Published 12 August 2022
the CODE team
During a two-year hiatus from meat, nothing quite filled the void left by sausage rolls. Specifically, the chunky short ones – I’ve never found the long thin ones as enjoyable. Thankfully, my meat-free spell has come to an end, sausage rolls are back in my life, and I recently had an excellent one from Fortitude Bakehouse. The meat-to-pastry ratio was perfect, and the bottom was the opposite of soggy. I want another one.
George Gill, operations coordinator
I’m a country boy at heart and was pleased to find a new Cotswolds local last weekend. The Fox is the latest in Lady Carole Bamford’s portfolio of restaurants and has a different feel to her other pub, The Wild Rabbit, which was recently dubbed the ‘poshest pub in Britain’. After a pre-lunch glass of wine in the garden, we moved through to the dining room, which has bifold doors ready to swing open when the weather permits. We tried the tuna tartare with avocado, sesame and soy; honey and buttermilk chicken wings; and a Barnsley chop with peas, gem lettuce, and dill. All wonderful. Don’t forget the Aperol spritz jelly with fresh raspberries to finish. The Fox has been open for three weeks but feels like it’s been a Cotswolds hotspot for years.
Henry Southan, social media manager
Opened in May 2022, Harvey Browns still has a decidedly new feel, but is quickly building a reputation as somewhere to stop if you’re in the area. Inside the large barn, which has an architectural pull of its own, is a food hall with deli and butchery counters, and, on our visit, a whole row dedicated to different varieties of Isle of Wight tomatoes. The onsite café overlooking the lake is a popular spot for brunch at the weekends (I recommend adding bacon and hash browns to your order). Dogs are allowed on the terrace outside, and on a hot day the team will help you move a table into one of the shaded areas and fetch a bowl of water to ensure your four-legged friend doesn’t have to suffer in the heat.
Will Lake, COO
The last time I ate food from chef Philli’s kitchen was at her pop-up at Harvey Nichols. I still find myself daydreaming about the truffle egg croissant which made me every bit elated. This time around though she’s in residence at One Park Lane for ‘Taste Kitchen,’ a pop-up launching alongside her new book. The terrace serves up a playful menu packed full of flavour, creativity and fun. When you open it, you’re met with a decision tree that will help you identify your palate, and dishes are colour coded. A nice talking point. Highlights were her famed Philli’s fried chicken; Korean glazed octopus; and the sea bass kinilaw with prawn oil and pork crackling. But the winner was the short rib rendang – sublime.
Henry Southan, social media manager
CODE was a guest of Taste Kitchen
I wrote this week’s CODE Bulletin at Mosque Kitchen in Edinburgh, a canteen that started life in the 1980s as a place for Muslim congregations to eat after prayer. In 2001 – or thereabouts – the owners sought to improve relations in the community and opened it to the public. These days, it attracts locals, tourists, just about everyone. You can eat comfortably for under a tenner. I had chicken curry, rice, some mixed veg, a pakora, and an Appletiser, and even after all that it was super affordable.
Josh Barrie, editor