Food • January 2018
Covent Garden’s hottest restaurants
With a New Year on the horizon, it’s time to uncover the slickest dining experiences for 2018. That’s why this month, The Club’s editorial team headed to Covent Garden, now one of London’s foodie hotspots, in search of the restaurants that’ll make your year
Frenchie
Who: Matt Richardson, The Club picture editor
Where: WC2E 8QH
Frenchie’s first overseas outpost burst onto London’s dining scene in January 2016. Having gained a following for its inimitable bacon scones and clotted cream combo, Marchand’s classic French cooking, updated with a splash of British flair, is well worth a visit. Though rich, the lamb with butternut squash, harissa and smoked yogurt was sublime, while the Cornish cod with Jerusalem artichoke was equally delectable. For the sweet tooth, the meringue drizzled in chocolate sauce with brittle malt is not to be missed.
Frog by Adam Handling
Who: Hannah Ralph, The Club content editor
Where: WC2E 7HG
A sleek standout in an otherwise unremarkable side street, the Frog by Adam Handling sets quite the sophisticated scene. Inside, the clink of air-light wine glasses and the ethereal glow of a bustling open kitchen set the tone for Handling’s masterful tasting menu. Showstoppers include an Iberian pork so soft you’d think it was melting, thickly whipped chicken butter on crusty sourdough, plus the restaurant’s famed cheese and (generously) truffled donuts. Opt for the expertly crafted cocktail pairings, where beetroot, charred sage and cardamom spiced yellow pepper let you know this is no ordinary happy hour.
Henrietta at the Henrietta Hotel
Who: Barbara De Beukelaer, The Club production manager
Where: WC2E 8QH
Launched in May within the boutique Henrietta Hotel, Michelin-star chef Ollie Dabbous’ Henrietta is understatedly elegant, featuring a blend of French and British décor to match the origin of its cuisine, alongside a dazzling glass ceiling. We were welcomed with a gin-based cocktail and a lengthy selection of wines to choose from, followed by a tantalising starter of barbecued Jerusalem artichokes garnished with hazelnuts and truffle. The Latteria dumplings, served with garlic buttermilk, chanterelles and chestnuts were plump and flavourful, while the Dame Blanche, an exquisitely executed French classic with crumbly brownie, Chantilly cream and lashings of chocolate sauce, was dreamy.
Eneko at One Aldwych
Who: Marisa Cannon, The Club content editor
Where: WC2B 4BZ
Following the success of his three Michelin-starred Azurmendi in Bilbao, Basque chef Eneko Atxa opened his first London restaurant in August 2016. Housed within the five-star One Aldwych hotel, the Eneko at One Aldwych design marries charming bucolic accents with industrial decor, featuring an elegant copper staircase, smooth chestnut tables and bell pepper red leather booths. The Memories of the Bay of Biscay was a spectacle, a starter dish of grilled scallops and daikon, served smoking on a bed of dry ice, while the txipirones en su tinta – stuffed squid marinated in a viscous, black ink sauce – burst with flavour. Make sure to finish with the peanut sponge cake, topped with decadent dark chocolate ice cream.
Sibarita
Who: Ross Clarke, The Club content editor
Where: WC2E 7NA
This cosy Sibarita on Maiden Lane is the second of three Central London tapas eateries from acclaimed chef Victor Garvey – his latest, Rambla, which opened in October has been lauded by critics. Sibarita, is social eating at its best, with both well-priced plates to share, and a truly amiable atmosphere reminiscent of a genuine tasca you’d idle into on an alleyway in Spain. The menu is small, but each dish packs a punch, from unctuous Torta del Casar fondue, and melt-in-the-mouth lamb cutlets, to zingy ensalada Malagueña with its pineapple, fennel and sherry. The stars of this show however, are the croquetas, heavenly parcels of creamy spinach and béchamel coated in crispy breadcrumbs. My advice? Order two lots, and a hearty glass of Rioja while you salivate over the menu.
This article has been tagged Food + Drink, Destination