No matter what detractors of British cuisine may say, I ate well in London. So well, in fact, that I’m now working off three extra pounds. Considering that in many countries I’ve lost weight, that’s pretty high praise for English cooking.
Where I ate obviously influenced how well I ate. Armed with Time Out London, London Zagat, and tips from friends and local foodies, I sought out places that would please my finicky palate. For breakfast I went to cafes such as Gail’s Bread, Ottolenghi and The Tabernacle. Located in Notting Hill and close to the flat where I had stayed, these three served up consistently good food in warm, cheery atmospheres.
Since lunch was always right around the corner, I never succumbed to the full English breakfast of poached eggs, bacon, sausage, fried tomatoes, fried mushrooms, beans, toast and tea. Yet, I did love many less filling, local specialties. Currant-studded Chelsea buns, jam-slathered scones and scrambled eggs on toast with sauteed mushrooms ranked high on the list of favorites.
Often I grabbed lunch on-the-go. Olive focaccia from Lina Stores in SoHo, Cornish pasties or locally produced breads and cheese fit this bill. The chain noodle shop Wagamama also fell into the category of quick, easy lunches. Started in London in the 1990’s, Wagamama offered fresh tasting, Asian-inspired meals at relatively inexpensive prices.
Far from fast or inexpensive, Harrod’s in Knightsbridge nonetheless gave me the best lunch of my London visit. Famed for its luxury items, the department store possesses an extravagant, ground floor food hall. Here I saw everything from shredded beef biltong to black truffle puree. I also found a wonderful late lunch at its “easy eatery,” the Sea Grill. Its succulent pan-roasted Scottish salmon with tomato-garlic salsa and sauteed spinach was well worth splashing out on.
So, too, was dinner at E&O in Notting Hill, Ottolenghi in Islington and The Gate in Hammersmith. Of the three, The Gate remains the most memorable. Never has vegetarian cuisine tasted so good. If you go, consider the potato and wild mushroom rotolo for your entree and the Eton mess for dessert. Likewise outstanding was the Pan-Asian offerings at E&O. Baby aubergine and spicy miso dim sum, king prawn & black cod gyoza, chili tofu and the utterly British banoffee pie are just a few of the highlights from this vibrant restaurant.
When I think over my London dining experiences, I’m not surprised that I packed on pounds. I’m just surprised that I didn’t gain more!
BUTTERMILK SCONES
from Trudie Styler and Joseph Sponzo’s The Lake House Cookbook (Clarkson Potter, 1999)
Makes 6
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons plain white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, diced
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup superfine sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
beaten egg, to glaze
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add the raisins and sugar and stir to combine. Make a well in the center then stir in enough buttermilk to form a soft dough.
On a lightly floured work surface turn out the dough and knead lightly. Roll the dough out to 1″ thick and cut into rounds with a 2 1/2″ plain cutter. Transfer the rounds to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the scones with the beaten egg. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes until risen and golden brown on top. Serve hot or cold.