A POSH SPOT FOR DINNER: Indigo at One Aldwych in London. Photo: Courtesy of Indigo at One Aldwych.

INDIGO RESTAURANT
Inside One Aldwych Hotel
One Aldwych
London, United Kingdom
WC2B 4BZ
020-7300 1000, http://www.onealdwych.com/food-drink/indigo

By Scott Harrah

Looking for a great pre-theatre dinner in London’s West End? Indigo is an elegant place for a quick bite, with a unique twist on classic British cuisine. Located inside the posh five-star One Aldwych Hotel in Covent Garden, Indigo is within walking distance to all the beautiful theatres in Central London.

Recently renovated back in April to the specifications of executive chef Dominic Teague, with a new state-of-the-art kitchen, Indigo is located above the downstairs bar area and is a great place to relax with a cocktail, a glass of wine and a quick but hearty, healthy meal before dashing off to a show.

During our recent week visiting London to review West End shows, we stopped at Indigo to sample their excellent “set menu.” Everything on the lunch and dinner menus is gluten-free (important for those on restricted diets) and the menu carefully notes which dishes are strictly vegetarian and which contain nuts. In addition, the bread baked in-house is also gluten-free. The restaurant uses carefully sourced ingredients from the British Isles, from healthy dishes to heartier fare.

DIVINE CHOICES: (left) organic lamb rump, samphire, smoked aubergine, capers & anchovy & (right) fillet of halibut, marinated heritage tomatoes, Jersey Royals & black olives at Indigo at One Aldwych. Photo: Courtesy of Indigo at One Aldwych.

LEEK SOUP: With potatoes & wild garlic. A great starter at Indigo. Photo: Scott Harrah

The starters include leek soup (potato and wild garlic); crispy confit duck leg (with pickled heritage carrots and truffle honey vinaigrette); and cured Scottish salmon (with apple, dill and crab apple blossom). The leek soup is light and the perfect appetizer on a warm summer evening. My dining companion chose the Scottish salmon, which he said was delicious, particularly with the flavor of the dill and apple.

BEER-BATTERED DAY BOAT FISH: With hand-cut chips, crushed peas & tartare sauce. Photo: Courtesy of Indigo at One Aldwych.

BREAST OF CORN-FED CHICKEN (with buckwheat, broad beans and girolles) at Indigo at One Aldwych. Photo: Scott Harrah

Mains include breast of corn-fed chicken (with buckwheat, broad beans and girolles); pan-fried Brixham plaice on the bone (samphire, wild fennel, tomato and lemon); and roasted cauliflower (with toasted pumpkin seeds, aged balsamic and sea purslane). We opted for the chicken, which was delightfully served as perfectly carved chicken breasts over the buckwheat, beans and girolles (British mushrooms with a faint flavor of apricot, a perfect complement to the chicken).

QUINOA: Served with peas, broad beans, smoked almonds. Photo: Courtesy of Indigo at One Aldwych.

For dessert, choose from Valrhona chocolate mousse with English raspberries; flat peach (almond, white peach sorbet); and rice milk panna cotta (with poached rhubarb).

For the set menu, it’s 20 pounds for two courses and 25 pounds for three.

We’re especially grateful to Nicholas Kerle, Assistant Restaurant Manager at Indigo at One Aldwych. Mr. Kerle answered all our questions about the food, took our orders and made certain we had a pleasant dinner.

Indigo has a relaxing ambiance, situated above the bar, so you can dine and look down at the panoramic view of the place. Indigo is trendy but not at all pretentious, the food is of excellent quality, and the pre-theatre menu is certainly affordable. Quite simply, Indigo at One Aldwych is pre-theatre bliss.

PRE-THEATRE TREAT: (top) halibut & (bottom) lamb rump. Photo: Courtesy of Indigo at One Aldwych.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE: Decadent delight. Photo: Courtesy of Indigo at One Aldwych.

RASPBERRY PAVLOVA: For two to share. Photo: Courtesy of Indigo at One Aldwych.

PINEAPPLE CARPACCIO: With coconut sorbet & lime. Photo: Courtesy of Indigo at One Aldwych.

INDIGO AT ONE ALDWYCH: View from table, looking at the bar downstairs. Photo: Scott Harrah

CURED SCOTTISH SALMON: Served with apple, dill & crab apple blossom at Indigo at One Aldwych. Photo: Scott Harrah

VALRHONA CHOCOLATE MOUSSE: Served with English raspberries at Indigo at One Aldwych. Photo: Scott Harrah

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published July 20, 2015
Reviewed in London on June 16, 2015

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By Scott Harrah

Indian food in London in nothing out of the ordinary, but Dishoom in Covent Garden offers Indian food with a unique twist: Indian breakfast with a Persian accent.

Modeled after the original Bombay Cafes in India, back when the city was actually called Bombay (not Mumbai), Dishoom is a Parsi café (Parsis were Zoroastrians who immigrated to India from Iran in the 19th century). The cafes reached their peak at approximately 500 in the 1950s, after India gained its independence, but have now dwindled to “fewer than 30.” Dishoom pays tribute to these multicultural tea rooms of the subcontinent.

Reading the menu at Dishoom explains everything you need to know, as many items contain a short history lesson about Parsi cuisine and culture in India. The breakfast menu contains the following under Cooked Breakfasts: “The Parsi bodybuilders—whose portraits hang from the walls of Yazdani café—famously consumed several eggs a day to attain their muscular physiques. These breakfasts would satisfy any candidate for the coveted Mr. Zoroastrian crown.”

HEARTY PARSI-STYLE EGGS, TOAST & BACON: Kejriwal, described as “two fried eggs on chili cheese toast,” served with three rashers of bacon. Photo: Scott Harrah

On a mid-June morning, we stopped in for coffee, orange juice and Kejriwal, described as “two fried eggs on chili cheese toast. A favourite of the well-to-do Willington Club, the first such Bombay institution to admit natives; the dish is reputedly named for the member who kept asking for it. (Not to be confused with Arvind Kejriwal, leader of India’s Aam Aadmi—common man’s political party.)”

The eggs were spicy, a bit on the greasy side, with dark orange yolks (all egg dishes are made with Buford Brown eggs, a type of British egg from a breed of chicken that lays dark brown eggs with a thick shell).

Other breakfast choices include the Bombay omelette (with chopped tomato, onion, coriander and green chili, served with grilled tomato and fire toast). There is also Akuri, spicy scrambled eggs with pau beans and grilled tomato.

We also tried three rashers of bacon (supplied by The Ginger Pig). The bacon was hearty and meatier than the American bacon with which we’re familiar. Those looking for something lighter can choose from masala beans, grilled tomato and grilled mushrooms as a side.

One can also enjoy Dishoom’s naan rolls. Choose from the bacon naan roll, sausage naan roll and the egg naan roll.

Those not into eggs can enjoy a variety of fruit, grains and breads. Choose from fruit and yogurt (with fresh mango, grapes, strawberries and honeydew melon) and “topped with creamy yogurt infused with Keralan vanilla pod, and the London Honey Co’s excellent Buckinghamshire honey.” Also, there is house granola; bun maska, “to be dipped into your spicy chai”; and fire toast, “thick slices of bloomer bread, buttered and thrown onto the grill where they become char-striped,” served with pineapple-pink peppercorn jam and orange marmalade with star anise.

Best of all, almost everything is under 10 pounds, so you can have a filling breakfast without breaking your budget.

Unfortunately, we were not able to try Dishoom for dinner because they do not accept reservations for small groups. Reservations are taken after 5:45pm for groups of 6 or more. However, reservations for groups of any size are taken for breakfast and lunch.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published July 9, 2015
Reviewed in London on June 18, 2015

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PRE-THEATRE GEM IN COVENT GARDEN: The Hawksmoor Seven Dials. Photo: Courtesy of Hawksmoor Seven Dials

HAWKSMOOR SEVEN DIALS
11 Langley Street
London, United Kingdom
WC2H 9JG
020 7420 9390, http://thehawksmoor.com/locations/seven-dials/

By Scott Harrah

One doesn’t normally think of London as a city to find great steak, but the pre-theatre crowd need look no further than Hawksmoor Seven Dials in Covent Garden. Located in an old fruit warehouse, the place has the feel of an upscale but casual pub, but there’s nothing “pub like” about the food because here you will find some of the best steak and seafood in London, and possibly, the United Kingdom.

There’s a nice pre-prandials menu, with a fancy gin cocktail, sherry crusta and the Hawksmoor Collins (gin, lemon, Campari, bitters and soda), but a glass of wine also goes well with what you’re about to enjoy.

The Hawksmoor also has excellent service from the moment one walks in the door. James was our waiter, and he was kind enough to explain many of the British specialties on the menu with which we were unfamiliar. His friendliness and professionalism really enhanced our experience at the restaurant.

For starters, choose from Brixham crab on toast, Hawksmoor smoked salmon with soda bread, half a native lobster (from waters around the U.K., such as Cornwall and Scotland) with garlic butter, shrimps on toast, roast scallops with white port and garlic, potted beef and bacon with Yorkshires, Evesham asparagus with duck egg hollandaise, steak tartare, bone marrow with onions, Tamworth belly ribs or salads.

HALF A NATIVE LOBSTER: Served with garlic butter. Native lobster is found in the cold waters off Cornwall & Scotland. Photo: Scott Harrah

We started with the half a native lobster, which was absolutely scrumptious. British lobster tastes similar to Maine or Nova Scotia lobster but has a slightly different consistency, yet is delightful nonetheless. Next, we dug into the light and tasty roast scallops with white port and garlic. It was a great prelude to the steak.

ROAST SCALLOPS: With white port & garlic. Photo: Scott Harrah

The Hawksmoor is famous for its steaks, and you can choose from bone-in prime rib, porterhouse, T-Bone and Chateaubriand (all three of which are big portions, so sharing is recommended). There is also bone-in sirloin (500 grams), rib-eye (400 grams) and D-rump (300 grams), aged 55 days. We each chose the fillet (300 grams) because our waiter, James, said it was the right size for people to eat individually. Having been raised in the American Midwest, I know a thing or two about great steak, but I never thought I’d eat one this tender and succulent in the U.K. It melted in my mouth. James suggested the Jersey Royals potatoes as a side dish and they were also excellent.

FILLET STEAK: 300g & tender & succulent. Photo: Scott Harrah

For a side with the steak, one can choose from grilled bone marrow, two fried eggs or maple bacon.

If you’re not a carnivore, the Hawksmoor also has whole sea bream with chili, rosemary and garlic, and a larger native lobster grilled with garlic butter, as well as ricotta dumplings with spring vegetables.

BEEF DRIPPING FRIES & SAUCES: Choose from Bearnaise, peppercorn, bone marrow gravy, anchovy Hollandaise or stilton Hollandaise. Photo: Scott Harrah

We were curious about the beef dripping fries because the name itself is not something most Americans know. Our waiter insisted that we try them, and it is a good thing he did. The fries were crisp and perfectly cooked, and didn’t taste fatty or greasy at all. We ordered a selection of sauces: Béarnaise, peppercorn, bone marrow gravy, anchovy hollandaise, stilton hollandaise. The steak was so good we didn’t want to put the sauces on the meat, so instead we used the delicious liquid as something in which to dip our fries.

Other sides available are triple-cooked chips, roast field mushrooms, Doddington Caesar salad and English lettuce and herb salad.

To top off this outstanding meal, our waiter suggested the sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream. We had only seen this very British dessert on TV cooking shows but had never tried it. After trying it, we’re fans of the fattening treat. Sticky toffee pudding, James explained, is a steamed sponge cake filled with chopped dates and covered with a toffee sauce. Some British chefs put vanilla ice cream on top, but the Hawksmoor puts a generous scoop of clotted cream on top, which is sinfully delicious. Clotted cream, for those Americans who have never tried it, is sometimes called Devonshire or Cornish cream and is made by heating full cow’s milk cream and then leaving it to cool, and it eventually forms “clots.” After dining at the Hawksmoor, we tried other sticky toffee puddings, but no one else made it as good as we had it here.

The menu is so extraordinary at the Hawksmoor that one could make a full evening of just dining here, especially on a special occasion, but there is also a popular pre-theatre “Express Menu” of 2 courses for 24 pounds or 3 courses for 27 pounds and is served until 6:30pm and from 10pm onwards, Monday to Saturday. The Express Menu includes spring salad with Graceburn, potted mackerel or bone marrow with onions as a started; for mains, Hawksmoor hamburger; D-rump (300 grams) or fillet tail (200 grams, with 5 pound supplement; whole sea bream or ricotta dumplings with spring vegetables. One side of triple-cooked chips, beef dripping fries, sweet potato, spring greens or herb salad is included. Puddings for dessert include sticky toffee pudding or peanut butter shortbread.

If you’re planning to go to London to see West End shows, or simply going to experience everything the British capital has to offer, the Hawksmoor Seven Dials is a gastronomical treat you won’t want to miss.

SINFULLY DELICIOUS: Sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream. Photo: Scott Harrah

THE BAR AT HAWKSMOOR SEVEN DIALS: Perfect place for a cocktail before or after a West End show. Photo: Courtesy of Hawksmoor Seven Dials.

GREAT FOR PRE-THEATRE OR A SPECIAL OCCASION: Hawksmoor Seven Dials in Covent Garden, London. Photo: Courtesy of Hawksmoor Seven Dials

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published July 3, 2015
Reviewed in London on June 17, 2015

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