in London took me to Gordon Ramsay’s British Bistro in Chelsea. Foxtrot Oscar offering a classic menu using seasonal produce. Small and cozy place with black and white pictures in a burgundy dim light ambience. 

The place

I couldn’t resist having the bone marrow, superb, a classic well executed. Every ingredient as it should, shallot comfit, a touch of Parmesan, panko crust, with a parsley, caper and lemon salad. Marisol went for the beef carpaccio, potato salad, and lemon vinaigrette. The carpaccio was nice, and the potatoes gave an excellent addition. 

Marrow

Carpaccio

While waiting for my burger we shared a really nice Viña Real Rioja. The Foxtrot cheeseburger, with smoked streaky bacon, mushroom relish, pickled gherkin, and triple cooked chips. 

The Foxtrot Cheeseburger

The verdict, it was unbelievable, great flavour even though it was cooked medium, as they want to make sure the cheese is completely melted. The bacon gives a nice smoky flavour, the brioche bun is wonderful, and the cheese was completely melted in deed 

The damage, 15 quid for the burger and chips 

The conclusion, great burger, nice balance, amazing flavour, I would have prefer it a bit more juicy but it was quite good. The chips were nice but probably the weakest link. I will give it a 9 in my scale. Highly recommended if you’re in Chelsea 

Burger time

Close up

Almost forgot, Marisol got the 35 day dry aged Cote de Boeuf with watercress and béarnaise sauce. I had a couple bites and it was perfectly cooked, great execution, amazing flavour. 

Cote de Boeuf

Great bistro the food and the service were excellent.

Foxtrot Oscar

T: 020 7352 4448

British Bistro

Approx Damage: £60pp

Area: Chelsea

Borough: Kensington & Chelsea

Twitter: foxtrot_oscar

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The Best Madeleines in London

I’m obsessed with St John. I love their simple approach, and nose to tail concept of British cuisine. But these days I have been more interested in their bakery. So my latest stop in Farringdon I couldn’t resist to pass by the former smokehouse nowadays St John Bar & Restaurant in order to get some baked treats. 

The place

The madeleines are a must in the place, they are baked to order so it will take more or less 15 min to get them fresh and still hot. I’ve always bought them to take away but they have never made it home as I finish eating all of them on the way back. 

The bakery

Madelines

While we were waiting Marisol ordered a chocolate brownie. It was superb, one of the best brownies I have had, an amazing soft Valrhora chocolate with hazelnuts and unbaked almonds worthy of naughty dreams. 

Brownie

Highly recommended place, the restaurant is great, and the bakery is awesome. I even had the chance this time to see Fergus Henderson having a drink while I was waiting for my madeleine order. Fergus let’s toast for a great place, cheers! 

More Madeleines

B&W

Bakery reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Dinner Party” 

George: So all right, what are we getting? It's so hot in here!

Kramer: What do you say we get a Mouton Cadet?

George: What's that?

Kramer: It's robust, bold, very dry. As opposed to a Beaujolais which is richer and fruitier. Here's one. Twelve dollars

George: Twelve dollars? I knew we should have gone to the bakery. I guarantee you they aren't getting no twelve dollar cake

St John Bar & Restaurant

T: 020 7251 0848

British Cuisine / Bakery

Approx Damage: £10pp

Area: Farringdon

Borough: Islington

Twitter: SJRestaurant

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Tom where is the Kitchen

Two locations in London one in Chelsea the other in Somerset House. Tom’s Kitchen a British brasserie using UK suppliers serving comfort food by Michelin starred chef Tom Aikens. My visit was to the Chelsea place. Noisy even when it was not at full capacity. The decor wood rustic tables, white tiles walls, and B&W pictures of Tom’s suppliers. 

The Place

Literature

Inside

I arrived for brunch, ordered an orange and carrot juice while ran through the menu. The decision was easy a Full English. Really nice, fresh ingredients, the sausage had a nice flavour, the twist of the dish probably was the fried bread that was great, it was so good I ordered another piece. Black pudding had good flavour but a bit dry if you ate it alone, but in combination with the egg and mushrooms played quite nice. The eggs where perfectly cooked and outstanding, basically the hens that produce the eggs are specially fed with grass, herbs and cereals laced with sun-drenched maize, resulting in a more intense yellow yolk and great flavor. 

Full English

The Full English was excellent, great execution, I found myself in the kind of situation where you start to freak out when your plate is coming to an end as you want more and more. 

Satellite view

Coffee time

Finally, to end my brunch I got a macchiato. Nice strong coffee perfect to wake you up, made on a La Marzocco espresso machine, no latte art, and beans from Illy. 

Double macchiato

Love the mirrors

Kitchen reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Apology”

Melissa: What are you doing?



Jerry: I found a rough spot on the kitchen floor, I thought I'd polish it up with this belt sander I have here

Melissa: No, not that. Why are you naked?



Jerry: I thought naked is good



Melissa: This isn't good naked

Tom's Kitchen

T: 020 7349 0202

British Brasserie

Approx Damage: £30pp

Area: South Kensington

Borough: Kensington & Chelsea

Twitter: TomsKitchen

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