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Empanadas and vermouth at La Tranca

A recent lunch at Vesper, the delightful new resta

A recent lunch at Vesper, the delightful new restaurant by Jackson Boxer in Exmouth Market. First, there’s that divine view (you can see why Mr Boxer chose this sun-dappled site - this corner location has a continental feel about it). It would be wrong not to start with a Vesper martini here, perfectly accompanied by salt and vinegar crisps. Said crisps, at £9, may seem dear but they come with smoked onion and trout roe for dippage: an inspired combination, and after you have these crisps you’ll never go back to the packaged kind.

Torched trout risked going back to the Torched Mackerel Era (circa 2017) but this was sensitively done with the crunchiest fresh spring peas, juicy raspberries and wood sorrel. A lovely heatwave-friendly dish.

Then, a beautifully cooked veal chop with spinach bathed in melted Tunworth (the vegetal notes of this British answer to Camembert being the perfect foil for the spinach). Oh and duck fat fries for further carpe diem indulgence (this stubborn “heat dome” hanging over Europe is an amuse bouche for more heatwaves from Dante’s Inferno so might as well).

It’s early days but already it feels like Vesper has blended in (perhaps in some ways it’s very Clerkenwell - the white walls and metallic bar could be imported from St John down the road) but it also has the makings of a new classic London restaurant. Too stuffed and too hot for dessert on this occasion but will return.
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#vesper #exmouthmarket #heatwave #foodgram #restaurantreview

A return to Maset in Marylebone, catching the tail

A return to Maset in Marylebone, catching the tail-end of Donostia’s guest menu here, making for a delicious Basque and southern French crossover. Particular highlights were the jamon croquetas (ordered twice they were so good), Ibérico de Bellota pork shoulder with romesco (sensational), and, of course, the Basque cheesecake
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#maset #chilternstreet #londondining #basquefood #foodgram

A delicious day in Barnes and Kew starting with a

A delicious day in Barnes and Kew starting with a spot of lunch by the river at Rick Stein’s restaurant (including martinis at the bar, twice-baked crab soufflé, sea bream ceviche, scallops with cauliflower purée and beef jus, and the lemon sole), then a wander around Kew Gardens and the Henry Moore exhibition, then back to Barnes for drinks at The Waterman’s Arms and dinner at Riva. Lovely.
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#barnes #londondining #riva #weekend #wheretoeat

A few recent Paris highlights (to complete the Tra

A few recent Paris highlights (to complete the Train Bleu and Provence sandwich, fortunately just missing the heatwave and PSG melee):

The life-affirming joy of a long lunch at (not-so-new) néobistrot Le Bon Saint-Pourçain in Saint-Germain. More to follow on this in due course but in the meantime feast your eyes on the blackboard menu and fromage (photos 1-3);

New restaurant Occasion near Goncourt where the five course no-choice dinner is 59 Euros, all in a minimalist setting which feels more Copenhagen than Paris. But anyhoo, here are the pea and strawberry salad (sounded odd but worked), gnocchi with lovage “bisque” and fennel, and lamb shoulder. As everyone gets the same food there’s a dinner party feel about this place - that may not be everyone’s tasse de thé and there’s only a little wiggle room to accommodate dietary requirements (hence they need advance notice) but the service is very friendly (photos 4-7);

And liquid refreshment at reliable bars Stolen Moon (their barrel aged Negroni is delicious), Willi’s Wine Bar and a martini for the road (or train tracks) at Harry’s Bar
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#paris #parisguide #paristips #travel #wellalwayshaveparis

A selection of highlights from Provence, both old

A selection of highlights from Provence, both old favourites and new discoveries:

The sublime and secluded Villa Saint-Ange on the edge of central Aix-en-Provence, complete with its terrace for apéro time (pissaladière served automatically with cocktails or champagne). Its restaurant, Âma Terra, is lovely and requires walking through the lavender-scented garden (the struggle is vrai);

Reading Edward Chisholm’s new book “Murder In Paris 68” in the shade of the plane trees in Aix (in a square that doubles as the city’s market on certain mornings, where Keith Floyd once filmed);

The Toulouse-Lautrec expo and salon de thé at Hotel Caumont;

A return to the delicious Villa Gallici, a particular highlight being the cheese trolley (wonderful place even if the gated road makes it feel a bit Mulholland Drive / Eyes Wide Shut);

Gallifet in central Aix and its outdoor restaurant in the walled garden;

The main Monoprix in Aix (aren’t French supermarkets wonderful?). Not pictured: the stationery and aperitif aisles;

The Racine Effect by Henry Harris spotted in a bookshop in Aix;

Le Boucon Provençal near the old port in Marseille with its 21 Euro set lunch and substantial blanquette de veau;

Carry Nation, a speakeasy in Marseille that looks like a souvenir shop. Amazingly they did a perfect Campari Shakerato here among other classic cocktails made to order
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#provence #aixenprovence #marseille #frenchlife #instatravel

A Slovenian-Alpine bar in Holloway serving a Sauer

A Slovenian-Alpine bar in Holloway serving a Sauerkraut Martini? It turns out Bar Gemišt is an absolute delight. A wonderful, friendly bar beneath the railway arches serving drinks that may seem quirky but are seriously delicious, from the Oranž Negroni to the Basil Smaš (and yes, even that Sauerkraut Martini, a distilled cabbage joy, best consumed with a side order of sausages). Link in bio for the full review or head to the Palate Cleanser section at palatemag.co.uk
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#bargemist #cocktailbar #holloway #londonbar #cocktails

Also in our new reviews this month, new Georgian r

Also in our new reviews this month, new Georgian restaurant DakaDaka on Heddon Street. Behold the Iberico khinkali, pkhali, karcho and Palomas-aplenty. “Georgian cuisine is one of the oldest cuisines in the world, and at DakaDaka we’re witnessing its renaissance.”

Link in bio for the full review or head to palatemag.co.uk in your browser, along with our other new reviews this month

✍️📷 Review and photos by Daniela Toporek
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#dakadaka #georgianfood #wheretoeat #tasty #foodgram

Over to Margate and The Wellington which has been

Over to Margate and The Wellington which has been sensitively spruced up by Billy Stock and Ellie Topham. Pictured here are the scallop toast with light pickles and scallop roe emulsion (a don’t-miss dish), the roast beef (which is everything you’d expect from a chef with St John and Marksman pedigree) and a generous chicken and leek pie. Link in bio for the full review or palatemag.co.uk in your browser

✍️📷 Review and photos by Amanda David
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#thewellington #margate #wheretoeat #foodgram #travel

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