restaurant review: green and red

I shall preface my review by first saying that I am sceptical of any restaurant in the United Kingdom that purports to offer Mexican food. Generally what's served is a dodgy amalgamation of Tex-Mex cuisine (consisting of barbecue sauce, cheese and poor excuse for salsa). I've been disappointed many a time - Pacifico in Covent Garden and Cafe el Paso in Hoxton. Give me Old el Paso at home, I say.

But Green and Red, situated on Bethnal Green Road in Shoreditch, not far from Brick Lane, struck me as different, from both the external decor (very understated and very UNkitschy) and from the reviews. Apparently, the place's owners started it after a long period spent in Mexico actually studying the cuisine and its flavours. And the tequila of course.

Arriving at the restaurant on a Friday at 6:45 for a 7pm table, I happily settled in at the bar. The decor inside was again understated, warm and casual. The ethos of a back-room cantina floated around the place. After a glass of red wine (or a bottle of Dos Equis) and some chilli-roasted pumpkin seeds, I reach hopefully for the menu. Bar snacks abound - one could easily come in just for the bar food and the excellent selection of drinks. But the table calls.

The menu consists of starters (which can also be sides, and can also be shared), main courses (which can also be shared) accompanied by refried beans, tortillas and cabbage salad, and sides (which can also be starters).

What struck me first was the wholesome nature of the food - no heavy Cheddar cheese or sour cream in sight. Our starters were lightly-fried whitebait, fresh young goats cheese and an amazing broad bean, tomato, onion and cilantro salad, plus the house salsas (one green, one red), some of which we saved for our main courses.

The main courses were equally wholesome, with six options: pork, lamb, beef, chicken, fish and vegetable, each with a Jaliscan twist. My husband chose the pork option - which was in fact pork belly, ribs and crackling. I chose the vegetable option - roasted carrots, courgettes, chickpea, tomato and corn. These we dived into with gusto along with the refried beans, salsa and tortillas, amicably sharing our dishes. As I ate I had the sense of the authentic and the seasonal as well. Cabbage, carrots and courgettes are not thought of as Mexican ingredients, but they are humble and hearty, as is the cuisine. I'd happily trade for them over iceberg lettuce and bell peppers most days, though perhaps not at the tail end of summer.

By desserts we were slightly giddy, what with full bellies of proper food and mouth-watering flavours. We skipped the doughnuts dipped in chocolates,opting instead for coffees, though one came with a twist. It was a cold tequila chocolate coffee, which we chose partly out of incredulity at the prospect. Served simply in a margarita glass, the foamy result was complex, but so light, and so amazing. The tequila, so subtle, allowed the coffee and chocolate foam to lightly hold the tongue.

I think you get my drift. If not, in a nutshell, the meal was exquisite, though never presumptuous. Nor was it cheap - drinks, starters, mains, a couple sides,and coffees for 2 came in at a special-occasion £80. But I will go again, that much is for sure. Taco night at home - be scared, be very scared.

Green and Red, Bethnal Green Road, E1 6LA. Tel: 0207 749 9670

restaurant review: Wild Honey

After hearing that this restaurant, tucked away in Mayfair, won Time Out’s best new restaurant in London this year, I was interested. Then I heard that the owners of this restaurant also won the award the year before. My interest was piqued. Once I read that prices were (fairly) reasonable, with wine available in 250ml carafes, I felt a need to try this place.

We booked four for the early sitting on Saturday night, which is also popular with theatregoers, given the restaurant’s close proximity to Oxford Circus and Piccadilly. Warm wooden walls and booths (though unfortunately we were not able to get one of them) lined the restaurant.

First impressions are important, and when the waiter offered us the menus – which are revamped daily – I couldn’t wait to dive in. Seasonal and local produce was offered throughout. For starters, we had the choice of:

Red mullet, warm vegetables a la greque
Salad of warm roast autum market vegetables
Soup of chestnut, sweet onion and wild mushrooms
Fried duck egg (Clarence Court), warm salad of pancetta and lentils, sherry vinegar dressing
Warm smoked eel, sweet and sour turnips, William pear puree
Braised shoulder of hare, soft polenta and parmesan
Terrine of foie gras, quince, hazelnuts

Feeling adventurous, I chose eel. I was handsomely rewarded – the soft, wood flavoured eel was almost bitter, but with a slice of turnip, and the sweet, juicy puree, the flavour turned itself completely inside out, and the final flavour in my mouth was an entirely different experience. Eel and pear, who would have thought?

My companions chose the duck egg (very local), with its enormous yolk, served in a shiny pan for an extra touch. Another also could not resist the call of the eel, and the fourth chose the braised hare, which looked extremely rich for my tastes, though he assured me the polenta (surprisingly light) and the tangy, almost acidic parmesan cut straight through the meat.

The main courses offered similar delights:

Market fish of the day (Icelandic cod, roast onion squash, glazed salsify
Roast piece of plaice, nut brown butter with shrimps
Roast Scottish beef (Buccleuch), baked onion, autumn vegetable puree
Saddle of venison, walnut and juniper berry crust, spinach beet, Jerusalem artichoke
Halibut, mushroom risotto, purple sprouting broccoli
Potato gnocchi, wild mushrooms, market vegetables

It is not often that I fancy every dish on the menu, but I did. With my adventurous streak continuing, I selected the venison, as I have been hearing more and more about this lean meat. Others selected the roast plaice and the beef, both recommended by our waiter.

The venison sat proudly on the plate, almost in the shape of a log of goats’ cheese with nuts sprinkled on top. The deep red, almost plum-coloured meat told a different story – one of succulence and sweetness, with just a crunch of nuttiness. The sweet softness of the braised root vegetable and buttery greens cleansed the palate for more. My only qualm – and that of my companions, as well – was that more vegetables would have been nice.

Wild Honey ice cream with crushed honeycomb, selection of cheeses (in which the diner is brought to a table and given a cheese history lesson), and treacle tart were our choices from a desirable list that also included crème brulee, floating island with custard, and chocolate soup.

I was extremely pleased with dinner at Wild Honey – it is refreshing to dine at a restaurant which offers seasonal, local, and generally healthy food. Sure, there’s a price tag (Time Out estimates that for two, with wine, the bill will reach £90), but for a special occasion, it tops my list. To leave a restaurant feeling satisfied, but not stuffed (or still hungry) or guilty of too many indulgences, is a rare thing indeed.

Wild Honey, 12 St. George’s St, London W1 0207 758 9160 www.wildhoneyrestaurant.co.uk

east London restaurant wins runner up in Time Out's restaurant awards

Runner up for the Best British Restaurant in London, Time Out Eating and Drinking Awards 2007: The Empress of India (also known locally as ‘the Empress’)

It’s great to see East London restaurants making a name for themselves. (Although I have to say I like them being a well-kept secret too)

I’ve been to the Empress only once, on a fantastically sunny summer afternoon. The place was crowded and because we had not booked ahead we had to be squeezed in. The wait staff was very helpful tracking down extra seats for our table.

The menu is straightforward and simple, but very desirable: I would have been happy ordering anything. I was going to order plaice but unfortunately they had run out, and the only other option was cod, which I generally stay away from. Instead, I ordered a truly stunning courgette flower risotto, with tempura-battered flowers. Perfectly cooked and creamy with just the right note of lemon running throughout. Chefs (even Italian ones – see ‘the Italian blog’ yesterday) often get risotto wrong – it takes care and patience.

For dessert, I ordered a rich (nearly too rich) chocolate pot, which I was happy to share around the table. The cheeseboard was surprisingly good and the quality undeniable, although the cheeses were a bit ‘too’ room temperature. Peach melba was our final dessert choice, and although we were hoping for a retro 1970’s dish, I was surprised (pleasantly) by now up-to-date its presentation and taste was.

The décor, with its deep, dark woods and dramatic chandeliers, feels indulgent, but the right side of indulgent, and matches the quality of food and essence of the eating experience you get. It’s not cheap, but it’s perfect for those days just after payday. I can’t wait to go back.

Empress of India, 130 Lauriston Rd, E9 7LH. Take the 277 bus from Mile End tube (Central Line) 020 8533 5123 www.theempressofindia.com

restaurant review: Thai Garden

This humble little restaurant, nestled on Globe Road just off of the main thoroughfare through Bethnal Green, Roman Road , serves ‘vegetarian’ Thai, which it interprets as also including seafood. It won an award for best vegetarian meal from Time Out many years back in 1991, and although I can’t compare the quality now to the quality then, the restaurant consistently serves tasty, clean food.

With a policy of using only food that has not been genetically modified and without msg, Thai Garden delivers a large menu, divided into four sections: vegetarian appetizers, vegetarian main courses, seafood appetizers, and seafood main courses. These options include several curry variations and experiment with mock duck meat, tofu and bean curd.

For starter, I ordered the prawn dim sum, which was served with a healthy portion of cabbage radish and carrot and the requisite sticky sauce. They were extremely enjoyable, and my jealous dining companion eyed them greedily. He had ordered the skewers of barbecued seafood and vegetables, which was also served up with cabbage and carrot, as well as a Thai chilli sauce. By comparison, it was a bit boring, and the prawns were overcooked, which gave them a strange odour. The scallops escaped overcooking, as did the vegetables.

For the main course, I stuck with two dishes I’ve ordered before and enjoyed – the thai aubergine green curry and vegetarian phad thai. The Thai green curry (and I’m not exaggerating) is the best I’ve ever had – the Thai basil and aniseed permeated the fresh, light curry, and al dente green beans and carrots soaked the alternately hot, sweet and spicy flavours to perfection. The phad thai was a bit gooier than last time, but still close to excellent.

My companion ordered a mushroom-ginger-onion dish that was completely infused with ginger, which is not a bad thing, should ginger be your thing. Served with a stunning fragrant Thai jasmine rice, his dish was particularly sparkling. I admit to having helped myself to a few spoonfuls.

The service (generally just one woman) is excellent and attentive, and the small room of about 10 tables was kept quite busy, especially as it was only a Tuesday evening at 7:30 pm. The prices are reasonable – our appetizers were under £5, and our main courses around £6, though I essentially ordered two mains, as the phad thai was also about £5. Starters, main courses plus a rice or noodle dish, and a beer each cost us £38.50, including service (n the pricey side of reasonable). Definitely one to return to.

Thai Garden , 249 Globe Road , Bethnal Green, London , E2 0JD. 5 min walk from Bethnal Green tube. 2 min walk from the 8 bus. Takeaway and set lunch menu available. 0871 332 0197

the Italian blog

I travelled to Milan on Monday on a business trip, which sounds glamourous, though it really is not, I’m afraid. The company I visited put on quite a big show, which culminated in a gala dinner in the evening.

Intrigued and excited, I contemplated just what would be on the table. “They’re Italian,” I thought, “so the food will be amazing.” Turns out, I was wrong – but there was much enjoyment to be had from the menu itself.

First in Italian, and then (I presume) hastily translated into English, the menu proudly displayed what was to be on offer. I could be forgiven from feeling sick to my stomach:

Starter 1:

(in Italian)
Moscardini affogati con polenta

(the menu’s English translation)
Dormice drowned in polenta

(in reality)
What? Dormice are rats! And drowned? Ugh.

It turned out to be octopus, which was unfortunately jarred, on a bed of polenta, covered (not drowned) in tomato sauce. I’m unsure how octopus=dormice, but I was relieved not to have a rodent on my plate.

Score: 3 out of 10

Starter 2:

(in Italian)
Terrina di melanzane con mousse di caprino

(the English translation)
Tureen of eggplants with mousse of goat

(in reality)
A terrine of aubergine, with lovely pesto sauce drizzed over, served with a goat (cheese) mousse.

This was the best dish of the night, and I should have stopped here. Very tasty, with several layers of flavour.

Score: 7 out of 10

The third course:

(in Italian)
Risotto alla Milanese con funghi

(the English translation)
Risotto to the Milanese with mushrooms

(in reality)
Mushroom risotto

This should have been a good, staple Italian dish. Unfortunately, the rice was undercooked (a risotto crime in my opinion), and the mushrooms weren’t incorporated into the dish, but rather lumped on top. One guest noted that the dish looked like scrambled eggs.

Score: 3 out of 10

The main course:

(in Italian)
Costoletta di vitelle alle spezie con grani di senape

(the English translation)
Cutlet of calf to the spices with wheats of mustard

(in reality)
Veal with cheesy vegetables and ‘grains’ of mustard

I’m not a fan of veal, and I had been put off by the previous dishes, though the other guests enjoyed the meat. The vegetables were draped in cheese, which wasn’t necessary, and smelled processed.

Score: 5 out of 10

The desserts:

(in Italian)
Torta aziendale, Piccola pasticceria e caffe

(the English translation)
Marcegaglia cake, Twisted pastries, Coffee

(in reality)
These two desserts were more for show than to serve as a proper course – there was a large, 10 ft cake presented to the company, which was a sponge cake with fruit and icing, which was pleasant.

The pastries were small, bite-sized and assorted. I stuck with the coffee.

Score: 5 out of 10

I learned a valuable lesson that night. Just because Italian chefs are some of the best in the world, and British and American cuisine both owe Italian food a great debt, I cannot expect a perfect meal anywhere in the country.

It also reminded me how Italians cook best: simple ingredients, cooked well. Unfortunately, these rules weren’t followed that night, but they probably are in most houses throughout the country.

The highlight of the night was a wonderful, rich local red wine called Cantalupa Faber. Extremely satisfying, the wine was an absolute pleasure to drink, especially knowing I was sitting in the midst of the region it was produced.

restaurant review: Tas

Given the recent explosion in the popularity of mezze, Tas should be faring quite well. And considering that the restaurant, which opened eight years ago with locations in London Bridge and Waterloo, has expanded to nine sites, Tas is faring quite well indeed.

The reputation of the mezze genre may bring a few customers through the doors who wouldn't have ventured forth before, but Tas' food is good. One wonders whether it is places like this that have contributed in fact to the overall regard for mezze throughout London and other areas.

Though I've heard it called "dips for dinner", I don't quite agree. However, there is a lovely and friendly informality about this style of eating: it's almost like the pub of eating. No obligation to eat a large meal, yet no limits to how much you can order. It's undeniably similar to tapas, yet with a fresh, light and moreish quality about it.

On a quiet Monday evening in the Cut down by Southwark, we ordered one of the set menus. There were four to choose from, and we chose the predominantly vegetarian one, though there was one lamb and two shellfish dishes included too.

First, a proper tabbouleh, loaded to the brim with parsley. Great all on its own, it also helped to cleanse the palate between the tas, which are the traditional cooking pots used to cook casseroles. A lamb hummus quickly followed, though there was a bitterness to it that took a bit of getting used too. When I returned to have another go after the other dishes, however, the flavours tasted much more mellow.

Next, Zeytin yagli bakla – which Tas says is made of fresh broad beans, coriander, red and green peppers, dill, garlic and olive oil. It was absolutely wonderful – fresh and delightful. Then, Kasir – bulgur wheat (one of my favourites) with walnuts, tomato, herbs and spring onion.

The hot aubergine dish – Xeytin Yagli Patlican – was one of the stars. Roasted aubergine ostensibly then shredded and mizzed with tomato, garlic, peppers and chickpeas – was intense and earthy. I could have eaten more.

Another palate cleanser: the spinach and fresh yogurt.

Alongside the dazzling array of dishes were the nibbles – the obligatory yet tasty falafel, the pastry filled with spinach, fried calamari (I'm amazed how many cuisines claim calamari into their national repertoire), and midye tava, or fried mussels with garlic sauce. These were all nice, but unnecessary – although if I had to choose a favourite of these four (and only since it's September and they're in season), I'd choose the mussels.

I'd definitely recommend Tas to a friend – particularly if one was looking for a place down by the Southbank/the Cut area to eat. Tourists are minimal, prices are reasonable (the set meal was £9.90 per person), the food filling and fresh yet not overpowering, and the style of eating - the casual dating of the restaurant world – is fantastic.

Tas Restaurant, 33 The Cut, Waterloo, London SE1 8LF

www.tasrestaurant.com

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