I’m writing this from a Barcelona tapas bar, just trying to keep ahead of the reports. Our last day-time meal in London was at Papillon, recommended by the concierge at our hotel. We had wanted to go to brunch at the The Ritz, but it is still under renovation. I was a tad dismayed when I saw the menu as there were no “typical” brunch items that one would expect. My friends had gotten accustomed to my devilish ways of wanting many tastes and we essentially ordered the entire left-hand side of the menu; all of the soups, most of the salads, and all of the appetizers. Nine courses for five people, way too much money, and one of the most memorable meals I have ever had.

1. Escargot – slightly typical with tons of garlic but atypical in that they were redolent with herbs and delightfully presented in individual cups. The side-dish of chips were also a bit different and went mostly un-eaten, but that okay…

2. Beef Tartare – very, very nicely cut meat but a tad heavy on the Worcestershire sauce, but certainly appreciated by the testosterone which surrounded me.

3. Asparagus salad with pistachio panna cotta and Parmesan crisp – the asparagus in London has thus far been delightful. The dish we had at Rules a few evenings before was a bit fresher and better quality, but the presentation of this vegetable with the panna cotta was inventive and refreshing.

3. Green pea soup with poached egg – We ordered this as several of us were craving eggs. Breaking open the yolk and stirring it around the thin, bright soup was perfect. Redolent of the ingredient and not of cream or fillers and not too thick; the way one wants creamy pea soup in the spring. Bright and clean pea flavor.

4. Salad with fried pigs trotters – Granted, who really wants the greens? This was all about the perfectly crisp and rich pigs trotters which were not too heavy, perfectly fried, and a huge hit.

5. Terrine de foie gras with a layer of quince – Quite possibly one of the best foie terrines I have had; served appropriately with two slices of brioche, the slice was huge, the preparation perfect (nary a blood vessel to be found!) and the insertion of the quince in the middle an easy way to not have too much or too little.

6. Mediterranean fish soup – On the menu, the description made me think it would be a bouillabaisse as it was described as a fish broth accompanied with rouille, croutons, and cheese. Little did we know that what would arrive would be a tureen of dark, muddy broth and three copper pans of our self-serve accompaniments. I spread the rouille on each tiny slice of bread, sprinkled the cheese in the broth, and placed the laden croutons atop the broth. This dish was quite nearly the show-stopper and a beautiful example of well-integrated flavors and a perfect example of classic of classic flavors superbly presented.

7. Salad with black trumpet mushrooms, poached egg, jambon, and a light vinaigrette – again, another winner. The ham was not sliced too thin or too thick, the egg was perfectly poached so that the runny yolk blended well with the fresh greens and the fresh mushrooms were plentiful and enough of an earthy flavor to round out a great dish.

8. Gnocchi – Okay, the one dish ordered from the entrée-side of the menu. Somebody wanted it; I only tasted a bit but enough to know they were well-prepared and perfectly light with a rich, creamy sauce.

9. Presidential Soup – the clear show-stopper; in a small tureen and topped with baked puff pastry, the rich beef soup was filled with bits of marrow, fresh vegetables, and foie gras. It is difficult to express how terribly rich and how ultimately perfect this soup was. We all had spoonfuls but some of us produced very large chunks (bigger than the soup spoon!) of foie gras. It was artery-clogging, decadent, and a taste that I will not soon forget.

The post London – Papillon first appeared on Feast Blog.

I hadn’t been in London in almost a decade and it has long been one of my favorite places in the world (okay, I haven’t traveled that much, but I read an awful lot!) Regardless, I am a died-in-the-Shetland-wool Anglophile and coming to the United Kingdom always feels like I am coming home. This was going to be a short trip, only a few days in London before heading off to Barcelona and Geneva. My first visit to London was as a young adolescent, on a musical excursion with my French Horn instructor and his wife, the late Rudy Tate. That trip has since been categorized in my memory as having visited Elizabethan England with jaunts to Stratford-Upon-Avon, Hanford Court, and similar Renaissance points. My second visit, ten years ago, was a promise I made to myself; that if I ever got a Master’s degree, I would reward myself with a return to my beloved England. That trip was my journey through Roman England; a week in York, a week in Bath and neighboring Wells, and a week in London where much time was spent in the British Museum. Now I get to return to my artistic roots and explore the multiple fabulous museums and eat through the many noted restaurants…

Upon our arrival, with hunger pangs calling, Harrods beckoned and a platter of Irish oysters and a glass of Muscadet hit the spot nicely. I had only been to Harrods on my first visit (before the Fayeds bought it) and I was unprepared for the bounty of the food court. That is one very, very impressive food court and I am indeed fortunate that it is just around the corner from the hotel.

Shortly thereafter, my oldest friend in the world, Lance, arrived to play London host. He has lived here for ten years and our friendship dates back to my Junior High School days. We walked and wandered and I felt completely invigorated. I also got my first museum fix, the County Hall Gallery which mostly showcased the world of Salvador Dalí. Oddly displayed in a rather dark gallery (black walls), what was sadly disappointing was the basement of Picasso with its dirty walls. Adjacent to the Gallery was the London Eye, the giant ferris wheel that is new since my last visit. Great fun and some wonderful views despite the drizzle.

Evening drew nigh and my first pub crawl commenced; The Lamb and The Flag, reputed to be one of the oldest in London and where Dickens is known to have had a nip or two, De Hems, a Dutch pub, and Waxy O’Connor’s, easily one of the largest and most impressive Irish pubs I’ve ever seen.  Over our second or third drink, Lance asked me what I wanted for dinner and was there anything special I was hoping to eat while in London… I mentioned Fergus Henderson’s altar to offal, St. John, but was worried my school chum might not be up to a culinary challenge. “Oh, that place has great marrow bones!” Lance exclaimed. What a darling friend I had.

At St. John, we shared a 2004 Cornas Rhone and ordered a marrow bone starter as well as a snail and oakleaf salad. Going for the most unusual entrées, we shared chitterlins with turnips and garlic as well as ox heart with chips. Lance is not a huge snail fan but agreed this preparation was acceptable. I thought they were more than exceptional. The marrow bones were easily the best I have ever had and I was quite charmed with the accompaniment of capers, freshly chopped parsley, and sliced onions. Service included a scoop of sea salt and with the house-made grilled bread, it was tempting to order a second platter. The chitterlins was the more flavorful of the two entrées but both were satisfying to a fault. For dessert, we shared a buttermilk panna cotta with prunes and a chocolate terrine with coffee ice cream. Neither dessert thrilled (although the coffee ice cream was pretty tasty). Exiting the restaurant, one of the staff was sitting near the exit to work on some paperwork and a platter of madeleines sat in front of him. “Except that the menu said there was a fifteen-minute preparation time for those (it was well past 11:00 p.m.), I would have ordered those,” I told Lance as we were leaving. Whomever that lovely employee was that was sitting here, he offered me a warm token which was eagerly cobbled as we entered my first London rain and floated back to the hotel, full of the warmth of great friendship and great food.

St. John’s

Lamb & Flag

deHems

Waxy O’Connors

The post Back in London first appeared on Feast Blog.