Working Lunch: We try the Menu du Jour at Canary Wharf’s glassy staple Plateau February 19, 2019 Plateau Canada Square, E14 WHAT AND WHERE? Plateau is a smart, loosely French restaurant that sits atop the fourth floor of Canada Place, a glass cube filled with office escapees wining and dining their clients during the week. Incredibly, it still overlooks the Canary Wharf ice rink – when is that thing going to close? [...]
Britain’s first all-vegan cheese shop causes a stink as dairy industry demands it changes branding February 19, 2019 First, it was Marks & Spencer’s cauliflower steak. Then it was Gregg’s vegan sausage rolls. Now, just when you thought you had survived Veganuary, there’s chease. Read more: On a roll: Vegan sausage roll sales help Greggs seek higher profits Yes, you read that right – chease. But, no matter how it's spelled, the dairy industry [...]
We’re now in the new lunar year – the Year of the Pig – so get out there and eat dim sum in some of London’s finest restaurants February 5, 2019 1. Din Tai Fung Henrietta St, WC2E 8PT If you’re a dumpling fan, you’ve probably heard of Din Tai Fung, a Taiwanese chain that’s currently taking Covent Garden by storm. It’s known for its magical xiao long bao (steamed pork dumplings). The new British restaurant seats 250 but still expect a queue during busy times. [...]
Our resident chef columnist mixes up a mighty mulligatawny to write home to your mother about February 5, 2019 Have you ever ordered mulligatawny in an Indian restaurant? I did once and wished I hadn’t: they added water to the dahl and poured it into a bowl. Mulligatawny is a staple of the classic British Indian restaurant menu, always there, yet never ordered. Like kedgeree and mango chutney, it is part of the culinary [...]
Weekly Grill: Launceston Place head chef Ben Murphy on creating simple, no-nonsense food, and vegans who eat butter and cream February 5, 2019 Who are you and what do you do? My name is Ben Murphy and I’m 28 years old. I’m head chef at Launceston Place in Kensington and I’ve been cooking professionally for eight years now. Cooking has always been a personal passion, so being paid to do what I love is a bonus. What’s new [...]
The Drinks Master: What should you drink on Chinese New Year to celebrate the Year of the Pig January 30, 2019 On Chinese New Year next Tuesday we’ll segue from the Year of the Dog to the Year of the Pig, which may be good news for us all given pigs are a symbol of wealth in Chinese culture. The question is: what should you be drinking with your celebrations? Chinese food consists of eight broad [...]
You are what you eat: Workers’ favourite lunches revealed industry by industry January 30, 2019 As January draws to an end, gyms begin to empty and new year’s healthy-eating resolutions are inevitably broken across the country, one profession has emerged as being in finer fettle than the rest. A nationwide survey has crowned the legal workforce the healthiest in Britain – at least according to their takeaway orders. Read more: Seven [...]
Dining out: London’s best burger, sushi and fried chicken revealed in public vote January 21, 2019 Hungry Londoners have spoken, and Meatliquor and Chick n Sours are among the restaurants who’s dishes have been crowned the tastiest in the city in a public vote. The awards, announced today, are based on more than 50,000 reviews of London’s restaurants, and are given to dishes that have garnered the highest ratings. Winners include [...]
Our resident chef columnist Mark Hix on why he’s been promoting bycatch crab in his restaurants January 15, 2019 I first encountered this dish years ago on the back of a boat in Sydney. It made use of their native mud crab, and it was a real treat. It’s the kind of dish you can cook at home with our native brown crabs, either chopped up whole or just using the claws, which make [...]
The Weekly Grill: Rotunda head chef Jai Parkinson on the delights of Barcelona and why you can’t beat his granny’s cooking January 15, 2019 Who are you and What do you do? I’m Jai Parkinson, head chef at Rotunda Bar & Restaurant, managing a small team of seven chefs. My main focus is developing new dishes based around our gate-to-plate ethos, featuring beef and Texel lamb produced at Corneyside Farm – our own farm in Northumberland. I introduced cooking [...]