Above: Watermelon, chickpea and feta salad at Ceru in South Kensington
There were two reasons why I waited so long to visit London. The first was that it seemed like cheating on getting a foreign experience when the natives all speak English. That excuse no longer applies, as most people we encounter while traveling in Europe speak fluent English, with an American accent due to all the Hollywood films they devour. British accents challenge my comprehension more than English spoken elsewhere.
The second bias I possessed was food. No mushy peas, please. That proves my ignorance. Today’s London offers so much more than the old standard pub grub I feared I would have to eat every single meal. Why did I ever wait so long to become enlightened?
With so many distinctive neighborhoods in London to explore, we only made it over to Fitzrovia once. At its heart, Charlotte Street is lined with appetizing restaurants packed with locals. We felt fortunate to land seats at Carousel Wine Bar.
Carousel’s menu creatively combines influences from various cuisines. Roasted padron chiles contrasted well with an unexpected bed of labneh. A heaping portion of roasted apples and onions topped a tender, crispy pork schnitzel. My favorite proved to be the intense sweetness of roasted delicata squash with flash-fried parsley. Dessert was a house-made cardamom ice cream with slivers of candied kumquats.
Above: Carousel Wine Bar
The worst meals we encounter traveling often are in midst of a city near major tourist magnets, for example in Westminster. That was one reason we felt fortunate to stumble across the petite deli of a Spanish chain, Casa Manolo. Suits were standing several deep in line for their to-go orders, yet someone had just freed up a table for us at one of only about four tabletops. Padrons, croquetas, ripe red tomatoes and a classic Spanish tortilla made an ideal midday museum break.
Above: Casa Manolo Strand
I led this alphabetical restaurant post with a photo of Ceru‘s refreshing watermelon, chickpea, edamame, cucumber, feta and mint salad. Billing itself as an “Eastern Mediterranean fusion” restaurant, Ceru is about a block or two from the Victoria and Albert Museum. We went to the museum twice so enjoyed the sharable plates at Ceru twice.
Shaved fennel and radicchio were tossed with fresh herbs, chunks of oranges, pomegranate seeds and toasted almonds. A warm salad was composed of baby onions, artichokes and peas. Other indicators of the chef’s magical touch with vegetables included asparagus, spicy cauliflower and zucchini fritters. Slow-roasted for five hours, lamb shoulder is Ceru’s signature dish. And two scoops of cardamom ice cream with a nut brittle and honey caramel sauce made a delightful finish.
Above: Ceru
A rainy day talked us into the cozy saloon bar of The Cow, its name leading me to assume it would have to be a beef day for me. The first surprise was a plate of the sweetest roasted root vegetables I’ve ever had. Then came our generous dishes of sea bass and a handsome fish stew with dense chewy bread to sop up its rich broth. Definitely recommended as an escape from the crowds along Portobello Road.
Above: The Cow
The formal old-school comfort and service of The Delaunay provided a flip side of dining. The dark wood panels and high ceiling attract dressier before-the-show crowds due to its location in the theatre district. The scallop carpacchio was delicately flowered and sauced, but fresh watercress couldn’t elevate the rather drab slab of over-priced schnitzel. Warm butterscotch poured over pistachio, almond and hazelnut ice cream was delightful.
Above: The Delaunay
Humble-appearing Go-Viet in South Kensington was always packed with people because its dishes are packed with flavor. We went once and then returned with daughter, son-in-law and kids.
Softshell crabs were wonderful, compelling you to finish off every little crispy crumb. Plump prawns studded a seafood pho. Minced beef and dried shrimp made stir-fried French beans memorable, and don’t dismiss that little bowl of bright tomatoes. Not sure what Go-Viet does to them, perhaps a confit preparation, but they are a not-to-miss dish.
Above: Go-Viet
Have made myself too hungry to finish our restaurant alphabet. As this is posted with a “freedom from hunger” stamp, I’ll go fetch a snack and resume at a later date.
Postcards from Barton Springs 