Smash Hit in Southwark plus Critics.
Jay & Dom go for pizza. Ellis has a bad Belly. Vittles finds Nashville in Chiswick.
Hello, everyone. I hope you’re having a fantastic Monday. I was in Boston for all of last week on a pretty intense course, so this week’s update is going to be a bit bare bones. And I may share some of what I learned on that course in the next couple of weeks.
Thanks for all of the warm reactions to the Sportsman review and the accompanying discussion of the state of the Thames estuary. I hope the companies, regulators, and the government will find a way to clean up our waterways. reminded me in a comment about the state of the Chesapeake Bay when I was growing up. It’s also been another great having for oysters, crabs, and other marine life. In the mid-1980s, it was nearly dead. Two generations later, it has recovered. And while it is still threatened, its ecosystem is far healthier. Perhaps we can hope for the same future for the Thames estuary.
Hit: Heard
Hits & Misses are mini-reviews of places that were either (a) good, but not quite good enough to do a full review and add to the Guide, (b) had a flaw or two, or (c) that I revisited following a prior review.
In Union Square, just behind Flat Iron Square, off Southwark Street, near London Bridge, there’s a new burger joint. And if you can navigate that yellow brick road to the distinctive spot that used to be a pancake house, you will discover Heard.
Burgers have been much discussed lately. For example, Peter Sullivan, author of the
, has an interesting piece exploring the demise of McDonald’s and the re-rise of American burger culture in a new, better form.The smash burger is, I don’t need to tell you, all the rage.
Heard is the brainchild of Chef Jordan Bailey. He was the Chef Patron of two starred Aimsir in County Kildare and was previously Head Chef at the three-starred Maaemo in Norway. So he knows his way around a kitchen.
The concept at Heard is to apply that experience to burgers. As he told Dine Out, “We're proud to work with some of the UK's best producers who champion ethical farming practices and a fully transparent supply chain from farm to table. Our mission for Heard is simple: to create a ridiculously tasty burger, crafted with Michelin-level attention to detail and top-quality ingredients.”
From my experience, he mostly succeeds on the burger bit. Some of other aspects of the experience need work.
I took a group of colleagues on a recent Thursday. Needing to book for 9, I followed the instructions to e-mail the restaurant for a large party booking My e-mail went unanswered. The restaurant has no phone. So I booked online for 7 people and hoped for the best.
Service was friendly, if scattered, and we were offered good advice on the best choices. Order arrival was chaotic.
But the burgers were, indeed, excellent. Juicy, tender, well-cooked, and boasting intriguing flavour combinations that left our whole group very happy.
And the bill? £220 for 9 people. Which ain’t bad at all for a professional lunch.
I’ll certainly go again, but I won’t add it to the guide until they sort out some of their issues.
Critics Wrap-Up
✍🏻 indicates a review that you should read for the writing.
🍽️ indicates a place that sounds excellent and is probably worth a try.
William Sitwell (Telegraph) sides with Giles Coren in his debate with David Ellis over Josephine Bistro in Chelsea. (My review here.) “You must hope he does a Joséphine near you. Then you can dine, as we did, gloriously guided by great waiting staff.”
The vibe at Josephine Bistro in Marylebone. ✍🏻 Jay Rayner (FT) goes for pizza at Breadstall in Soho, on a tip from his barber. “It’s almost the best pizza I’ve ever tried, bettered only by that served to me at The Pizza Bar on 38th inside the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Tokyo.”
✍🏻
(Braise) is also on the pizza beat this week, heading to Portis in Islington. “If Portis’ dough is good, the toppings are simply superlative. The shop prioritises small British producers, from the pizza flour to the mozzarella, apparently only importing its olive oil, and uses them simply.”David Ellis (Standard) isn’t planning to return to Belly in Kentish Town anytime soon. “Some of what was here felt, if not lazy, then at least as though the kitchen hadn’t spent enough time refining its ideas or tasting the results.”
🍽️
(Bald Flavours) checks out the new and improved Singburi, now in Shoreditch. “This is Singburi by lineage alone.” … “For the most part, the affection Singburi has cultivated means any potential fears are unfounded — people are just glad they’re back and receptive to whatever comes next.”Charlotte Ivers (Sunday Times) raves about the Fat Badger in Notting Hill. “The genius of this place is that it all seems so simple. It isn’t: all the ingredients are so cleverly balanced, so frequently surprising.”
Hannah Twiggs (Independent) files her latest “Fine & Dine” double review. This time heading to Aulis in Soho and Gorse in Cardiff. On Aulis, she says, “When your plate is this dialled in, you want to know about Trevor who grew the carrots.”
Gavin Cleaver (Vittles) thinks he’s found first rate American barbecue at Lil' Nashville Country Bar and Kitchen in Chiswick. “The rest of the smoked dishes on the menu are far above the London average, too, with each featuring a firm, toothsome texture that suggests the smoker is dialled in.”
Catherine Hanly (Hot Dinners) is the latest to try the new branch of Osteria Angelia in Hackney, and finds, “precisely the kind of restaurant that Londoners want right now.”
She also heads to Highgate to test drive Sunday roast at the Angel Inn. “It turns out there's room in our hearts for more than one great Highgate gastropub. There's something lively and fun about the new turn this old pub has taken.”
Alex Larman (The Arbuturian) discovers Pyro, a new Greek place in Southwark. “Pyro, then, is a new restaurant that dances on the edge of greatness. Its devotion to flame and flavour is undeniable, and the enthusiastic, almost giddy diners have clearly embraced the fire.”
Christina (LOTI) is among the first to try Koki, the new Japanese place in the Stratford Hotel from Chef Daisuke Shimoyama. He “is doing something special here at Kokin, so if you love Japanese food (and you love tuna), it’s worth seeking out.”
Beyond London
Grace Dent (Guardian) travels to Manchester to try Bangkok Diners Club. “Bangkok Diners Club claims to be new and innovative, as, let’s face it, every new restaurant does, but they actually have a valid point here. This small kitchen slinging out raw bass with silky calamansi nam jim and rice bran to a tiny collection of tables is a very long way away from the traditional timeworn Thai scene in the UK.”
Giles Coren (Times) reviews Sculthorpe Mill in Norfolk, or rather, his 8-year son does. “The burger was a historic one. ‘The best I’ve ever had,’ said Sam. For only the 700th time in his eight-year burger-eating career.”
Tom Parker Bowles (Mail on Sunday) tries Pasture in Birmingham. “This is a magnificent piece of meat, with the deep savour of a life well lived. There’s even a whisper of funk.”
Kirsty Wark takes the “celeb review” for the Observer this week, heading to Noodles & Dumplings in Glasgow. “This was Szechuan cooking at its best.”
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