1 | Venison & Vermicelli Doughnut @ Gunpowder Tower Bridge
The tiny Spitalfields branch of this Indian tapas restaurant garners a loyal following. “Have you been to Gunpowder?” is a question commonly asked, and with intent. Subtext: if you haven’t been, it’s a place you need to go. And so it is useful that the second site, in Tower Bridge, has opened with more space for visitors. It’s not huge – by any stretch – but bigger and has an upstairs. Nonetheless, it still feels intimate and if you can nab a booth at the back, you won’t want to leave.
On the menu, old favourites abound with some monthly specials adding pizazz. Of the former, make sure to get messy with the sticky pork ribs and to try the Kashmiri lamb chops, which are succulent and beautifully spiced. And, of course, that vermicelli-coated dumpling of tasty, tasty venison mince is a must: crispy on the outside, a wisp of soft batter further in, and aromatic minced meat in the middle, it comes with a fiercely fiery and slightly sweet chilli and fennel sauce. Currently on the specials board are sardines topped with a spicy sausage and some tangy cherry tomatoes. Everything leaves your palate gently warmed and exceedingly happy, with moreish tastes screaming out from every plate you order. Just be grateful more of you can visit.
4 Duchess Walk, London, SE1 2SD; gunpowderlondon.com
2 | Modern Middle Eastern delights @ Sarona
We have Yotam Ottolenghi to thank for introducing London foodies to the delights of middle eastern food - and places like Sarona for giving us new reasons to stay excited about it.
Take their sautéed chicken livers with Jerusalem mix seasoning, white wine sauce, onions - we don't know what the mix is, but it's utterly delicious and one of the highlights of a menu full of them. Elsewhere, don't missed Moroccan lentil stew - simple, yes, but full of rich flavours - or the stuffed courgettes with lamb, raisins, dill & Lebanese yoghurt.
The restaurant itself is a laid-back, stone-clad and high-ceiling kind of place that suits the vibe of Clerkenwell perfectly. Pop in for an unforgettable lunch or a evening treat and let the wonderfully attentive staff do the rest. Quality cocktails, too.
27 Clerkenwell Road,EC1M 5RN, London, saronalondon.com
3 | All The Pub Grub @ Kerridge's Bar & Grill
Gastropub king Tom Kerridge has come to London and he’s gone a little bit fancy, with a new restaurant in the Corinthia Hotel London. But fear not – the first chef ever to win two Michelin stars for pub grub has not lost the plot, he’s just written the capital into his storyline. The formerly white-washed dining hall has been transformed into a sultry club room with dark green ceilings, oxblood leather furnishings and paintings and sculptures curtesy of one Mrs Beth Kerridge. You can’t call it a den because of the high ceilings, the shimmering artwork and the fact that, well, you’re in a rather lovely hotel. But it feels warming and friendly, like a spruced-up English boozer that Don Draper could get on board with.
Food is one big treat (code: scrumptious, filling, and probably not all that slimming). The crab vol-au-vent with avocado and apple, and the risotto made out of chopped mushrooms with aged parmesan are flavoursome and fairly light starter options, but there is a new Instagram star lurking in their midst: the lobster Thermidor omelette enfolds gleeful hulks of meat in creamy egg, tantalisingly charred on top and served in individual wrought iron skillets. Mains are hard to choose between, but the sheer colours of the venison are worth experiencing alone: the parsley emulsion is a vivid green, teamed with orange carrot and rich pinky-purple meat (plus, you get a properly peppery and gooey cottage pie on the side as an added bonus). And why skip desert now? Especially when there is a certain brown butter tart to be had; a delicate yet mollifying update on the more robust custard and gypsy tarts, to send you on your inevitably merry way.
No. 10 Northumberland Avenue, London, WC2N 5AE; kerridgesbarandgrill.co.uk
4 | Salcombe Gin Scallywags @ HIX Restaurants
Mark Hix is celebrating the 10th anniversary year of his eponymous restaurants in the kind of style Esquire approves of: with gin. He’s teamed up with Devon-based Salcombe Gin to create his own limited edition bottle, which is called Mischief (guess who chose the name…) and it is a refreshing take on the original. The botanicals have been reduced to a number of 10 partly in honour of the HIX restaurants' decade and partly to strip the flavours back to something simple, and eminently drinkable. So off you pop to any one of Hix's bars, such as the subterranean Mark's Bar in Soho, for a Scallywag cocktail which has been created by the Hix team and will be on the menu for the next month.
A gin and tonic with extra citrus and bitters, the Scallywag contains rosé vermouth, Sacred rosehip cup, fresh lemon juice, orange sherbet, a hint of pastis and cardamom bitters. What truly makes it is the flamed orange peel on top, bringing a tart and slightly singed flavour, which is teamed with samphire (erm, obviously) and foraged fennel flower. Soak it up with the chunky Moyallon pork crackling served with Bramley apple sauce, and some cockle popcorn.
66-70 Brewer Street, London, W1F 9UP; hixrestaurants.co.uk; salcombegin.com
5 | Mezcal & Tacos @ London Mezcal Week
If you haven’t got into mezcal yet, then here’s your chance. A trendy alternative to tequila, it’s been growing in popularity over the past few years thanks to its subtler, but often smokier flavour. And there are so many types out there that you’re sure to find one that you like. Or several, in fact. Head over to TT Liquor, which is the centre of activities and has a tasting event today and tomorrow that offers two-hour slots from a plethora of mezcal makers – many of whom even the hardiest of drinkers may not have heard of. An ideal induction into the world of Mexican agave-based drinking. There’ll also be food from Taco Del Rey, and DJs come nightfall.
And if you just want to join the party (which has been going since Monday and continues throughout the weekend) then head to any one of the participating restaurants and bars for a special mezcal cocktail or tasting session. Everyone from Hawksmoor Knightsbridge all the way over to the Queen of Hoxton are taking part, by way of Ella Canta, The Mandrake, Temper, Pitt Cue, Som Saa, Callooh Callay and Breddos in between.
Until Sunday 16 September; londonmezcalweek.com
Sarona review by Sam Parker.
