Zagat Buzz: London

Outtake of the Week

BuzzEditor — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:36:00 GMT

Why the attitude? No one else is eating here.

Kitchen Italia Goes for Due

BuzzEditor — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:25:00 GMT

Kitchen Italia

Photo: courtesy of the restaurant

Is a new Carluccio-style Italian chain in the cards? Owned and run by Villandry maestro Jamie Barber, and designed by Michaelis Boyd (Pizza East), all-day cantina Kitchen Italia hits Covent Garden 8 December (the second location after the original in Westfield). The midpriced menu will fill a comfort niche, offering rib-sticking staples like macaroni cheese, pumpkin gnocchi with sage butter, and tiger prawn, chilli and garlic taglioni (41 Earlham St., WC2; 020-7632-9500).

– Roger Clarke

Tiki Time at Kanaloa

BuzzEditor — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:45:00 GMT

Following the template of its sibling, Mayfair’s celeb- and royal-courting Mahiki, City tiki bar Kanaloa serves very expensive tropical, rum-centric cocktails in coconuts, treasure chests and other novel vessels alongside Asian nibbles in a setting rife with Polynesian masks, bamboo and trees, with hideaway seating below and atop; its locale on Goldman Sachs’ doorstep makes it a magnet for suits, but in an effort to woo the fairer sex, manicures and other beauty treatments are performed in the ladies’ loo.

8 Lime Office Ct., EC4A; 020-7842-0620

Dining News Elsewhere: Obese Americans, Ramsay Loses His Number Two

BuzzEditor — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:17:00 GMT

– By 2018, 43% of Americans are expected to be obese. [NYDN]
– Gordon Ramsay has lost his right-hand man. [Bloomberg]
– The Senate is considering requiring beef to be tested for E. coli. [NYT]

– Top Chef contestants aren't being paid for the TV dinners that feature their faces (and recipes). [Time]
– First canned pumpkins, now an Eggo shortage looms. [NYDN]
– The art of complaining to a restaurant. [Guardian]
– A modest proposal for fixing restaurant and bar smoking bans. [Eater]
– Related: the science behind banning smoking outside. [Time]
– Ever wonder what it would be like to cook dinner for Thomas Keller? [Esquire]
– Talking cooking with Coolio. [Fork in the Road]
– NBC's newest cooking show, United Plates of America, will give away a four-restaurant chain. [Reuters]
– Hey, so, while you eat that sushi, this guy here is going to swallow a sword. [WSJ]
– Starbucks continues to roll out its unbranded coffee shops. [Diner's Journal]
– If New York loses its lawsuit, Tavern on the Green will become Tavern in the Park. [Crain's]
– Restaurants embrace Twilight. [NRN]
– Martha Stewart is not a fan of Rachael Ray. [ABC News, via EMD and GS]
– The Rolling Stones, the wine. [Examiner]
– Pork belly and other over-served dishes. [Between Meals]
– Students arrested for not paying their tip. [Philly]
– Plastic wishbones: what will the kids fight over? [SE]

Santi Graces Babbo

BuzzEditor — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00:00 GMT

Douglas Santi, who worked for Alain Ducasse at Louis XV in Monaco, St. Regis in New York and MiX at Vegas, is now at a new Mayfair restaurant specialising in Tuscan cuisine. At Babbo (no relation to the Mario Batali Greenwich Village favourite), family recipes feature squarely on the menu – including the signature lasagne al ragout di chianina, prepared according to a secret 100-year-old recipe, passed to Douglas Santi by his grandmother. The ingredients and wine have all been sourced by Santi from his native Tuscany (open Monday–Saturday, lunch noon–3 PM, dinner 7–11 PM; set lunch £22 for two courses and £24 for three; 020-3205-1099).

– Roger Clarke

Pick a Pop-Up

BuzzEditor — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:21:00 GMT

Sketch pop-up cafe

Photo: courtesy of the restaurant

The holiday season tends to stir up surprises, which this year include two pop-up restaurants of note: Serpentine Bar and Kitchen's Christmas marquee in Hyde Park, and a bespoke eco-friendly Sketch pop-up cafe from Pierre Gagnaire at the Royal Academy of the Arts in Piccadilly.

From tomorrow, 19 November–23 December, you can feast on long wooden communal benches with up to 250 diners while listening to live jazz and festive music in the Serpentine cafe. A distinctively Christmassy – almost Dickensian – air is created by the menu, which includes mulled wine, ciders and Cornish cask ales along with hog roasts, cheese and cured meats. For pudding there's housemade ice cream, stewed fruits, plum pudding and mince pies, plus locally made brandy and flavoured schnapps (10 AM–8 PM daily; £35 per person; 020-7706-8114).

Fancy something a little more refined? Sketch is hosting a pop-up cafe at 6 Burlington Gardens to coincide with an art show at the Royal Academy. The emphasis is very much on sustainability, with an oyster bar featuring local native varieties, plus an array of tartlets, lunettes, salted caramels, quiches and treats you can have boxed up to go. The cafe runs 3 December–31 January, 10 AM–6 PM daily, with late opening on Fridays (for more information click here or call 020-7659-4500).

– Roger Clarke

Dining News Elsewhere: Koodies, Samuelsson Goes to Washington

BuzzEditor — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:21:00 GMT

– Marcus Samuelsson will be working the kitchen at Obama's first state dinner. [Obama Foodorama]
– The fight for Cadbury intensifies. [WSJ]
– Chipotle sets its sights on London, Europe. [NRN]

– Costco drops Coke. [AP]
– Related: Coke bottles, 1899–1986. [Pixdaus]
– Milk producers wish they could sell their product "raw." [NYT]
– Hooters is having trouble in Vegas. [Eater]
– A canned pumpkin shortage looms. [Diner's Journal]
– Putting things in perspective with the Fat Map. [HP]
– Jamie Oliver wants to help you find a date. [Marketing]
– A Shake Shack in Boston looks increasingly possible. [GS:B]
– What a $20 Thanksgiving feast from Walmart gets you. [The Awl]
– A word we'd like to quickly forget? "Koodie." [SE]
– Foods named after people. [Mental Floss and Cakespy, via SE]
– They found water on the moon...can you drink it? [Slate]
– Making mushrooms with coffee grinds. [Chronicle, via Coldmud]
– Making art with meat, some wires, a videocamera and a stove. [EMD]

Tike Time

BuzzEditor — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:06:00 GMT

Tike

Photo: Cindy Chen

Nestled next to Fenchurch Street Station in a new Richard Rogers–designed building, Med brasserie Tike serves a midpriced menu, including Turkish meze and sharing plates, in bright, bi-level environs with floor-to-ceiling windows, purple-hued decor, communal tables and alfresco tables; N.B. it’s open weekdays only.

5 Fenchurch Pl., EC3M; 020-7702 9965

Tike

Photo: Cindy Chen

The Cow's the Limit

BuzzEditor — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:09:00 GMT

The gastropub brand Geronimo Inns is slowly introducing a whole cow concept to a select number of its eateries across London, including The Builders Arms, The Crown, The Eagle, The Northcote and The Prince Albert. Starting in January, chefs from each gastropub will regularly take delivery of an entire Dexter cow carcass, sourced directly from a single Yorkshire farmer, which will be butchered on-site and aged for five weeks instead of the usual two. Diners can expect a host of less common cuts with archaic and slightly startling names (including flank, clod, sticket, Jewish fillet, blade and knuckle). Prices will range from £5–£20 (currently in a trial run, call locations for specific dates).

– Roger Clarke

Dining News Elsewhere: Buzzy Booze, Subway in the Sky

BuzzEditor — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:49:00 GMT

– The FDA is targeting caffeinated booze. [WSJ]
– Meanwhile, its efforts to ban eating raw oysters didn't work out so well. [NYT]
– Burger King franchisees lose 10¢ for every $1 double cheeseburger sold. [NRN]

– A special Subway franchise is set to rise up with the Freedom Tower in New York. [NYP]
– U.S. chicken production is set to fall for the first time in 36 years. [Reuters]
– Champagne sales are a bit flat these days. [NYT]
– Musicians do covers of other bands' hits, why shouldn't chefs cover other toques' recipes? [Guardian]
– Pinkberry's further expansion plans include Boston, DC, New Orleans and Mexico. [Eater]
– Why we read cookbooks. [The New Yorker]
– Want a new drug? Synthetic alcohol isn't out of the question. [Scotsman, via ColdMud]
– Just when we've gotten used to twist-off tops, get ready for wine in a plastic bottle. [Stuff]
– Things a restaurant patron should never do. [Applesauce]
– Related, 10 dirty restaurant tricks. [Slashfood]
– Peace through hummus. [Economist]
– Hard to turn down a "love dessert" made with passion fruit and...Viagra. [NYDN]

Outtake of the Week

BuzzEditor — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:47:00 GMT

Authenticity has never been more perfectly faked.

Tip-Off on Tiffing

BuzzEditor — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:43:00 GMT

Rum Old Fashioned with seared scallop and smoked bacon tian with bitter orange pan juices

Photo: courtesy of Tiffing

Word has reached the Buzz of Tiffing, an exclusive new monthly dining club that allows members of the public to mix with restaurateurs and food writers – as well as enjoy a meal cooked by top chefs like Nahm's David Thompson (January 2010) and Mark Hix of the eponymous Hix (February 2010). At the time of writing there are still about 20 tickets left for a six-course, eight-cocktail dinner cooked by John Campbell (Dorchester Collections Coworth Park, opening 2010) to be held on Monday, 30 November, at Il Bottaccio in Belgravia (£150 per person; 9 Grosvenor Place).

Conceived by the creative cocktail folks at Bamboo Test Kitchen, spirits are very much part of the deal, and bartenders and mixologists will work closely with the resident chef. Over the months the format and location will move, and prices will range from £75 for an open kitchen event to £150 for the more pricey sit-down dinners. See here for more information, to buy tickets and to get yourself on the mailing list. Or e-mail eatmedrinkme@tiffing.co.uk.

– Roger Clarke

Dining News Elsewhere: Drink Preferences, Raw Oyster Brouhahah

BuzzEditor — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:04:00 GMT

– A whole lot of info on what diners like to drink. [R&I]
– Should the FDA try to prevent you from eating raw oysters? [NYT, Slate]
– Burger King franchisees are suing over $1 double cheeseburgers. [Miami Herald]

– Meanwhile, McDonald's plans for the future. [CNN]
– The backlash to the list of waiter no-nos is on. [XX, Server not Servant]
– How to act around a celebrity chef. [Atlantic]
– The U.K. now has its own version of the Food Network. [Eater]
– Related: Emeril Lagasse is planning a prime-time variety show not on the Food Network. [ABC]
– Mario Batali makes his film debut in The Fantastic Mr. Fox. [WSJ]
– Heston Blumenthal plans a wildly expensive Christmas dinner for a TV special featuring ambergris, aka whale vomit. [Sun]
– Jamie Oliver has seen a backlash for the salt content of his pasta sauces. [Guardian]
– Cooking With Coolio, the cookbook, is now on sale. [EMD]
– Remembering New York City's 1935 ban on baby artichokes. [Diner's Journal]
– Don't be embarrassed to dine out alone. [Between Meals]
– Raising a vegetarian child without the conflict. [LAT]
– Can drunken fruit flies help cure alcoholism? [Wired]
– Looking to find free grub for the rug rats? Try here. [Kids Eat For, via SE]
– Deep-fried turkey disasters. On video. [EMD]

Outtakes: Cruise Lines Edition

BuzzEditor — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:26:00 GMT

Each time we perform a survey here at Zagat, we inevitably find a ourselves with a slew of amusing outtakes that aren't quite fit for print. Which doesn't mean they aren't entertaining. Here are a few favorites from our just-released Cruise Lines survey:

A conga line is not conducive to good digestion.

No activities for anyone who isn't an alcoholic seeking random sex.

They cater to the newly wed and nearly dead.

Great if you like hairy chest contests.

A rust bucket filled with rowdy people.

The more you booze, the better you cruise.

Bathrooms so small you have to sit on the toilet sideways.

It does attract a crowd – it's called ‘God's floating waiting room.

Another Look Through the Prism

BuzzEditor — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:40:00 GMT

Prism

Photo: courtesy of the restaurant

Prism at Harvey Nichols in the City has reworked its menu to have more of a brasserie feel, offering simple British and Modern European dishes laid out in three sections. "Little picks" includes dishes like freshwater prawns marinated in lemon and chilli; mini chorizo with aïoli; and spicy peppadew peppers with goat cheese and lemon. The "something potted" section features traditionally potted sea trout, salt beef, ham hock, brown shrimp and mushrooms. Finally, a "grill" menu sourced from The Ginger Pig has a 170g Longhorn beef burger, Gloucestershire Old Spot chop, spatchcock poussin, calf's liver and speck, and 50-day-dry-aged rib-eye and sirloin (147 Leadenhall St., EC3V; lunch Monday–Friday 11:30 AM–3 PM, dinner Monday–Friday 6–10 PM; starters £5–£13.50, mains £18–£22.50, sides £1.95, desserts £6.50; for reservations, call 020-7256-3875 or visit here).

– Roger Clarke

Getting Streetsmart

BuzzEditor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:24:00 GMT

maze

Photo: courtesy of the restaurant

After raising a cool £435,000 last year, Streetsmart’s little cards are back on the table of many restaurants, with high-profile support from the likes of Gordon Ramsay, Fergus Henderson and John Torode. By adding £1 to your check November–December, Streetsmart gathers contributions for 95 charities across 18 U.K. cities helping to feed and shelter the homeless during the cold winter months. The 15 London restaurants that raised the most last year? They include Arbutus, Al Duca, Joe Allen, Le Café Anglais, maze and Nobu London. For more info on contributing restaurants, click here.

– Roger Clarke

Dining News Elsewhere: Arby's Troubles, Food-Fight Arrests

BuzzEditor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

– Trying to save New Orleans' po' boys. [NYT]
– 25 children were recently arrested in Chicago for...a food fight. [NYT]
– The recession has been especially hard on Arby's. [Slate]

– Meanwhile, Uno Express has opened 160 locations in the past 15 months. [BG]
– Consumers expect to spend less on dining out next year. [NRN]
– Starbucks tries a new look out in London. [BrandRepublic, via Eater]
– Obama's pastry chef, the "Crustmaster." [AP]
– Top Chef contestant Dale Levitski takes over Chicago newcomer Sprout. [GS: C]
– Despite being an international restaurateur himself, Gordon Ramsay blasts international restaurant chains. [Daily Record]
– The Food Network seeks America's worst cooks. [Variety]
– Related: What Would Brian Boitano Make? gets picked up for a second season. [EMD]
– Health-wise, is chocolate milk the new red wine? [NYT]
– Related: finally, a scientific reason why red wines (mostly) don't go well with fish. [Economist]
– Actually? French women do get fat. [Reuters]
– Why must restaurant websites be so terrible? [Between Meals]
– An undrinkable beer from the Hindenburg disaster is up for sale. [NYP]
– A tofurky-flavored soda? [SE]

Look East, Pizza Lovers

BuzzEditor — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:58:00 GMT

Pizza East

Photo: Cindy Chen

Pizza East

Photo: Cindy Chen

On the huge ground floor of a famous Shoreditch landmark, Pizza East, the latest venture from Soho House’s prolific Nick Jones, offers a sophisticated pizza menu (viz duck sausage, artichokes and boschetto al tartufo) boosted by rustic Italian fare emanating from a wood oven; the setting has a studiedly hip industrial look complete with exposed pipes, concrete walls and steel refectory tables, while a resident DJ fuels the bohemian mood Thursday–Saturday.

56 Shoreditch High St., E1; 020-7729-1888

Pizza East

Photo: Cindy Chen

Playing Ping Pong

BuzzEditor — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:26:00 GMT

Ping Pong, the modern Asian “tea room” chain from London, is steaming across the Atlantic Ocean to open an outlet in Washington, D.C.'s Penn Quarter next month. As a side note, check out this nifty dim sum demo from the restaurant.

Boulud Joins Blumenthal at the Mandarin

BuzzEditor — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:10:00 GMT

Ending months of speculation, the Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge has confirmed that French chef Daniel Boulud (Daniel) will be opening a restaurant in the luxury hotel spring 2010. Designed as a French-inspired bistro and wine bar, Bar Boulud London will follow the format of Bar Boulud in New York City, with signature terrines and pâtés made on-site by charcutier Gilles Vérot. Located at street level with its own entrance directly onto Knightsbridge, the Adam D. Tihany–designed restaurant will seat 165. The announcement follows confirmation that Heston Blumenthal (The Fat Duck) will open his first London-based restaurant in the same hotel next fall.

– Roger Clarke

Dining News Elsewhere: Kraft Goes Hostile, Food Cart Love

BuzzEditor — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:54:00 GMT

– Cadbury has rejected Kraft's hostile £9.8 billion bid. [WSJ]
– McDonald's is set to launch a $1 breakfast menu. [WSJ]
– How did food carts become media darlings? [BlackBook]

– Related: a clever Pratt student comes up with a way to eat street food on the street. [Midtown Lunch]
– Ruby Tuesday has spent upwards of $100 million to upgrade its brand. [NYT]
– The birth of Subway's $5 foot-long. [Bussiness Week]
– Celebrating Veteran's Day with restaurant deals. [NRN]
– It had to happen: a Twitter-based reservation service launches in SF. [GS:SF]
– Frank Bruni's Born Round, the TV show?. [GS:NY]
– David Chang blogs his book tour for GQ. [GQ]
– Did Gossip Girl stop the "speakeasy" trend in its tracks? [The Atlantic]
– Foods that can cause headaches. [Divine Caroline]
– One angry diner. [NYP]
– American fast food you can't get in the U.S. [SquidInk, via Eater]

Outtake of the Week

BuzzEditor — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:50:00 GMT

It was good, but not nearly as good as the employees kept telling me.

Making Mennula

BuzzEditor — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:22:00 GMT

A bit of Sicily comes to Fitzrovia starting Monday, 9 November, when chef Santino Busciglio opens the doors to his new restaurant Mennula, located on the former site of Gennaro Contaldo. Busciglio was formerly head chef at Number Twelve in Bloomsbury, while his restaurant manager, Angelo Todaro, was most recently at Zafferano. The 44-seat contemporary Italian will have a strong Sicilian influence, with dishes including sea bass ravioli with pumpkin, chilli and razor clams, and traditional cannoli with sweet ewes ricotta. Expect starters to range from £7.50–16, and mains to be £16.50–20. A set lunch menu of three courses will be offered for £19.50 (open Monday–Friday for lunch, noon–3 PM, and Monday–Saturday for dinner 6–11 PM; call 020-7363-2833 for reservations; 10 Charlotte St., W1T; online reservations and menu here).

– Roger Clarke

Dining News Elsewhere: Obesity and Cancer, Bacon-Wrapped Matzoh Balls

BuzzEditor — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:55:00 GMT

– A baguette dropped by a bird stopped the Large Hadron Collider. [Times]
– Linking obesity and cancer. [MSNBC]
– Scripps (which owns the Food Network) sets its sights on the Travel Channel. [EMD]

– Jamie Oliver, upholder of justice. [Telegraph]
– How wine became a "fast food." [Daily Beast]
– Daniel Boulud sets his sights on London. [Bloomberg]
– LA's Orso prepares for a final bow. [NYT]
– A long chat with Gordon Ramsay. [Telegraph]
– Not kosher: Ilan Hall's bacon-wrapped matzoh balls. [Jewish Journal]
– 7-Eleven gets ready to roll out its own wine. [MSNBC]
– Why Guinness can taste different in Ireland (and elsewhere). [Accidental Hedonist]
– Will laser etchings replace fruit and vegetable stickers? [Gizmodo]
– Portion sizes, then and now. [DivineCaroline]
– How exactly does Jell-O work? [BG]
– Meat, the fabric. [EMD]
– Cookie monster cupcakes love cookies. [Leila Cohan]

Dinner Reservations Nixed at Polpo

BuzzEditor — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:32:00 GMT

Polpo

Photo: courtesy of the restaurant

Soho is one of the few areas of London where restaurants can survive by relying on passing trade, so perhaps it's not surprising that hot new Polpo has ditched its dinner reservation policy, following the likes of Barrafina, Busaba Eathai and Randall & Aubin. The man behind the bacaro eatery, Russell Norman (former operations director of Caprice Holdings Group and general manager at Zuma), made the change after deciding that Soho locals should be able to pop in casually for dinner without having to book in advance (020-7734-4479).

– Roger Clarke

That's One Dom Expensive Dinner

BuzzEditor — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:30:00 GMT

It's as if the recession was already a distant memory: from now until December 19, Apsleys will offer a wallet-busting, nine-course tasting menu during which each course will be paired with a Dom Pérignon champagne. Dishes include scallops, amaranth and black corns teamed with a rare vintage OEnothèque 1995 and lamb crépinette with OEnothèque 1969. Reservations must be made 48 hours in advance, with party sizes ranging from four to eight people. To see the full menu, click here [PDF] (£950 plus 12.5% service; to book call 020-7333-7254).

– Roger Clarke

Dining News Elsewhere: An Illy Invasion, Iron Chef in the White House

BuzzEditor — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:10:00 GMT

– Illy is making inroads into U.S. coffee shops. [WSJ]
– Gordon Ramsay is planning to bring the popular MasterChef to the U.S. [THR]
– Sam Kass: assistant White House chef, policy wonk. [NYT]

– Related: Iron Chef America heads to the White House. [NYT]
– After 17 years, Jean-Georges is shutting down Vong. Though maybe not for long? [Eater]
– Learning to compost in Chicago's public schools. [Chicago Tribune]
– More on the affect of calorie counts on menus. [NYT]
– The Kogi Truck folks in LA have their own custom car now. [Mouthing Off]
– Kids menus should grow up. [BG]
– What does your beer choice say about you? [AdAge]
– Yellow Tail isn't the only Aussie wine, y'know. [WSJ]
– One 225,000-ton ship, more than 24 dining options. [EMD]
– Grant Achatz stands sternly in front of an airplane. [GS:C]
– Is it a steak house or a gay bar? [SteakHouseorGayBar]

Celeb Chefs Cover the Market

BuzzEditor — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:10:00 GMT

Gordon Ramsay's The Narrow

Photo by Cindy Chen

Though fine dining may have cooled off a little as a result of the past year’s economic turmoil, celeb chefs remain as popular as ever. And, fortunately, many of them have opened more casual concepts, allowing diners with tighter budgets to get a taste of their culinary vision. But how do these budget-minded sibs stack up against their high-end counterparts? Read up, and then add your own votes and opinions.

Gordon Ramsay

Say what you will about the man, but you've got to give Gordo credit for making sure he's got both ends of the dining spectrum covered.

Gordon Ramsay at 68 Royal Hospital Rd.

68 Royal Hospital Rd.
London SW3
020-7352-4441

Food	Decor	Service	Cost
28	25	28	£108

“From amuse-bouches to petit fours”, the “transcendent, whimsically elegant” New French fare “dazzles” at “star chef” Gordon Ramsay’s “Chelsea flagship”, once again London’s No. 1 for Food; perhaps the “peripatetic” toque is rarely in the “clean-lined”, cream-and-ivory house these days, “but he can train staff” to deliver “impeccable” “not-at-all-sycophantic service” (“headed by suave manager Jean-Claude Breton” and executive chef Mark Askew); yes, “the reservation dance is maddening” and “prices aren’t for the fainthearted”, but “in short, it’s a must-visit.”

Key to Zagat Ratings

The Narrow

44 Narrow St.
London E14
020-7592-7950; reserve online

Food	Decor	Service	Cost
21	20	19	£33

“The remote location only adds to the charm” of this “homely” Limehouse gastropub where “calm” servers proffer “simple, comforting” Traditional Brit fare; “if the menu is a bit ‘laddish’” and “a little narrow”, at least the place is “not that pricey, given it’s on the river – and a Gordon Ramsay” venue to boot.

Key to Zagat Ratings

Heston Blumenthal

Those willing to make the journey to Bray to try Heston Blumenthal's beloved cooking likely won't be disappointed – whether they go to his flagship or next door where the chefs fingerprints are all over the menu.

The Fat Duck

High St.
Bray SL6
0162-8580-333

Food	Decor	Service	Cost
27	23	27	£133

Heston Blumenthal’s “shrine” to “experimental eaters with refined palates” creates “multisensory experiences” via an “astonishing” tasting menu of “haute” Modern European cuisine with a “molecular gastronomic twist” (think nitro-scrambled egg and bacon ice cream); “engaging, entertaining service” and an “unusual wine list” help soften the “extreme prices”, and though this “simple” Bray cottage is “a long drive from London proper” (about an hour),“it does not get better than this.”

Key to Zagat Ratings

Hinds Head

High St.
Bray SL6
016-2862-6151

Food	Decor	Service	Cost
24	21	22	£43

A “neighbour to the Fat Duck and from the same stable”, this “quaint” Bray boozer dating back to the 1600s shows what British “country cooking should be like” when “world-famous” consulting chef/co-patron Heston Blumenthal applies his “magic to traditional pub fare”; all-in-all, it makes “a great place to while away a whole afternoon – and a fair amount of cash too.”

The W8 Is Over

BuzzEditor — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:02:00 GMT

Kitchen W8

Photo: Cindy Chen

Rebecca Mascarenhas and her new business partner, lauded toque Philip Howard, have given Kensington's former Bistro Eleven a genteel makeover as Kitchen W8, which offers a refined Modern European menu from The Square’s Mark Kempson (who joins as head chef); the somewhat anodyne setting features big windows, multiple levels, banquettes and a bar area.

11 Abingdon Rd., W8; 020-7937-0120

Kitchen W8

Photo: Cindy Chen

Playing Chinese Cricket

BuzzEditor — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:17:00 GMT

InterContinental Hotels Group is opening its third restaurant at Crowne Plaza in the City, the eccentrically named Chinese Cricket Club, which joins the hotel's in-house Italian, Refettorio. From 17 November you can dine on crispy orange beef (punters may remember this from the now defunct Chinese Experience in Soho), fried perch with garlic chives, orange rib of beef and silken tofu with broad bean paste. Dim sum is also served, despite a Sichuan tag to the main menu. This isn't cutting-edge Chinese food, but it's sure to find a market (Crowne Plaza London, 19 New Bridge St., EC4V; for more information go here).

– Roger Clarke

Dining News Elsewhere: PBR For Sale, Wading Into the Tip Pool

BuzzEditor — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:43:00 GMT

– Talking with the troubled Ciprianis. [Vanity Fair]
– The brewery behind PBR and Schlitz is for sale. [NYP]
– Restaurants seek to better manage tip pools. [NRN]

– Western foods are gaining in China. [ABC]
– Where have all the Angostura bitters gone? [Bostonist]
– Who gets all of those 7 PM reservations, anyway? [Between Meals]
– The last days of Gourmet. [Last Days of Gourmet]
– Nation's Restaurant News to go biweekly. [Food Writer's Diary]
– Who needs to tip when you can buy the chef a beer? [GS:C]
– 222.5 pounds? Now that's a big meatball. [MSNBC]
– Could you eat 78 pieces of cutlery? Would you? [Daily Mail, via EMD]
– The manually operated hamburger vending machine. [JapanProbe]

Cooking With Coco

BuzzEditor — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:13:00 GMT

David Chang's pork neck with succotash

Photo and recipe: courtesy of Phaidon Press

For its latest cookbook, Coco, Phaidon Press turned to 10 world-leading chefs – Ferran Adrià, Mario Batali, Shannon Bennett, Alain Ducasse, Fergus Henderson, Yoshihiro Murata, Gordon Ramsay, René Redzepi, Alice Waters and Jacky Yu – to each pick 10 contemporary chefs from around the world. In turn, each of those chefs then wrote a menu and recipes for the book. The final product is more than 400 pages of gorgeous photographs, mouthwatering recipes and interesting tidbits from kitchens around the world. Want a taste? After the jump, get the recipe for pork neck with succotash from New York chef David Chang (of the Momofuku empire).

Pork Neck with Succotash
Serves 4
Recipe by David Chang

For the pork neck
300 g kosher salt
270 g sugar
6 liters hot water
2 bay leaves
25 g black peppercorns
6 liters cold water
10 g pink salt
1 pork neck

Mix the salt, sugar, hot water, bay leaves, and black peppercorns.
Mix the cold water with the pink salt.
Add the pork neck and confit 5 hours at 300°F (150°C) covered.
When tender, press between 2 sheet trays. Portion into serving size pieces.
Crisp on a griddle or pan to heat through.

For the succotash
100 g ground (minced) smoked, think-cut pork belly
12 g chanterelle mushrooms
250 g lima (butter) beans
175 g corn (sweetcorn) kernels
Butter for sautéing
1 tbsp tarragon, chopped
4 ml buttermilk
120 g butter
130 g arugula (rocket)

Sauté the pork belly, chanterelles, lima beans, and corn in a pan.
Finish with a pinch of salt and pepper, chopped tarragon, buttermilk, butter, and arugula.

Outtake of the Week

BuzzEditor — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:59:00 GMT

A bit out of the way and not worth finding.

All Hallows' Eats

BuzzEditor — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:44:00 GMT

Photo: Hanna Horwarth

The Brits don't have a long Halloween tradition – historically it was celebrated in Ireland, but every year that tide of pumpkins seems to grow and grow. In the darkening daylight hours, how about the Halloween party at Newburgh St. (6–9 PM), with its pronounced NYC influence, bagels, salt-beef, jack-o-lanterns and prizes for best costume. It's only yards from the London residence of Legend of Sleepy Hollow author Washington Irving at 8 Argyll St. Worth trying too is the more sedate Halloween slow-food market on Southbank. Buzz isn't much given to ghost tours (the dead don't eat, after all), but how about a three-course meal and a screening of The Exorcist (pea soup not included) at Axis at One Aldwych (two showings, dinner at 6 PM, film at 8:30 PM or dinner at 9 PM, film at 11 PM; £38.50 including VAT and service; additionally, Moët & Chandon Imperial is only £25 a bottle; book by calling 020-7300-0300 or e-mail on axis@onealdwych.com; more here). Also, themed cocktails are everywhere, but the Long Bar at Sanderson caught our eye with its Great Pumpkin chilled martini (El Dorado, amaretto, cinnamon syrup, butternut squash puree for £13).

– Roger Clarke

Dining News Elsewhere: Menu Labeling Goes National, No More Kitchen Nightmares

BuzzEditor — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:50:00 GMT

– Menu labeling hops onto health-care reform. [NRN]
– 2009 had the worst honey crop on record. [Daily Green, via GS:C]
– Not with a bang, but a whimper. Ramsay kills Kitchen Nightmares. [The Sun]

– The return of the milkman. [WSJ]
– Restaurants look to Halloween for a boost. [NRN]
– The White House garden, by the numbers. [Obama Foodorama]
– Europe's eel population is slipping away. [WSJ]
– Costco is getting ready to accept food stamps. [CityRoom]
– Hooters is facing a lawsuit for making its waitresses buy their uniforms. [NYP]
– Just try and top this Halloween dish. [Not Martha]
– 100-year-old whiskey, anyone? [GlobalPost]
– In Illinois, 100 hours of community service or...a tray of jerk chicken? [Chicago Tribune]

Zagat Buzz: London

Outtake of the Week

Kitchen Italia Goes for Due

Kitchen Italia

Photo: courtesy of the restaurant

– Roger Clarke

Tiki Time at Kanaloa

Dining News Elsewhere: Obese Americans, Ramsay Loses His Number Two

Santi Graces Babbo

– Roger Clarke

Pick a Pop-Up

Sketch pop-up cafe

Photo: courtesy of the restaurant

– Roger Clarke

Dining News Elsewhere: Koodies, Samuelsson Goes to Washington

Tike Time

Tike

Photo: Cindy Chen

Tike

Photo: Cindy Chen

The Cow's the Limit

– Roger Clarke

Dining News Elsewhere: Buzzy Booze, Subway in the Sky

Outtake of the Week

Tip-Off on Tiffing

Rum Old Fashioned with seared scallop and smoked bacon tian with bitter orange pan juices

Photo: courtesy of Tiffing

– Roger Clarke

Dining News Elsewhere: Drink Preferences, Raw Oyster Brouhahah

Outtakes: Cruise Lines Edition

Another Look Through the Prism

Prism

Photo: courtesy of the restaurant

– Roger Clarke

Getting Streetsmart

maze

Photo: courtesy of the restaurant

– Roger Clarke

Dining News Elsewhere: Arby's Troubles, Food-Fight Arrests

Look East, Pizza Lovers

Pizza East

Photo: Cindy Chen

Pizza East

Photo: Cindy Chen

Pizza East

Photo: Cindy Chen

Playing Ping Pong

Boulud Joins Blumenthal at the Mandarin

– Roger Clarke

Dining News Elsewhere: Kraft Goes Hostile, Food Cart Love

Outtake of the Week

Making Mennula

– Roger Clarke

Dining News Elsewhere: Obesity and Cancer, Bacon-Wrapped Matzoh Balls

Dinner Reservations Nixed at Polpo

Polpo

Photo: courtesy of the restaurant

– Roger Clarke

That's One Dom Expensive Dinner

– Roger Clarke

Dining News Elsewhere: An Illy Invasion, Iron Chef in the White House

Celeb Chefs Cover the Market

Gordon Ramsay's The Narrow

Photo by Cindy Chen

Gordon Ramsay

Gordon Ramsay at 68 Royal Hospital Rd.

68 Royal Hospital Rd. London SW3 020-7352-4441

The Narrow

44 Narrow St. London E14 020-7592-7950; reserve online

Heston Blumenthal

The Fat Duck

High St. Bray SL6 0162-8580-333

Hinds Head

High St. Bray SL6 016-2862-6151

The W8 Is Over

Kitchen W8

Photo: Cindy Chen

Kitchen W8

Photo: Cindy Chen

Playing Chinese Cricket

68 Royal Hospital Rd.
London SW3
020-7352-4441

44 Narrow St.
London E14
020-7592-7950; reserve online

High St.
Bray SL6
0162-8580-333

High St.
Bray SL6
016-2862-6151