Cod curry, Paradise Soho
Handpicked crab with smoked eel broth, The Peacock
Langoustines, Kiln
Baja fish, chicken pibil and pork belly tacos, Santo Remedio
From the Peak District to Paradise. Here are The Dumbwaiter’s best bites of the week.
Padella
It was one of the last meals The Dumbwaiter had before lockdown, so it was nice to be able to return Padella in Shoreditch on Saturday night for a trio of pastas and some red wine. Their signature cacio e Pepe is still as silky and cheesy as ever.
Cod curry, Paradise Soho
Paradise Soho
Though predominantly Sri Lankan, the food at Paradise is heavily influenced by Malay, Portuguese and Dutch cooking. The Dumbwaiter recommends arriving hungry; the menu of curries, seafood, hoppers and rotis is a tough choice. If you’re not afraid of spice, go for the stir-fried devilled prawns and crab empanadas, followed by the coconutty cod curry to cool things down a little. The turmeric dahl was ace, too. In fact, if in doubt, order everything. You won’t be disappointed.
Handpicked crab with smoked eel broth, The Peacock
The Peacock at Rowsley
With consumer confidence in holidays abroad taking a knock over the last few months, domestic tourism is due a well-deserved boost. Should the Peak District be your getaway of choice, The Peacock at Rowsley should be top of most lists for fine dining. With temperature checks on arrival and masked staff, safety is clearly front of mind, but the cooking is as impressive as ever. Handpicked crab with smoked eel broth and nasturtiums was a refined and elegant highlight.
Langoustines, Kiln
Kiln
The reopening of Kiln must have been one of Soho’s most anticipated returns, and it didn’t disappoint. Deftly arranged counter seats and a new drinks-and-snacks row of roadside tables meant plenty of space to enjoy the classics like Tamworth belly and brown crab meat glass noodle clay pot, and exciting new additions to the menu, by head chef Meedu Saad (smoked sausage with tumeric, or fiery, soupy clay pot with blood cake, for example). A refreshing, standout dish was the sparkingly fresh and tender langoustines dressed with citrus and sweet mint leaves.
Baja fish, chicken pibil and pork belly tacos, Santo Remedio
Santo Remedio
Back open and offering guests a taste of Mexico from Tooley Street in London Bridge, Santo Remedio made for a very pleasant alternative Sunday lunch. Tacos and tequila in place of a roast, who could turn that down? The Baja Fish, Chicken Pibil, and Pork Belly tacos all received top marks from our table. Similarly, the Elote (corn on the cob, chipotle mayo and pecorino cheese) also scored well amongst the judges. All of this was washed down with a variety of mescal and tequila cocktails, the classic Margarita taking centre stage (of course). Who said you need to wait for Tuesday to eat tacos? Although they’re pretty good then, too.
Flesh & Buns
After four months of failed attempts at making a decent brunch chez lui, the Dumbwaiter was thrilled to head out to try the brunch menu at Flesh & Buns this weekend. The first restaurant in London to specialise in steamed buns and Japanese food meant to accompany drinking, the menu does not fail to deliver: Japanese fried chicken bao and miso grilled aubergine complete with pickles and shiso, followed by crunchy, buttery Nutella croissant tai yaki with cherry soft serve. Oh, and though straying slightly from the Japanese theme, there’s a wicked pisco sours on arrival included, too.
Fried chicken, Flesh & Buns
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