Really, if I'd been giving a short review on all the wonderful restaurants Simon and I have been to recently, this blog would be quite a bit more complete than it is!
Well, I'll have to start somewhere, so I might as well start at the end (yes, that's how things work in my brain)...the end being our most recent fine-dining experience at a Charcuterie and Tapas Bar which we stumbled upon in London on Saturday night.
Located just off of the hip and busy Regents street, in the back streets which seem to have just as many hip and busy night clubs and bars, this warm, wood-furnished, low-lit tapas bar is a little out of place as it seems to cater to a quieter, food-loving crowd. The cooking is truly superb for the price. We ordered tapas which offered flavors that brought us directly to Spain and Italy: the Chargrilled Octopus with Smoked Potato Puree and Pepperonata and the Roast Sea Bass with Braised Root Vegetables, Raisins, Pine Nuts and Gremolata were our favorite tapas. But don't expect to find those there when you go! The paper menus indicate that, like all my favorite restaurants in France, the menu is changed consistently, offering all clients an unique experience. I sipped a white peach bellini, while Simon enjoyed his usual red wine. We finished with Three Hard Italian Cheeses with Truffle Honey (I think I enjoy the French cheeses I've tasted more on an individual level, but the mix of cheese and honey together was exciting enough on its own, let alone the fact that you could taste the contrast of sweet and "earthy" in the Truffle Honey.)
Honestly, this type of cooking is what makes me want to abandon everything and travel to find each dish at its source. I would love to see how the octopus is captured and where the honey bees and truffles are harvested. Why not go all out, and learn as much as there is to know about the culinary arts? We all have to eat, don't we?
In the meantime, why not check out their website? They even have a recipe of the month which I'm already dying to try.
xo
Loving your blog! x
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