This week saw the release of the UK Top 100 Restaurant Awards and I thought I’d focus my attention on the London section and what’s on offer for the residents of the Capital City and surrounding areas, from Casual Brunch to Fine Dining Dinners.
The first thing I noticed down the list is that you still have the desire for fine dining, renowned Culinary Chefs such as Heston Blumenthal and his Restaurant ‘Dinner’ made the list, as did Jason Atherton’s ‘Pollen Street Social’ and Lee Westcott’s Typing Room. All worthy additions and at the forefront of Fine Dining in London which is a very congested area for competition, so it certainly shows they’re doing it right!
Also on the list I saw a real demand for Casual dining, even more so for Steak and Barbequed meats. Even where we’re from on the outskirts of London, more and more ‘BBQ’ or Burger restaurants are popping up everywhere you look. Its’s certainly on trend and the ethos of big flavours, big portions and value for money is seeing this dining option as a popular one in London. Enhanced by the ever-growing trend of ‘Eating Challenges’ I think it certainly is a contributing factor, and enhances the social side of going out for dinner. Worthy mentions go to the outstanding ‘Blacklock’ (Try the Sunday Roast!) and ‘Hawksmoor’ (Bone in Sirloin was our pick.)
The last big thing I noticed on this list of award winners was the love of Asian Food in London at the moment. It’s a market that’s absolutely thriving more than ever, and a Chicken Tikka Masala being Britain’s national dish doesn’t surprise me one bit. It isn’t your old-fashioned Curry Houses with the Poppadum’s in baskets and the scraggy old wall paper, which we do all love after a Friday Night in the pub by the way!! But the demand is now there for Authentic Indian dishes served the Indian way, quick, plentiful and in the street food / roadside setting to get that London atmosphere of eat good, but quickly. The pioneers of this eating style are Kricket in Soho (Incredible Fried Chicken!) and Gunpowder in Spitalfields (Mums Lamb Chops are a winner). It’s almost a combination of our favourite eating style in Tapas, which we all love for the variety and fun it brings to Family and Friends, but also our favourite food, which Indian makes a compelling case of topping that list.
Whatever takes your fancy, this list of award winners caters for all eating styles and occasions and budgets. Was there anyone you thought should have made the list, but didn’t quite get the acclaims? Let us know and we’ll go and give it a try and see if we agree!
To see the full list, head to Opentable
Happy Eating!
