20 Feb 2015

BOB BOB RICARD

London, UK

I discovered Bob Bob Ricard when I was presented with the challenge to pick a restaurant that my whole family, and most importantly my grandfather, would like on their visit to London. In addition to serving good traditional food, the criteria also consisted of finding a place with comfortable chairs and good acoustics. I'd done some asking around, and the obvious choices such as Berner's Tavern and the Wolseley were fully booked. After finishing an average dinner at Grillshack in Soho we walked past Bob Bob Ricard, which my friend suggested I go for. I had a quick google, and the lavish design convinced me that this would be an interesting place to try. 
The interior is absolutely beautiful, and transports you to a 'Gatsbian' era of glamour and luxury. Every table is a booth, clad in blue leather, with heaps of bling everywhere, reminiscent of the Orient Express. On our way in we were greeted by 6 people, which is a bit excessive, but it works in this setting. The pink graphic design of the menu and the tableware were very well carried out. Some of the luxury is a bit gimmicky such as the much Instagrammed 'press for champagne' button, but it adds to the experience.



We started off with some high quality cocktails, then got going with our starters. I can rarely resist soup on any menu, and opted for the Artichoke Soup. This was creamy and warming, and really did taste of artichoke. For mains I had the Beef Onglet served medium rare, small pieces of juicy and flawlessly tender meat. I also got to try a bite of the three-bird burger, an original and crispy meal, although not one that I would choose again when there are so many different things to try. Generally, I liked the fact that all of the dishes were quite simple and you could see what ingredients went into them, yet the flavours were distinct and delicious. It would be interesting to see how the food transitions to the summer time, as I did find it to be a very hearty menu and a cosy winter atmosphere. We were rather full by the end of our mains, so we only went for a little ice cream and Irish Coffee to finish the meal. While my aunt was having a cigarette outside, she spoke with a doorman and he explained the story behind the name Bob Bob Ricard. The restaurant was founded by Leonid "Bob" Shutov and Richard Howarth. Leonid put up two thirds of the money for the restaurant, hence the repetition of his name. Bob Bob Ricard has found a formula that works, with an interior design, food and drinks selection and staff that complete a perfect package of a special dining experience in the centre of London. I daresay you are almost guaranteed good food and a good time if you go to this restaurant. 





Bob Bob Ricard on Urbanspoon

12 Feb 2015

THE WORLD'S END MARKET

London, UK

Joining the welcome trend of locally sourced food and environmentally conscious eating, The World's End Market serves seasonal, healthy food on the Kings Road in Chelsea. With a whole section in their menu dedicated to burgers, this place seemed perfect for The Food Grid, so we went over for dinner to try it out. Located in an iconic free-standing building that used to be a pub, the interior feels warm and authentic, with green leather furniture and beautiful brass lamps. I headed straight to the bar to check out their signature cocktails, and opted for an Isle Garden, a gin based drink with basil leaves and cucumber. This was refreshing and yummy, and I can imagine it would be perfect at brunch for curing a hangover. We then sat down and looked over the menu, and I ordered Carpaccio of Scallop to start and whole grilled Plaice for mains. 

When the first dish arrived, I was pleasantly surprised by how delicately it was presented. Within the casual setting I was somehow not expecting a rather fine dining-looking starter. I am a big fan of scallop, and this one was perfect and fresh, with an unusual combination of Harissa salsa. I only wished there was more of it! My friend ordered the Artichoke with Buffalo Mozzarella. I had a couple of bites of it, and this was one of those rare occurrences where I couldn't decide which dish I liked best, they were both so tasty. The main dishes arrived, and with the first forkful of fish I could taste the particular flavour created by the kitchen's method of grilling their meat and fish in a Josper oven. My friend ordered the Truffle Burger cooked rare, garnished with mushrooms and halloumi. Served in a brioche bun, the meat was charred but raw and juicy inside. Whilst the truffle flavour was great, it masked the taste of the meat. In general it's best to order a classic burger if you want to judge the meat, however I can understand that it can be difficult to resist anything with truffle. Every main dish on the menu is served with salad and french fries, and these were just my type of fries; skinny and extra crispy, so that each of them tasted like those little ones that you usually get excited to find at the bottom of the bowl when you think it is empty. Halfway through the evening I realised that some friends of mine were on a nearby table. They live locally and since the recent opening of World's End Market had already become regulars. They said this place was the best thing to happen to this area for ages. I have to agree that it has an instant charm that makes you want to return. Following desserts towards the end of the night, the music had picked up and I found myself Shazamming one of the songs. I'm sure this restaurant would be a great place for having a quality meal with a group of friends before a night out. 











www.theworldsendmarket.com


World's End Market on Urbanspoon

We were invited to review The World's End Market, and the opinions expressed are our own.

2 Feb 2015

CAFE GREY DELUXE

Hong Kong

Located in the ultra chic and stylish Upper House Hotel, Café Grey is a Hong Kong landmark for fine dining and some of the city's best panoramic views overlooking Victoria Harbour. With world-renowned formerly New York based Gray Kunz as the patron and head chef, expectations were very high and the hard-to-get reservations were made 2 weeks prior to my arrival in Hong Kong. The interior of the restaurant does nothing but raise the expectations even higher; the beautifully decorated dining room is in line with the modernist and simple theme of the hotel, adorned in dark timber tones that are elegantly lit up with bespoke light fittings that gild the dining room. Tables are arranged in an open yet cozy space, where our table was perfectly located in the centre and seats were in a comfortable and plush sofa/booth style. Everything from the sterling silver candle holder, to the high thread count napkins and fine bone china made us even more excited about our meal ahead, which lasted a solid three hours. 

Four meals from Upper House Hong Kong




























The menu, presented in a leather bound book, made our mouths water and stomachs rumble. To start, we opted for the crab cakes that come served with a lime and mango salsa, the steak tartare with gaufrettes on a bed of beef carpaccio, and the yellow Hamachi carpaccio tartare. All were delicious and beautifully presented, with special mention to be made to the Hamachi which was just sublime; we had to order another one. For mains  I  requested to try the burger, which is not on their dinner menu, but allegedly the best burger in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia (unfortunately I forgot to take a picture before I  devoured it). Despite people giving me strange looks for having ordered a burger for dinner in such a place, it was definitely worth it. It was perfectly cooked and the beef was a fine mix of Australian beef and wagyu. My friends opted for more socially acceptable items of the dinner menu. The sea bass in a creamy white wine sauce with chives, topped with caviar was a rich and delicious choice, as well as the sea bass stew which came served in a lobster broth with mixed vegetables. To conclude our epic meal we ordered the deconstructed banoffee pie and the panna cotta, which were both prepared to perfection and perfectly capped our perfect dinner. The high quality of the food, the beautiful presentation, the exceptionally attentive staff and incredible vistas across Hong Kong, make Café Grey one of my favourite restaurants and worth every penny spent.

cafe grey deluxe hong kong sea bassCafe Grey Deluxe Hong Kong Desserts Interior View