Meal of the month: January

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For many January is a month of restraint following the excesses of the holiday season. A time of austere resolutions. For me it is a time to carry the enjoyment of those excesses into enthusiasm for new plans in the New Year.

December’s exceedingly and excessively enjoyed gammon joint carried tidings of good will and satisfied bellies into early January with a rich porcine ham stock as the basis for my Savoy Cabbage and Serrano Ham risotto. This demonstrates another reason to be upbeat in January as the post-Christmas flogging of over ordered stock by the Supermarkets means top-quality (you might even say Finest quality) produce from cheeses to charcuterie are sold off at a fraction of the price. 

These two January Juvenating factors combined in a moment of pure piggy pleasure, the creamy risotto and melt in the mouth ham tempering the porcine saltiness of the gammon stock. A taste that can’t fail to put a smile on your face.

Away:

A quiet month for eating out, I did none the less discover a local gem, a mere 10-15 minutes from my house, just outside Chelmsford off the A12 in Boreham. The Lion Inn is still a proper pub with proper pub drinks (as well as the usual suspects, two local Essex brews and a couple from the always thirst quenching range by Sharp’s of Cornwall) food and atmosphere in keeping with this. Think fork soft slow roast pork belly with decent crackling, open fields in front of you, a blazing fire and an eclectic mix of comfy tables and chairs that, despite the place labeling itself as ’the epitome of shabby chic’, create that unfussy, welcoming atmosphere a pub really should have.  

Looking Forward:

Eating out will certainly pick up with a trip to Launceston Place planned but undoubtedly the highlight of the month will be my dinner by Heston at Dinner by Heston. In terms of my own kitchen’s cuisine, I look to banish the last of Winter with warming flavours from sunnier climes and to prove that you can get a great Iberian without having to spend £50 million or take a trip to Chelsea.

Star of 2010

In just over a weeks time the latest edition of Michelin’s guide to U.K. restaurants will be produced. With restaurateurs, chefs and general foodies quaking with anticipation I present you with my tip for a highly sought after star; Viajante.

Chef Nuno Mendes has already made a massive contribution to the London dining scene, as a catalyst of underground restaurants at The Loft, and Viajante looks set to continue to push the city’s diners with a somewhat off the beaten track location, creative cooking and flavour combinations.

Our trip in August 2010 was in aid of the better half’s birthday and as such demonstrated one of Viajante’s big assets. With dishes changing daily, rather than a traditional menu (a cast back to Mendes’ ‘underground’ past), Viajante is able to remain ingredient and initiative focused by asking patrons to simply pick the number of courses (and optional beverage pairings) they wish to have. And with a 3 course menu being £28 and additional drinks pairing £18 (according to the restaurant's website though I’m sure it was marginally less back in the good old days of 2010) Viajante has managed to find that rare level of affordable luxury. London restaurants take note; it is possible to provide a unique gastronomic experience at a reasonable price without resorting to witchcraft or wizardry.  

The less than salubrious surroundings of Bethnal Green initially dampened spirits, which were easily raised upon entering the restaurant in the revamped Town Hall complex. A modern and light space, lent a sense of respect and grandeur by the Town Hall’s entrance and lobby. We were lucky to be given a table in the front corner, enabling us to survey the whole restaurant including a close proximity view into the intrigue of the open kitchen.

Much had been written about Mendes’ cuisine (especially given the cache of being able to enjoy a meal at The Loft) and our lunch did not disappoint:

Amuse Bouche:

Viajante Sashimi-tuna, edamame beans, soy, wasabi and sesame seeds.

Broad beans, chargrilled in the pod with St. George cheese

Thai Chicken Explosion-spiced confit chicken meat sandwiched between crispy chicken skin

3 Course Surprise Taster Menu:

Golden and Pink Beetroot salad with nuts, crab, sweet onions and goat’s cheese

Lemon Sole, lemon and ume boshi (Japanese plum) puree with chargrilled and stripped asparagus and a sauce of coconut tapioca, Thai basil and lemongrass

Lemon and Thai Basil sorbet

Strawberries, lemon curd, citrus powder and confit fennel

Standout amongst the amuse bouche were the chargrilled broad beans and Portuguese cheese, fundamentally simple but fun and full of flavour and easily the best broad beans I have ever eaten (and that’s meant as a genuine compliment rather than damning with faint praise)

From that point on every dish wowed and amazed. The Lemon sole (pictured above) was inventive with flavour but cooked with classic technique and visually was one of the nicest things I saw all year.

So why do I tip Viajante for an elusive star from the rotund rubber man? Apart from it’s appeal to me as a value for money hunting foodie; in a year which included a trip to world conquering Noma, Viajante stands out in my mind as one of the most fun food experiences I had. An experience of inventive, technical and flavoursome cuisine in an accomplished setting with faultless service throughout.