Nobu London

London… The first time in my life at Nobu London was in 1999, we were in London on a short break and had on the day the brilliant idea we want to go to Nobu…, and got a table through a few pestering phone calls to a great friend and chef I know, he worked with Mark Edwards on some promotions. (Mark is sort of Global Head Chef and a partner of Nobu Matsuhisa, Nobu has 15+ places from LA to NYC, London to Hong Kong. These are part of the Myriad Restaurant Group, where Robert De Niro and Drew Nieporent are amongst the partners, all big players…then there is a brand owned by Nobu himself, called Matsuhisa, more boutique style, all very complex and strategic)

Back to our experience, I only realized once seated in the restaurant what a celebrity packed hotspot this was. We came from a Swiss mountain village, so this all in a sudden felt like being seated in the first row of a Film Premiere. Anyway, I don’t think this interest anybody, the point is, today in 2007 the restaurant still has a great energy, buzz and nothing is inferior then it was back in 1999, except that the customer base is a touch less celeb-ish, more mixed, tourists, punters out for a great treat, business men, etc.

Nobu London maintains a 1 Michelin Star since years, and still has one, the service is still very efficient, not always over the top friendly, but the prices are kept steep if not over the top. The Japanese Food with a twist of Peruvian influences is absolutely wonderful, the energy and vibrancy in the restaurant is world class. A magic place that has its price tag.

If you go there, never miss the signature dishes that are part of the fame. Edamame beans, Yellowtail Jalapeno, Rock Shrimp Tempura (order with 3 sauces) or Creamy Spicy Shrimp, Black Cod Miso, and then have a selection of Sushi, it is top end, can’t get much better then this outside Japan. No matter what, don’t miss the desserts, they are a class of its own, from a pastry chef that worked for Adrian Ferra at El Bulli. To drink, maybe try a Bamboo pitcher of Junmai Daignjo quality Sake.

I am not always convinced about the new dishes; they are great if one is a repeat customer dining often in Nobu, but for a one off treat, stick to the classics. The thing with the “one off treat people” is a bit reflected in the customer picture, at the steep prices i.e. for 2 people you easily hit the £200+ mark, and an exorbitant service charge knocked on top of the bill, understandable…

For quick and more affordable meals, the Sushi counter, where no reservations are taken, is also a great treat. You can get a good flavour of the buzz in the place around £110+ for two.

Overall, it is an institution and there are newer places on the market, the likes of Zuma, who are for sure heavy competitors and have taken over some of Nobu’s regular clientele and fame in the last years. In the end I think, one is a Nobu-san or Zuma-san, all depending on the first experience you had, maybe I am influenced from the 1999 one, and therefore definitely a Nobu-san.

(“Nobu – The World’s Sexiest Restaurant” The Observer, April 2001)

NB: Then there is the new Nobu Berkeley Street, for great food go to Park Lane, then for drinks to Berkeley, more clubby feel, the food is not the same, just the prices.

Curry Wurst, Kölsch Beer, Cologne and Düsseldorf

Curry Wurst is the first thing I always go for when in Germany…it’s a national speciality and translates as Curry Sausage. The one who does not know about this delicacy would assume it’s a sausage made with Curry. It is not, it’s much simpler…a grilled sausage, topped with Ketchup and Curry Powder, served with French fries. Apparently Curry Wurst was invented in Berlin 1949 by Herta Heuwer, there is also a patent trademark certificate.

The secret of a perfect Curry Wurst lies in different and complex components.

1. The sausage: Sausage making is an art. In the UK there are lots of sausages and people are proud of these, but to compare them with German sausages is only for fools. For Curry wurst the sausage is grilled or roasted.

2. The Curry Wurst: The art of making sausage is a phylosophie for itself.

3. The sauce: real good curry wurst sauce is not Ketchup but a sauce made of tomato extract and spices, chili, curry, etc…

4. Curry wurst is a Imbiss (Snack) and the best ones are found on roadside grill shaks.

5. My favorite place so far is in Düsseldorf (im Hafen) and is called Curry. It’s a stylish young and hip place, the Düsselfdorf fashionistas also don’t shy back of having a bottle of bubbly Prosecco with the Imbiss. The fries are delicious and home made. Various additional sauces are offered.

6. Beer: Beer is another great asset Germany has, again, the Brits think the ales and bitters they have are the best…forgett about it, try a Kölsch (blonde beer from Cologne) or an Alt Beer (old beer) in Düsseldorf and you will instantly know the difference, it’s enough reason to cancel your flight ticket back to the UK, and if the beer is not enough, then its the beer and curry wurst…

7. Here are some fabulous links and places to explore:

Curry in Düsseldorf

Curry Wurst from Berlin, the whole story

Wiki on Curry Wurst

Peters Brauhaus in Cologne for fabulous local food and Kölsch

Kölsch beer on Wiki

Kölsch bier on Wiki

Go and check it out for yourself, Cologne a nice old city with lots of charm whilst I personally prefer the more sophisticated small fashion town of Düsseldorf.

Here we are self pictured over an Alster Bier, at the Düesseldorf Neumark, a lovely vegetable, fruit and meat market in the middle of the city!

Trader Vics at the Hilton, a retro classic boozer?

Recently I tried out Trader Vic at the Hilton on Park Lane, we haven’t been there for ages. This place is so old and kind of out of fashion that it by now deserves to be fashionable to have a drink here, again. Considering that various boutiques and shops are selling retro 70’s tables, home furnitures and chairs at astonishing prices, even in Selfridge’s, the type my grandma throw in the bin a few years ago. The waitresses wear long dresses with the sides of the skirts cut open showing a lot of leg, nearly up to the bum…and most of them are guess what, no not 55+ but late 20’s and quite gorgeous. The clients are according to the decor, some Samsonite businessmen from all age groups but mainly 55+ and various ethnic backgrounds, I noticed quite a large amount of “fruit cocktail boozers” from the Middle East, then there are, surprise surprise, some single (on business? hehehe) women, which also sit around, sipping on Perrier waters and fruit juices. The music band got stuck in 1970’s and the decor reminds of a Polynesian beach joint, from about the time when the musicians were born. Cheesy salsa, some known and less known hits, Brazil beats and some unidentifiable other tunes, but not to the point that it gets totally annoying. They also serve some food, but we did not go there, although the large Tandoori like ovens in the glass shielded kitchen look interesting.

ENOUGH cynicism, the history of Trader Vic’s is interesting and Victor J Bergeron is to be considered a pioneer. “It all started when Victor Jules Bergeron was a waiter at San Francisco’s Fairmont Hotel and owned a grocery store on San Pablo Avenue in Oakland. His son – Victor, (Jr.) – grew up loving the food business, living with the family in an apartment above the store and helping out downstairs.” so one can read on www.tradervics.com “In 1932, with a nest egg of $700 and carpentry help from his wife’s brothers – plus his mother’s pot-bellied stove and oven – the ebullient Victor built a cozy pub across the street from the store and called it Hinky Dink’s. His pungent vocabulary and ribald air made him a popular host, as did his potent tropical cocktail concoctions and delicious Americanized adaptations of Polynesian food.” Somewhere along the lines in 1944 the Mai Tai Cocktail was also invented by a Trader Vic. The customer was served the rum based drink and said “Mai Tai Roe Ae” which means “Out of this world” in Tahitian.

Images from Trader Vic’s

Trader Vic’s is located at the London Hilton Park Lane, 22 Park Lane, W1Y 1BE, England. There are several other Trader Vic’s around the world, from Dubai to Munich.

Sunday brunch and the best Egg Benedict @ Cookbook Cafe on Park Lane

Sunday I had the best Egg Benedict in my entire life, at least so far. Now how does an Egg Benedict qualify to be “the best in 30 years” of life time. In all fairness to all Egg Benedict’s out there, this one was with Smoked Salmon, Creme Fraiche and Caviar. I only know and eat EB since about 12 years, so not my entire life, but usually EB gives me instant heart burn. This one didn’t at all. It was made with 1 and not 2 eggs. The hollandaise was light and creamy, not like a warm thick mayonnaise but just the way a lite contemporary and elegant Hollandaise should be, the right balance between richness with a hint of acidity to break the fatty edge on the palate. The happy laid free range egg, perfectly poached, was sitting on top of a toasted muffin, with a slice of smoked salmon! The caviar gave and bits of creme fraiche gave it this extra touch of extravagance, I just gulped the whole plate down and wanted another one. I didn’t, because when shopping on Saturday I couldn’t fit the usual size suits…This egg was served at the Cookbook Cafe during Sunday brunch. Steffi met with a friend around 1ish and I joined in later. A lady DJ from London was spinning the Vinyl with some groovy ambiance, nu-jazz and other light to digest on Sunday brunch tunes. The view through the great windows onto Park Lane and a wintry Hyde Park laying in low level winter clouds, the passing traffic and Sunday crowd made this a most memorable Sunday brunch, a casual urban feel, not stuffy and stiff at all.

Bloody Mary, Iced Tea Martinis and other cocktails, water, soft drinks and coffees are included “as much as you like” in the price of £39. There is a market style table in the center of the restaurant with all the great food you can imagine. Seafood, Muffins in baking trays, salads, breakfast items, Home Made Granola with Greek Yoghurt, Seafood, etc. Steffi was raving about the crayfish cocktail, I didn’t try it because I hate crayfish with passion. The main carving station had roast beef, duck breas, leg of lambt and some other stuff, served by a medium introverted but knowledgeable cook.

The head chef Michel Gehrig was around all the time ensuring all foods are fresh, explaining to guest what it is, how it’s prepared, provenance, it’s not often that one can see the Head Chef in the restaurant, and I thought that was really cool.

Roberto, the restaurant manager and his team of good looking waiters and waitresses, in funky stripy shirts, are a really cheerful, happy and very friendly, not pushy crowd and give the place a good relaxed vibe. Overall, a place to hang out for hours, read the newspaper, chat the afternoon away with friends and have some bites to eat in between. Oh and I forgot to mention, the roast potatoes with herbs and garlic were to die for…

Cookbook Cafe, InterContinental London Park Lane, 1 Hamilton Place, London.

Jasmine Thai, Uxbridge Road Shepherds Bush at £71 for 4

Yesterday night we went once again to the neighbourhood Thai restaurant on Uxbridge Road, named Jasmine. I was there several times now and is is consistently really good food and great value. The produce used seems fairly high quality and definitely always very fresh. The flavors of the various dishes are fabulous, not to spicy for westerners palates but spicy and tasty enough to give it a real authentic, interesting taste. One of the best dishes served are Salmon Chu Chi Pla, the salmon, crispy roasted on the skin is served in red curry sauce with basil leaves (see image above). This with steamed rice is a dinner by itself. But because I tend to over-order, we always get 2 mains and a side main, Salmon, Green Thai curry chicken, steamed rice and a portion of Pad Thai noodles. A friend (who was in Thailand for 3 months) says they are the most authentic tasting Pad Thai he has had in London so far. I have never been there, so no idea, but I can tell if something tastes good, and they taste damn good. Not to mention the salmon, the curries and more. A pleasant neighborhood restaurant, decorated in über kitsch style Thai, with Thai “bling bling bling” music and all Thai really super friendly no attitude waitresses wearing traditional gear. The starters such as Spring Rolls or Sate skewers are around £3-5 and mains come at its high at max £10.

The food is great and the value for money is outstanding, a recommendation for neighbors and a “destination” place for pioneers. (there is Vesbar across the road which is a cool pub / bar with DJs and a good buzz for drinks before or after and before and after!)

Jasmine, 16 Goldhawk Road, Shepherds Bush, London, W12 8DH Telephone: 0208 743 7920

China Tang at the Dorchester (£320 for 4) vs. Magic Wok on Queensway (£160 for 5)

…tonight, after work Bradley, Sayoko, Hans Robert Weiss and I had drinks at the Dorchester bar, quite nice and buzzing place. (we used to go to the Four Seasons Hotel for drinks but the Dorchester bar replaced the 4Seasons because it’s all, dusty, boring and expensive although the service is amazing).

CHINA TANG, PARK LANE

Then of course we got hungry and decided to check out China Tang, David Tang’s latest restaurant, at the Dorchester. This is worth visiting for the design only already, which is featuring Shanghai colonial style and is super cool, the restaurant is full and buzzing. First there was no table, the usual London thing, wait 25 minutes at the bar which results in 1 hour waits and we decided to only have a drink and then leave, but we got the table anyway. The restaurant general manager, a freaked out Austrian guy was very friendly, cool and helpful in getting a table. The bar staff, all Asian have no clue and are not over friendly. The drinks we had there got mixed up when brought to the table. They then offered to take the drinks back to the bar to sniff and find out which one is the Vodka Tonic and which one is the Gin Tonic….!!!!….after a gentle exchange of words we got new drinks. The Australian waitress was very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. We ordered Peking duck, which was carved at the table, excellent. I wondered first what they would do with the rest of the meat on the duck…eat it themselves? No. It was served later stir fried with bamboo shoots, very good too. The other dishes were also fine, a bit westernised in accessibility of flavors but OK, I prefer the no-fuss Chinese restaurants on Queensway or in China Town.

Dishes we ate were; Peking Duck: just delicious, the best one I had in a long time. Aubergine Hot Pot with minced pork (a favorite dish of mine) was good though not spicy and tasty enough. Stir fried beef with garlic: great beef sirloin cubes, tender and juicy with awesome garlic chips on top. Shrimps Szechuan with for once really good quality large tasty shrimps, the Szechuan could have been a bit spicy hotter. Choi sam with oyster sauce. Crispy fried chicken with chili, pepper and salt and some other stuff plus steamed rice and dried salted fish fried rice. A bottle of Gewurztraminer from New Zealand was recommended by the sommelier in a nice non obtrusive and not patronizing way proved to be outstanding. (the sommelier was not French)

MAGIC WOK AND FOUR SEASONS, QUEENSWAY

However, the best Chinese meal I had so far was early January at the Magic Wok on Queensway, it was the best I had maybe so far in London! Images below are from Magic Wok except the Roast Ducks on the left is next door from the Four Seasons.

The service is not over friendly but not as rude as at the super Roast Duck place Four Seasons (not the hotel) and the decor non existent but who cares if the food is good?! We hat the aubergine hot pot with minced pork, so juicy and flavorsome the best I ever had, the Cha Siu Pork was ueber outstanding, the duck delicious, the vegetables, noodles, all of just great. We were 6 and the waiter mentioned to us that the order was enough for 10, ate it ALL. A great place for Food.

Late Sunday lunch, La Fromagerie, Moxon Street

Last Sunday we just wanted to buy some cheese for dinner. The best place to do so in London is the amazing little foodie haven on Moxon Street, just of Marylebone High Street. The shops has a cheese room, like a walk in fridge or “humidor” with the most amazing cheeses one can find. My dream would be to have a dinner in the room, a few people, lots of very good wine, and cheese.

We ended up eating there, on the back of the room there is a large wooden communal table in the middle and some individual smaller wooden tables with stools. We chose a cheese plate and a selection of charcuterie, together with an Organic Ale from Kent, a perfect afteronoon. Staff is friendly altough not very switched on, but the lovely atmosphere makes up for it. Actualy the people working in the cheese room are extremly knowledgable.

The shops sells various other great sourced products such as organic honeys from Valtellina, (north Italy, close to my hometown), vegetables and fruits, salumi, terrines, olive oils, breads, cakes and everything a foodies hart desires. All extremly well sourced. They also serve brunch. The menu is super exciting, somehow English with items such as Eggs and Soldiers (made of Poilaine bread) and then again some Continental items. A real treat. Next door is the most amazing butcher, the Ginger Pig. Go there for well matured and hung meat, home made pies and other delicacies. On Sundays there is a little but superb farmers market on the parking area behind the street.

SOOOO YUMMYYYYY….