Dining Dates
New openings and events on London's culinary scene
Single Ingredient Series at The Ninth
The Michelin-starred bistro-luxe on Fitzrovia’s Charlotte Street headed by American-born Japanese-British chef Jun Tanaka, is a go-to for French Mediterranean-style dishes. This week it launches its Single Ingredient Series – a collection of tasting menus dedicated to one ingredient at its seasonal best. The first multi-course menu (£98 per person, served until 21 May) is based on asparagus, which is transformed into starters such as glazed Portwood asparagus, fermented white asparagus and house ricotta; and meat selections that include Iberico pork pluma, grilled Wye Valley purple asparagus and wild garlic with crispy Agria potatoes. There’s also a desert of poached white asparagus in Le Black Réserve champagne and green apple sorbet.
The series will continue with a “tomato” menu from 15 June to 11 July, and will conclude with a homage to shellfish from 15 September to 10 October. 22 Charlotte St, London W1T 2NB; theninthlondon.com
Oudh 1722 debuts in London
Chef Aktar Islam, the creative talent behind Birmingham’s two Michelin-starred Opheem – one of only two Indian restaurants in the UK, and four worldwide to be awarded the accolade – will open his first London restaurant on the 1st May in Borough.
Islam’s new outpost will showcase the chef’s Awadhi-inspired cuisine, a style of cooking which originated in the royal courts of Lucknow, and is based on slow-cooking techniques (dum), aromatic spices and the lavish use of dry fruits and yogurt.
Islam’s interpretation includes shorba – a warm broth traditionally served to welcome guests – and Naashta, street food-style snacks that include Nargisi Kofta (soft golden egg yolk and spiced venison) and Gol Guppas with jaljeera. His kebabs are made from finely minced lamb shoulder with chilli and rose. The art of slow dum cooking is at the heart of the menu, and dishes include Raan-e-dum pukht: smoked Wiltshire lamb shoulder baked in a lamb-fat crust; and Zameen Doz Machli: whole turbot slow-cooked in spiced ghee with brown shrimp and saalan.
Curries range from Tandoori poussin with smoked tomato and cream and Aylesbury duck with beetroot curry to Gobhi mussalam: roasted cauliflower in toasted poppy seed korma with seasonal truffle – designed to be enjoyed with breads: saffron-scented sheermal, layered paratha and hand-stretched roomali roti. 66 Union Street, Borough, London, SE1 1TD; oudh1722.com
Carbone launches luncheon
The cult New York American-Italian restaurant famed for its Spicy Rigatoni Vodka, meatballs and Veal Parmesan at The Chancery Rosewood (once home to the American Embassy), has introduced a dedicated lunch service (served from midday until 2.30pm) at its Ken Fulk-designed Street Salon and its newly opened alfresco terrace. The menu is light and fresh: antipasti of pea and pecorino (£26), pasta dishes such as spring pea cappellacci (£31) and spaghetti puttanesca (£27), which will be served alongside its signature cuisine and a daily crudo selection of locally sourced seafood. The terrace, dressed with white tablecloth seating amid greenery and olive trees, overlooks the gardens of Grosvenor Square. 30 Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, London W1K; carbonelondon.com
BiBi & Friends: Chet Sharma x Joké Bakare
BiBi & Friends is a series of one-off collaborative guest chef dining experiences at Mayfair's BiBi restaurant. On 23rd May, chef Chet Sharma will partner chef Joké Bakare from London’s Michelin-starred Chishuru for a special one-night-only event.
Born in Nigeria, Bakare explores the flavours of West Africa in her cuisine, while Chet draws on his family heritage from the Indian subcontinent, creating seasonal and ingredient-led dishes.
Together they have created a menu featuring recipes from each restaurant as well as original creations. From Chishuru, there will be snacks such as Àbàchà (cassava salad with plantain ash dressing) and Sinasir (fermented rice cake with slow-cooked tomato and mushroom shitto). BiBi, meanwhile, will conjure creations such as Creedy carver duck Khaas Nihari and strawberry and Uziza pepper shrikhand.
The dinner is £195 per person, including a paired glass of champagne, sponsored by Dom Pérignon. Seats for the dinner will be available on 25th April from the BiBi newsletter, which you can subscribe to here. BiBi, 42 North Audley Street, W1K 6ZP; bibirestaurants.com
The Sea, The Sea moves to a new Chelsea home
A favourite on Chelsea’s Pavilion Road hosting a high-end seafood restaurant and a daytime fishmongers, which is reputed for its daily-changing menu of modern, small seafood plates focusing on sustainable, day-boat fish. So much so, it is moving to a larger space in the same location, which opens its doors on 29th May.
The new site is a 40-cover bistro-style seafood restaurant, with a terrace and an expanded fishmongers. The shop will also offer freshly prepared lunch boxes and provisions, and turn into a 10-seat seafood bar at night. 243 Pavilion Road, London, SW1X 0AW; theseathesea.net
Too Many Critics 25th anniversary event at Dante Claridge's Hotel
Too Many Critics is an annual charity dining event established by food writer Bill Knott to raise funds for Action Against Hunger. On the 15th June, celebrating its 25th anniversary year, it is collaborating with OpenTable for a special event, which will take place at Dante restaurant at Mayfair's Claridge’s hotel.
Hosted by the British-Antiguan broadcaster, chef and television personality Andi Oliver, the charity dinner will be served by a clutch of media figures: food critics Tom Parker Bowles (Daily Mail), David Ellis (The London Standard), Hannah Crosbie (The Observer), Hannah Twiggs (Independent), Adam Hyman (CODE and The Good Food Guide) and Matthew Fort (Fort on Food), who took part in the very first Too Many Critics event, and will be stepping into the kitchen to cook a multi-course dinner for guests.
As the roles reverse, chefs including Elliott Grover, Nigel Haworth and Karan Gokani will take on the persona of critic during the evening, adding to the entertainment, which includes a silent auction (which goes live on 1st June), offering exclusive prizes such as private dining experiences, wine tours and luxury stays, as well as a live auction, where guests can bid for prizes.
The event, which is supported by Champagne Tattinger and Liberty Wines, raised almost £130,000 for Action Against Hunger last year, supporting work providing treatment and care to more than 28 million people in over 50 countries every year.
Tickets are priced at £275 per person, including a champagne reception and dinner with pairing wines. Book at OpenTable Experiences. 49 Brook Street, Mayfair, London W1K 4HR; maybourne.com
