Cadet
HEADS OR TAILS?
I’m increasingly aware that I choose where to drink based on wine lists (nights out with the lads excluded). That’s largely driven by the substantial pleasures of low-intervention wines, not least the general absence of the all too ubiquitous Malbec, Rioja, Pinot Gris and new world Sauvignon Blanc.
Then, there’s the added bonus that where you get natural wines, you tend to get a certain type of food… seasonal ingredients, working with local producers and often whilst simple in execution, flavours and textures are in abundance.
An impromptu work trip presents the perfect opportunity to catch up with my daughter. Given she’s well plugged into what’s on offer in East London—surely, the country’s epicentre of the natural wine revolution—the booking responsibility falls on her.
Cadet 6pm
Arriving at 6pm, we’re the first customers, so it prompts us to take one of the three high tables, rather sit at the bar. My daughter mulls the wine list—another responsibility I’m happy to hand over—whilst I pat myself on the back for my parenting skills.
Rilettes, pickled cucumber
There are just enough options for a pescatarian route through the tight menu, although I fail to resist the confit charm of rilettes alongside toasted baguette and the sour-sweetness of pickled cucumber.
Menus
Just half a glass into our Le White Kiki —a Gewurztraminer, Reisling blend—I’m frothing with superlatives and so absolutely, totally and fully grateful that it comes a litre bottle; it’s lively in the mouth and floral, but kept in check by a long saline finish.
Christophe Lindenlaub Le White Kiki
We’ve gone for two tomato tartine—an open sandwich to you and me—and we can barely believe something so simple tastes so stunning, delivering a high five of taste bud pleasures. The food is mostly pre-prepped and put together at the cooking station at the end of the bar, so with it still quiet, I ask the chef about the black magic we’ve just experienced. It turns out the tomato is dressed in its own tomato water vinaigrette, with smoked taramasalata seeping into bread toasted on the griddle.
Tomato tartine, smoked cod's toe, tagette
Pickles are ‘best-in-class’ and a generous serving too; with all the raw crunch of fennel, celeriac, carrot and beetroot combined with abundant sweet acidic joy.
Pickles
Four Spring-grassy flavoured, perfect on the bite, king asparagus spears are served with a walnut-whipped cream, with a sprinkling of verdant, fresh herbs, although they’re mostly cast aside as we go in with bread for that walnut cream.
Asparagus, walnut & herbs
We order more of the brown sourdough baguette and butter. It turns out the initial four slices were free, with the top up an extra £4; which is probably about fair for the double portion.
Bread & butter
Next is seabass, although the reduced whey emulsified with butter and the light salty-sour kiss of purslane is actually the star of the show. It also delivers extra returns for our investment in additional bread. That said, the tranche of sea bass is cooked to perfection, plus the added pleasure of trout roe, including chasing them around my mouth to enjoy the saline pop.
Salted milk ice cream
We hit pause on the food to savour the last of the wine, but then I can’t see past ‘salted milk ice cream’ and it’s probably the final push to get an ice cream machine at home with a recreation of this dish the first task.
By the time we ask for the bill—£136.95 (Food £58.30 / Wine £66 / Service £12.45) it’s pretty much full and we head over the road for a night cap.
Cadet 7.30
I’m now fully on board the low-intervention wine bandwagon and it’s not hard to understand the connection with seasonal food from independent producers, advocating sustainable practices… they’re two sides of the same coin.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 9/10
57 Newington Green, London N16 9PX
