REVIEW: Luardos @ The Imperial Arms, Chelsea

So I keep moaning to everyone recently about EAT.ST being slightly too far to reach during my lunch break (please can you start opening on weekends EAT.st), but also telling everyone how amazing it is, but I haven’t actually been. The food just sounds so amazing I can imagine how good it is! But with EAT.ST traders now at the Imperial Arms in Chelsea at the weekends I now have no excuse to moan.

I noticed Luardos were at The Imperial Arms last week so was time I tried it, and I’m a big fan when it comes to Mexican, especially the Famed Burrito.

The burrito itself is large and well filled. The tortilla is thick, which means no spillage from the bottom, and the fact that it’s been toasted gives it that extra Smokey flavour with a crisp bite. I’m not sure how the flank steak was cooked but it had a really nice Smokey depth, cooked medium/medium-rare, unless you mention you want to completely incinerate your beef and have it well done!

Filled with rice, sour cream, lettuce, delicious black beans, which were not too runny and not too salty. A layer of cheese, extremely fresh tomato salsa, and as far as I could taste they didn’t use cheap tomatoes as these were lovely and sweet and can make all the difference. A healthy dollop of guacamole, mashed but also some large pieces of avocado chucked in for texture. It was finished off with lots of my favourite herb, Coriander.

When ordering you’ll be asked how hot you would like it, I asked for heat ‘no4’ but if you’re feeling daring go for heat ‘no10’! The dish was accompanied by some tortilla chips, which to me the dish didn’t need as they tasted a bit stale/oily and made the overall dish look bad.

7/10

REVIEW: Fernandez & Wells, Lexington Street, Soho

So I have heard a lot about Fernandez and Wells, in the papers, online, word of mouth and was a about time I tried it. They have 4 different locations in London so it was a hard call on a Bank Holiday Monday as which to choose from. I ended up settling on the Lexington Street location, which sits on some lovely cobbled streets near the bustling Beak Street down the back roads of Soho (where they also have a another shop). From the outside its pretty inconspicuous, black, hand written chalk boards with the days specials and produce, and some large hams dangling from the ceiling in the window (hanging above people’s heads while they were eating), I opted not to sit there.

Apparently this place can get really busy so a bank holiday Monday seemed the right choice as we were able to get a seat. The decor inside is very rustic with lots of untreated looking wood, big rustic bowls on the counter, piles of delicious looking sandwiches and chalk boards adorning the walls with menus.

To categorize this place I would say it’s somewhat reminiscent of a wine/tapas bar with a European theme and strong focus on Spain/France. The wines seemed to be either French/Italian or Spanish. I had a great glass of this lovely soft and fruity Tempranillo at a very competitive Soho price of £3.75 a glass, very quaffable and was able to stand up against some of the rich food that was served and went great with the small plate of pasta and sundried tomatoes. This isn’t the sort of place you order a 3 course meal but lots of small dishes to share amongst friends. As F&W say ‘we like to keep things simple so the offering here revolves around our core products; roasted and cured meats, cheese, bread and wine’.

I’ve been to a few tapas bars in London and spent a few holidays in Spain, notably Jerez, where there are some exceptional cuts of Jamón, rich Smokey Chorizo and delicious stews. It’s always been hard to compare. But this visit to F&W was the first (and of many more to come) where I have had seriously good meats outside of Spain and in London.  

Most notably was the Morcilla, it was delicious, delicately spiced and not to overpowering with a lovely soft texture and crisp outside which I spread across the oil toasted bread. The best Morcilla I have ever had, either my palette is truly great, or I just need to get out more...

The plate of Manchego, Chorizo and bread is to die for. The chorizo is stunning, well spiced and a touch of heat and not too fatty. The Manchego, which not too soft, a nice bit of age and has a good power I like the fact it’s not overly creamy as you get in some of the supermarket ones these days.

Unfortunately I don’t have a photo but the 36 month cured Jamón Ibérico de Bellota (though you may be able to see it in the background of the photo above). It was such good quality (for London) and melted away in my mouth.

Accompanying all of this was a bowl of Padrón Peppers, which if you have not had before are delicious! Little peppers which are not hot, or have a small kick to them. It’s a great bar game in Spain as they say 1 in 10 are hot, and I mean really hot! These were grilled to perfection with a good covering of sea salt and drizzle of olive oil, and thankfully no hot ones!

All in all this is so far my favourite wine/tapas bar, based on what I have tried so far. A limited, very simple menu, but great quality ingredients are what makes this place. I would love to know where they source their produce from, hint hint F&W.

8/10

REVIEW: The Admiral Codrington, Chelsea

The Admiral Codrington Burger Review.

The Admiral Codrington is extremely hidden and tucked away in the back roads in fashionable Chelsea, near Sloane Avenue. From the outside of this 'Pub' it looks very dated and dare I say it, normal. Once through its doors you arrive into a cosy, traditional pub with dark wooden cladding. I was about to place my order at the bar and take a seat when we were told that our table was around the side in the restaurant, it was a lush sitting with lovely, bright, fresh decor. We were seated in one of their booths which was very America and a unexpected addition to the venue, very comfy and I could have stayed here all day with the large jug of delicious Pimms we ordered.

So onto the burger! I had heard and read a lot of great things about this burger and its famed creator, Fred Smith so it was about time I got round to sampling the delight. The 8oz Cheeseburger with Bacon, Pickles and a side of chips (not fries!) costs £15. Which I think to date is the most expensive burger I have had. Compared to its other competitors it is definitely not trying to compete in a price war, with the likes of Meat Liquor charging around £10 including chips. However, in my opinion it is well worth the £15.

The brioche bun is extremely light and fluffy with perfect bun to meat ratio. Not too much and not too little. As for the Pattie itself, the meat is lovely, a good mixture of fat and meat. I asked for it to be cooked medium and it cooked to perfection. Words cannot describe just how JUICY the meat was, succulent and mouth-watering, not too salty and seasoned to perfection. 'It’s all in the seasoning' says Chef Fred Smith, and this, can certainly be tasted. The cheese and pickles compliment the burger well, not overpowering the meat while the Bacon (which was not too salty) adds richness and complexity. The chips also need a mention which were delicious, a proper crisp outside, not soggy and again, seasoned well.

I am no 'Official' food critic but comparing it to the likes of other burger venues such as Bar Boulud, Meat Liquor, Mother Flipper etc. I can whole-heartedly say that this Burger, to date, is by far the BEST I have tasted. Well done Fred Smith.

Whoever is reading this blog out there (and i hope someone is) you should be picking up your phone NOW and dialling 0207 581 0005 to book your table :-)

9/10

REVIEW: One Blenheim Terrace, St Johns Wood

My first post - and WOW what a treat!

So I came across One Blenheim Terrace advertising an offer though the website Keynoir. Which i think was a great move as i had never heard of One Blenheim Terrace and will certainly be going back! The offer was for two, eight course tasting menus for a price of £45 for us both. While this was a fantastic deal they do offer other deals throughout the week. They have a Tuesday offering of a £25 set menu and Wednesdays flip a coin, where by correctly guessing which side will be left facing you can score yourself 50% off your bill (food only).

I arrived an hour before my booking but was kindly informed this was no problem and seated promptly. I was expecting the interior to be a bit more lavish, but the simplicity and clean layout matched its presentation of food. Elegant, yet no stuffiness and everyone looked as if they were enjoying themselves, looking from table to table as to the offering the person next to them was getting.

Another big treat was the menu, I had looked online before my visit knowing what to expect when I found out the morning on the way to the restaurant that they had just launched their new menu. I didn't know what to expect but was pleasantly surprised. When the waitress handed me the menu I handed it back. I decided it would be great to sit through the meal not knowing what was coming next, which proved to be a good plan. The first out was a lovely, fresh, Bloody Mary Consume with fresh anchovy and a San Manzano tomato. It all worked perfectly with the tangy acidity and peppery finish. While normally the word Bloody Mary to me reminds me of a 'not so good tasting' hangover cure, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I forgot to mention, I opted on the Wine Flight which was being offered. It consisted of five wines which were paired with the five main parts to this menu and I'm guessing these had been carefully picked off their wine list by the Sommelier as they all went beautifully with the dishes. The second course that arrived was Golden Cross ashed goat’s cheese, beetroot and seasonal vegetables, the crushed nuts on top married beautifully adding a nice nutty complexity, the cheese being very fresh and smooth but not too overpowering. The wine served was a 2010 Pehhcora Pecorino, Italy.

The next dish that shot out was by far my favourite and put a real smile on my face! Smoked salmon in a beetroot macaroon, potted salmon and a lemon dressing. The sweetness of the macaroon worked so well with the salmon and the texture somewhat reminiscent of Pavlova, soft but slightly chewy. I could eat this dish all day.

Once the fourth course arrived I realised that all the dishes had a classic British stamp to them. Ed Shaerf Head Patron Chef at One Blenheim Terrace quoted this 'All our menus bring classic dishes to centre stage again but with an imaginative new performance. We take classic dishes on British menus, strip them bare, re-imagine them and then re-present using only the best ingredients. We aim to achieve style with a bit of cheek and chic.' I like that they have not gone too outlandish with the 'twist'. The mussels in beer were fantastic, large and very meaty with a side of bread and beer. This was a complimented by a 2010 Picpoul, a dry white wine from France. I had trouble with one who didn't want to be eaten and instead covered my shirt in sauce. I then managed to spill a piece of every course there after! Tip-do not wear a white shirt if you’re as clumsy as me.

After all the seafood it was now time for some meat! Lamb & potato terrine, green beans and samphire mint gravy, it went really well with the 2009 Barbera. I did enjoy this dish but unfortunately, which made this course a slight haze and is the only criticism I can give, the dishes came out so fast after the other (as there were 8 courses) I found that I was having to gulp down my glasses of wine having ordered the wine flight, ready for the next course and wine, feeling slightly tipsy!

Desserts were great, I haven’t had a toasted marshmallow for years and it brought back some great memories of toasting them on the gas cooker when my mum was out and her coming back to a hob covered in sticky, burnt residue! Slightly too much chocolate for dipping the marshmallow but that was no problem, just scoop the rest of the 70% Valrhona chocolate sauce with a spoon. The Bakewell slice was also delicious, lovely, fresh and moist underneath with a delicious rich jam base, Cassis syrup and Cherry ripple Ice Cream. My partner seemed to have gotten a slightly dryer slice, not sure if it was cut from the end of the tray bake? It was still thoroughly enjoyed. I also found the Black Muscat wine that was served with dessert a little too light for my liking and could of had a bit more body and sweetness. But maybe that is just my personal judgement.

The meal was finished off with coffee and petit fours (the truffles and shortbread with fresh jam were very Moorish) which was much needed to awake me from my slightly drunk state.

Overall I really enjoyed the food and would be very happy paying the full asking price next time I go. Service was immaculate, food delicious and apart from not having quite enough time to appreciate the wines I still really enjoyed them and thought they worked perfectly with the meal. Well done Blenheim Place and especially Ed Shaerf. I will be back!

8/10