The food arrives to save us from the noise, the burrata isn’t remotely smoked and is without tapenade. The cheesy garlic bread is a disappointment too; lacking probably the most essential ingredient you’d expect… garlic… READ MORE
The Wilderness
The Iberico presa being a beautifully cooked, succulent slab from the shoulder and the pork cheek is slow cooked, shredded gorgeousness in a crispy croquette style, joyously vibrating with char siu flavours… READ MORE
The Red Lion
I’ve been eating for what seems like fifteen minutes before discovering everything on my plate. There’s mash, roast potatoes, crushed swede, carrots, peas, kale and red cabbage that has a lovely tangy crunch to it and none of the usual mulled spices that tend to overpower it… READ MORE
The Physician
The beef is completely well done despite having ordered it rare, it’s got freezer pack, pre-cooked Yorkshire pudding written all over it and I suspect it’s a similar story with the potatoes (all suspiciously the same size and shape)… READ MORE
Grace + James
The burrata perfectly encapsulates the last throes of summer, sat in its drizzle of lemon and oil and dressed with finely chopped chilli and accompanied by a thick slice of sourdough. On cutting into the burrata, its delicately sweet, creamy centre oozes out… READ MORE
Eat Vietnam
The tamarind chicken—coated, deep fried wings topped with peanuts and spring onions—are crunchy, succulent, bursting with flavour and sticky too, meaning the accompanying finger bowls are absolutely necessary. This is my new fried chicken high benchmark… READ MORE
Merrymaid Bar & Grill
Before long the piles of fish pakora arrive, and it’s easy to see why they’ve achieved legendary status, being subtly spiced and beautifully succulent under the crunch of batter. The chicken wings are also a delight– plump and juicy with a hint of spicy heat… READ MORE
Poli
Toppings are very much in the centre, leaving swathes of naked crusts, ideal for the crust dips we’ve also ordered—two squid ink aiolis and a fermented hot sauce—for a delicious dunking finale. I finish first, hovering to see if there are any crusts left by the others but, rather disappointingly, everyone has the same goal… READ MORE
Alicia’s Micro Bakehouse
Nothing improves the swagger of a pizza quite like gorgonzola, but when I said I can’t actually taste the gorgonzola on mine there returned a chorus of “nor can you on mine.” READ MORE
Cork & Cage
We choose beğendi—a mushy roasted aubergine dish very much like a baba ganoush; menemen—egg poached in a tomato sauce with peppers in the style of a baked huevos rancheros without the chilli; and kuru misket köfte—beef meatballs… READ MORE