Benares

For my birthday, PJ took me to Benares. I have wanted to come here for ages as I had heard very good things about this upscale modern Indian restaurant from Atul Kochhar. It's in Berkeley square in Green Park (one of London's most exclusive areas) and you immediately know it, with door porters and a posh members' club type atmosphere on entry (I hope our names are on the list...).

We started with a cocktail in the bar. As you would expect, most of the cocktails are Asian twists on classics such as Martini with cardamon etc. Drinks we about £13 each, not cheap but we were in one of the most expensive areas of the world and they were good and strong.

We opted for the Grazing menu as we wanted to try as many different things as possible (£75 each).

Amuse Bouche was a deep fried, well spiced potato ball. It was very light and served with a coriander chutney. I could eat ten of these with a couple of beers.

Each course was a trio of little bites. First up was Prawns Pickled with Indian Five Spice, Curry Leaf and Tarragon Infused Lobster Rillet, Confit Duck Terrine with Orange Jelly. My favourite was the picked prawn. I finished it quickly but found myself going back to crunch on the prawn tail to extract every last little bit of flavour.  Everything is expertly spiced and nothing overpowers the main ingredient. A real eye opener to how spices should be used.

Tandoori Monkfish Tail with Squid Ink Mayonnaise. Juicy, meaty and as always perfectly spiced.

Chilli and Garlic Marinated Chicken Tikka. The chicken was the most tender chicken I have ever tasted. I am not sure how they did this (maybe the chicken is cooked in a gentle water bath before being pummelled in the intense heat of the tandoor?).

Tandoor Roasted Pidgeon with Vanilla Beetroot. This was a little tough after eating the chicken and the fish but still delicious.

Naan bread with sweet honey. PJ raved about these. 

Between each course of three dishes you get given some hand towels. These ones are pretty cool though and come to the table in a dish, looking like antacids. The waiter then pours water over the top and the hot towel uncurls in front of you. Novel and amusing. A nice touch.

Pan Fried Sea Bass with Kadhai Mushrooms. Oh yes this dish was fantastic.  It was served with a spiced potato mash which mopped up the sweet chutney. A real treat.

Seared Tiger Prawn with Celeriac Puree. Again I have nothing but praise. The prawn was big and juicy with the crust gave a spicy charred flavour which worked well with the sweet celeriac. Who knew curry and celeriac worked?

Spiced Lamb Kofta with Punjabi Chickpeas, Rogan  Jus. The lamb I think had been passed through a sieve which gave it an odd, extreme softness. I think this dish would be better by keeping the texture more in line with what the diner would expect from lamb.

I am not a huge dessert man and you can tell from the fact that I forgot to take pictures!  We had Pear Sorbet, Star Anise Infused Dark Chocolate Mousse and a Poached William Pear. We liked the poached pear the best. In general though we felt that the dessert and the petit four (which I managed to remember to take a picture of below) lacked the Asian influence we wanted. Don't get me wrong they were good, but were in my opinion not in the same league as the savouries.

Benares is everything I expected with a small note to work on the desserts (why not serve up a mini jalabi for example?). An elegant atmosphere and eye opening delicious Indian food. I felt very spoiled. Thanks PJ.

Monster Munch Rating: 85%

Benares
12 a Berkeley Square House
Berkeley Square
London
W1J 6BS

0207 629 8886
http://www.benaresrestaurant.com/

Fish Fragrant Aubergine

This is a recipe I got from the excellent Fuchsia Dunlop - land of plenty. If you are into Sichuan food I thoroughly recommend this book. I have tweaked a few bits to my liking. Enjoy.

2 x aubergines, regular i.e. non Asian ones are fine
1.5 x table spoons of Pixian Chilli Bean Paste
3 x table spoons minced ginger
3 x table spoons minced garlic
0.5 x cup of chicken stock
3 x teaspoons of white sugar
2 x teaspoons of light soy sauce
1.5 x teaspoons corn flour mixed with 1 x tablespoon of cold water
3 x teaspoons Chinese black rice vinegar
4 x spring onions
3 x teaspoons of sesame oil

1. Cut the aubergines lengthways in half and then half these lengthways again. Then cut into small slices about 1cm thick
2. Heat up a wok with vegetable oil until good and hot. It needs to be deep enough to fully submerge the aubergines
3. Deep fry for a few minutes in batches. Do not overcrowd the wok or the oil will cool down too much and the end result will be too greasy
4. Remove the aubergines from the oil and drain onto kitchen towel
5. Discard the frying oil or set aside for some other frying use
6. Clean the wok and put in 2 x table spoons of fresh vegetable oil. Heat to a medium heat and add the chilli bean paste and stir fry for 20 seconds
7. Add the ginger and garlic to the bean paste and fry for 10 seconds
8. Add the stock, sugar, soy sauce and mix
9. Add the aubergines back and simmer gently for a few minutes
10. Add the corn flour mixture and cook out for a minute
11. Stir in the vinegar, spring onions and sesame oil
12. Serve

A note about Chilli Bean Paste: there are a few different widely available varieties in London. Mainly, Lee Kum Kee which seems to be everywhere. Fuschia Dunlop advises that for the authentic Sichuan dish, you should use fava bean (broad bean) chili paste. The good stuff comes from the Pixian Chili Bean Factory. I searched for this in London's China town and found it in the small Chinese super market opposite Baozi Inn just off Charing Cross Road. More info from Fuchsia Dunlop.

Red and Hot

Like most Londoners, I am loving Sichuan food right now. There are a few to choose from in central from the swankier Bar Shu and Bar Shan in Soho, to the less glitzy, more cafe style of My Old Place (City) and Gourmet San (Bethnal Green).

I was taken to Red and Hot a couple of times by a friend who grew up in China and have become a huge fan of this place. It's the best Sichuan place I've ever been to. The food is fantastic, but equally as important, their menu is very extensive and fully translated into English. It is very annoying to see plates of steaming dumplings and endlessly appetising dishes pass your table onto those of Chinese diners "in the know" whilst the English only menu offers uninspiring Anglo-Chinese dishes and only a few authentic Sichuan examples.  Full marks to Red and Hot for inclusivity.

For eats, we had:

A cold appetiser of "Mouth watering Sichuan Chicken with Lip Tingling Spicy Sauce (£7.80)". Cold appetisers took a bit to get used to but now I love them. The sauce is fiery and addictive, laden with numbing Sichuan pepper and sesame oil.

Onto one of the Sichuan classics and a firm favourite of PJ and mine, "Aubergine in Fish Flavoured Sauce £7.80". If you haven't had this before, don't let the strange name put you off. Fish Flavoured is just a staple set of ingredients normally used for flavouring fish. The frying of the aubergines makes them buttery on the inside and the morsels melt into a sweet, tangy and delicious mouthful. It is insanely good with rice. You will soon find yourself fighting over this dish with your fellow diners. This is my favourite version in London.

"Dry Stewed Sea Bass in Soya Bean Paste (£14.80)". A bit of a splurge on price admittedly but deep fried fish with sweet and beany sauce gets me going. Frying the fish keeps the flesh moist and delicate. It was a nice balance against the spicy chicken.

A final dish from the "Snack" menu. "Chengdu Dan Dan Noodles (£3.80)". I've never had Dan Dan noodles from Chengdu admittedly, but coming from the capital of Sichuan province, I expected these to be uber fiery, which they weren't. The noddles themselves were perfectly cooked though.

I thoroughly recommend Red and Hot and I will be going back again and again. The menu is so extensive I feel I could never get bored here.

Monster Munch Rating: 90%

Red and Hot
59 Charing Cross Road
London
WC2H 0NE
0207 734 8796

www.rednhotgroup.com

HK Diner

There are many good posts about the abundant cafes in London's Chinatown. One of my favourite haunts though is HK Diner. Sure there are a few things in here that irk me. Namely the fact that there is a Chinese only menu, grrr. You have to ask for dishes by name or point at a fellow diner's table to get some of the better stuff. Secondly, you do not get an English, itemised bill. Cue over charging, pretending they can't speak English properly and general annoyance. I will say they have got a little friendly here than they used to be, though avoid going after say 10pm if you want to be treated in a civilised fashion (it's open until about 3am I think).

So why do I go then? Well, it's very casual which I love. The food is also pretty decent too. Not amazing, but decent.

Dishes I had recently:

Wonton Noodle Soup - a reasonably sized bowl and a good rendition. I had this as more of a starter but the porky dumplings would be a satisfying lunch on a chilly day in town. (£5 ish).

Red Chili Stuffed with Minced Prawn in Black Bean Sauce (£9 ish). I have no idea if this is traditional or not but it sure is tasty. It is obviously a spicy dish but it's definitely manageable if you are a "Madras" eater. I also recommend a similar dish of aubergine and tofu stuffed with minced prawn in black bean sauce at Gold Mine restaurant in Baystwater. It's immense with rice.

Sea Spiced Aubergine (£9 ish)- a bit of a classic. Sweet and tasty, the aubergine stews down and baths the rice in sticky goodness. One of  favourite versions of this dish can be found at Red and Hot down the road.

For a casual, tasty bite to eat check out HK Diner.

Monster Munch Rating: 75%

HK Diner
22 Wardour Street
London

No need to book.

Caravan

Caravan opened to much fanfare and has been given great reviews in the blogosphere. A friend works right by Exmouth Market, where Caravan is situated, where I had never been before, so we thought we would grab a few Thursday beers and food here.

The weather was good and the streets were full of arty cool people and there was a pleasant al fresco buzz about the street. The road is lined with restaurants and bars and I definitely want to come back and explore some of the others, in particular Moro which I hear is great.

So Caravan. I arrived on my own and was seated by a polite young waiter. The place was light and airy with the doors open and tables spilling out onto the street. I ordered a bottle of Whitstable Bay beer. Ta very much. Light and refreshing. A good start.

Joined by my friend, we were asked if we had been here before. We hadn't. We were then told about the "Caravan Concept" which is basically a tapas style grazing menu that is so popular nowadays. "How many dishes do two hungry lads need?" we asked. Apparently 3 each should be plenty. More about that later...

A shot of miso soup as a complimentary "amuse bouche". Not too much of the amuse here, it was too salty for me.

Rich oxtail was pretty decent and sticky (£7.50). I can't quite remember what the stuff underneath was (it was a few weeks ago) but I remember it being good at soaking up the meat juices.

Goat's curd, tomato, lentils and a sumac cracker (£5.50). Not a whole lot going on to be honest. It lacked any real flavour.

Rabbit Terrine (£5.00). This was the stand out dish of the meal and was rich, moist and delicious. Interestingly, this was also the cheapest proper dish we had and has since been taken off the menu. Shame.

Chargrilled spiced mutton chop with mint yoghurt  (£7.50). You can see why we ordered it. Whoever writes the menu should be given a raise because they hooked us in good and proper. What we got was one bony chop with a minuscule amount of meat. How are we meant to share that? And the price? At £7.50, someone is becoming rich, fast. Avoid.

A side of fries. Thank the Lord for the fries or my stomach would have been consuming itself to maintain my core bodily functions (£3.00).

The meal left us both starving. I was literally eyeing up kebab shops on the way home. At £40 for two I admit it didn't break the bank but it would have if we filled up. Caravan is a clever concept. It charges lots of money for small amounts of food. I guess that's why "grazing style" concepts are so popular today. The food was competent , the service great, and the atmosphere young cool and buzzy. Having said that, I go to dinner to eat. Yes the former attributes are important clearly, but at £20 each with one beer each, I don't expect to feel short changed. And I did.

There is a limited number of "big plates" and perhaps that's the way to go here but with so much fierce competition in London, I would probably only go back for drinks and a few picky bits, not dinner.

p.s. Dear Caravan, why is your website still under constructions months after your launch?! Sort it out.

Monster Munch Rating: 60%

Caravan Restaurant Bar and Roastery
11 - 13 Exmouth Market
London
EC1R 4QD
0207 833 8115

http://www.caravanonexmouth.co.uk/

One-O-One

Normally I wait until the end of a post to give my over all two cents. Here I can't wait that long. This place is fantastic. Really, it's great. I don't believe it has a Michelin Star, but it should do. What do they know anyway...

I am generally a pretty casual diner, preferring a lip smackingly good bowl of soup noodles in a street side diner as opposed to the stuffy pomp and circumstance of a Michelin Star restaurant. However, when the fish is this fresh and cooked to perfection as it is here you can't help but relish the opulent surroundings and want to come back again and again.

The place isn't cheap but the secret with this one is to book on Sunday with the Taste London card which gives you 50% off all food! There is no limit to the number of times you can use it too. Wow. This is the best food deal yet I have found in London.

We started off in the bar with an aperitif. A solid Manhattan for me. We moved into the dining room where we were seated at a large table for four with very comfy seats. You would be quite happy to sit here all night drinking and eating.

First up for me, "Norwegian Red King Crab Legs from the Barents Sea (£24)". There was a choice of how you could have these served. I opted for plain and simple, on ice with a light mayonnaise and lemon. This crab was the sweetest I have ever had. It was insanely good. I was in a posh restaurant and couldn't stop myself from picking up the legs and munching on them. The ends were like large crab claws, meaty and so delicious. 10/10.

A friend had "Pan-Fried Hand Dived Scallop with Onzen Quail Egg, Charlotte Potato Mousseline, Crispy Pork Belly and Jus Gras (£20)". A waiter added the Mousseline at the table for added theatre. I was lucky enough to be given some of the scallop which was sweet and cooked just to the point.

"Red Tuna Tartar with Crispy Soft Shelled Crab Tempura, Sushi Rice and Wasabi Sorbet, Wakame Salad (£18)". I loved the presentation of this dish, especially the pipette of soy sauce that the waiter squeezed into the sushi rice at the table.

As a main dish, I opted for the recommended signature dish of "Roasted Norwegian Halibut with Tiger Prawn Dumplings, Paimpol Coco Beans and Truffle Cassoulet, Pork Belly, Sauce Nantua (£27)" More complex than my starter, I loved the earthy truffle against the firm milky flesh of the fish which both tasted great with the saltier fried prawn dumplings.

"Ocean Fish Mixed Grill, Sauce Choron, Mediterranean Vegetables (£27)"
All fish perfectly cooked, simple and elegant.

I am not a huge desert man and the cheese cart looked to be supporting an attractive array of stinkers so we went for cheese instead. My favourites were the Munster (bottom left) and the liquid pool of cheese you see in the middle, whose name I forget. They literally scoop it out with a spoon (see below) and it melts into a cheesy dream on the plate. It packed a real punch and was great with the accompanying grapes.

Coffee was served with an array of petit fours including white chocolate truffle with lavender and chocolate with cinnamon.

I can't compliment the restaurant enough. Fantastic food, obscenely fresh fish and lots of innovative ideas on display. I can't think of any other fish restaurant in London I have enjoyed more (although I still need to try J-sheekey which it critically acclaimed). The service was first rate too. With the 50% discount, this place is a steal. Go now before the offer ends.

Monster Munch Rating: 95%

One-O-One Restaurant
101 Knightsbridge
London
SW1X 7RN

http://www.oneoonerestaurant.com/

London Bridge Lunch

A message from a disgruntled regular reader (I like to think of him as a fan :), hi Surf) reminded me I hadn't updated my blog for two weeks. Not good. So I thought a nice post would be to talk about what is fast becoming our regular Saturday morning amble around our local area.

We start off by getting up reasonably late. I work hard. And I like to sleep. We skip Frosties or Marmite on toast and head out to the local markets which offer a fantastic abundance of high quality produce right on our doorstep. We are very lucky.

Being London Bridge and therefore effortlessly urban, you have to find your way to the good stuff. No signs please. Walking past the building sites, piles of old school/trendy/antique radiators, reclaimed Victorian floor board stores, you can't help but think that a real treat must await you at the end of the journey.



And it does. Uncrowded, you can actually enjoy the experience of browsing the delicious seasonal veggies.



Superb variety of french beans, beets, onions, courgettes etc... You can't help but want to fill your boots and rush off and make a great little salad for lunch.



A nice selection of charcuterie and cheese...



Just next to the meat and cheese is a stall from the Kernel Brewery in Druid Street down the road. I could happily sit here all afternoon sampling the various pale ales and porters on offer, stopping only to graze on the meats and cheeses nearby.



A quick stop off at the secret Monmouth Coffee shop ("two flat whites please"), and back home to cook up a storm with our bounty.

Take a look at these beets. I love the vibrant, luminous colours and earthy taste.





With them we made a beetroot salad with beet tops, mint and fresh Neil's Yard goat's curds.



A selection of the cold cuts and some Parmigiano Reggiano.



Chicory salad with hazelnut caramel brittle.



A delicious unpasteurised buffalo mozzarella with chili and olive oil.



All washed down with a glass of the Pale Ale. Superb.



Monster Munch Rating: 98%

My Old Place

I was talking about the Bethnal Green Road and how there are some great little places to eat there, when someone mentioned the sister restaurant of Gourmet San , My Old Place. More conveniently located near Liverpool St tube, I headed on over for a low stress Friday night dinner.

Since I hadn't been here before, I had to try some classics.

Potato slivers with Sichuan pepper. I am not really sure how they do this dish. Presumably the potato is blanched quickly. Anyways, it's served cold and is refreshing, crunchy and tingly with Sichuan Peppercorns. It is a little sweeter than the version at Ba Shan which I think has the edge



Fish fragrant aubergine is a real favourite of mine. I first had it in China so generally have high expectations of this one. Soft and gooey, sweet and sour. Great over sticky rice. This version was decent althouh omitted the usual ground pork. (My favourite version of this dish is at Red and Hot in Soho).



Chicken with Sichuan Chili is again a classic. This version was actually the best I have ever tasted. The chicken was wonderful seasoned and smokey. The chicken is normally served on the bone but this dish didn't suffer from any lack of flavour for not being so. Recommended.



I also couldn't resist a couple of their BBQ lamb skewers. The ones in Gourmet San are cooked over open charcoal. I wasn't sure if these were, as they tasted less smokey and BBQ'ed. They were still good though. Juicy and spiced with cumin powder. One day I would like to go in, order ten of these and 5 beers. That sounds like a great Friday night to me.



Overall I was impressed with My Old Place. It is bigger than Gourmet San and we didn't have to queue which was great. The food here is very authentic Sichuan fare and good value. Most main dishes are about £8 and portions are large as you can see. It is also easy to find. Just follow the streams of Chinese people coming up the road with little doggy bags. One gripe I do have is the presence of a Chinese only menu. Why do they always want to keep the good stuff to themselves? Boo.

Monster Munch Rating: 75%

My Old Place
88 Middlesex Street
London
E1 7EZ

0207 247 2200