QUINTESSENTIALLY | Insider | Food & Drink

There are few cities in England that offer a combination of awe-inspiring surroundings, world-class culture and history, stunning food and drink and a legendary nightlife scene, but Newcastle-upon-Tyne offers all of them, amongst much else. Everyone knows the iconography of the city, from the imposing Tyne Bridge to the architectural spectacle that is Grey Street (voted Britain’s favourite street). Yet there’s so much more to it than the obvious highlights, whether you want to visit some of the country’s most striking art galleries or stay at some of the most luxurious boutique hotels in the North-East.

Ever since Gateshead welcomed the Baltic Centre and Sage concert hall, to say nothing of the ambitious Millennium Bridge spanning the Tyne between Gateshead and Newcastle, there has been a seismic shift in how the city regards itself. Yes there’s still the Bigg Market, rammed to the hilt every weekend with stag parties and revellers, but you’re just as likely to find upmarket wine bars off Grey Street or some of the country’s most characterful pubs, where good cheer and great beer go hand-in-hand.

The city isn’t short of great hotels, but two of the best are undeniably the Malmaison and the Hotel du Vin. The Malmaison is set in a stunning location adjacent to the river, a short walk from the centre of town and literally seconds from the ‘hip’ bars that populate the Quayside. In a former warehouse, the rooms have been sympathetically restored to offer all the mod cons that you’d expect (flat screen TVs, rainfall showers, Egyptian cotton linen) but with a sense of humour as well, from the lifts that speak to you in French (!) to the hearty brasserie fare served up in the restaurant that makes ample use of local ingredients; unpretentious and very enjoyable dishes.

The Hotel du Vin, by way of contrast, is catered towards visitors who want a quirkier but slightly more grown-up experience. If you’re into wine, this place will be a joy to spend time in, from the rooms named after various producers to the impressive cellar that can be sampled either in the restaurant or the excellent bar. Again, the conversion from a former industrial building allows for all kind of fun design touches, such as rooms that incorporate the shower and bath into the bedroom itself; ideal for a romantic couple wanting to spend some quality time together.

On the other side of town, Jesmond is commonly regarded as the city’s ‘posh’ area, with chi-chi bars and coffee shops catering to a mixture of young professionals, students and the city’s well-heeled. Many flock to the highly acclaimed Jesmond Dene House, which beautifully conveys an air of country refinement while set just outside the city centre. The highly acclaimed restaurant, which boasts 3 AA rosettes, specialises in high quality cuisine that combines European and British influences, but in an accessible and pleasant way. Menus range from seriously high-class gastronomic tasting options in the evening to a more straightforward but no less enjoyable Sunday lunch set menu, where carnivores will appreciate the suitably hearty roast beef washed down with one of the excellent wines that the knowledgeable sommelier can point you towards.

There’s a huge amount to Newcastle – indeed, with the small but perfectly formed historic city of Durham a few miles down the road, it’s the ideal base for a weekend away. So throw away your preconceptions of Viz and ‘the Toon Army’, and prepare to enjoy yourself in one of Britain’s most interesting destinations.

Malmaison, 104 Quayside, NE1. www.malmaison-newcastle.com

Hotel du Vin, Allan House, City Road, NE1 www.hotelduvin.com/hotels/newcastle

Jesmond Dene House, Jesmond Dene Rd, NE2 www.jesmonddenehouse.co.uk

Quintessentially travelled from London King’s Cross to Newcastle by rail with East Coast Trains: advance return fares, booked online, start from £24 Standard Class or £86 First Class: book via www.eastcoast.co.uk, call 08457 225225 or visit any staffed station.

When Paddington’s Sheldon Square was originally developed, it was apparently intended to be both West London’s answer to Canary Wharf. Now, it’s less a major destination for business or retail than it is a rather pleasant neighbourhood addition to the salubrious areas of nearby Little Venice and Maida Vale, as well as offering some extremely upmarket dining options.

Perhaps the most distinguished of these is the Lebanese establishment Massis, which differs from many of its competitors on the nearby Edgware Road by being unashamedly devoted to fine dining, rather than simply offering the usual mundane fare. Whether you choose to enjoy the mezze selections or the a la carte, there’s a wide range of choice for all tastes, ensuring that a memorable repast will be had. Highlights on our visit – and be careful that you don’t get carried away and over order, because the portions are substantial – included quite beautifully rich fattoush and sujuk sausages to start, followed by incredibly tender shawarma lamb as a main course, which all but fell apart when touched with a fork. My guest very much enjoyed her grill selection of kafta, lamb and chicken, and we both looked enviously on at the farouj meshwi, an entire marinated young chicken that’s then charcoal grilled.

As you would expect in a top-notch establishment like this, the wine list is both comprehensive and reasonably priced, offering a variety of Lebanese wines by both the bottle and the glass. The Chateau Ksara Rouge 2004 is a particular highlight, offering powerful, earthy flavours that compliment the food beautifully.

This is a splendid alternative to many of the less distinctive restaurants roundabouts, and with genuinely friendly and pleasant service, it’s all too tempting to enjoy a cocktail before dinner, and maybe even a Shisha afterwards on the terrace. Whatever you do, it’s sure to be enjoyable.

9 Sheldon Square, London W2. www.massis.co.uk

There seems to be a new maxim on London’s restaurant scene: open it, watch it become a success, and then open a branch in Canary Wharf. From being a comparatively unfulfilling area for gourmands, Canary Wharf is now bursting with superior-quality places for all appetites and inclinations. Camino, which originally opened to great acclaim and success in King’s Cross, has now set out its stall in a strikingly inviting location by the Thames, offering the high-quality combination of superb cooking and great drinks that made its other restaurant a haven for those who like to venture through Spain’s rich culinary landscape.

If you’re dining in the restaurant, your best bet is to start off with a sharing platter, ‘un poco de todo’, which translates to ‘a little bit of everything’. This could include such delights as chorizo, tomato bread, delicious ham croquettes and langoustines, or a vegetarian option that features the most delicious smoked green peppers with sea salt that you can imagine having. Appetites whet, it’s your choice as to whether you stick with the ‘lighter’ options of cured meats and vegetable stews, or opt for the blow-out dishes like black pig shoulder blade (for the truly hard core) and marinated Basque-style rib-eye steak. The truly carnivorous can even treat themselves to a ‘parrillada mixta’, which includes virtually every kind of meat known to man, served up with Navarran red peppers.

Of course Camino became famous for its drink as much as its food, and the range on offer here doesn’t disappoint. The wine list includes both sensibly priced and eclectic Spanish wines from all over the country, including a good selection by the bottle and carafe, and ‘Los Canones
Grandes’, or ‘The Big Guns’, which allow the oenophile to sample some seriously high-class Spanish wine at more than reasonable prices. A favourite from this list was the Torre Silo Crianza, Cillar de Silos 2006, which was a deserved winner at the New Wave Spanish Wine Awards this year, combining a fine, ripe aroma with a deliciously clean and rich aftertaste.

The cocktails, dessert wines and brandies offer a wide number of intriguing gems, and make a perfect counterpoint to the beguiling variety of decadent desserts on offer, of which the ‘crema Catalana’, Catalan burnt custard cream, and the ‘pastel de chocolate’, hot chocolate pudding with ginger ice cream, were our favourites. But the beauty of Camino is that you’re perfectly at leisure to have as much or as little as you wish, whether you want a full-on Spanish tasting extravaganza or a light bite and a glass of wine. This is a splendid place which will appeal to gourmands Londonwide and hopefully continue the renaissance of Canary Wharf as a culinary destination.

28 Westferry Circus, London E14

As I waited for my guest to arrive, I took a few liberties and glanced around the soaring Royal Garden Hotel and its svelte surroundings. Adjacent to Hyde Park, neatly cut onto a patch of High St. Kensington, this hotel takes full advantage of its glorious location. My friend turned up on two wheels and chained up his bike (amongst an alarming number of locks without bikes) and we went up to the tenth, rounded the bar and were confronted with one of the best views of London you can find.

First, we took our gin and tonics and stood gazing out through the floor-to-ceiling windows, pointing out landmarks like freshly faced tourists, enthralled by the lights over monuments we had never seen from this vantage point. Then, we sat at the bar – a languid affair where you finish off the aperitif before slinking past a cabinet of china vases to our table, a long drop above the park, with its twilight greens and blues.

Our friendly, funny and refreshingly honest waitress introduced us to the concept of this new ‘lunch’ menu. Set over three courses, teas are matched with each plate. Our first course was an individual selection of steamed dim sum; three intriguing mouthfuls stuffed with seafood and vegetables. Each was unique – skilfully crafted, well presented and created with only the freshest ingredients. The first teapot came; subtle, supporting our delicate parcels of fresh seafood and vegetables – and was poured with an enchanting reminder of the two courses to come. The waitress confessed she wasn’t a fan of the second, darker and slightly stronger beverage, just about standing up to the larger, heavier second course – individual platters of fried dim sum that were marked for their intensity of flavour and texture (any excess traces of grease that is frequently found at lesser restaurants was pleasingly absent here). A noodle course finished it; fried with a variety of ingredients including prawns, chicken and the fluffiest stir fried egg I have come across, they were not at all fatty, with just the slight amount of oil necessacary to slurp them up. The Eastern Beauty Tea came in a glass pot, and we could see the elegant flowers flavouring the tea ever so delicately.

After the final plate had been cleared, I was left with an unusual feeling. I often eat to excess whenever Chinese food is involved and leave feeling stuffed and greasy. At Min Jiang, the food was perfectly portioned for a late lunch, satisfying an appetite after hard labour in the office, and the tea left us refreshed and energised. I left the restaurant in such a frame of mind to take in the last of London’s mild evenings and enjoy a stroll home. Min Jiang is popular with both Chinese residents of London and those from the Middle Kingdom that know where to find good Chinese food in the Capital. Take their and my advice and stop by Min Jiang for this snappy tasting lunch.

Go to www.minjiang.co.uk/

While dabbling with any kind of theme runs the risk of death-by-kitsch, designer Kinney Chan has made certain Shore’s palatial 10,000 square foot venue is destined for longevity.

Shore, one of Hong Kong’s latest bar/restaurants, has a design that plays on the contrast of land and sea. Their impressive alfresco terrace has arrived just in time to make the most of the city’s inviting autumn weather.

On entering the main bar, guests are transported to the depths of the Pacific, with the subtle crystal and coral patterns weaved through the floor giving it a truly aquatic feel. The rough, sandy walls evoke cliffs erupting from an ocean floor.

With an enormous 1,500 square foot outdoor area replete with white cabanas, the patio offers diners and cocktailers artificial surroundings that all but convince you you’re on holiday. Call it an atmospheric placebo effect. My drink recommendation: the ‘Upper Shore’, a fairly lethal combination of gin, rum, tequila, vodka, triple sec, peach schnapps and juice. Not one for those weary of mixing spirits…

Upstairs in the main restaurant, guests are back on dry land in dense woods with rich moss greens. Tables are spaced far apart, making Shore an ideal destination for business lunches or even romantic rendezvous. The menu focuses on expertly prepared classics, with dry-aged, bone-on steaks from Australia, USA and Canada served alongside fresh, sustainable fish and seafood.

Shore is one of the few restaurants to cut and dry-age their steaks in-house, using organic produce where available. Notable dishes include the pan-roasted fish of the day – when I went, it was Australian ling – cooked sous-vide; perfectly tender and accompanied by pepper fondue, green olive tapenade and anchovy fritters.

The kitchen is headed up by Jason Black, a name familiar to many in the city. Having masterminded the menus at Zest and Frog Face Fish, Jason has taken things back-to-basics with Shore. His is a no-nonsense approach to food and the menu he has created is unashamedly honest, abounding with the kind of food you can really get stuck into – not a ‘foam’ or ‘jus’ in sight.

Aside from the savoury fare, guests of Shore must save room for something sweet. The year Jason took off to study the art of patisserie in France is evident in his sublime sugary creations. The chiffon cake is unbelievable: an intense shot of flavour complemented by dried plum and cranberry compote; the mulled wine sauce and pain d’epices ice cream lend the dish that special dose of festivity. When the weather gets cooler, I highly recommend their French hot chocolate – a deliciously thick, bittersweet concoction served with chocolate butter biscuits; is a playful take on milk and cookies that oozes indulgence.

Bonus points to Shore for abolishing the 10% service charge which all HK restaurants seem to add, leaving diners to tip as they see fit.

Shore

3/F & 4/F

The L Place

139 Queen’s Road Central

Hong Kong

Reservations – +852 2915 1638

Although the concept of a restaurant that predominantly serves artisan beer, along with a range of well priced and inspired dishes, isn’t a new one – Belgo, for instance, has been doing it for years – it is the new group of Draft House establishments that seems likely to take the idea and make a storming success of it. Initially based in the well-to-do environs of Clapham and Battersea, they have now opened their first establishment outside of SW London on Tower Bridge, and the chance to venture out and try an unusually extensive range of beers matched with an eclectic menu was certainly not one to pass up.

Truly a place for connoisseurs, the variety of beers on tap range from the more traditional British options such as Meantime Stout and Plain Porter and extend to some fabulous Belgian selections. The Brugs Wit, for instance, acts as a delicious palette cleanser with crisp citrus florals and notes of cardamom and cinnamon. It’s also a nice touch that drinks are often available in anything from third pint to pint measures, allowing you as much or as little brew as you like.

The menu focuses mainly on well-cooked and in some cases slightly offbeat dishes, all of which are matched with a suggested beer. While other establishments have tried and tested the whole pairing business, their main focus has always been on wine. Here, although there is a short and well-priced wine list focusing predominantly on New World varieties, the beer’s the thing. And thankfully, my guest and I were steered in exactly the right direction by the well-informed beer aficionados manning the taps.

Starters include light options such as smoked hock and trotter toast or Cotswold watercress and nettle soup. The more substantial mains might be Lincolnshire pork belly with black pudding hash or polenta and lentil bake. The pièce de résistance? The 10oz burger made with Oxford Charolais beef, heartily consumed with anything from cheddar to foie gras (as an extra), washed down with a half pint of the splendidly named, Dog Fish Head IPA.

Desserts, if you still have room, offer successful spins on old favourites: apple and damson crumble and treacle tart with heather honey ice cream; all of which are accompanied by suggestions for beer pairings ranging from the ultimate pudding match, Cherry Kriek, to the sublimely unusual… Was it my imagination or did the ever-helpful waiter whisper “Try the Delirium Tremens, Sir, it’ll make your night…!”

A wonderful place. A truly splendid experience with more than reasonable prices. It’s already begun to attract some serious acclaim, and there’s little doubt that, as the group expands across London, it will become the place for well-heeled ‘beerophiles’ to head.

206-208 Tower Bridge Road, SE1 www.drafthouse.co.uk

There are few restaurants in London I would feel confident branding with the official stamp of…

Perfection.

Persnickety critics often take the slightest inconsistency in the service, a dropped fork, or mildly over-salted dish as ammunition to shame a dining establishment, steering future patrons away in droves.

Awarded one Michelin star in 2009, and voted the Best Value Set Lunch Award by Tatler Magazine in 2009, Ristorante Semplice is the Italian restaurant in Mayfair for diners who appreciate authentic, and at the same time, daringly inventive Italian.

Marco Torri, the head chef who was formerly at the highly-regarded Locanda Locatelli, is the driving force behind this just-off-Bond Street, culinary perla. Dishes include home-made egg sedanini pasta with venison ragout and cavolo nero sauce; trofie (pasta) served with half a lobster and peas.

In addition – and unique to Ristorante Semplice – is a trolley filled with a gorgeous selection of Italian cheeses served with a medley of home-made (of course) preserves. An impressive 80% of Ristorante Semplice’s ingredients are sourced directly from Italy, as is their wine list.

My guest and I were treated to a special chef’s menu with wines paired to the chef’s selection. The succession of small plates beheld what could only be described as interactive pieces of gastrononmic art; the visual being equally as impressive as the tastes and smells. The aroma of summerblack truffles descended into the dining room like her majesty, parading through the swinging doors of the kitchen, transporting me to a dense enchanted forest just after a morning rain.

My recommendations: a salad of diver-caught Scottish scallops, pickled ginger and “faux” pink pepper from Peru served with a divine 2008 Gavi di Gavi I Moncalvi Vigna di Rovereto – and for the main courses – Taliatelle pasta with fresh broadbeans and summerblack truffles; and wild turbot served with sautéed spinach, cherry tomatoes, capers, Cerignola and Gaeta olives and basil with a glass of perfectly balanced Franciacorta Bianco Bonomi Castellino 2009.

The staff are quite formal and extremely attentive, which for some reason did not annoy or intimidate my guest and I, perhaps because we expected this to be the case. What they were – above anything else – was extremely well-informed. While the wait staff at certain restaurants can blast your hair back with the all too familiar ‘I’m only here for the money’ scowl – the staff at Semplice appeared genuinely interested in what they were serving, where the foods and wine were sourced from and how they were prepared. There was only one collective emotion emanating from the staff: pride – and rightly so.

Simply perfection.

To make reservations please call +44 (0) 207 495 1509 or alternatively email info@ristorantesemplice.com.

If you’re looking for a truly smart and sophisticated restaurant, where you can sample some of the most innovative food to be had anywhere in London, Kensington’s Bombay Brasserie is a shoo-in for a top choice. It’s an Indian restaurant with style and exceptional food, where the clientele return time and time again for an extraordinary experience.

You certainly won’t find the usual curry house staples here. Instead, expect a splendid mix of inventive cooking and luxuriously constructed dishes from Executive Chef Prahlad Hegde. Then there’s the genuinely friendly and attentive service, making everything that much more enjoyable.

A stone’s throw from Gloucester Road, the first impression you get on walking through the bar is faint surprise at how low-key it all appears. This fleeting thought is soon replaced by the opulence of the main dining room – a grandiose high-ceilinged space where you might imagine a Raj prince holding court. This magnificence is nicely offset by the conservatory next door – more intimate in nature – and an open kitchen.

The cuisine is special from the get-go; appetisers might include Tandoori Salmon, which is simultaneously delicately flavoured and subtly powerful, or ‘khurmani ki tikki’ – apricot and potato cakes with yoghurt and tamarind chutney, a dish that might even double as dessert if you feel so inclined. Main courses are the big draw here, and certainly don’t disappoint; whether you choose the mint and coriander spiced lobster – a magnificently decadent and delicious spin on an old favourite – or finely cooked and beautifully presented lamb chops with ginger and green herbs. The wine list offers an extensive range to accompany the range of dishes on off. My guest and I opted for an excellent Louis Jadot Pinot Noir, proving a very fitting complement to the meal.

Forthcoming highlights at the restaurant (from November to March) include a series of ‘Flavour Masterclasses’, including Flavours of Divali on 5th November; the sort of food you would expect to eat inside the Royal Palaces of India (18th March) and perhaps, most enticing of all, a ‘Chilli Celebration Dinner Season’ in the second half of January, where a menu will be devoted to showcasing the ways in which chilli can add both fire and subtlety to a dish.

Courtfield Road, London SW7 www.bombaybrasserielondon.com