Monthly Archives: August 2011

the butchers hook

22 Monday Aug 2011

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I think you’ll all agree that flat hunting is a fairly stressful experience, especially when you’re a little anally retentive and have a fairly specific list of what you’re looking for, in my case this ran to enough outside space to build a clay oven (i can see that you’re thinking i’m off my rocker, and, whilst that may be the case, you know you’ll be begging to be my friend when alex and i are churning out the freshly baked pizzas so don’t even try and deny it). Another thing that was fairly high on my list was a dishwasher. Now i love my boyfriend to bits and he is a fantastic chef but i can honestly say that i have never met anyone more messy when cooking. He manages to use every single bowl, plate, knife, spoon and board we own and as a result, him, me and no dishwasher isn’t a pretty sight.

So on Tuesday, Alex and i hopped on a train left the quiet solitude of the country and headed for the big smoke. The morning was spent traipsing around some fairly unsatisfactory flats, we couldn’t seem to find anything that had both a nice kitchen and some outside space, it was always one or the other and i was beginning to get a little annoyed (i’m not known for my patience). Seeing as we had an hour or two to spare before our next viewing we decided to grab some lunch. We were in Fulham so decided to amble up the road to The Butchers Hook, just opposite chelsea football stadium. Don’t worry, it’s not a footbally pub, it’s a foodie pub, you’ll be more likely to find people sprawling on the big communal table reading a paper than chugging beer and chanting football songs (although they do have a pretty good selection of beers on tap). This is one of my favourite restaurants in Fulham, it’s got such a great atmosphere, really warm and cosy in the winter but with outside tables in the summer. It’s also got a really nice wine list and a knowledgeable staff who are happy to recommend something if you can’t make a decision, something that frequently happens to me and i have to say, i’m yet to be disappointed. Anyway, given that it was the middle of the day and we still had more flats to view we steered clear of the wine as there was a fairly strong chance i’d get tipsy and get carried away with some extravagant flat way out of our budget. Luckily there was no reason i couldn’t eat some yummy food.

Neither of us were particularly grabbed by any of the mains that day so we decided to share some small plates instead. They have a changing daily menu for lunch and dinner as well as a blackboard of specials that are available all day long, we mixed and matched from both.

First up we had a beef carpaccio, more because alex had been deprived of such things in thailand than anything else. Now i have to say, i wasn’t blown away by this. It wasn’t that it was bad, just woefully underseasoned, i’m not sure alex cared at this point though, given that it had been so long since he’d had one.

Next up were some whiting goujons (liking the sustainable fish there guys). These were a hit with both of us, meltingly succulent fish encased in a featherlight tempura batter they were crisp and crunchy with a good squezze of lemon and served with one of the best tartare sauces i’ve had the pleasure of eating in a while. Very light and punchy and fresh with a nice zing from the capers, we couldn’t get enough of it.

We did also have to get a bowl of chips as i had the craving, and also because i know they come with aioli and a bowl of sea salt which is frankly too much for me to resist. And they weren’t bad, although they could have done with being a little crispier.

We also had a welsh rarebit as alex had never had one before. In case you don’t know what this is, it’s basically cheese on toast except the cheese is mixed with ale and mustard before being spread on toast and grilled, usually then being finished with a couple of cheeky splashes of worchestershire sauce. Neither of us were 100% sure on this one. Alex just thought it tasted like fondue, i liked it as long as i had some of the salad with it, without, it was a little overpowering in taste and was seriously rich. In short, i would not have wanted a whole one.

Last but by no means least was the crowning glory, something i could quite happily have eaten a whole plate of (except it was really rich so i probably couldn’t have). I was a little confused that it was a starter as it was deep and full and i’m not sure how you’d eat a main course afterwards but this is the only fault. It was spectacular. Confit pigs cheek with dauphinoise potatoes and rocket. Di-vine, so divine that as you can see, i felt the need to split the word up for a bit more impact. Now it may not look like much but trust me, it was a good-un, i’m keeping my fingers crossed that it’ll be sitting prettily on the menu next time i’m in there too.

Be it a quiet lunch or a big noisy dinner with friends, it’s somewhere i’d definitely recommend, they also do a fantasticly fantastic steak with a glass of wine deal for something silly like £13.95 on sunday nights as well as a daily special with a drink for about £8.95 for lunch/£10 for dinner. Now doesn’t that sound like it’s worth a visit?

www.thebutchershook.co.uk

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, after a couple more days hunting, on thursday we finally found our flat, and it somehow manages to tick every single thing on my ridiculous list.

Tate Britain

02 Tuesday Aug 2011

Posted by in beef, carpaccio, cod, panna cotta, pea, samphire, tate

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I’ve always heard good reviews of the restaurant inside the Tate Britain but it’s not somewhere I’d ever actually gotten around to going to. It’s always somewhere that has appealed to me as well as i absolutely love the Tate Britain, for me it’s one of the most relaxing places in London and somewhere where, unusually for me, I don’t mind being alone. Unlike the restaurant at the Tate Modern which is casual and usually packed full of tourists, the restaurant at the Britain is fine dining and tends to attract a predominantly british crowd. I probably still wouldn’t have made it had it not been for my mum wanting an amble around the gallery itself in the morning. I was supposed to be meeting her at 10 for a relaxed morning, strolling around the current exhibitions but the last nights festivities may have gotten in the way slightly (Brekke was headed back to Norway and i think we finally crawled exhausted into bed at about 7am). As a result, i didn’t make my morning of culture but did manage to arrive just in time for lunch (surprise surprise) and boy am I glad i did.
Nestled away in the basement, it’s a beautiful room, the walls covered in murals by Rex Whistler make a gorgeous backdrop and a nice change from the usual stark walls you find in a lot of restaurants. The light boxes on top of the pillars that run the length of the room add to the atmosphere as it gives the impression that the ceiling is floating, unsupported over the dining room. The menu is the brainchild of Paul Newbury and is aimed at being seasonal and british, focusing on local ingredients. We ordered from the A la Carte menu but it did take some deliberation as the set lunch menu also looked pretty tempting. It’s really reasonably priced as well, 2 courses from just £16.50 and for a mere £31 you can have 3 courses as well as matched wine for each course. That sounds pretty bargainous to me.
I just couldn’t resist the siren song of Beef Carpaccio though, hence the A la Carte option and i’m glad i succumbed, i was just what i needed to kick start my tastebuds. The most melt-in-the-mouth tender fillet of black label Devonshire beef rested under a perfectly punchy mound of celeriac remoulade and the truffle oil was just the earthy note it needed to really pull everything together. i wish there had been more, it was divine, although i will admit that the beef was lost a little compared to the remoulade. But, oh, the remoulade. I could have just eaten a bowl of that and been happy.

Mum went for the Pea Panna Cotta with shaved turnip, pea shoots and mint oil. I was glad she opted for this as i was tempted by it aswell so i was pleased i had the chance to try it. This was yummy but remarkably strong in flavour for something as delicate as a pea and i’m not sure i could have eaten a whole one. Indeed, mum didn’t manage to finish all of hers. I love the idea of it as a dish though, so with a few tweaks, it’s something i think i might be trying before too long. Also, it’s just so darn pretty, like summer on a plate.

After that, we both went down the fish path, for me this was mainly because i saw samphire in the dish, something i struggle to resist when it’s in season. As anyone who knows me will tell you, i’ll normally go for the meat option but i was feeling the need for something altogether lighter and fresher that day. After what felt like an hour, i finally settled on the pan fried cod with samphire, courgette and caper/herb sauce. It was perfect for the mood i was in. Bursting with flavour from the capery sauce, the cod was cooked to perfection although the fillet was definitely rather large, i didn’t quite manage it all. The samphire was just what i wanted, salty, just a little crunchy and tasting of the sea. Something worth returning for.

Mum went for the catch of the day, fillet of pollock with a salad of broad beans and baby leeks with semi dried tomatoes in a butter sauce. I didn’t actually try this but she was very impressed, pretty much wiping the bowl clean which is always a good sign. She went for the wine match on this one, a crisp reisling which, although isn’t a usual choice for her, complemented the fish nicely.

If you’re looking for something different then give it a whirl, after that meal i even managed a little wonder round, the gift shop…