admin

Black Axe Mangal – revisit. Brief Review/ Overview.

Two weeks ago I visited BAM on a one off evening launching the new “Where Chefs Eat” publication where the food on offer was representative of a potential new menu and was to an extent experimental. As good as it was I was curious to sample the type of food the restaurant usually prepares, and therefore I made an undertaking to revisit in two weeks time – and guess what, I kept my word !

I was arriving after an evening at the Almedia Theatre and of course was a hopeful walk in – being a No reservations kind of establishment. Fortunately there were a few tables available and I settled in with a view to trying as much on the menu as possible. In fact reading through the menu I wanted everything, such were the delights on offer. The Owner/ Chef Lee Tiernan remembered me from a few weeks back and we exchanged a few words before he saw what I had ordered and advised me I was being “ambitious “ !  I started with a snack from a menu that was showcasing its more usual offerings – Crispy pig skin with burnt Lime. At £4 this was a generous dish of crisp but soft, sort of, Pork Scratchings.

Pig Skin ? Yes please !

Not the potential tooth breaking Scratchings on offer in some establishments but soft fat with a crisp skin on one side and extremely moorish – perfect as a Beer snack. Probably the best pig skin I have ever had.Curious about the “Fricken Rabbit” but that would have to wait until another visit !

Blood Sausage Bao

Then a blood sausage Bao Bun crammed with burnt baby leeks and a spiced sauce. I am a big black pudding fan but this Sausage was a little different to the puddings I have eaten – maybe rightly so as it is a blood sausage and not black pudding, subtle difference. Was good, quite earthy, went well with the chewy bun and was a great alternative to a hot dog.

Keeping to the meat my next course was for me the star attraction – Marrow Bone flat bread. I was unsure what to expect- a stuffed flatbread or what ?  Actually it was a flatbread on the side with 2 Flintstone sized Veal Bones – a la St.Johns –  filled with melting roasted marrowbone and an oxtail and herb topping, with a side salad of parsley,tomato,and chilli.

I could eat this every day forever !

Very rich and very meaty and great fun scooping out the marrow and meat and spreading onto the flatbread. As a marrowbone fan this was heaven to me and I would have been happy to eat this without any other dishes on an evening out, maybe every night for the rest of my life !

I was actually already full by now having had a couple of cans of pale ale on the side to help me get through the first 3 courses, but now I was being hit by their sliced pork chop and a salad of watermelon, pickled Ginger, and Thai Basil. Lovingly grilled, juicy sides of fat to give it even more taste, and a fresh side salad to at least help you believe you were eating healthily.

Pork with a healthy side salad !

Fantastic smokey, grilled/charred taste, and I was just able to finish it after I was advised that they could have given me a take away box. I am not one for “Doggy Bags” so I took it upon myself as a challenge to finish it and was pleased with myself for doing so, but even more pleased for BAM and chef Lee who’s food and vibe is, as said before,  totally unique. Maybe the restaurants Offerings and atmosphere are a bit too heavy, manly, meaty and noisy for some – tattoos more than welcome –  but as Nirvanas “Drain You” started blasting from the Speakers as I was about to leave, my feelings were very much those of this being my Nirvana – or at least one of them !

Rating – Food upped to a 5 from a 4 two weeks back – yes,  that good ! 

Bright and Airey Interior – Cornerstone

REVIEW – CORNERSTONE, HACKNEY WICK – Wondering through Olympic Park at Midday in the sweltering sun, Mrs.W is resplendent in Yellow and asks where are we going ? I jokingly point to my life long burden of a football teams Love/ Hate Stadium and answer that we are going to see West Ham. Even she knows this cannot be true and as although not being a football Fan she has realised I am at home on Saturdays now and therefore we must be between seasons, and anyway isn’t the World Cup on? She does not understand why West Ham are not in the World Cup, and maybe this explains her absolute disinterest in the game.

I am forced to admit we are in search of a new critically admired restaurant close to Hackney Wick Station by the name of Cornerstone. We are now leaving the wild flowers and vibrant green lawns of Queen Elizabeth Park and already crossing the canal, and she is concerned about the sudden change of surroundings. Wall to wall graffiti – street art?- , derelict buildings, scaffolding, cranes and noise and dust everywhere. Are you sure we are on the right road ? Yes, all good, as I check google maps again. Nothing to worry about, this is gentrification – in 5 years you will not recognise this place ( indeed 5 years back you probably would not be seen dead in it) and you will thank me for bringing you here before others succumb to its edgy beauty. We pass The Crate Beer/ Pizza joint which I advise her I have already frequented ( good booze and pizzas), and then Hackney Wick station, and she is a little more at ease. Five minutes around the corner and we are at our destination – Tom Browns new Restaurant – named Cornerstone after his favourite Arctic Monkeys track.

Tom has been the Head Chef at Nathan Outlaws Michelin starred The Capitol Restaurant for 2  years and has now opened his first independent concern in an area which is rough and ready, but has been on the up and up for sometime already. Canalside luxury wharf apartments are selling at half a million for just one bedroom and many urban bar/restaurant/ galleries are already calling Hackney Wick home. So Cornerstone is just another addition, but with a more iconic chef to steer its way clear of the other barges already in position.

The space is bright /airy/clean/ minimalist and with a whiff of the new about it, and at lunchtime, on a Wednesday, half empty. Not unsurprisingly the menu is very Fish/ Seafood orientated. We are seated close to where other Diners are already in situ but request a more quiet table in the corner which is immediately provided – I am sure the waiting staff can walk a few metres further to serve us.

The menu is one of around a dozen dishes ranging from the bread at £4 to the most expensive plate on the menu of Turbot with a Roast Chicken Butter Sauce at £17. Three desserts, and a wine list that is brief with 12 whites/ 7 Reds, and all very unfamiliar. A couple of sparklers and Roses, and a few beers/ cocktails. There are 7 items starred on the menu and these make up a Tasting Menu if you wish to indulge. Quite uniquely we are told that they would all be sharing sizes and would cost us £35 per head. Curiously if we went for the same dishes individually they would amount to £65 a head but clearly they would involve larger portions. We think this is a splendid compromise and would enable us to taste 7 dishes at what would appear to be a VFM knockout price – we are not wrong !

Best ever Sourdough Toast !

Asked if we would like to add any other dishes I opt for the Sourdough Toast. I have been sampling some stompingly good Sourdough recently but it is not usually toasted so wanted to see what they could do with it here. Wow ! What they can do with it ! Semi burnt, dripping in butter, wedges of sour bread arrived accompanied by a further round of Netherend Farm Butter. It smelt like the best ever toast you could imagine for breakfast and tasted like a cross between French Toast and a buttered Scone. Don’t know how they did such a simple thing so differently but the bread disappeared without a trace in record time.

Pickled Oysters

Fortunately our next course was hot on its Heels which were Pickled Oysters ( is there an R in the month?) with finely cut celery,dill leaves and a dollop of Horseradish Cream on top and nestling below. I would suggest just the Oysters were just lightly pickled, fortunately not an overpowering celery infusion, and a lovely little bit of heat from the Horseradish to hit you on the way down.

Next up – more butter ! This time in the form of a brown butter smothering some Raw Bream with Lemon and little crunchy Capers – lightly toasted ? This was an extremely rich dish, silky fish, raw, and if even fresher would be swimming in its own buttery pool of loveliness.

Bream swimming in brown butter

The little capers just adding that tiny bit of texture that could have been so easily lacking. The last of my sourdough toast is used to mop up what’s left of the butter in the dish !

We were both very happy and looking forward , albeit with a little trepidation, to the Soused Mackerel, which would be accompanied by Gooseberry, Cucumber and Seaweed. Trepidation as I am never quite sure about “ Soused”. The definition is something kept or steeped in pickle which can take the form of salty water or vinegar. As it was the Mackerel was neither heavily pickled or Salty – so maybe this was brief or light Sousing. The Gooseberries maybe struggled to impart their flavour having to compete with Sousing,Cucumbers and Seaweed but other than that the dish was another fine plate. The Mackerel gleaming on the plate with its skin turned towards to us and it’s green accompaniments all inviting. Just a little more Gooseberry please Tom !

Line Caught Pollock followed which sat with a beautifully golden crisped skin beside a large helping of Cafe De Paris Hollandaise almost orange in intensity and containing more capers – oh yes ! Do like a good caper or two !

Sorry ate almost all before photo done !

This classic Hollandaise based sauce is traditionally served with an entrecôte steak and contains – surprise,surprise – lots of butter and various other ingredients depending upon whose recipe you follow – Anchovies, Worcester Sauce, Shallots, garlic etc. Here it is shown to go just as well with fish and nothing is left on the plate at the end.

The final main course is the show stopper. (Note no Carbs involved as yet, the plates are not huge at all, so we are not feeling over eaten in any way shape or form) This final savoury dish is Cider Braised Cuttlefish with Lentils,Apple and Spring Onion. This dish is another orange hued delight. The cuttlefish cut up into delicate soft pieces having just enough chew to retain taste and interest, and coupled with the acidity and crunch of the apples with the onion just about fighting for its own position, is an absolute marvel in tastes. ( By the way – fantastic uniform Petit brunoising on the Apples Guys !) Mrs W does not want to share this dish and manages to hold on to the lions share.

Iconic ? Cuttlefish !

Now feeling just a little fuller we tackle the one dessert that’s part of the tasting menu. It’s advertised as Chocolate Trifle with Cherry,Rum and Hazelnuts. It looks impressive and tastes like a fusion of an old fashioned trifle battling it out with a Black Forest Gateaux. Great crunch from the Hazelnuts, and some deep coloured cherries added to the boozy rum makes it a winning combo.

Trifle/ Black Forest Gateaux

So for a lunchtime tasting menu the portions are judged just right, and we are able to depart feeling satisfied and happy without feeling overblown and overdone at a cost of £74 for 2 plus alcohol – Fantastic Value ! Complimenting our helpful and happy waitress and commenting on the relative emptiness of the restaurant at lunch she responds by advising that every evening is manic, with all tables busy and a queue at the door. The Tasting menu takes a while to serve due to the number of dishes and therefore they appreciate the calmness of the lunchtime service. I imagine this could change as word gets around and tables get more difficult to come by in the evenings. Also Managed to have a quick word with Tom himself and thank him for his food – he asks what our favourite dish is, and I reply the Cider Braised cuttlefish. He advises that it appears to be the favourite of most people and he cannot think up a better dish presently so he will not be taking it off the menu. I liken it to potentially becoming a Koffmans Pig Trotter iconic dish that when Pierre tried to take off the menu resulted in outcry’s from his regular diners. Toms reply –  “ I can only dream of being in such a position”.

The location of this restaurant may be putting off some potential diners – a friend of mine living in South Ken said that it feels like the other side of the world to them and this is putting them off visiting – and some locals are clearly objecting to the gentrification of the area, seen by Graffiti such as “ Shithouse to Penthouse” being painted onto derelict buildings. However I can see that Tom will overcome these potential issues and maybe has already. Location, location, location ? Let’s see if the impressive cooking can overcome all, and storm the restaurant scene as the Arctic Monkeys stormed the music  scene 10 years ago. I bet you look good on the dance floor ? – rather, bet you look good on the kitchen floor !

Rating – FOOD – Blazingly Hot Pan 5/5

               SERVICE – 5/5

Cornerstone, 3 Prince Edward Road, Hackney Wick, E9 5 LX.

Tel No 0208 986 3922

108 Garage Review

Do you like music in restaurants – do you even pay attention to what they play, if indeed there is any to listen to in the first place ? Should it be background music, unobtrusive, hardly discernible or in your face, loud, making conversations difficult – especially when you are like me when age has left my hearing with a bad filter to separate white noise from the discussion actually going on around you. I happen to be a big music fan and certainly do pay attention to the quality of music in any restaurant, bar, shop – wherever.

Upon arrival at 108 Garage in Golbourne Road, Notting Hill, (at home to a Moroccan community and many outlets, selling Tagines from the market stalls, and Veg/ Fruit shops), I am early and therefore am seated alone wherein the music and surroundings have my undivided attention. It’s not too loud, but loud enough to hear well – The Beatles White album, from Julia through to Helter Skelter to CryBaby Cry. What an incredible album this is, and one that is greatly appreciated when alone and in the environment I am in. The surroundings are Industrial, not surprising when you appreciate this was indeed an ex Garage and the exposed brickwork, corrugated iron and black metal ceiling are constant reminders of its previous incarnation. There is some artwork in there somewhere too, metallic shapes blending in with the overall view, and a shiny copper bar top to round off the edgy but comfortable aura.

This is 108 Garage opened in June 2017 by 40 year old Co Owner And Chef Chris Denney  who is a lean keen fighting machine, allegedly quoted to saying he would blow his brains out if he did not get a star. The restaurant was visited by me almost immediately after its initial opening when it was turning away 200 people a week such was its highly regarded status. It is now being revisited a year on to a) determine if anything has changed and b) to establish if I can understand why it has been so far overlooked by the Michelin Inspectors when so many good things have been written about it. First impressions, and if memory serves me correct, are that aesthetically nothing has really altered – the same basic looking mismatching crockery, a mixture of wooden and leather covered low spindly chairs and an area at the bar where you could sit and see the kitchen at work. It’s a balmy evening and both of the restaurants doors are wedged wide open and I have a table by the window and open door benefiting from the breeze.

Provided with a drinks list my attention is drawn to their special G and T’s that includes a Bulldog which has Star Anise,Pink Peppercorn And Indian Tonic. Love a bit of aromatic pink peppercorn, me, and when it arrives it is a riot of colour and the pepper providing a beautiful spice to the drink not experienced before.

Bulldog – be careful of those Pink Peppercorns !

It’s a massive draw to my friends upon their arrival as they all order the same. Whilst enjoyable there was a small issue of the peppercorns being sucked up through the straw as you drank the thing and then you had a decision to make – crunch on the peppercorn or fish it out of your mouth and start a collection of them on your side plate ! We employed various strategies but all agreed that it maybe difficult to have more than one of these cocktails.

Unbeknown to me on a Saturday night the only offering was a £60 tasting menu, and therefore the only food choice to make was the main course of Red Mullet/Octopus or Jacobs Ladder – a cut of beef from the Short Rib. However, I am getting ahead of myself here – the first offering was a bowl of Sourdough Bread accompanied by 2 little pots of beautiful silky Chicken liver Parfait.

Chicken Liver Parfait – who needs Butter !

I recall this from a year ago and thought at the time this a fab indulgent alternative to the usual butter you would expect with the Bread. In fact it’s so good it’s tempting to overdo the combination almost forgetting what’s to come. I compliment the waiter on it who even offers me a pot to take home which I sheepishly decline, and whilst writing this the next morning feel I have missed a trick ! What I would give to have this right now with my coffee ! The bread is also and incredibly good Sourdough – the competition in bread offered by restaurants is mind boggling and a light years away from what was being offered 5 years ago, this bread had very snappable crust and a light chewy soury Centre But was competing with a similar offering from Le Trompette visited the day before ( no review as too drunk later on in the day) which dare I say even surpassed Garage, but both were of the highest quality.

Acton Cows ?

Our Tasting Menu started with a Burrata from Acton ( a few miles down the road) which was soft milky and no worse than any classic Burrata tasted in Italy. This was complimented by some fruit peaches, some lovage giving a celery like punch, and a crunchy Tuile to give a bit of texture. We amused ourselves by questioning where the fields or cows are in Acton to produce this cheese but were advised that the milk was delivered to Acton and the process was finished there.

Next up was some Wye Valley Asparagus which was topped with some salty smoked Lardo, and some bitter dandelion leaves. On the side some egg yolk and rice which had been crisped up to a beautiful crunch. The smokiness, bitterness and crunch were a great combination complimented by fat buttery asparagus giving a silky ness to overall dish. Worth noting here were indeed the dishes themselves, heavy,rustic, large and wonderfully crafted.

Asparagus etc

Back to the music – by now we were on to some classic R.E.M. and even my dining colleagues mentioned the quality of the music running a close second to the quality of the food.

Now we were on to the Main Course were a salt brined, unctuous and melting Jacobs Ladder was smothered in a jumble of dill pickle tartar, and a leaf of Baby Gem. Others on the table had opted for the fish course which was the Red Mullet topped with pickled Kholrobi and a section of octopus tentacle on a stick – Octopus lollipop as it were.

Jacobs Ladder

Red Mullet

The Mullet had the expected oily flesh but freshened up with something tangy but undetectable as to what was providing it. Whilst I did not have the opportunity to sample it Octopus was said to have been a little salty but saving this both Main Courses continued the high quality levels. Two more courses to go and I am thinking – Wow, whilst the location maybe unfashionable and edgy, many starred restaurants are not producing such inventive food also focusing on local provenance. What do they need to do ?

The Palette cleanser was unfortunately not for me and one I was dreading due to my aversion to Cucumber- a Cuc sorbet with dill. Others appreciated it for what it was – a very good fresh cleanser before the dessert for real.

Yuk – Cucumber Sorbet !

Maybe desserts are an area whereby Garage has more of a limited ability  as the Cuc Sorbet was followed by more sorbet/ice cream action involving a basil sorbet and a buttermilk ice cream. These sat on some summery and strong tasty strawberries and arrived with some test tube shaped receptacles of Strawberry and rhubarb sauce to pour over. And what was this extra taste lurking at the bottom – the addition of coffee which worked well will all of the other tastes on the plate. The basil in particular was very strong in taste and as we know strawberries/balsamic combination works well and here the pungent sorbet was a great accompaniment to the fizzy fresh strawberries.

The wine list is brief and ranges from £32 to £137 with many available by the glass and some as 500ml carafes. We washed down our meal with a Bottle of freshly acidic Rias Baxas Albariño at £74 and an earthy 2013 Paal Syrah from Navarra  at £64.

We all came away hugely complimenting the culinary competence and originality of the dishes with maybe only one small criticism, due to lack of side dishes or Veggie accompaniments maybe there should be an extra course involved as we felt we could have eaten a little more ?

Personally I love the atmosphere of the restaurant – it maybe would fit in more in Shoreditch or Dalston neighbourhood rather than surviving amongst it’s Moroccan environs.  Does it need a Star – maybe such recognition would attract more punters – having said that the Restaurant was full, with interestingly, more mature Diners than younger ones. More importantly the reviews continue to be good, and deservedly so, Tatlers recognised it as their Restaurant of the Year. What does Michelin know anyway – they make tyres don’t they ? Chris – please don’t blow your brains out yet !

Rating  Food – Blazingly Hot Pan 5/5

            Service – Very Hot Pan 4/5 

108 Garage , 108 Golbourne Road, W10 5PS

Tel No 0208 969 3769

When you read reviews exclaiming “ There is nothing like this elsewhere in London” or quotes about the food that include “ If unicorns were real and had a shit, then this is what it would look and taste like” (thanks to Food Critic Website The Infatuation) , then your curiosity is spiked. Mine has been so spiked for sometime, and I cannot believe it has taken me years to arrive at this Heavy Metal Rock and Roll Temple of Food on the corner of a roundabout at Highbury and Islington. In fact my delayed visit is over 2 years old as Lee Tiernan (  Chef And Owner ) set up in this tiny cramped location – which in size maybe more suited as a hairdressers – back in September 2015 after a successful run of his Pop Up Eatery in a Copenhagen nightclub. Now how many people can put that on their CV as to the genesis of their restaurant ?

Lee runs this tiny 25 covers Restaurant with his wife Kate as Co Business Partner. Lees background includes an 11 year stint with Ferguson Henderson at St.Johns where he worked his way up to Head Chef in 2011 – an experience which would have him experimenting with Offal for many years. In conversation with Lee last night he admitted that when starting up Black Axe Mangal – BAM – he did not have the confidence to put his own creations on the Menu and started off with a kind of Turkish Fusion theme with pimped up Kebabs etc even though he knew nothing about Turkish Food and had never been there. In fact he had approached some Turkish restaurants that he admired and asked if he could work there to gain experience and understand about the style and way of cooking the Nations delicacies, but had been rejected – which now he says is a blessing in disguise as he was forced into putting his own take on the food. The Menu has now developed into something more original, and reflects the food that Lee wants to cook and – to his pleasure and delight – cannot be pigeonholed. However more about that later.

What had finally prompted me to visit BAM was a special evening in partnership with Book publishers Phaidon Who we’re launching their brand new edition of their bible like tome  “ Where Chefs Eat” – a Culinary Global map to restaurants where supposedly famous Chefs hang out. This is not a Michelin Star Fine Dining Directory , but one that mashes up Cheap Fantastic Eateries, Street Food And other affordable Dining options together with the more established wallet swallowing Restaurants that are more frequently reviewed/ critiqued. The book was to be presented by food critic and founder of Worlds 50 Best Restaurants – Joe Warwick. In fact upon arrival for our 8.30 slot it was Joe who we first encountered – who appeared to be doubling up as Barman – as he presented us with our first cocktail of the night a Bullit Frontier Lemonade with a punchy Bourbon base.

Frontier Bulleit Lemonade

The restaurant itself has no Big Sign or Logo outside and looks completely nondescript – I would have walked straight past it had I not been following Google Maps !

We were guided to a seat at the bar, which I often prefer as you are close to the action, can see what’s going on in the kitchen and get to talk with the Chefs. Here we were literally facing the enormous Pizza Like Oven which dominated the tiny food Prep area with just a smallish grill over coals by the side and not much else. Cramped was not the word for it – room enough for Lee to be working at the oven and an assistant to be working the grill and that was it. Cats would not be swinging here tonight !

A special menu had been set for this event which was also giving Lee the opportunity to showcase new dishes never tried before by his discerning customers – other than the first course which was the very Instagrammable Squid Ink FlatBread with Egg Yolk Smoked Cods Roe and Glitter – why not glitter ! This is the dish that the Unicorn quote above was referring to, and a posse of “ Unicorn Shit” came out of Lees Kiss ( The Band) emblazoned Oven all looking beautiful together.

Gene Simmons and Co emblazoned on the Oven

What is the collective noun for a grouping of Unicorn Shit or Squid Ink Flat Breads ? A herd ? A Gaggle ?  A murder ? Unfortunately these were to share between 2 and whilst difficult enough to cut in half – with of course the majority of the runny yolk being enjoyed by only one of the dishes sharers – it was barnstormingly delicious with the salty cods roe coating your mouth as you chewed on the tasty doughy flat bread, simply leaving you wanting for more.

Squid Ink Flatbread

This would be the only familiar course and the next would be a new one – Tete Au Cochon – which for non Francophiles is Pigs Head – served with Shoestring Fries,  Mapo Tofu ( large dice of soft bean curd ) which when all was coated in the Szechuan Pepper Sauce,  hit the brain with a spice kick like a sledgehammer. The only complaint again was that there was not enough of the unctuous Pigs Head. More more more !

Tete Au Cochon

The Head had apparently had been brined the day before, thereafter being boiled, pressed into a Terrine and then oven baked just before service. Not a dish you will see on many menus but one that will probably be around at BAM for a while.

Whilst finishing the Pigs Head we could see and smell ( only being a metre or so away from the grill) the Hispi Cabbage getting its arbitrary treatment of being charred to a blacked death. This would accompany Grilled Lamb Tongues and a Fermented Shrimp Butter. Personally I am a fan of many Offal type cuts but I have always struggled with the texture of tongue.

Lambs Tongue

It was quite pungent in its taste but when smothered in the juices from the Hispi,  the buttery Shrimp ( paste of which Lee said was smuggled in from Asia?) and some salty Bonito scattered on top was quite moorish and I could even have been converted – notwithstanding textural issues !

An Oompah Loompah cocktail which contained more Bulleit Bourbon and Ginger Ale, and then Dessert – an absolutely wonderful creation of Foie Gras Ice Cream smothered in Cherry Sauce enclosed in a sugary doughnut. It resembled a hamburger of sorts, but tasted nothing like one – anyone who likes Foie Gras and Ice Cream would have been in Heaven and I hope there will be plenty of these waiting for me at the pearly gates when I finally arrive there as it was quite spectacular in its creation. A creamy Foie Gras cold hit to the tongue , sweet silky cherries and then an after sugar buzz with the chewy doughnut. What’s not to like !? Will be coming back for this if it becomes a menu stable.

Heavenly Foie Gras Ice Cream

After our meal Joe and Lee talked through the book a little – the new publication was on sale at a 50% discount £ 10 only –  an update from the previous publication 3 years hence. Lee talked through the dishes that had been served during the evening and also circulated signing the book with his infamous Cock and Ball scribbles that I am sure one day will see him recognised as a great artist !      Example : 

The menu may have been a little experimental but on the whole worked really well, but I would need to follow up with a further visit to sample some of the other original dishes Lee was enjoying serving up to his fans.

This place will not be everybody’s cup of tea, loud, cramped, brash and serving mostly Offal inspired dishes, but it suits me well and my next visit will not in another 2 years time – maybe 2 weeks !

RATING – FOOD – VERY HOT PAN 4/5

                SERVICE – 5/5 

Black Axe Mangle , 156 Canonbury Road, London. N1 2 UP

Contact Info@blackaxemangal.com

Fermented Jollof Rice, Squid and Plantain

I do not think there is one Restaurant I have been a repeat offender of/ Visitor to, within the last 6 months than Ikoyi. It has gleaned high critical acclaim from many recognised Restaurant reviewers and from me – an unrecognised Restaurant reviewer. My first visit was alone when I found I had a couple of hours to spare between a meeting and a Theatre visit. I was in the vicinity and recalled reading an interview with Chef Jeremy Chan (who had worked with Heston Blumenthal at Dinner, Noma and Claude Bosi at Hibiscus)  and being intrigued that he and his partner Hassan Odukale ( ex flat mates and Hassan hailing from Ikoyi, a suburb of Lagos)  were intent on bringing West Nigerian Cuisine to St.James in a fine dining Gastronomic style.

I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit and the unheard of ingredients, the Spices and Heat involved, and the marvellous skill in balancing them which Jeremy was managing artfully. The restaurant was virtually empty but I put it down to its newness and unusual concept which I hoped would catch on toot suite. Thereafter I have taken different sets of friends on three further occasions – one time the Restaurant was happily buzzy and busy, the others fairly dormant – and this Sunday lunch I was to attend a new concept that the restaurant had advertised – The Staff Food Waste Project. This was an ethically driven Tasting Menu experiment based on waste products from their kitchen.

Upon arrival at 13.00 I was concerned I had the wrong time or date as a I was unsure if the restaurant was open behind its smokey glass interior,  but then realised there was movement inside. My 3 friends and I ventured inside and realised there were only 3 other people in the restaurant and more alarmingly the kitchen appeared to be unnaturally quiet for a fully operating lunchtime service.

However we were greeted with open arms and led to our table and provided with the Set Menu and a list of cocktails should we wish to imbibe. Shortly thereafter our first starter arrived being a Garri Cracker, Citrus Asaro with Pickled Herb Stem. Now you understand when I mentioned unheard of products/ingredients !

Garri Cracker,Citrus Asaro And Pickled Herb Stem

Upon a little questioning we learnt that Garri is Cassava( an edible tuberous root) and that Asaro is Yam. They resembled little dusted golden breadcrumbed cakes with the pickled stems just visible through the powder. They also tasted like nothing I have eaten before but in a good way with the pickled herbs dominating over the Yam, not really picking up on the Citrus element, but a little heat coming through as the taste developed in your mouth. An intriguing start. ( by this time 5 more people had entered the restaurant but that was to be the entirety of its reservations on this Lunch service).

Second Course was a tiny little ceramic pot of Pepper Broth with Seaweed. It was earthy and dense and maybe had chicken stock as a base ? – but the Black Pepper taste was just at the right level and, whilst strong, was extremely inviting and tasty and I personally could have managed more than the small pot contained.

Pepper Broth and Seaweed

Admittedly the colour and presentation did not look too inviting but this was more than made up for with the next course which was a vibrant and beautifully coloured dish of Fermented Jollof Rice, Squid and Plantain. I have eaten Ikoyi’s Jollof Rice on every visit to date and whilst the components have changed a little over time – last time it was Crab Jollof Rice- the taste is amazing and one of my favourite finds of the year to date. This dish was very different to what I was expecting as the rice had been made into a circular rice cake and had been plied with crispy squid and other vegetables. We were advised to roll it up and eat it like a Taco, and the texture of the crispy squid and plantain were fabulous. Still not as good as the orgasmic Fried Jollof Rice but a very good second best – Rice Wise.

The final savoury Course was Chicken with Artichoke Root, Preserved Citrus and Garlic, which looked very brown, and again, maybe not too appetising, visually, but the taste belied it’s aesthetics. I am unsure why the chicken would qualify as Food Waste – maybe they were the false Fillets from the breast that are not usually used ?

Chicken,Artichoke Root,Preserved Citrus

It contained an unnamed sauce and was all very tasty albeit the textures were are similar, so something crunchy or more textured would have been welcome. Maybe the roots could have been crisped up a little – an idea ? Now back to rice again, we were provided with a side dish of glorious Coconut Rice with potent Scotch Bonnets which I was happily mopping up as I was desperate to recover from a Gin infused hangover from the night before. My dining partners liked the taste but felt the quantity was too much sat against the size of the main meal – additional sauce with the meal could have been used to compliment additional quantities of the rice, but as it was the voluminous Rice dishes were not fully consumed ( other than mine !)

Dessert was actually a real stand out even though I am not usually a fan of sweets. This was Milk Solids with Zobo (?) Caramel And Spent Cameroonian Coffee. The Milk Solids were used to make a very soft Ice Cream style Dessert which sat on a crumb of caramel and coffee (?) and the tastes intermingled together perfectly.

Milk Solids and Zobo ?

The price of the meal was £45 for 5 courses which when you consider the restaurant a la Carte prices are not cheap seemed quite reasonable. Maybe the quality was not quite up there with their usual dishes, and when you eat with your eyes maybe the presentation/ colours were lacking. All of the dishes were however very original and displayed interesting ideas, introducing all of us to new tastes for our palates.

At the end of service we saw Jeremy leaving, and in recognising me – obviously a good Customer for them ! – he did an about turn and we had a quick discussion about the concept. He admitted that it had not gained traction and in fact they had to cancel the previous Sunday as there were literally no takers for the Lunch Time Service. He postured that maybe the name of the Project using the word “Waste” may have put people off, but that it had been a learning experience bearing in mind the restaurant is not usually open on a Sunday. He did suggest that maybe they could come up with a different Tasting Menu concept for a Sunday to differ from their usual A La Carte offering during the evenings and also confirmed that they have a new Menu in any event, so I have a reason to venture there yet again!

I will continue to bang the drum for this restaurant which also has great local Restaurant neighbours in Aquavit and the newly opened Scully. Generally James explained he is not getting the footfall of walk ins as maybe their menu is just too unusual for casual walker bys, so this is their next challenge. I do hope more people “get it” and they do not have to move away from their original  concept to attract more Customers, but they exist in a very competitive environment operating in a eye wateringly expensive area – please get out and support them !

Ikoyi, 1 St James Market, SW1Y 4 AH

ikoyilondon.com

Rating – Food  Very Hot Pan 4 ( Waste Project Menu , but on other visits a 5) 

              Service Very Hot Pan 4