Duck and Waffle, London



The weekend I had been waiting for since Christmas had finally arrived, and in eager anticipation I boarded the train from Norwich to Liverpool Street on a wet and windy Friday evening so that I would definitely be in London for our Duck and Waffle reservation on Saturday lunchtime - I definitely didn't want to take any chances on this meal...

Duck and Waffle aside from it's intriguing name has an even more impressive draw - it is the highest restaurant in the UK, located on the 40th floor of the stunning Heron Tower, and offers unparalleled views of the London skyline...24 hours a day. Yes, that's right, 24 hours a day...so whether you fancy their infamous breakfast and brunch menu, their evening a la carte menu, or a cocktail and bar snacks in the early hours of the morning this restaurant can cater for all of your round the clock foodie fantasies.

Heron Tower in all it's glory

We arrived at Liverpool Street station in plenty of time and walked the 5 minutes or so to the base of the Heron Tower. I was like a child eagerly awaiting the lift to the top floor (I had heard how quick it was and being an avid roller coaster fan I was almost as excited for this as I was the actual meal!), however these excitements were soon quashed when we were told by the lady at reception that the Duck and Waffle was closed for the day. We could hardly believe it, we were told the lift had been damaged, (highly plausible taking account of the winds the previous night) but I got the sense that there may be a tiny possibility if we hung around a little longer some miracle may happen. And I was right...we were told (if willing) we could go up the staff lift, and of course we jumped at the chance - I mean we would have walked the stairs to the top if they had let us!

Beautiful View

The disappointment about not being able to use the main, super speedy lift, was evident, but soon dissipated when we actually realised we were actually getting to go 'behind the scenes' so to speak, and we did have a lot of laughs in the wooden box of a lift around the back!
The slight inconvenience was lessened even more by the complimentary champagne flute presented as we got our first glimpses of a birds eye view of London, which really is breath-taking come rain or shine.

Champagne

The Duck and Waffle itself is really quite small as restaurants go, and it isn't fussy at all, with more of a warehouse vibe rather than fussy pretension. The staff are all incredibly friendly and were more than accommodating when we told them that one of the diners on our table was intolerant to gluten by giving us gluten free bread where possible and advising us on the best choices to suit everyone's tastes.

Bar

Duck and Waffle Interior

Despite asking for a window table when we booked, unfortunately (but not unsurprisingly) this did not happen due to a rather slow moving table who sat and admired the view for a little (ok a lot) longer than the any of the floor team had expected! It was fine though, we were happy with our table in the centre of the restaurant, and could get up to wander around for photos whenever it took our fancy!

Dates wrapped in Bacon

The first plate to come was dates wrapped in bacon, with linguiça sausage and a dandelion salad. Although not being something our entire table wanted initially we all absolutely loved the flavour combinations, with the sweet date and spiced sausage complimenting the salty bacon and fresh salad faultlessly.

Homemade bread

This was accompanied by the Duck and Waffle signature home made bread, served with hand-churned butter and puglian olive oil. The bread was warm, and really delicious, unique in taste - quite earthy which I imagine may be something to do with the yeast, but very addictive, we finished it very quickly as by this point we had worked up quite an appetite.

Negroni & Bloody Mary

The champagne really got us in the mood for some lunchtime treats and being a party of four we thought it would be rude not to try each of the cocktail offerings on the brunch menu. I like a bitter cocktail so I opted for the negroni which was very nice, although maybe a little bitter for the first meal of the day!

Marmite Black Velvet & Mimosa  

My friend opted for the incredibly unique marmite black velvet which consisted of a marmite and Guinness reduction and champagne. I was allowed a sip, and I have to say, for a 'non-marmite' fan I found it incredibly tasty. Unique, unlike anything I have ever tried before, but I loved it, and would certainly recommend it for any marmite lover out there.

Crispy Pigs Ears

Being a restaurant which suggests a tapas style way of eating we ordered a number of things which took our fancy, and hoped it would be enough! The first of our choices was the crispy pigs ears. These came presented in a brown paper bag and had the restaurants signature 'seal of approval'. I thought the presentation was really nifty, and again highlighted the rustic and fuss free feel of the place.

Crispy Pigs Ears

The pork scratchings were BBQ spiced and were incredibly moreish - like the best example of homemade frazzle crisps - a personal favourite of mine as a child, I kept going back for more, and there was plenty to split between four for a bit of a nibble which made for a great taste bud teaser for the remainder of our lunch.

Essex Beets

The next dish was a beetroot and goat's curd salad, served with hazelnuts, capers and sherry vinegar. The dish was warm, which was an unexpected but welcome surprise, and the classic combination of goats cheese and beetroot did not disappoint. The addition of the crunch of the nuts and the salty capers worked incredibly well, and we were all rather happy we had ordered something fresh and (somewhat) healthy, as our meal was dominated by carbohydrate rich plates! This was one of my stand out dishes, I just wish there was another salad type option on the menu, I think it would add more variety and certainly for a larger table would be a very welcome addition if sharing the plates.



Smoked Scottish Salmon

We also opted for Scottish smoked salmon with accompaniments of a caper salad and crème fraiche. There isn't really much to say about this plate other than the fish was extremely fresh, and made for a welcome change from the rest of our hot dishes. Worth mentioning as well was the portion size, it was incredibly generous, and could easily be shared between 3 or 4 people as part of a meal alongside a number of the other small plates.

Wild Cornish Pollock Meatballs

Next we delved into the Pollock meatballs which were served swimming in a gorgeous orange lobster cream - much like a rich bisque, and Parmesan bread crumbs. I thought these were a triumph, the cream was divine, and the meatballs had a strange springy texture which made them feel more like a Thai fishcake as opposed to the more crumbly English varieties with (in my opinion) often far too much potato and not enough fish! Although the flatbread (below) was served alongside the salmon this also tasted wonderful dipped into the sweet bisque, and mopped up the juices great when we couldn't dip anymore!

Homemade Flatbread

Upon a twitter recommendation from the head chef I made sure we also opted for the Ox cheek doughnut. It was certainly the most intriguing of the dishes we ordered, and absolutely begged to be cut into and devoured. The coating itself was slightly spiced but also sweet, which matched the soft sweet dough so often associated with a 'typical' doughnut.

Spicy Ox Cheek Doughnut

However the real genius came when you tried it with the shredded ox cheek, which was rich and meaty, and fell apart in your mouth, complimenting the sweet apricot dipping sauce in a weird but wonderfully intelligent way. This dish, alongside the duck and waffle signature dish (below) certainly challenges your taste buds and gets you to re-think what you know about classic flavour combinations, a skill only the most accomplished and of course adventurous chefs could attempt with this much flair.

Inside Ox cheek doughnut

I think we would all be lying if we said that the final plates of food to reach our table weren't the ones we had been looking forward to since we booked a table some 2 months ago. We had to see what all the fuss was about, and were hoping (because they decided to name their restaurant after it!) that the 'Duck and Waffle' would live up to expectations. On paper, a crisp confit duck leg, a fried duck egg, sweet waffle and maple and mustard syrup could either be the biggest foodie car crash known to man, or the most ingenious plate of breakfast food to ever grace my mouth. Thankfully, it was the latter - and I should never have doubted it's brilliance.

The 'Duck and Waffle'

The duck itself was cooked to perfection, still moist, but with an wonderful crisp skin. The egg, vibrant and runny, when burst married the meat and waffle combination together, and the addition of the syrup elevated this plate to brunch heaven. It was classified as a sharing dish - and feeling my arteries harden somewhat after all of the delicious plates food we had previously devoured, I could see why. However if you are just visiting for the one dish you could easily polish off this plate individually - although I wouldn't recommend it, there are too many other brilliant dishes you shouldn't miss out on.

And one more view...couldn't resist!

The Duck and Waffle is well deserving of all of the hype it has received since opening in the Summer of 2012. The view is astounding, and the service impeccable, we felt very welcome - and despite the mishap with the lift at the start of the meal, this was rectified and apologised for numerous times throughout the course of the lunch...champagne is always a welcome distraction too of course!

The meal came to around £170 for the four of us, I think this is fabulous value for money - especially if you take off the pretty pricey cocktails at £14 a pop, the quality of the food, and the remarkable views of one of the best loved cities in the world make it a 'must do' London eatery in my mind. Even if I did miss the infamous lift I would highly recommend this restaurant, breakfast food, in my mind, will never quite be the same again.

http://duckandwaffle.com/



Lavender House 'Food Hero Masterclass - Matt Cockin', Brundall

One of a number of foodie Christmas presents bought for me this year (Santa knows me too well clearly!) was a Tuesday evening Masterclass at the highly regarded Lavender House Restaurant in Brundall. The class itself was celebrating the work of Matt Cockin, a Norfolk food hero, award winning charcuterie aficionado with 'the fruit pig company' and all around expert on all things pig. We were promised a bit of a demo by the man himself, a few tasters to wet our appetite, and then a three course meal, designed to showcase the companies produce in all it's glory.

The masterclass itself is one of many evenings run by the Richard Hughes Cookery School, a fantastic venture which has recently been awarded not only, the 'Best Small Cookery School' award, but also the highest accolade of 'British Cookery School of the Year' - a real testament to the feel of the evening and restaurant as a whole, which, from the outset, felt warm, welcoming and friendly.

Demonstrating

Upon arrival we were welcomed in by the bar man, an incredibly charismatic gentleman who instantly put both my Dad and I at ease, offering us a choice of red or white wine and starting a conversation about what the night had in store. Soon we were shown to a room (which I presume is usually the main restaurant) where a table had been set up for Matt's demo and the night was underway. Almost instantly we were bought out our first taster of a miniature Toulouse Sausage, flavoured with bags of garlic and herbs which really kick started our taste buds, all the while Matt described stories of his background and how his business (as if by chance) came to light.

The 'main event' was really when Matt lifted up the largest pigs head I have ever seen from under the bench and proceeded to explain to us (whilst butchering) where certain, more undiscovered, bits of pork were found. Of course upon explanation we were offered samples to try; pigs ear scratchings with lemon, pork cheek bacon - dusted with Matt's spice mixture and the braised cheek oyster with capers.

Pigs ear Scratching

Pork Cheek Bacon

Cheek oyster and capers

As you can imagine it was all outstanding - and made all the more impressive because we had just seen the part of the head each part originated from. The bacon I think was my favourite, coated in a spice mix which Matt did go on to explain, but due to the extensive list of ingredients, I can't even begin to remember. The spicy sweetness complemented the salty streaky bacon pieces perfectly, and I was beginning to see (as I imagine Matt had hoped when he set out for the evening) just how versatile the humble pig really is.

Rosemary Bread

When the demo was finished - which lasted approximately 90 minutes including some excellent questions, we were offered a second glass of wine and shown to our communal table where homemade rosemary bread was waiting for us. I have to say although all of the tasters were delicious, I was absolutely ravenous by this point and soon devoured as much of the carbohydrate as I could feasibly get away with without looking like a pig (excuse the pun)...nonetheless the bread was lovely, still warm and a perfect accompaniment to the starter of smoked haddock chowder soup.

Smoked Haddock Chowder

The soup evoked wonderful memories of being on San Francisco pier eating chowder out of a Boudin sour dough bread bowl, one of my all time favourite foodie experiences, so I was a very happy lady to say the least. I had expected the starter to have some sort of 'Fruit Pig Company' twist to it too, maybe in the form of some crisp bacon on the soup for example, but I didn't let that detract from the excellent flavours - plus I knew I was in for a huge treat with three different delicacies on the main course.

Pulled Pork, Pork Belly and Black Pudding
 

The main course really was a celebration of all things pig! We were treated to pulled pork which just fell apart in your mouth, crisp pork belly and the internationally acclaimed black pudding - which has won awards both in the UK and overseas. This was accompanied by kale, simply buttered and with a dash of black pepper, and the smoothest apple (and I believe parsnip) puree, which complemented the meat with effortless sweet elegance. The black pudding was delicious - as a family we had actually sampled this very black pudding as our Christmas day starter with pea puree, pancetta and seared scallops so we knew it was good, but it really is the best I've ever tasted and well worth sampling - especially now I know the lengths Matt goes through to ensure it's quality, it makes it all the more special!

Our Family Christmas Starter!

The other two components were faultless too - and differed completely in texture and flavour. It really does again showcase how versatile pork is, and how we should really be looking at other ways to try this wonderful product, aside from the usual chops which can so often give, in my opinion, pork a bad name, especially when overcooked and dry.

The final course was a British classic - Sticky Toffee Pudding. Obviously I wasn't expecting a fruit pig twist on this dish but it was a perfect end to the meal none-the-less. Every component was how it should be with the sauce oozing sweetness which married well with the cream, and the cake just stodgy enough to make you feel slightly naughty but not too much for the guilt to set in!

Sticky Toffee Pudding

The night was a huge success, I would really recommend trying anything run by the Richard Hughes Cookery School - although Richard was not demonstrating himself, he spent the evening watching and asking questions which really gave you the feel he loves what he does and desperately wants to share his passion with all of his guests.

I also cannot recommend the fruit pig companies produce highly enough; the time and effort invested in making each item from their stock, speaks wonders for the care Matt takes in making each thing delicious, and you really only have to try their black pudding once to want to keep going back again and again.

The evening really has made me put The Lavender House on my 'to-do list for the future' now, and  can't see it being long before I return, either for a full slap up meal, or another excellent masterclass.

http://www.thelavenderhouse.co.uk/

http://richardhughescookeryschool.co.uk/

https://www.fruitpigcompany.com/

Flaming Galah Aussie Pie Shop, Norwich

After hearing rave reviews both online, and from friends who had ventured out to find the infamous 'Flaming Galah Aussie Pie Shop' in Norwich I knew I had to try it myself. So one wet and windy day I did just that and made my way down Ber Street to see what all the fuss was about.
The shop itself is not, as the name may suggest, owned by an Australian, but instead run by a man who spent 4 years out in Australia and fell in love with their pie culture. Upon returning to the UK he knew he needed to share his tales and recipes with the Norfolk folk, and boy, I'm glad he did!

Exterior along Ber Street

As you can tell from the above picture, if it wasn't for the bright blue paint, you could easily miss this little gem, but seen as I had my eyes peeled I recognised the classic Australian road sign and went straight in to be greeted with a friendly welcome. The inside is obviously some kind of old takeaway place, with high counter and heated display cabinets showing all the pies. The few bench seats which were available were all taken - a testament to the popularity of this eatery, but thankfully a lady moved so I could enjoy my pie seated too, now it was just down to deciding which pie I wanted.

The menu was excellent, with both breakfast options (at £3, or £3.50 with a hot drink) and 'all day' pies, each with brilliantly inventive names such as 'The Bondi' (seafood chowder pie) and the aptly named 'Flaming Galah' (a spicy Penang curry filling). With the main pies you can opt for the 'Bonza deal' which includes the pie, a big scoop of creamy mash, mushy peas and gravy, which all comes to £4.95 - an absolute bargain seen as I was really stuffed after mine!

The Special - Roo Stroganoff

I opted for the bonza deal with one of their daily specials - 'The Roo Stroganoff' - slow cooked kangaroo meat, sautéed with onion and mushroom in a creamy sour cream, paprika, red wine and parsley sauce. I cannot tell you how impressed I was. The gravy had great depth of flavour and the mash was just creamy enough to provide a great contrast to the sweet peas and the salty crisp pastry. The pastry itself was perfectly crisp and cooked excellently throughout - something I imagine after watching my fair share of 'Great British Bake Off' isn't the easiest thing to do, but the star of the show without doubt, and rightfully so, was the filling.

One of many huge roo pieces

I have had a few excellent stroganoffs in my time - mostly cooked by an actual Australian, and I have to say this was up there with the best of them without doubt. The meat was cooked to absolute perfection - completely fell apart in your mouth, and as you can see the chunks were extremely generous too, you felt you were really getting your monies worth - something you can never be too sure of with a pie! The sauce itself was also lovely, with a hint of smokiness from the paprika, and just enough red wine and cream to balance all of the flavours out.

I really highly recommend Flaming Galahs Pie Shop, judging it by the standard of food when I visited, the excellent value for money  and friendliness of the staff; I really am surprised people aren't queuing out of their door dawn 'til dusk for their pie fix. From what I know of the Aussie slang a 'flaming galah' - means a bit of a lovable fool, I'd have to agree with the lovable part, but their recipe for success certainly isn't foolish in my book!

Mark Greenaway, Edinburgh

Whilst on a foodie trip to Edinburgh a while back now, I had made reservations for the highly acclaimed 'Castle Terrace', and the popular 'Angels with Bagpipes', however we had one night free, and wanted to try and find a nice place with a pre-theatre type menu. After a little bit of searching online, we came across the restaurant Mark Greenaway, being an avid watcher of the Great British Menu I recognised the name, and after doing a little more research about the place I tried phoning for a table that very evening. I was a little concerned about getting a table as the restaurant (which had gained an excellent reputation elsewhere in the city) had been moved to a new location on Castle Street only few weeks prior to us visiting. Nevertheless, I promised we would be in and out before another booked table arrived later in the evening, and thankfully they were incredibly accommodating.

We arrived for a relatively early dinner sitting to sample their incredibly well-priced 'Market Menu' (3 courses for £20 - and an additional £18.50 if you want to try their matched wine selection). The restaurant itself is contemporary, with crisp white table cloths and dim lighting, which adds to the moody romantic ambiance but made getting a clear photo particularly difficult! For a 'set menu' the choices were all very tempting, there were three options for each course, and luckily due to our different tastes, my partner and I both fancied different things (I particularly like it when this happens as it meant I could have small sample of his dishes too...purely for research purposes of course!).

Ham and Pork Ballontine, Scallop and apple

I opted for the smoked ham hough and pork ballontine with seared scallop, apple meringues, wild garlic mayonnaise and wild Scottish herbs. The picture here does not do it's presentation justice at all, it looked really beautiful, and the classic flavour combination of the tart apple with the sweet scallop and salty pork was a match made in heaven. Texturally it was well thought out too, with the meringues providing a necessary crunch, and the ballontine densely packed with meat similar to that of a good terrine which balanced the soft scallop wonderfully.

Duck egg, duck croquette.

My partner had the pan fried duck egg, duck croquette, brioche, duck ham and baby celery leaves, and I have to admit, I did get a bit of food envy. Despite my starter being delicious, you couldn't ignore the big hearty flavours of a runny egg yolk, crispy duck skin and sweet bread. It was posh comfort food at it's best, and a dish I could easily devour time and time again.

Bream fillet, salt cod and leek brandade

For main course I opted for the pan seared bream fillet, salt cod and leek brandade, and chive veloute. I actually didn't know what a brandade was before that evening, but being anything but a fussy eater, I decided to opt for it anyway and I wasn't disappointed. It was kind of a mixture of a potato-ey fish cake and bubble and squeak, but matched the bream, with it's perfectly crisp skin and the smooth creamy chive veloute faultlessly.

Belly pork, toffee apple jus

Across from me, my partner looked equally delighted with his main of 11 hour slow roasted 'Clash Farm' belly pork, with pomme puree, savoy cabbage and toffee apple jus. Again the flavour combinations were classic enough to make you feel right at home, but had a unique twist (which in this case was the toffee apple sauce) to give the dish that hint of flair and naughtiness, you often expect but don't always find in fine dining restaurants.


Broken chocolate tart

Having done a little bit of research beforehand I knew Mark Greenaway is famed for his weird and wonderful dessert creations (and now even presents an award each year to the most promising up and coming pastry chef in the city) we therefore knew we couldn't resist sampling (and finishing!) both of the sweet dessert options on the menu. I opted for his famous Broken (or 'Knot') chocolate tart, with custard jelly, frozen cookies, crème fraiche parfait, salted caramel and kumquat puree. Sounding like it had literally jumped out of the mind of Willy Wonka himself, I didn't quite know what to expect, but it was a chocoholics dream; rich thick chocolate ganache, creamy parfait, sweet fruit and caramel swirls, crunchy biscuit discs and even popping candy, I couldn't fault it's execution one bit.

Peanut Caramel cheesecake

The other option was the peanut caramel cheesecake, with salted caramel, warm toffee sauce and roasted peanuts, again was pretty as a picture, and tasted divine. Mark Greenaway really knows how to work with desserts, his imagination is out of this world, and even if you are not a dessert person, I urge you to try one of his creations.

Cheese plate

As if we hadn't had enough already, we asked if we could have the cheese plate on the market menu as an extra course to share, and the staff were more than happy to oblige. In rather high spirits, we also ordered a glass of their cheapest port each (however this was not available and the waitress bought out the pricier option at no extra cost)...an even greater reason to celebrate this wonderful find! We told the waiter to surprise us with the cheese, as we ate all kinds and he returned with a wonderful selection of hard nutty varieties, as well as soft, creamy ones and an excellent blue, this was accompanied by frozen grapes, quince jelly, celery and two kinds of cracker - an excellent end to a practically perfect dining experience. 

If I take into consideration the price, the service and the excellent quality of food, I personally think you would be pushed to find a more impressive restaurant than Mark Greenaway's. When we visited the restaurant it was still in it's infancy, and therefore small elements (like the toilets) did not exactly live up to the rest of the experience. I am sure now that these will have been revamped too, and regardless, this is an absolutely brilliant restaurant...you will not regret making a trip down to Castle Street to see for yourself.

Biddy's Tea Room, Norwich

British people are well known for their love of tea, in fact, whilst I write this very blog I'm sipping on a sweet cup of English breakfast myself. The long loved meal known as 'Afternoon Tea' was first said to have originated in the early eighteenth century, when a lady of the upper classes (Duchess Anna Russell of Bedford to be exact) believed her afternoon cup of Darjeeling would be much better served alongside some small finger sandwiches and a cake or two to fend off those mid afternoon hunger pangs before her evening meal. This old tradition is one I am extremely happy has stood the test of time, and Biddy's Vintage Tea room in Norwich does their own take on this afternoon treat absolutely perfectly in my opinion.

Exterior of Biddy's

Biddy's is actually tucked a little away from the hustle and bustle of the Norwich city centre, down the iconic and well loved 'Lanes' area, but it isn't difficult to find. The huge double fronted café with two big bay windows command attention as you walk past, and upon closer inspection the collection of antique and vintage items positioned in the windows really entice you to go in and have a look if nothing else. However I defy anyone who then didn't go on to browse the counter stacked full of takeaway delights, or even take a seat on some of the mismatched furniture and order from the extensive lunchtime menu.

Downstairs decoration

It is like you are stepping into a time warp upon entering the (now) double storey café. It is very British, with Union flag bunting and quaint kitsch lighting features everywhere, in fact, although completely miss-matched and a little crazy, I wouldn't be at all surprised if an individual with an interior design background dreamed this up - it is just too eclectic and unique to not be 'planned'. I have taken many a friend and family member to sample the foodie delights here and all have left with a real love for the authenticity of the place as well as the food - of which the majority is home made - or indeed locally sourced.

Afternoon Tea for Two

The pictures in this blog are two occasions when I sampled the 'real' afternoon tea experience, but I have also tried their soups, their ploughman's lunch and their pate which were all delicious. The above picture is of their afternoon tea for two (priced at £18.95), you obviously get to choose your tea, and you get a one choice of finger sandwich (three slices) plus yummy veggie crisps and homemade coleslaw. To finish off the tiered stand you can either choose one of their homemade cakes or a scone with jam and clotted cream - I find if sharing it is best to order one of both to get the best of both worlds! I believe the cake of choice above was a coconut and passion fruit cake which was gluten free and absolutely to die for - really rich, and perfectly cooked. The scones (plain, fruit and sometimes lavender) are (if you're lucky) served warm and are wonderfully crumbly.

Jubilee Tea

On another occasion, we were lucky enough to go to Biddy's for afternoon tea during the Queen's Jubilee week. Much to our surprise (and absolute delight) they were serving a special - even more patriotic (if that's even possible), tiered tea with ham and mustard, and coronation chicken finger sandwiches, mini Eton mess style meringues, union flag biscuits, mini Victoria sponges and of course, the traditional scone and accompaniments. This was wonderful, and the ladies creativity really shone through, a real treat for the taste buds and the eyes...

Biscuit eyes...

Whilst Biddy's provides an excellent place for a cheeky chat over cake or a more sophisticated lunch with family, they also offer hire of their linen and unique china, and do bespoke wedding cakes and 'mad hatter tea party' catering for any manner of events.

 

Party Hire

Biddy's is a bit of an institution in Norwich, I have introduced everyone I know to the place and it is often full to the rafters with people therefore booking (especially at weekends) is recommended. Eating here will definitely be worth your while though, and upon leaving you will not only feel full from lovely homemade pastries and cakes, but probably screaming the national anthem at the top of your lungs too.

http://www.biddystearoom.com/afternoontea.htm

Texture, London

A meal at 'Texture', a Michelin starred restaurant right next to marble arch in London, was bought for me as a Christmas present just over 12 months ago now (therefore I apologise in advance for my distinct lack of memory on certain parts of the meal)!
I had been tempted by Texture restaurant for as long as I can remember, partly due to it's unique focus on Icelandic cuisine and their tendency to discount the use of rich ingredients (such as butter), something so frequently used in other restaurants to add that opulent taste. 

Exterior
 

But predominantly because of their name...'Texture' is a word often used to praise (or indeed criticise) food on many of the cookery competition programmes taking over our evening screen viewing nowadays. It is a vital component of any dish, and has a profound impact upon the way an individual feels about the quality of a plate of food. To call a restaurant 'Texture', I felt it would have to deliver something rather special, above and beyond just great flavours...

Champagne bar

We booked in for a lunchtime - I do love taking advantage of the lunchtime sittings at these kinds of establishments, although lacking the possible finesse of an evening dining experience, you get excellent quality food alongside faultless service, and if you can take advantage of a set lunch menu, this often comes at a fraction of the price too.

Upon entering the restaurant you are welcomed by one of the wait staff who takes your coat - we arrived purposely a little early so we asked if we could sit in their bar for a bit (as opposed to heading straight to our table, which was actually ready). The bar is renowned as having one of the best champagne collections in London (five by the glass, and a further 110 by the bottle), and we decided to each opt for a champagne cocktail - priced at £10. My 'Luxury Mojito' was delicious, and just as the name suggested, the added sparkle of champagne worked perfectly with the sweet brown sugar and sharp lime juice. The cocktails were also accompanied by some complimentary bar snacks, sort of flat crackers of all different flavours, I believe some were seaweed, and others Parmesan, but this was a lovely touch to wet our appetite.

View of the kitchen from our table

After our little aperitif we were shown to our table in the restaurant which I believe was in prime position, right in front of the plating kitchen so we could see the chefs at work, and even had a glimpse or two of the particularly meticulous head chef, Agnar Sverrisson from time to time. The restaurant itself is very grand, obviously an old building with extremely high ceilings, this made the dining area itself feel rather small, but the chatter was fairly loud, a reason I was rather relieved our table was tucked away rather than being in the centre of the dining room.

Bread

Bread was bought to the table first, a sort of chunky rye bread, with creamed butter presented on a large grey pebble. Although very simple, the presentation was effective, and immediately gave me the impression that the food would be simple and rustic with elements of quirky surprise. This was quickly accompanied by an amuse bouche of a tiny cup of squash soup, brimming with bags of flavour and the necessary heat needed for a warming winter treat.

Anjou Pigeon with sweet corn and bacon popcorn

I opted for a starter and main off the a la carte menu, whereas my partner went for the set lunch menu (priced at around £25 for two courses, and £30 for three). I couldn't resist trying the Anjou pigeon, and I certainly was not disappointed - I'd go as far as to say, it is still to this day one of my favourite plates of food. The sweet smooth sweet corn puree went perfectly with the meaty rich pigeon and the added crunch of the salty bacon popcorn complemented the dish without fault.

New season beetroots with goats cheese

The other starter was a cold salad of new season English beetroots with goats cheese snow, while it didn't sound much on the menu, the dish looked as pretty as a picture, complete with edible flowers, and the noises coming from my partner were a sure fire sign that he was enjoying it. He later continued to praise the dish over and over for its simplicity and wonderful flavour combinations, so I knew it must have been an absolute hit!

Icelandic sea cod with pearl barley

Unfortunately the main course is where my memory becomes very hazy (possibly because, as you can see, the dishes are extremely similar and I was silly enough not to photograph the menus!). I am pretty certain that the above dish of Icelandic cod was the option chosen from the set lunch menu and this was accompanied by a creamy puree and pearl barley. The fish just flaked apart and with the other components made for a very clean, and fresh dish.

Poached turbot with sea vegetables

It is, unfortunately my dish where I become increasingly stuck. I would hazard a guess that I ordered turbot - the king of the flat fish. I distinctly remember how succulent the fish was, and full of flavour - something I was surprised (although incredibly happy) to find due to the way it was poached instead of cooked in the typical fatty butters or oils. The sea vegetables were also a wonderful accompaniment very salty and with a distinctive crunch which added an extra element to the dish.

I wish I could remember more about the dish, but unfortunately, for what ever reason, I cannot. Whether that be because of my earlier proposed idea regarding the similarity between the two dishes, or indeed the harsh fact that quite possibly it just wasn't as memorable as the starter or dessert from this restaurant. Either way, I remember it being delicious, really showcasing the fish (as it should be showcased), and without fuss or pretension.

Clementine and cinnamon rice pudding

Being the type of person who would often opt for an extra starter than a dessert I was incredibly surprised at how much I absolutely adored the dessert in Texture. My partner was happy with his two courses, however (purely for research purposes of course!), I managed to convince him to share the Clementine and Cinnamon rice pudding with me, and I did not regret that choice one bit. The rice pudding oozed creamy flavour and the clementine sauce, with whole orange pieces cut through the sweetness of the ice cream and rice brilliantly. The ice cream itself was a lovely contrast as the pudding was served warm, and the addition of little sultanas and sugared pistachios balanced the dish to make it both flavoursome and texturally perfect.

Cracker selection

Cheese and Port

We also opted for a 'Bernard Antony' French cheese plate (priced at £13.50) to share between us, with a glass of port each to wash it down (well you have to finish a meal properly don't you!?). This was lovely, and accompanied by some plump dried fruits and a sweet jelly, as well as more bread and crackers. The selection was well varied with a strong soft cheese (similar to a stinking bishop), a blue cheese and a hard nutty cheese, however I'd have liked to have seen a cheese trolley bought around t add an extra air of excitement rather than the selections and plating happening behind closed doors.

Petit fours

Finally the coffees were accompanied by a selection of petit fours, the traditional madeleine, a sort of peppermint meringue, chocolate truffles and coffee macaroons. All were delicious in their own right, however the meringue was a little strong when you take into account we were drinking a milky coffee. This was made up for by the divine macaroons which finished the meal with a perfectly crisp texture and creamy coffee centre.

Texture is a completely novel dining experience, unlike anything I have ever encountered before. The food was sublime, and it keeping with their Scandinavian brief. They undoubtedly delivered on Texture; an element I have to admit, I was expecting they may fall short upon, however (and I'm still not quite sure whether this is a positive or negative thing) I left feeling like I hadn't over indulged as you often do when you book into a restaurant of this quality. Either way, for the plating, flavours and textures, 'Texture' is an incredibly impressive venue, and one I would highly recommend.

http://texture-restaurant.co.uk/