Squash with buffalo mozzarella, The Newt
Margherita pizza, Pizza Pilgrims in the post
Smoked beef bun, crispy new potatoes and BBQ beans, From The Ashes BBQ
Fried half chicken and smoked jollof rice, Ikoyi
From St James’s to Somerset. Here are The Dumbwaiter’s best bites of the week.
Double Standard
There are certainly worse ways to spend a Sunday afternoon than sunning yourself on the surprisingly tropical-feeling terrace at Double Standard. Chef Adam Rawson’s burgers are a knockout – ‘The Burger’ comes with stilton, bacon AND truffle aioli, and goes pretty nicely alongside the fried chicken bites that come with yet more truffle aioli. They’ve given the much-loved aperol spritz an upgrade, too, serving it in slushy form.
Squash with buffalo mozzarella, The Newt
The Newt, Somerset
Here an ambling stroll through the gardens and Cyder Barn leads to the glass-walled Garden Cafe, boasting magnificent views over the Estate and surrounding countryside. The 3-course set menu was smaller than usual, but by no means any less enticing with the same intent focus on Estate produce.
A breadboard for the table consisting of still-warm sourdough from the bakery with flavoured buffalo milk butters was accompanied by coal baked beetroot with apple, turnip, lovage and black onion seed. Who knew such wondrous things could be done with the simple beet? Charred Tromboncino squash with Estate buffalo mozzarella, fermented chilli, nasturtium and tomato dressing followed, tasting even better than it looked. Finally, the bottled plum with house gelato and salted almond praline – the perfect ending to a menu epitomising the bounty of the British summer garden.
Margherita pizza, Pizza Pilgrims in the post
Pizza Pilgrims in the Post
Unless you’ve got a pizza oven and superlative dough skills, homemade pizza is always going to be a disappointment (and make a mess of the kitchen). So it’s Pizza Pilgrims to the rescue with their Pizza in the Post service, sending out double fermented dough and the fresh toppings for two classic margaritas to anywhere in the UK. All you need is a very hot frying pan and 10 minutes for some of the best pizza you’ll ever make. Pizza Pilgrims is now reopen and available on the CODE app. To become a member, click here
Smoked beef bun, crispy new potatoes and BBQ beans, From The Ashes BBQ
From The Ashes BBQ
In this current climate of confusion, uncertainty and general peril for the industry, it’s invigorating to come across ventures like From the Ashes. Three talented chefs, who met at Temper, have combined their considerable knowledge to offer some of the best BBQ food around. Keep your multi million pound fit outs, turns out all you need is a reclaimed smoker, a hatch in a hackney backstreet and equal quantities of meat and talent. The Nduja and pork belly doughnut is as unmissable as it is guilt inducing.
Fried half chicken and smoked jollof rice, Ikoyi
Ikoyi
It opened with a menu designed to be familiar and comforting, but at Ikoyi in St James, the food was still as elegant and refined as ever (and as the well spaced room). Among such treats as chilled compressed melon and silky spinach with truffles, a knockout were the two main courses of brined and fried chicken with a hot sauce made with offal, and jollof rice with aged sheep kebab and a rich crab sauce. Welcome back to Jeremy, Iré and team. Discount is available exclusively to CODE app members. To become a member, click here
Eleven
Located in the sleepy Spa town of Leamington, Eleven is an independent enterprise with heavy French influence. Run by husband and wife team, Jean-Christophe and Mella, Eleven has recently re-opened as Eleven Kitchen and Deli, slightly pivoting its offering in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, but still providing excellent French-fare at lunchtimes. Particularly notable dishes included the celeriac remoulade served with Bayonne ham and the pan fried hake served atop crushed new potatoes and spinach served in a classic white wine and cream sauce. The accompanying bottle of rosé and afternoon July heat transported us to Provence.
Pan seared hake, Eleven
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