The London Restaurant Review

Below Zero, Heddon St, London

A subterranean secret to some, a hidden gem to others, the temperature has been raised at belowzero, London’s favourite restaurant and lounge bar.
Located beneath bustling, vibrant Heddon Street, belowzero has reached new heights with the appointment of Head Chef, Sean Marshall, and the opulent transformation of the interior.

Marshall brings a wealth of experience to the role having worked at Prism, Oxo Tower, Bank and Mint Leaf. His new modern European menu showcases his excellent and varied cooking skills whilst being driven by quality, seasonal ingredients. This, shared with Marshall’s passion for innovative combinations of flavours and textures, positions belowzero as a destination restaurant.

Typical starters include pan-fried red mullet, warm blood orange and red onion salad with saffron orange oil; seared Scottish scallops with Arbroath smoky and parsnip purée; as well as lavender smoked wood pigeon with caramelised black figs, wild mushrooms and blackberry jus.
Main courses feature must-try pistachio and sage crusted lamb rack with spiced sweet potato, spring greens, morels and port and bacon marinated kidneys; line caught seabass with stuffed steamed baby cabbage, girolle and cockle butter; or pan fried fillet of venison with seared foie gras, walnut braised red cabbage, beetroot and cranberry compote and a rioja jus. Whole lemon sole, swordfish, rib-eye steak and maize-fed chicken are also available from the grill, each served with capanota and sauce vierge.

Inventive and decadent desserts include cardamom and star anise mousse with spinach genoise and lime leaf anglaise; white chocolate fondant with szechuan ice cream and crystallised fruits; or banoffee cheesecake with rich butterscotch sauce and home-made banana sorbet.
The menu is complemented with a strong and extensive international wine list, with many bins under £30. Alternatively blow the budget with stars of the show such as Shiraz, Penfolds Grange Hermitage, South Australia, 1995 or Mouton Rothschild, Aile D’Argent, Pauillac First Growth, Bordeaux 1996.
The lounge bar at belowzero takes cocktails to another level with its talented bar team, contemporary concoctions
and its comprehensive premium and super premium spirits list, which includes Absolut 100, only available at 100 bars in the world. Unique creations include ‘Ultimat Mochatini’ - Ultimat Chocolate Vanilla vodka, white cacoa liquer and coffee jelly or ‘Sagini’ -Whitley Neill gin, Pimm’s No. 1, fresh sage leaves and pomegranate juice.

Delicious sharing platters bursting with the finest ingredients provide the perfect accompaniment for a cool evening. Select from prosciutto with mortadella, salami, ciabatta crostini, sun blush tomatoes, olives and cornichons or gravadlax with blinis, crème frâiche, keta caviar and capers.
Whether drinking or dining, once you descend downstairs to the newly decorated den, which was originally used as wine vaults for the British monarchy, minutes will turn into hours and you’ll be loathed to leave. Designed by General Manager, Matthieu Bourgone, the restaurant and lounge is now dressed in a palette of burgundy, claret and chocolate. belowzero exudes a real richness and warmth with the use of opulent velvet curtains, soft leather semi-circular banquettes and solid beech furniture, contrasting stylishly against the original exposed brickwork. The new mix of specially designed cosy corners and large booths make it equally suitable for intimate dinners and larger celebrations.

31-33 Heddon Street London W1B 4BN T: 020 7478 8910
wwww.belowzerolondon.com

Stunning Sushi arrives in Muswell Hill

Sushi 101 has opened its doors in Muswell Hill offering Japanese food with an original and distinctive menu.

The restaurant, located inside the luxurious boutique Raglan Hotel on Queens Avenue, is the inspiration of European restaurateur, Marina D’Ischia, whose objective is to provide affordable, stunningly presented, fresh sushi to this area of North London.

Together with ex-Nobu and Yo! Sushi chef, Jimmy Nakamura, Sushi 101 has created a range of ‘101 signature dishes’ which extend the menu beyond the more traditional nigiri and maki sushi with more contemporary flavour, colour and texture. 

Two of the pioneering hot dishes are grilled baby lamb cutlets with sweet miso paste and stuffed courgette flower tempura with prawns.  The more unusual maki rolls include avocado, mascarpone and smoked salmon; goat’s cheese and mixed peppers; mango tempura and crabmeat; ‘Dragon Roll’ of barbecued eel; and avocado and spicy tuna with the rice as the wrap.   Desserts include mango tempura with green tea ice-cream and dark chocolate sauce and lemongrass crème brulet. 

Sushi 101 is designed by D’Ischia with maroon, black and chrome colours, cream leather seats and a tropical fish tank.  It is has been laid out as part-bar, part-restaurant with plenty of space and light.

Take-away customers can order on-line (www.sushi101.co.uk) –at “sushi 2 go” from the full Sushi 101 menu with an option for a delivery at a time to suit the customer.  Free home delivery is offered within a 10 mile radius of the restaurant. 

Cinnamon Club Restaurant Offer

This May, green is the new black at London’s most innovative Indian restaurant, The Cinnamon Club, with the launch of a botanically inspired five-course garden menu. Celebrating spring and rejuvenation, this blossoming collection of vegetarian dishes has been carefully cultivated by executive chef Vivek Singh.
Available throughout Vegetarian Week (19-25 May) and over the Chelsea Flower Show (20-24 May), the garden menu sees exotic flowers and herbs expertly combined with aromatic spices to create wonderfully complex flavours. Diners will indulge in nature’s delicacies including marigold, banana and sweet Syrian borage flowers, fragrant jasmine, mint and saffron.
Available from 1st – 31st May 2008 the garden menu is £60 per person
The Cinnamon Club, The Old Westminster Library, 30-32 Great Smith Street, London
SW1P 3BU
www.cinnamonclub.com t.020 7222 2555

Awana’s Lobster Festival

Looking for an excuse to treat yourself to the ultimate culinary indulgence but worried about the purse strings? Fine-dining Malaysian restaurant Awana offers the perfect solution this spring with their exceptional lobster festival.
In honour of this king of crustaceans, from the 14th – 28th May 2008, let Awana on Sloane Avenue tempt you with a series of succulent specials from starters to mains at eminently affordable prices. With so many lobster dishes to choose from seafood lovers won’t want to eat anywhere else.

Executive chef Mark Read and Malaysian-born head chef Lee Chin Soon have created this range of dishes to celebrate the most sumptuous of seafood. Indulge in a lobster feast or if something tempts you from Awana’s a la carte menu then simply mix and match to experience a taste of Malaysia in the heart of Chelsea.
Inspired by the traditional Malaysian teak house, Awana is the ideal location to enjoy this lavish selection of lobster dishes. To complete your culinary exploration, pair your dishes with choices from Awana’s extensive wine list or choose from a fabulous range of cocktails, from classics to exotics including Blooming Hibiscus (Tanqueray No. 10, lychee juice, rosewater, lime juice and hibiscus flower), and Fire Dragon’s Pearls (Coconut Rum, Tequila, Grand Marnier, fire dragon fruit, fresh lime juice and brown sugar).

Open for lunch and dinner every day, Awana unlocks the mysteries of Malaysian cuisine.

www.awana.co.uk

Stanza Restaurant London

Stanza, a contemporary British restaurant and lounge bar is situated in the heart of Soho, London.
The 80 cover first floor restaurant features a panoramic window display that overlooks Shaftesbury Avenue and contains a private dining area, suitable for functions and meetings.
An adjacent bar, including banquette seating for up to 50 people with a total capacity of 150, features an impressive cocktail list created by Filippo Lari.

Head Chef Stuart Tattersall moved from being Sous-Chef at the Michelin starred Pool Court in Leeds to take a Head Chef post at its sister restaurant Brasserie 44.

His extensive experience has seen him cook across continental Europe, Australia and the Caribbean and his most recent post prior was at the Match Bar group in London, where he successfully introduced an impressive food offering to mirror outstanding cocktail outputs at venues including Milk & Honey. 

His menu at Stanza focuses on British classics with a modern interpretation. He sources ingredients from a variety of suppliers and the varied provenance of his ingredients includes fresh asparagus from Secretts Farm, Surrey, Herdwick lamb and an entire charcuterie board from Cumbria.

Stanza
93 - 107 Shaftesbury Avenue
London W1D 5DY
T : 020 7494 3020
E : reception@Stanzalondon.com
www.Stanzalondon.com

Zebrano Restaurant meets the Establishment

Zebrano at The Establishment has opened its doors on the 6th of March 2008 with a coveted launch partyk.  The guys behind this new bar, restaurant and Club have already built up a successful Zebrano bar on the other side of Soho and now they are to unleash themselves at one of Soho’s most famous buildings.

18 Greek street, where the legendary “The Establishment” was founded by Peter Cook and his partner in the early sixties holds many rare and warming secrets.  Back in the days of the Peter Cook, Dudley Moore partnership no one was safe from comedic humiliation – the politicians in particular.  Imagine a scene where a man named David Frost practices his satirical delivery in the balcony, the ground floor is a hive of activity and from the basement come the repetitive drills of the typewriter.  Here the first ever issues of Private Eye were conjured up in the waiters changing room and the writers thrown out at the turn of half past five with their portables.  Cook of course bought the publication for £500 – a small price considering the success we see now.  The Club had many regulars such as John Bird and John Fortune, guests like Barry Humphries and controversially, the American Lenny Bruce.  The venue was named The Establishment because “everyone wanted to be a member” of this private members club.

As with Zebrano in Ganton Street, Zebrano at The Establishment will now be a venue to excite everyone. And even though the venue has a past to be immensely proud of, Zebrano at the Establishment will step into the present and is sure to become a new favourite hangout for the après work drinkers, the dinner crowd and not forgetting later night party people.

Licensed to 3am, Zebrano at The Establishment believes that a location should cater for all needs and with a laid back but professional team, Zebrano at the Establishment will become a home from home for the savvy Soho patrons. DJs will spin across the week playing familiar, classic and latest tunes facilitating that classic mix of dancing and drinking.

The exceptional drinks menu has been put together by operations director and TV mixologist Chris Sheldon who has taken inspiration from classic cocktails served in Peter Cooks era fused with modern flavours which have been in high demand over the last 3 years at Zebrano on Ganton Street.
The food will be unfussy, uncomplicated but hugely tasty. Head Chef I. Chikuendu (Chico) has created a Mediterranean and Asian menu that can be dressed down or up depending on the occasion.  Chris Sheldon says ‘the customer is king at Zebrano and we have built up a reputation and a top business by putting them first and delivering a great product without emptying the pockets of our customers.  Zebrano at the Establishment will be no different with our policy being: not charging minimum spends, for booking tables or drinking areas - keeping drinks and food prices at a reasonable level without sacrificing quality.
Whatever your social requirements, it is distinctly possible you will find the answer at 18 Greek Street and the new era for this old Soho building.

Zebrano at the Establishment is open 6 days a week 12pm to 3am.
Zebrano at the Establishment 18 Greek Street W1D 4DS
Zebrano at the Establishment is the 2nd Zebrano, the first being Zebrano 14-16 Ganton Street, Soho, W1F 7BT.  You can read reviews of the first one on The London Restaurant Review here.

   

The Loft Restaurant in Clapham, London

Historically dominated by chains and cheap eats, Clapham High Street can now celebrate The Loft, a dining experience on another level.

Whether feasting, brunching or just bar snacking, diners at The Loft will enjoy seasonal British produce courtesy of head chef Marianne Wit. Formerly of Michelin starred The Glasshouse in Kew, Marianne's aim is to deliver delicious dishes that are 'familiar but with a twist.' To this end, the braised oxtail in the endive salad has been crisped and is complemented by walnut oil and mustard dressing; the cream sauce for the rope grown mussels is spiked with dill and star anise and the toad in this hole is chorizo.

Careful sourcing is of paramount concern: pork comes from outdoor reared Gloucester Old Spot pigs; all fish is from sustainable sources, including line-caught sea bass; all beef has been hung for nineteen days and marigold-hued yolks stand testament to the quality of eggs from acorn fed, free-range hens. This responsible attitude is continued after the meal is over, with waste oil being sent for processing into bio fuel.

Away from the main menu, The Loft maintains the same high standards. Brunchers have the agony of deciding between delights that include buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup and fresh blueberries; kedgeree with smoked mackerel and a poached egg; and a Full English that boasts Stornaway black pudding, Macken Bros. sausages and Guinness and black treacle cure bacon. The Loft's roasts provide the perfect reason to venture out on a Sunday. Indulge in roast beef with Yorshire pudding and all the trimmings or roasted Gloucester Old Spot pork belly with roasted vegetables, caramelised apples and homemade chutney. Bar menu dishes available every day include watercress salad with soft goat's cheese and a good, old-fashioned homemade burger with chunky chips.

Complementing the food is a strong but succinct wine list, encompassing a range from great value Mendoza Valley house red and white, through the likes of Puligny Montrachet Chavy 2005 and Reserve de Leoville Barton 2001, to Louis Roederer Cristal 2000. Excellent international draft and bottled beers, such as Sleeman Honey Brown Beer and Coopers Sparkling Ale and a lengthy catalogue of premium spirits complete the picture.

As Plan B cognoscenti will have anticipated, diners at The Loft eat to the beat of a cutting edge
soundtrack. Friday evenings bring rare grooves, northern soul, eclectic beats and funky breaks, while Saturdays nod to NYC disco combined with party classics and Sundays feature forgotten favourites with 80's classics and easy listening.

The Loft: reaching new heights in casual fine dining and drinking.

The Loft, 67 Clapham High Street, London SW4 9TG
T: 020 7627 0792 www.theloft-clapham.co.uk

New Fado Night at Algarve Restaurant, Wandsworth

Saturday 15 March 2008 starts at 19.30
Artistas: Barra Lopes, Sousa Matos, Xico Fragoso

Set Menu   £25.00 per person

Bread, Butter, olives, Cod Fish Cakes, Crab Sticks, Fresh Cheese, Pates.

Starter

Traditional Portuguese Fish Soup

Or

Traditional Portuguese Grilled Sausage 

Main

Special Stew Lamb with roasted potatoes 

Or

Sun Dry Cod with Cream and new potatoes

Dessert

Traditional Portuguese Pudding

Or

Traditional home made Chocolate Mousse

www.thealgarverestaurant.co.uk

Book now 0208 875 0313 /07947483126

Taste Thai at Benja London

Thai Royal Family chef ML Kwantip is hosting the first in a series of Thai cuisine master classes and tasting sessions – on Friday 7th March 2008 at Benja London.

The workshops are free to attend for kitchen novices and potential master chefs alike – Benja Culinary Consultant ML Kwantip will be sharing her favourite recipes and delicious dishes.

A renowned celebrity chef in Thailand, ML Kwantip writes a regular column for the country's biggest women's consumer magazine, Ploi Gam Petch.

She has created dishes tried and tested on Thai royalty, from her family's role as official chefs to the Palace, and has since spent much time travelling across Thailand and beyond, learning and discovering as many different tastes, cooking cultures and experiences as possible.

ML Kwantip is available for interview to discuss her unique Benja recipes and give her top-tips on how to cook fine Thai cuisine in advance of the event. 

The Benja experience is based on hundreds of years of Thai tradition; the opulent restaurant is spread over three floors of and old Soho town house, and has been awarded the Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide 2008.

WHEN: Friday 7th March 2008
WHERE: Benja London, 17 Beak Street, London, W1F 9RW
TIME: 12pm – 2.00pm
ENTRY: FREE

Awana Lunch Promotion

Say goodbye to leftover sandwiches in the supermarket and the microwavable monstrosities that pass for a midday meal – it’s time to take your light lunch to new heights. From the 15th - 30th March 2008, fine-dining Malaysian restaurant Awana will tempt you with their unmissable Satay and Roti offer…

Simply choose

· one of six sensational satays,

including original delicacies of wild venison, shark, okra, mushroom and pepper, duck and salmon

· one of four delicious roti canai (Malaysian crispy bread),

filled with cheese, sesame seeds, egg and pepper or sweet chilli,

· and either a fruit cocktail, Anchor beer, or glass of house wine

for a totally irresistible price of just

£12.00 per person

Available from 12pm – 3pm and 5pm – 7pm, diners can choose to savour their satay and roti canai in the main restaurant or take a seat at London’s only Satay Bar, where the remarkable view of Awana’s chefs freshly preparing dishes is sure to mesmerise,

With executive chef Mark Read and Malaysian-born head chef Lee Chin Soon at the helm, Awana has become synonymous with first rate Malaysian food. Expertly executed, dishes demonstrate the depth and diversity of this relatively overlooked cuisine, with Awana’s signature peanut, and spicy peanut, Satay sauce widely celebrated as the best in London.

So if you want a light bite with a difference, head to Awana and make the most of this delicious offer.

Available 12 midday to 3pm and 5pm – 7pm

from 15th – 30th March 2008

Awana Satay and Roti menu is just £12 per person.

Open for lunch and dinner everyday, awana unlocks the mysteries of Malaysian cuisine.

www.awana.co.uk