London Eats

            London, along with Paris, New York, and Tokyo, is one of the culinary capitals of the world. It boasts 65 restaurants with at least one Michelin star. Following the rationing of food during the Second World War and its aftermath, Great Britain and London in particular had a reputation as an epicurean wasteland. Its cuisine highlighted by unpleasant sounding dishes like jellied eels, clotted cream, and steak and kidney pie.  This reputation was never wholly deserved, accurate, or fair and in recent decades London has done much to establish itself as a leader in the increasingly global realm of high end dining. Famous chefs like Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson, and the ever profane Gordon Ramsay made names for themselves first in England before becoming international sensations.  

            London itself contains restaurants and cuisines from across the globe. Everything from Ecuadorian tapas to Nepalese street food has found a home in some corner of London. While the signs for authentic fish and chips dot nearly every street, there seem to be an equal number advertising chicken tikka masala. In a sort of reverse imperialism, it is the cuisine of India that has conquered England. As a result of a recent trip to London, we had the chance to sample some of that city’s restaurants. Below are descriptions of some of the most memorable. 

Udon noodles

 

Koya Bar: At Koya, you can get one thing—Udon noodles. You can get them hot or cold. You can get them with hot or cold broth. You can get them with chicken, shrimp, duck, or a poached egg. There are some rice bowls and small plates, like the melt in your mouth braised pork belly, but the Udon noodle is the star here. Udon are a thick noodle made of wheat flour. The restaurant specializes in delicious bowls of gently cooked noodles served in a deep flavorful broth. In the mold of Tokyo, there isn’t much seating, a few tables along the wall and seats at the bar, but the food is what I imagine an authentic noodle bar would be. 

St. John: In 1994 chef Fergus Henderson opened London’s first nose to tail restaurant. Nose to tail cooking entails using the oft discarded parts of animals: the organs, glands, tails, and bone marrow among others. In using these neglected cuts, Henderson revived long dormant English recipes. This focus brought him attention from the gastronomic community as well as a Michelin star in 2009. As an appetizer, the roasted bone marrow with toast and parsley salad is a gloriously indulgent (pictured above). Henderson’s bone marrow has a rich earthy taste with a smooth texture unlike anything you can get in a conventional restaurant. The sautéed lamb sweetbreads (glands) with bacon and beans are sweet, tender, and rich in flavor. For dessert, the madeleines (a small shell-shaped sponge cake) were fluffy and crunchy at the same time (below).  

Bar Boulud: French born chef Daniel Boulud has made a name for himself in America blending French and American cuisine. While based primarily in New York, Boulud expanded to London in 2010 where his love of hamburgers and classically French dishes dominates the menu. Boulud’s signature charcuterie is, as restaurant critic Jay Rayner explained, “the kind of French food you would dream of getting in France, but rarely do.” The roasted lamb with pea puree, confit tomatoes, and mint lamb jus is a heavenly concoction of rich vegetables and expertly cooked lamb. The service at Bar Boulud was effortless and impeccable, reminiscent of something like Commander’s Palace. Wine glasses were never half empty. No plate remained on the table for longer than 30 seconds after it was finished. Silverware appeared and disappeared in a flash. Even the water glasses were never left unattended.