The golden pair of London’s restaurant scene have done it again. The Corbin-King partnership, spanning 30 years, that is responsible for iconic culinary institutions such as The Ivy, Le Caprice, J. Sheekey (these ones they sold) and later The Wolseley and Delaunay, now has another behemoth to their name. Brasserie Zedel, having opened just earlier this year, is nothing short of spectacular. One doesn’t quite know the beast that lies below the streets when walking into what seems like a small french brasserie. I certainly was confused as to where to go, thinking the restaurant was upstairs and that I should take the lift, instead of going down to where the bar is. Even whilst walking down the stairs, the place seems eerie. Then of course, one reaches the main concourse of Zedel with passages to the bar, the performance room and the restaurant.
Brasserie Zedel, London
Odette’s
The first time I heard of Bryn Williams was when I was working at The Orrery and, as is the case with most restaurants, one is made aware of all the notable alumni that have done time at the stoves. It wasn’t until many years later that when looking for a good neighbourhood restaurant in North London did Odette’s come back on the radar and this time, we were there without a second thought. Naturally, being in Primrose Hill bodes well in any situation, whether it’s a leisurely stroll up the hill to view all of London in its glory, or a lazy pint in the local pub, or even a cup of coffee in the many coffee shops on the street.
Trinity, London
When I told my cheffie friend M that we were going to go for dinner to Clapham, he did a double take and asked if I was sure I meant Clapham, being, as one could say, not the choice of destination for a gastronomic treat (no offence to Claphamites). Reason was that I’d heard, over the past year, many a good thing about Trinity, Adam Byatt’s neighborhood eatery, named after the church that guards the local vicinity. Clapham Common, by the way, is a haven for mass groups of people running, jumping, indulging in boot camp-style fitness regimes even in the pouring rain.
Bistrot Bruno Loubet
It truly is a shame when restaurants open to great fanfare and critical acclaim and then slowly become complacent; in this particular occasion, the restaurant fitting the bill was Bistrot Bruno Loubet. Having just finished watching a performance of the San Francisco Ballet and being blown away by the poetry of movement, we eagerly trotted to the nearby Zetter hotel with high hopes and eager anticipations …
