Review - Ottolenghi Knightsbridge

So I'm back on the rock after a few days in London. Looks like I'll be eating dhal for the next week after 'investing' heavily in various London eateries.

So where did I make it to?

• Ottolenghi - Motcomb St branch
• Leiths cookery school
• Hummingbird Bakery - Old Brompton Rd
• No. 10 - Schezuan place we went to last time
• HiX Soho

Plus...errrm...Pret and Marksies....but you probably know what they're like

I was sooo excited about going to Ottolenghi, their food is definitely my cup of tea. Delicious filling salads with loads of herbs/spices and amazing cakes, all beautifully presented with loads of colour.

I hit the salads in the form of

• Chargrilled broccoli with chilli and garlic
• Green beans and mange tout with hazelnut
• Roasted aubergine with saffron yoghurt
• Courgette with feta
• Roast fillet of beef with a l0vely dipping sauce (watercress and mustard I think)

Then after much consideration I went for carrot cake and a vanilla/mascarpone friand style something for dessert.

Everything was beautifully presented and chock full of flavour

They have 4 branches over London, I'd highly recommend a detour :o)

London calling.....wahooooo!

I'm off to London next week for a few days of hard work......hehehehe........'research' in the capital's eating establishments. In order to provide the best quality eating experience for my cookery school + catering clients back here. Yes, I am doing it for you! My dedication knows no bounds.

Possibilities include....Mark Hix's new place in Soho, Tim from Island Seafare/Paddy's Market was there last week and recommends it. Well he does supply them with queenies so it's must be good!........Leiths Cookery School to watch a few demos........L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon looks pretty slick so may be graced with my presence.

Meeting up with my brother so expecting some Italian goodies..........Andrew if you are reading this.....get to the shop please

Sunday brunch @ The Tapa Room

This was meant to be Sunday brunch at Lantana, but when we got there it was shut...boohooo. So we headed over to Marylebone High Street and The Tapa Room which I had seen recommended on the Time Out website. We had to queue for 25 mins just to get a seat. My brother having the perfect timing, arriving as we sat down! Hmmmm.....but would it be worth the wait?

Apologies for the single (and quite frankly rubbish) picture. We were starving and I totally forgot, by which time we had all shared out our dishes. You can even see my brother's fork diving in for more....get back!

A quick look at the menu indicated that this would be a very very very good brunch. Loads of Aussie-style dishes, man those Aussies can dish out a killer brunch! Since my return I have learnt that the head honcho there is a guy called Peter Gordon (he's Kiwi...sorry!) and he had an article in the December 09 issue of delicious magazine. So there you go.

We had......Paprika roast potato, sweet potato, caramelised onion, feta, and edamame tortilla with salsa rossa, Greek yoghurt and greens
Sweetcorn and blueberry fritters with avocado, tomato and rocket salad
Hot-smoked salmon, two poached eggs and spinach on walnut toast with yuzu hollandaise

Accompanied by cake, smoothies, hot chocolate and a very strong Bloody Mary.....YUM!

This place tied with No.10 as our best find of the weekend........a return journey will definitely be scheduled. Their lunch menu looks amazing too :o)

Saturday night @ Mesam

After stuffing ourselves at lunchtime it was time for something a bit lighter Saturday night. Meeting up with my brother and his friend at a little Iranian joint on Warwick Rd, which was handily only 1/2 mile from where we were staying. However......I totally messed up the directions. leading to an unexpected. 45 minute pre-dinner stroll. Stokesy HATES walking so I was in the bad books by the time we got there.

Dinner was flatbread, herbs, yoghurty/shallot stuff, hoummous and kebabs

Friday night @ No. 10

Errm not quite No. 10 Downing Street but a really good Schezuan restaurant called No. 10, down an alley opposite Earls Court tube station. Stokesy and I came straight from the airport to meet Kerry, Brett and my brother, Andrew.

The food was soooo good. We had a load of stuff to share including.....Dim sum - Prawn Ha Kow and Pork Siu Mai.....Steamed sea bass with chrysanthemum.....Green beans with crispy pork (above)......Aubergine something nice (top pic)....Chives with egg.......Crispy duck with veg. It should be noted that all of this came with copious amounts of chilli.....oh and it was a really good value meal. All that food, plus a couple of other dishes and a few beers came to £100 for 5 including service. Bargain!

Great start to the weekend. Oh and it was nice to see Kerry/Brett/Andrew........hahaha

Off to Da Big Smoke

Yes me and stokesy and heading to the capital........no not Douglas.......London! Wahooo!

Food related plans have obviously been made :o)

These include lunch at Moro......I love love love their recipe book......I'm so excited about going....have checked out their menu online. Ooh go on....have a look. I reckon I'll have Grilled aubergine and yoghurt salad with crispy lamb and chilli butter.......followed by.....Wood roasted pork with patatas pobres and churrasco sauce....YUM!

Have booked dinner at Maze......hey did you see it on Masterchef last night?........looking forward to it even more now.....hmmm what do I fancy here??.....in homage to my Scottish roots......Cornish canon of lamb with confit shoulder, spiced turnip fondant, Granny Smith purée and haggis sauce.....oh and all of the desserts :o)

I want to make to a few other places too.........Ottolenghi for their amazing salads.........Primrose Bakery + Hummingbird Bakery for big cake!!!..........I also hope to find somewhere with nice caiprinhias :o)