5 Things You Need to Eat in London This WeekBy Alicia Grimshaw
Your time is precious. And so are doughnuts. Don’t go wasting your money on sub-standard grub – here’s 5 things you need to eat in London this week. Let’s get munching:
What: As one of the select restaurants in the world certified to sell Kobe beef, for 7 glorious days Monday (10th April) to Sunday (16th April), SUSHISAMBA will be running an exclusive Kobe Menu with 12 Kobe Specials -ranging from £6.50 – £156 (plus Kobe Beef Ishiyaki at a cool £1000), curated by Executive Chef Claudio Cardoso.
Why: Dishes from the kobe menu include: kobe mini taquitos with avocado, spicy mayo and shallot; kobe tartare topped with almond, wasabi and ponzu; kobe ramen with egg, mushroom and gold (casual); kobe sirloin served alongside spinach, orange and walnut; and kobe slider with horseradish mayo, tomato and lettuce. Basically, a lot of Kobe beef. Cocktail Magician, Rich Woods has also created an unbelievably tasty and indulgent Kobe cocktail; a classic riff on an Old Fashioned sees Yamazaki Japanese Whisky treated to a wash of the highest grade Kobe fat before being stirred with maple and salted caramel – served over a block of ice.
Where: Heron Tower, 110 Bishopsgate, 39th Floor, London EC2N 4AY
What: Kimchee Pancras Square, London’s latest Korean eaterie, is now open. This new, contemporary Korean restaurant serves a wide range of meat, fish and vegetable dishes marinated with authentic Korean flavours, all cooked in an open-plan kitchen with a traditional charcoal grill.
Why: The menu for the main restaurant features a selection of classic Korean dishes with a contemporary Kimchee touch. Main courses include: rice dishes; udon noodles; pot dishes; hot pot bulgogi; pork belly; a variety of grilled meats and seafood; and chargrilled veg. Desserts include Korean-style crème brulee served with a choice of ice cream; a cream-filled choux bun served with apple, butterscotch and topped with walnuts; and white chocolate and earl grey tea mousse served with pastry cream and coffee jelly, garnished with chocolate sticks.
Where: Kimchee, 2 Pancras Square, King’s Cross, London, N1C 4AG
3. For New Dishes: Flat Iron Square
What: Bankside food hub Flat Iron has just announced a number of spring menu additions, including flatbread wraps and gourmet Levantine salad boxes from Laffa, spring salads and broths from BittenClub Vietnamese, and Spanish bao from EDu.
Why: EDū’s spring menu features the Spanish style bao stuffed with grilled octopus and aubergine puree; the Asian chimichurri bao with Iberico pork belly and Bravas sauce; and the veggie bao with halloumi and aubergine. Laffa’s menu has also had an overhaul – think Jerusalem spiced chicken livers with crushed garlic potato mash and chives, and salted ox tongue with chrein (beetroot and horseradish relish) zhoug, red onion, sumac quills, cream, peas, truffle butter and prosciutto. And Bitten Club have just launched their all-new raw green papaya salad with crispy anchovies, and kohlrabi with fennel, leaves, black olives and lemon alongside another new addition to the menu; sweet potato, ginger and coconut broth, and chicken and ginger broth with cauliflower florets and coriander.
Where: 68 Union St, London SE1 1TD
4. For a New Bar Opening: Super Lyan
What: If you were a fan of the now deceased White Lyan, you’ll be pleased to hear that a new bar, Super Lyan has opened its doors. Here, the Mr Lyan team will be serving a collection of bitchin’ classics where seemingly familiar drinks have been suped-up with a sprinkle of Mr Lyan magic. Taking a democratic and universal approach, the timeless cocktails will be presented in an accessible, jargon- free menu.
Why: Opening on Friday (14th April), the bar will be a showcase of what happens when you take a team that loves classics, and has exceptional experience working within both traditional cocktail bars and pushing the boundaries of accepted drinks industry norms. Expect drinks such as the Dog’s Nose Clover Club with Chambord, gin sizzurp, lemon and Guinness, and the Man on Fire made with Dewar’s 12, Ancho Reyes, Del Maguey Vida, lemon and pine honey.
Where: 153 Hoxton Street, London, N1 6PJ
5. For New Spring Salads: Leon
What: At LEON they’ve always believed that feeling good should taste good, too. The team worked out some time ago that it’s much easier to be happy when you’re free to enjoy eating. So the gals and guys have been in the kitchen, creating dishes that are full of flavour, foodiness, and joy. And best enjoyed eating outside under the London rays.
Why: New items on the menu include the breakfast avocado and halloumi muffin, so you can get the good fats you need when you rise and dine.They’ve also created a protein-plenty hey pesto chicken salad of shredded chicken, Greek-style cheese and own-made pesto of fresh basil, tomato and parmesan, to help you feel power-full. Next up is the smoked salmon and egg salad on a bed of broccoli, avocado, cucumber, peas and quinoa, using sugar-free cured, hand-reared Scottish smoked salmon from the oldest independent farm of the highlands. And the new mack wrap – smoked mackerel, shredded slaw, spiralised vegetables, tarragon mayo and freshly chopped mint, to feed your brain with goodness.
Where: Locations here
One for luck…
6. For a New Menu: Sake No Hana
What: Running until the 10th June, Sake no Hana will be celebrating the arrival of spring and the Japanese cherry blossom season with an art installation created by renowned British artist Rebecca Louise Law. The breath taking installation will envelop the ceiling of the restaurant, creating clouds of natural, preserved white flowers each entwined with Law’s signature copper wire.
Why: During this time Sake no Hana will be offering a limited edition sakura menu expertly curated by Executive Head Chef Hideki Hiwatashi, in addition to the à la carte menu featuring an exclusive cocktail called ‘Hanami’ using Akashi-Tai Honjozo sake, Belsazar white vermouth, cherry liqueur and lavender bitters. The menu features miso soup, bento box featuring a selection of nigiri and maki rolls, a choice of charcoal grill dishes such as Sumiyaki rib eye beef with chilli ponzu and Champagne yuzu miso salmon, alongside a sakura inspired dessert featuring a smooth milk chocolate mousse complemented by a sour cherry insert, fresh cherries and lightened by sakura tea jellies.
Where: 23 St James’s St, St. James’s, London SW1A 1HA
7. For a New Flavour: Crosstown Doughnuts x Sandows
What: Crosstown has launched a brand new limited edition flavour, in collaboration with Sandows. The Cold Brew Martini doughnut uses Sandows’ recipe for a cold brew martini (think espresso martini, but better) to create an indulgent boozy doughnut for coffee/snacking lovers.
Why: Having first crossed paths as stand neighbours at the London Coffee Festival back in 2015 when both companies exhibited for the first time, Crosstown were impressed by Sandows’ smooth taste and immediately stocked their bottled, and later nitro, cold brew across each of their doughnut and coffee bars. The new Cold Brew Martini doughnut features Crosstown’s signature sourdough, filled with a cold brew martini custard and hand-dipped in a cold brew martini glaze. Hurry, these doughy beauties aren’t around for long!
