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The Dumbwaiter’s best bites of the week: 11 October 2019

Published 11 October 2019

From Bethnal Green to Baker Street

Benares

With Executive Chef Sameer Taneja launching a brand new menu this week, Lazy Susan took a trip to Mayfair to sample some of the new dishes at Benares. Highlights included Baked Scallop Malabar, crispy kale fritters with potatoes gallet, as well as Kadhi Pokodie, their punjabi style yogurt curry. On top of the extraordinary food, Benares perfected the experience with excellent service and nice finishing touches, even offering Lazy Susan a scarf on arrival! 

Bubala

The Dumbwaiter paid a visit to one of Commercial Street’s newest residents on Thursday evening. The tiny restaurant serves vegetarian (though you wouldn’t notice it) middle eastern dishes, among which was some of the best halloumi The Dumbwaiter has ever eaten, but the standout dishes were the grapefruit ezme with tahini, and silky smooth labneh with confit garlic.

Gleneagles

The Dumbwaiter visited Gleneagles this week and didn’t quite realise the extent of the Scottish hotel’s F&B offering. As well as the 2 Michelin star Restaurant Andrew Fairlie they have a number of other food and drink offerings on site including The Strathearn restaurant and American bar. However, it was the picnic on the shores of the Loch that really stole the show.

Yanji Korean BBQ

The Dumbwaiter loves Korean BBQ, and his visit to Yanji in Shoreditch was as authentic as it gets. Lamb, beef, pork belly and okra skewers cooked over white hot coals at the table, served with an array of dumplings and a warming pot of kimchi Jjigae (a spicy stew with pork and tofu) was a perfect antidote to a cold October evening.

Cocotte

The Dumbwaiter is rather partial to a rotisserie chicken, so was pleased when Notting Hill favourite Cocotte opened a second site in Hoxton Square earlier this year. Stopping by for a mid-week lunch the Dumbwaiter enjoyed the ‘cheeky lunch’ menu of a quarter chicken with a couple of sides and sauces.

Kitchen at Holmes

Quietly opened on Baker Street in the Holmes Hotel, Kitchen at Holmes (a nod to a certain fictional private detective) sees head chef Stefano Motta serve up an eclectic menu in the recently renovated dining room. The Dumbwaiter enjoyed starters of smoked eel and beef carpaccio, before a main of Welsh Herdwick breaded lamb escalopes. Being lunch, the interesting selection of non-alcoholic cocktails was a welcome addition.

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