Chez Bruce

Chez Bruce, somewhat surprised me!, having heard lots of great reviews from friends on this one Michelin star restaurant. My expectations were set very high. Now don’t get me wrong, I do love amazing food but equally expect amazing service, ambiance and great washrooms. 

The  first thing you notice is the portion size, Chez Bruce delivers rustic French cuisine in portions that are both hearty and filling.  The unfussy plates dont pander to the modern minuscule servings and fussiness I have becomes accustomed to from most Michelin starred restaurants. The food quality and flavour combinations speak for themselves. 

A knowledgeable sommelier and patchy service make for an interesting-evening. Dining a few seats away is the infamous Gordon Ramsay. The bathrooms are in dire need of refurbishment, overall the food kicked ass and highlighted why year on year this place retains its star. Great fresh ingredients, authentic cooking of timeless classic French cuisine . 

 @chez.bruce @michelinguide #frenchcusine #michelinstar #totastemaker

Cinnamon Bazaar

Having heard lots of great things about the Cinnamon chain of restaurants led by Vivek SIngh, I decided to treat a visiting friend to some Indian style market food. 

The main restaurant reminiscent of a market with its flamboyant manager ushering in arriving guest, whilst we sit at the entrance waiting to be seated.  We are then directed upstairs to the less attractive bar space and plonked in a table directly in front of the bar. 

It felt very much like the restaurants in brick lane who make sure that only it white diners are in sight of the public, something I never understand. 

Opting for the seven dish menu and two items from the A la carte menu. I am impressed by the appetisers. Barley, Pomegranate & Broccoli Smoked raita, date and tamarind chutney and the chicken Haleem with sourdough toast goes down a treat. 

The double cooked pork belly was delicious although the accompanying yoghurt curry was tasted like rancid milk and was left untouched . 

The vegetarian dishes were extremely disappointing. The grilled aubergine was a gloopy mess covered in the sesame and nut crumble. 

The side order of paneer goes part eaten, due to it’s  dry texture and overpowering taste of curry leaf. 

 The okra curry was slightly better but not something I would order again. 

Thankfully my main a tandoori Kentish lamb fared better. It’s was moist and tender, the jury’s still out on the the accompanying mint chilli korma. 

The staff concerned by the amount of food that goes uneaten were quick to ask if there was a problem with the food and take note of our feedback but little gets done in the way of remedying the situation . They did however say that next time we should try the dishes of the main menu. 

Service whilst very friendly, lacked attention at times , with us having to ask for water and cutlery. 

The dessert of carrot halwa roll, left me questioning what we had been served. It was interesting!  a carrot and dried fruit spring roll sat on what looked like tomato catchup and mustard. Thankfully it was some sort of berry coulis. The clove ice cream a saving grace.

Whilst Mr Singh is a great innovative chef, some of these dishes just try to hard to be something they are not. Indian classics funked up. Sadly it fails to hit the spot.

 £118 for the set menu, roti, paneer and wine. 

Conceito Food Store

When Daniel Estriga set out to creat a dining experience within his local community all of five years ago, he stuck to some very simple concepts and these still hold true today, keeping it seasonal, local  and simple. 

These dishes are by no means fine dining nor do they claim to be. Instead what you can be assured of is  great, honest simple food which has Michelin guide potential with a bit of refinement and some consistency with the plating from his junior chefs. 

The locally sourced Portuguese bread accompanied by a fragrant pesto liked herbed  butter and a baked olive oil brioche served with balsamic vinegar and olive oil go down a treat. 

The first starter a very simple but well executed dish consisted of a silky textured confit hen egg yolk (in olive oil), combined with the delicate flavour of the burnt garlic and a garlic purée, textured with nuts, almond slivers and a fine cauliflower purée. Paired with the slightly bubbly yet crisp Mo Des Tu's Vinho Verde. 

Next up another seasonal rustic dish of roastedTurnip,Radish, Carrot,Chestnut, Pumpkin, a Parsnip purée and curry foam, interesting flavours without the overpowering curry taste. Paired with a 2012 Chardonnay - Quinta Do Poco Do Lobo Bairrada.

The saltiness of the fish dish, a part cured Cod   complimented by the chickpea purée, pumpkin, two textures of Mushroom, wild leaves and a light mushroom consume delicately balanced by the paring of 'Coleccao Privada' Moscatel Roxo Rose, whilst odd delivered on every level, robust almost floral notes and flavours which excited the palette without overpowering the delicate flavour of this dish. 

Pineapple, basil and ginger who knew it could be such a pleasant palate cleanser, sadly the baby coriander detracted at the end but overall a hit. 

Hearty, simplistic yet bold flavoured, this Oxtail has been taken to a new level with the complimentary textures of sweet potato purée and delicately grilled micro carrot paired with a 2012 Prazo  de Roriz with its hints of delicate strawberry and crimson fruits proved to be a perfect accompaniment to this meat course 

Decadent, sharp yet delightful, how else would I describe a chocolate brownie, chocolate ganache with lemon curd and tangerine, I paired this with a cheeky glass of fizz, a 2015 Chardonnay - espumante de Brito Quinta Do Poco Do Lobo Bairrada

His talent and creativity are boundless, what's important is that he stays true his art, putting the customer first and delivering plates of food that leave us wowed, big on flavour and at a price that makes it affordable. 

If you do pop into Cascais spend €8 on an Uber and get yourself out to this awesome place. Great hostess, PR manager, cum sommelier Vanessa who's passion for food and shared pride in Daniels venture is very evident. Great value, quality seasonal produce and awesome food.

 His latest venture Giogoa Food Lab on Praca De Algeria in Lisbon is equally bound to be a hit.

Get booking. 

Kurobuta

Chanting young girls. Vibrant loud and energetic, you will be forgiven for thinking you are at a Justin Bieber concert. This is just your average night at Kurobuta Marble Arch. 

This booze fuelled bottomless brunch is definitely not one to be missed. The staff are friendly and accommodating, the ambience a bit chaotic and loud. 

Our warm starter of sweet potato in tempura was slightly underwhelming, oil soaked and limp. 

The steak, Singapore chicken were equally delightful, the Sea bass Sashimi with Yuzu oil moorish, but the  star of the evening decadent Salmon Sashimi pizza with truffle ponzu and wasabi tobiko. 

Dessert a mixed offering of chocolate fudge cake, a strange rubbery coconut concoction and some slices of fresh fruit. 

Entertaining live music coupled with the very entertaining and engaging Jack and Manager Max made for a delightful evening. 

We leave on a high, slightly worse for wear but with fond memories of overindulgence .

Grab your mates and check out this awesome restaurant by @ScottHallsworth Ex Nobu head chef #totastemaker #kurobuta #salmonpizza #ponzu #sashimi #sushi #bottomlessbrunch #prosecco

Avenue Restaurant

A hidden gem in the heart of the trendy St James, "Avenue" oozes sexiness, glamour and trendiness with its Manhattan inspired interiors and artwork. With a warm, friendly welcome, impeccable service and fashionable cocktails I knew that tonight we were going to be in for a treat. 

Tonight we get to sample It's latest addition in the form of new head chef Dominic South. His seasonal tasting menu on paper looks like it shouldn't work but strangely it does!

His exceptional marriage of seasonal produce, delicate balancing of flavour and eye for detail makes this evenings 7 course tasting menu a gastronomic success, drawning on his experience at restaurants such as the Hibiscus, Dorchester grill and international stints in Antigua and HongKong. It's clear that he has a passion for his craft, a refined palate and Michelin star aspirations.

From the non descript green bean, lemon grass and almond, I was not sure what to expect. To my relief and delight a green bean palate cleaners flavoured with lemon grass and a toasted almond foam perfectly paired with a glass of Louis Roederer Quartet £9,50. It's notes of Apple, vanilla and it's biscuity mousse cut through the strong scent of lemon grass and allows you to fully appreciate the flavour of the medley of green beans and the almond foam.

Tuna tartare will never be the same again, This delightful dish or should i say work of art left me mesmerised. The gentle chillie emulsion which accompanies this dish pushes it to another level, every mouthful an explosion of flavour, accompanied by a very respectable glass of 2012 Albariño 

from the Marimar estate £12,50 a heavenly, silky smooth wine with hints of pineapple, Sicilian lemons and a floral nose of Jasmine. 

Next to arrive was a beautifully seared and seasoned Orkney scallop which had been lightly poached in delicate smoked ham and lime Consommé and served on bulgar wheat. This time paired with a glass of the French 2014 Domaine Saint Paul Colline, Picpoul de Pinet  £7,50 ,  with it's citrus heart and hints of Mellon makes it a great accompaniment to this dish. 

Dominic clearly understands seafood as every dish including the eagerly anticipated Sea bream, was treated with respect, subtle flavour combinations that enhance without overpowering. 

 He delivered a well balanced, perfectly cooked fillet of Sea bream. The addition of Ceps, Trompette de la mortand , Gnocchi and chervil root sauce with lovage oil lifted it to a whole new level. Who knew wild mushrooms and fish worked so well together! 

Perfectly plated and paired with an £18,00 glass of  Domaine Lamy, “Les Frionnes” Saint-Aubin 1er Cru 2010 worth every penny and it goes down a treat. 

The first of our meat dishes tonight a slow cooked lamb shoulder with coco beans, smoked garlic and squid ink. The beautiful flavour of the lamb slightly overpowered by a very rich smoked garlic and squid ink sauce. The wine choice a delicate red Jackhammer, a 2013 Pinot Noir from Central Coast,California, USA which was a delight and berrylicious @ £12,00

Next up a simply plated but  explosive feast of flavour. Mango sorbet,fresh mango, vanilla and citrus cheese cake. Orgasmic and perfectly mirrored in the delightful glass of Ken Foresters "Noble late harvest 2010 Chenin blanc from South Africa £6,00

The evening comes to an end with a delightful trio of petit fours, which contained a rather interesting beetroot chocolate truffle. 

An exceptional evening was had, our host and restaurant General manager Jack Cohn clearly understands the value of great customer service. Attentive service, great ambience knowledgable staff who clearly take a leaf out of his book, I was impressed by his knowledge of wine and delighted by the pairings he had assembled.

This place gets a respectable and well deserved 4 stars, and from this Autumn  you will get to sample lots of great food, drink pairings  and the opportunity to try the premium pairings. 

Get booking as this beautiful Manhattan style venue with its elegant bar is very popular with international guest, local hedge fund managers and foodies alike. 

Set menu from £25 for 3 courses

Tasting menu from £45

Drink pairings from £20 

http://www.avenue-restaurant.co.uk/

Tel: 0207 3212111

100 Wardour Take 2

This is my second visit to this gorgeous venue. It's inviting bar, decadent cocktails and ambience sets you up for a great evening.

Starting at the bar and feeling adventurous we opt for the voyager. A heady mix of cachaca, coconut rum, lime, vanilla and Proseccco. (@£6 during happy hour)  Wow! Stunning presentation and sublime taste, credit goes to the creator of this decadent cocktail. 

We are soon whisked downstairs to its elegant, grown up dining space. A warm welcome by the first of our waiters, Alessandro. Soon I am quaffing a glass of Chandon whilst pawing over the set dinner menu a bargain at £30 including the glass of fizz. 

A second warm friendly welcome by the ever so charming Bakary who comes to take our wine order and recommends the most beautiful Portuguese red, Plansel Selecta 2013 (£29) with its floral notes, full wild berry body with a hint of spice. 

When it comes to excellence in service Bakary takes gold, a man so passionate about his craft but more importantly his focus was ensuring that we had an amazing evening. Attentive and engaging service throughout without being intrusive. 

The food here is great, our starter of 

Pork belly skewers, salsa verde go down a treat. 

Next up where the mains, Toms garlic chicken, confit peppers and tarragon looked, smelt and tasted amazing and left me feeling envious. 

My steamed fillet of seabass with burnt fennel yoghurt and harissa crushed potatoes whilst very tasty left me with buyers regret as the fish portion felt very stingy in comparison to Toms whole chicken. 

We move on swiftly to a decadent dessert of salt caramel parfait, chocolate ganache and peanut ice cream. Exceptional flavour combinations, simple plating and a pleasant finish to a wonderful evening. 

But the night doesn't end there, the ever attentive Bakary upon overhearing that it was my birthday, pops round with a candle lit scoop of ice cream with the words happy birthday artistically scrawled on he plate. A thoughtful touch that made the evening that little bit more special.

This place also gets my vote for Londons best smelling and looking washrooms ( having said that, I am still waiting for the manager to replace one handwash with hand cream) 

It's the little touches, excellent, friendly, attentive service, live music, ambience and great food that's makes this place a must visit. 

The Boot Sarratt

Nestled amidst beautiful countryside within the Chess Valley, The Boot in Sarrat is the ideal drop-in place for those foodies amongst you. 

It's warm, friendly welcome, fantastic ambience and food makes this grade II listed pub special. 

Head up by Nick Idle who's eye for detail and robust flavour combinations will leave you salivating. 

His effective use of fruit and artistry in cooking combined with his exceptional plating skills left us mesmerised. 

Fresh local produce and generous portions appear to be the norm in this local community boozer. 

The stars of the evening a  goat cheese, walnut and poached pear salad (£7,99) , crispy pork belly with crackling, a baked apple encased in pastry and a pork croquet served with a colcannon mash (£14,99) . Sword fish, pine nuts, green beans salad with watermelon, crunchy leaves. (£14,99). 

With a selection of wines, ales and beers we were spoilt for choice, opting for the velvety yet spicy Argentinian  Malbec Avanti which proved to be a perfect accompaniment to both the pork belly and ribs. 

What gives the Boot the edge: 

Excellent head chef, Great food, a friendly front of house team headed up by partner and owner Zoe Elliason . Community spirit and country charm. 

In keeping with its community ethos, it offers a varied menu  covering everything from pizza, tapas to Sunday roast and breakfast.  

My personal preference  would have been to have a separate  evening  menu to showcase this talented Head Chefs skills offering  3 starters, mains and dessert. 

Overall This place has great potential for a listing in the Michelin guide. Keep an eye out for this chefs name as he is definitely a rising star and look forward to similar offerings when and if he brings his talents to a London gastro pub. 

The Boot  is currently a finalist for the British  pub of the year award testament to its old fashioned charm and modern take on British classics.   Popular with the local community, I would recommend booking a table or alternatively grab a seat in one of the many outside spaces and take in the country air.