Author Archives: Qin Xie

Gillray’s Steakhouse and Bar

by Qin Xie | 1 Comment

Published on Bon Vivant on 21st August 2012:

How do you do a steakhouse differently? Well if you’re at Gillray’s, you start the dinner with a cheese laden Yorkshire pudding and a serving of horseradish sauce.

“A Yorkshire pudding? How strange” you might think. And yes, to a certain extent, it is. But it’s also terribly well made, amusingly different and very English. After all, the inspiration behind Gillray’s is the English caricaturist James Gillray.

Housed in the London Marriott County Hall, Gillray’s boasts views of the Thames, Houses of Parliament and the London Eye. Head chef, Gareth Bowen, is said to have worked at Michelin-starred restaurants all over the world before landing at Gillray’s at the beginning of this year.

So what might you find at this very English establishment? Well the menu is certainly peppered with English ingredients – Brixham diver king scallops, Forman’s London cure smoked salmon, Devonshire crab cakes and Surrey duck egg salad – all very quaint.

Half a dozen Cornish oysters, baked with cheddar and spinach, is probably what you should go for though: plump, creamy and delicious. But don’t stop to count the calories before moving on to the main course – steak.

You can, of course, choose from a selection of cuts, including bone-in or bone-out, and a special ‘ladies’ cut’ fillet. The meat is Yorkshire Hereford cattle from the Duke of Devonshire’s Bolton Abbey Estate, 35 day dry aged. Then you can have it cooked to anywhere between blue and well done, according to the very scientific measurement of temperature; so says the cooking chart on the menu anyway. The steak is very well cooked but not as gamey as you might expect for something which has been aged for so long.

The steak comes with tomatoes, mushroom and a sauce of your choosing. There’s no Béarnaise – that wouldn’t be very English – but there is tarragon butter, which is very much the same and just as good. If you require something more, the truffle and parmesan chips offer a pungent earthly delight, which are seriously good.

The wine list is rather small though, and if you were looking to spend a small fortune on wine, you probably won’t succeed. Instead, go for a very good mid-range Pinot Noir from Robert Mondavi, which is light but intensely fruity and a good contender against the steaks.

If they insist and you are so inclined, do go for a cheese course. The entirely English selection consists of variations on blue, brie, goats’ and cheddar, all served with chutney, apple and croûtes.

Classic desserts like sticky toffee pudding are on the menu but the keenly selected choice of ice creams and sorbets are just delicate enough to finish a heavy meal. The elderflower and champagne, in particular, is the epitome of summer.

Olympic nosh at Annex East

by Qin Xie | Leave a comment

Published on The Prodigal Guide on 9th August 2012:

Jimmy's Supper Club at Annex East

The Annex East pop-up has been open in Stratford since the 21st of July and will be there for the duration of the Olympic games. Situated at the end of Carpenters Road, near the Aquatics Centre, it’s closer than a stone’s throw from the gates but inside is another world.

The 1800 square-foot warehouse space combines a pop-up restaurant, fully licensed bar, entertainment space and gallery.

Split into two levels, the ground floor is an exhibition space showcasing artwork from independent galleries in London including Limoncello Gallery and Hannah Barry Gallery.

The mezzanine level, on the other hand, hosts live music, a custom designed bar and Jimmy’s Supper Club run by Jimmy Garcia of Southwest Supper Club.

During the day, themed meals, based on the last five Olympic hosts (Beijing 2008, Athens 2004, Sydney 2000, Atlanta 1996 and Barcelona 1992), are offered alongside gourmet sandwiches and snacks. The Beijing 2008, for example, is a duck and red pepper noodle salad with chilli, lime and coriander dressing.

Don’t worry about missing the games either. A large flat screen will be available to view the games whether you’re having a spot of lunch or simply enjoying a much needed drink.

Jimmy's Supper Club at Annex East

In the evening, the vibe completely changes.

Still casual, dinner is a sit down affair with different events running each night. With wine matching, film and quiz nights running, there’s always something other than the food to keep you occupied. Plus, the bar is licensed until 2am.

But if food is the main reason you’re heading to Annex East, then you certainly won’t be disappointed. It’s not quite Michelin quality but it’s impressively prepared, especially when you realise how small the kitchen actually is.

You get a choice of starters, mains and desserts alongside a set trio of canapés and petit fours.

For starters, the smoked British duck breast is particularly good. Delicately smoky and thinly sliced, the meat is tender and well balanced in flavour. Served with cherry compote, cherry coke reduction and savoury cherry muffin, it’s really classic combinations reinterpreted.

The trio of pork makes a good solid main if you’re hungry. Crisp pork belly, confit cheek and pancetta crisp offers contrasting textures while the spiced apple purée and Calvados jus whets the palate with fruity acidity.

The Eton Mess has to be the tidiest sweet around – raspberry coulis neatly drizzled over berry ripple meringues, strawberry cream and fresh berries. It’s quintessentially English and truly delightful.

The service will be touchingly personal because, though it’s not inside someone’s home, it is a Supper Club and not a restaurant. But please do leave a tip – it’s easy to see these guys work incredibly hard to create what promises to be a wonderful evening.

A trio of London’s summer supper clubs

by Qin Xie | Leave a comment

Published on Yahoo Sport UK & Ireland on 28th July 2012:

The vibrant London food scene has seen a movement from fine dining establishments to underground dining movements over the last few years. Spearheading that, arguably, has been the supper clubs.

Kerstin Rodgers, aka Ms Marmite Lover, started the first supper clubs in London; aptly named The Underground Restaurant.

The idea was simply that the dining out experience took place at the home of a stranger rather than a restaurant. Since then supper clubs have spread like wild fire.

These days, supper clubs no longer have to take place in the home of the host and increasingly, niche cuisines are covered by talented amateur cooks.

To celebrate the Olympics, a few food scene regulars, including Kerstin Rodgers, have set up their own supper clubs for the games.

Read more on Yahoo!

Cycle route – Where to eat in Box Hill

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Published on Yahoo Sport UK & Ireland on 27th July 2012:

There are two ticketed observation areas for the Olympic road race this weekend: the start/finish point at The Mall in London and Box Hill in Surrey where all the action happens.

It’s easy to find food and drink spots in central London but what about out in the country?

You could of course pack a picnic hamper; the weather, for once, is looking promising. If you have far to travel though, that looks much less appealing.

Most of the roads in the area will be closed and there will be minimal parking. Lugging around a big hamper on a scorching summer’s day isn’t much fun and even worse, perhaps, is if it rains and things get muddy.

But you’re in luck.

Read more at Yahoo!

Hot foot it to Humphry’s

by Qin Xie | 1 Comment

Published on BespokeRSVP on 19th July 2012:

A short train and taxi ride takes you, within the hour, to the charmingly secluded Buckinghamshire country club Stoke Park. Part luxury country hotel and spa and part golf club, the exclusive property is probably more well known than you realise. As well as being the set for numerous blockbuster films such as James Bond and Bridget Jones’ Diary, it’s also the host of the annual Boodles tennis tournament. With London bursting at the seams under the weight of Olympics visitors, it’s the perfect time to visit.

The Country Club opened its doors to non-members for the first time and the award winning food alone is worthy of a visit.

Humphry’s, headed up by Executive Chef Chris Wheeler, is Stoke Park’s main restaurant and the holder of two AA Rosettes. For somewhere which only catered to members and their guests in the past, you might think that the food is stuck somewhere in history. Not quite so. Though there is a hint of the classics running through the menu (consommé and tian both make an appearance for example, as does a burgeoning cheese trolley), beautifully arranged modern British fare is served up.

The pan-fried scallops with celeriac puree and crispy pancetta was the ideal starter for me. The well prepared scallops, topped with a little caviar and adorned with jewels of port reduction, struck a balance between sweet and savoury when paired with the celeriac and pancetta. It’s a perfectly executed dish which was light but bold enough in flavour to titillate the taste buds for what’s to come next.

Unusually for me, I opted for a fishy main. It was partly inspired by the surprisingly fish heavy menu and partly because I was intrigued by the accompaniments. Indeed, for me, the violet potatoes which accompanied my oven-baked red mullet is rarely seen on restaurant menus. The main also offered char-grilled peppers, crab ravioli and lobster foam to vie for attention.

What really impressed me though, had to be the desserts. I know I’m a dessert fanatic but the stunning presentation really showed off a seriously skilled pastry section, no doubt down to the hundreds of weddings and events catered for at Stoke Park each year.

The Humphry’s Snickers is the signature dessert to go for and Taste of Apple sounds the most intriguing but I really found my fancy with the raspberry mousse and white chocolate ganache. The raspberry dessert appeared in mousse, sorbet, gel, crumble and fruit form in a delicate line on a black plate. Light, refreshingly fruity and striking in presentation, there’s really nothing not to like.

A tea or coffee is definitely recommended after dessert, if only so you can spend a little while longer staring dreamily out of the window. The view, by the way, is watercolour picturesque. With great food, wonderful views and perfect tranquillity, why would you ever leave?