Perilla means Danger

Perilla

A modern interpretation of classical European flavours

That's a fun fact for ya! Perilla means 'Danger' or 'You Are At Risk' in Catalan, my mother tongue (along with Spanish). But truth is, you'll be in great hands if you dine at Perilla in London, this place is far from something risky, unless we talk about food. Once again, I'm impressed. 

WHY? I love mix and match in food, and I feel London is becoming and addict to it, too. Perilla takes great conventional dishes and adds unique ingredients and sauces to it, that make each one of their dishes very special. 

We tried this place at dinner time, which I think was a plus, as the venue has that romantic je ne sais quois that makes it super lovely.  Each table is tiny but big enough to have a feast.

We don't like to get given a set tasting menu, but I have to say that price-quality and everything that you get, you are better off by doing so, if you are not as fussy as I am. 

Their customer service is sensational. I've become quite picky with my wine lately, and they were very attentive to give me enough suggestions and trials before I decided on which one to go for. To start of, we had a delicious seaweed bread with brown butter which was to die for; and YES, I am OBSESSED with bread. For mains, we had a superb mushroom with walnut sauce, pot roast broccoli with cabbages & hunt yogurt and surprisingly we tried roast cod and grilled lamb. A bit of everything! Of course, many desserts came after but our pick for the week would go for the Walnut Custard Tart with shaved chestnuts. There were raw mushrooms in our dessert, and they matched perfectly. NOW, I know all of this sounds amazing but we aware that these fellas change their menu frequently, so you may get a whole different deal depending on which season you. Worry-less, it will be fantastic. 

WHERE is this place?  1-3 Green Lanes, Mildmay Ward, London N16 9BS; in between Dalston and Canonbury

WHEN? Monday to Friday only for dinner from 6-11pm, Weekends for brunch, lunch and dinner between 12,30-11pm

You are not in danger, but your belly will be if you miss out on this one. 

TCB xx

The Good Egg

I thought it was about time I talked about one of my favorite brunch spots, and coinciding with its new launch in Soho (the original is in Stokey) this Friday, I needed to introduce you to The Good Egg (and not The Bad Egg). 

Think of Israeli brunch. THE DREAM, right? Now think of Middle-Eastern cuising with a NY twist. Still THE DREAM, right? Well, that's what you get at The Good Egg. Dreamy dishes and terrific service. 

I would love to share with you what we had for dinner last time I was there but unfortunately those pics disappeared with my stolen phone. However, this little think called internet managed to gave me a good vibe of its brunch menu, which is what this place is known for. 

WHY should you go there? Let's talk business. Their menu is short but precise. Food here is a delight that can be filled with bagels, za'tar fried chiken, roasted cauliflower (that amazingly is to die for) or dak dak salad, to name few things. Not to forget shakshuka, their breads with olive oil and tahini or the tahini ice-cream. DANG! If Middle-eastern cuisine is your think, I wouldn't hesitate trying this. You'll regret it!

WHERE is it? In Stoke Newington in 93 Stoke Newington Church St, N16 0AS; In Soho it is located in Kingly Court

WHAT time is it open until? 9 til 11pm pretty much everyday except for Mondays, when they close at 4pm, at least at their Stokey location.

TCB x

Ottolenghi, The King of Middle Eastern Food

What?Ottolenghi.

Where? It depends. If you don't mind splashing the cash, I'd say go to his high-end restaurant Nopi, near Picadilly Circus.  If you are a bit tight with your budget but still would like to try something new, then you've got 3 more options to choose: Islington, Notting Hill and Belgravia. They first one is a restaurant and the other two are a deli, which is an excellent option for lunch time.

Why? Oh  dear, where to begin. For those who are not living in the London Bubble, you need to know that Ottolenghi is God over here. A renowned israeli chef that has brought to England a contemporary way of cooking. His style, known by mixing Middle Eastern cuisine (including Sirian, Turkish, Lebanese, Iranian, Israeli and Armenian) with Western style food, is great. A perfect combo, as I say.

As a newbie in the City, I went to Ottolenghi few months ago, completely unaware of the relevance of my dinner. But the minute you get into one of his restaurants, you clearly see you are going to have more than just a meal. It's a whole new experience. The restaurant in Islington (which is the one I went to) has a deli counter at the front, welcoming you to see what you can indulge for supper.

The menu is not vast but is more than enough. I like things kept simple. I suggest you to go with few friends so that you can to try as many dishes as you can. Since the portions aren't super big, I think sharing plates is the way forward. Although it took us a bit too much to be served, the wait was SO worth it.

My top 3 from the kitchen where the braised octopus with kalamata olive puree, mustard seeds, harissa and cavolo nero; (ii) the seared fillet of english beef with sweet coriander-mustard saucethe and (iii) the Seard duck breas with red cabbage puree, pickeled celeriac, date & walnuts. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

As for my veggie favs I'd definitely go for the roasted aubergine with walnut yoghurt, herbs and spicy walnuts (see picture below) and the couliflower, onion, turmeric parsley and coriander fritters with chilli jam yoghurt.

Don't forget to have some bread with your meal (there's an excellent range) and eventhough you might be full by dessert time, you HAVE TO have dessert.

O.M.G. Desserts. I keep dreaming of them. But if you have to go for one, please try the passion fruit meringue tartlets. I wish I could have one of those everyday for the rest of my life. SO GOOD.

When? They are open Monday to Sunday, although opening times vary depending on the restaurant. Both Nopi and Ottolenghi Islington close their kitchens by 10,30-11pm (Mon-Sat), while the delis in Notting Hill and Belgravia usually close by 8pm.

So regardless of the timing, don't forget: BOLD.BIG.DELICACIES. A complete cultural explosion in the kitchen that is not to be missed.

TCB x

P.S: the pictures have been edited by me but have been collected from Ottolenghi's site and other sources, as I was unable to take pictures when I went there!

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