GALLEY, ISLINGTON

Going for a bit of a low-key birthday celebration this year, the girls and I had dinner at Galley in Islington, founded by brother and sister team Marcel Grzyb and Oriona Robb. The menu at Galley is described as contemporary in nature, taking inspiration from seasonal ingredients and international cooking styles and flavours.  
I'm never quite sure how to interpret or define 'contemporary' - which is probably the same issue I have when trying to describe to non-dancers about contemporary dance, but I digress...
 So, moving on to the food. 

There were various types of seatings in the restaurant, including counter seats for those looking for more of an interactive experience. I had requested for the upholstered booth which looked more comfortable and gave us a bit more privacy.

Opting for a bit of bubbly for this celebratory occasion (any excuse for some bubbles), I ordered the Volcano cocktail (prosecco, blood orange sorbet, peach bitters, orange bitters), which was like a prosecco float - a good option if you can't decide on a cocktail or dessert. 

I haven't had oysters for quite a while, so we tried all three of the oysters: Fine de Claire, Jersey Royal, and Crispy Tempura. All of them really fresh, and the tempura one had a light, crispy batter with an Asian-style dressing.

The menu was categorised into a selection of small and large plates, including a couple of seafood platters if you're looking for something a bit more extravagant.

I do love scallops, and the hand-dived Scottish scallops were juicy and nicely seared, served with a creamy carrot and cardamom puree, with toasted hazelnuts that gave it a bit of crunch. The octopus and chorizo a la plancha was another one of my favourites, with a creamy white bean puree and smoked garlic pesto, which was really flavoursome. We weren't too fond of the Cornish squid, which was slightly rubbery and not quite as crispy as we were expecting.

From the Large Plate selection, we share the Lobster Pappardelle and Pan-fried Sea Bass. The pappardelle sauce with heritage tomatoes and chunks of Jeruselam artichoke was quite light and fragrant topped with a lobster tail. The sea bass had a crisp skin and I liked the gnocchi which soaked up the delicious sauce of peas, courgettes, wild mushrooms and fragrant truffle oil.
We also had a couple of sides: chargrilled purple sprouting broccoli with crispy onions and lemon oil, and buttered heirloom carrots with an orange and parsley dressing.

The highlight of our meal was most definitely the dessert part. Not wanting to miss out on any, we ordered all of the sweet desserts, apart from the selection of cheeses. The white chocolate panna cotta had a nice wobble to it,  topped with a sweet passion fruit sauce and crunchy bits of honeycomb and blackberries around the sides. The amaretto and Verona chocolate fondant was warm with a soft, gooey centre, topped with a fruity cherry compote, and some mascarpone ice cream on the side.
The lavender and raspberry crème brûlée had a rich and smooth centre, and a crispy caramelised top. The floral taste was maybe a tad too perfume-y for me, but otherwise a lovely dessert, and topped with a cute mini raspberry macaron.
I enjoyed all of the desserts, but my favourite was probably the salted caramel tart which was sweet with a buttery crust. Unfortunately there was no green tea ice cream available that evening, but the chocolate and honeycomb ice cream was still quite satisfying. 
Each and every dessert was beautifully presented, and I loved the little flowers scattered about - I'm such a girly girl, I know...

 

Overall it was a pleasant and enjoyable birthday dinner. Thank you girls for celebrating my birthday with me and for the lovely gifts. 

And thank you to the lovely staff that sang happy birthday to me - I look forward to returning next time, maybe for that seafood platter...

And more dessert, obviously. 

The Cheekster, signing out x

LECOQ, ISLINGTON

It's been a while since I've had some really good chicken, so I was really looking forward to dining at LeCOQ - the newly opened neighbourhood rotisserie restaurant in Islington. 

We poked our curious heads through the door to check that they accepted walk-ins, which they did, and eagerly waited outside the door as the time drew closer for the doors to open...

Upon entering and being seated, we were given free glasses of prosecco for patiently waiting outside - yes!

We ordered some mixed olives and kikones to nibble on whilst we waited for our orders to be taken... 

 

 

We both ordered the 3 course set menu - selecting one of each from every option so that we could try them all!

 

Starters: Seasonal vegetables with lovage mayonnaise + Squid with sea purslane.

Both really light and fresh, and I loved the slight hint of heat from the chillies in the dressing - you know how much I love my chillies...

 

 

 

Main: Rotisserie Sutton Hoo Chicken with grilled bitter leaf bread salad.

Served with some mayonnaise and roasted juice on the side, which I drizzled generously on my plate...Y.U.M.M.Y. 

We weren't quite sure how big the portion of vegetables was going to be so we ordered an extra side salad.

Was really tempted to order the rotisserie potatoes...but we decided to be good...

 

 

Dessert: Gooseberry tart + Summer pudding ice cream.

Both tasted as amazing as they looked! A perfect end to a satisfyingly good meal.

Happy tummies = Happy smiles

Clearly both very happy customers!

 

Not only was the food awesome, but the extra bonus of 50% off our bill was also a nice perk - double win!

LeCOQ offers a weekly changing, two or three course set menu, which undoubtedly will include more delicious surprises, and their free-range English Sutton Hoo chickens from Suffolk!

Open from Tuesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner, they run a no-bookings system - hence best to get there early if you don't like waiting in queues (like the obsessive-about-punctuality me!)

Great environment, great food, and great service - definitely one to add to the recommended list.

SUNDAY, 169 HEMINGFORD ROAD

Is it Sunday already?!
Perfect day to post this then...

This little neighbourhood cafe and restaurant is indeed called 'Sunday', located on a Hemingford Road in Islington.

It was a Friday evening, and we hadn't made a reservation beforehand, but thankfully the weather was fine and we were seated in the cosy garden at the back.

 

Neither of us were experts at wine, so we ordered a bottle of white wine that was recommended to us - Insolia 2012, Case Ibidini.

 

 

Our first starter was the Chilli crab, spring onion salad with grapefruit. 
First impressions: a nice, generous portion, and lovely vibrant colours. The freshness of the crab, the sweet-citrus-y flavours of the grapefruit, the creamy slices of avocado, drizzled with light dressing - a great start to a meal.

The second starter we ordered was the Feta beignets, fig salad, beetroot and watercress. 
For those of you, who like me, didn't know what a 'beignet' was, it is basically the French term for a pastry made from deep-fried choux paste - equivalent to the English 'fritter'.
They are traditionally prepared just before being served to be eaten whilst they are fresh and hot - lovely and crisp on the outside and delicious melted feta cheese on the inside.
Loved the combination of the sweet and luscious tastes of the figs and beetroot, and the slight peppery taste of the watercress.

We even found a little friend that dropped from above...

We named him 'Figgymon'

We had read about the salt-and-pepper crispy squid with papaya salad, and were looking forward to tasting it, but unfortunately it wasn't on the menu that evening. We were informed that their menu was dependent on which ingredients were available from their usual local supplier - maybe we will have better luck next time!
Hopefully the ricotta-stuffed courgette flowers will also make another appearance...

 

The Cod fillet had a a great texture - beautiful flakes of white flesh that went really well with the clams, saffron potatoes, and the slight hint of spiciness from the chorizo.

Lamb fillet, salsa verde, polenta chips and tomato salad - medium rare, with maybe a few parts cooked more well done than the others. The salsa verde added a rustic touch to it.
The polenta chips were a tasty alternative to the usual potato chips - deliciously crispy on the outside and soft and melting on the inside.

I chose the lemon meringue pie with berries - because you know how much I love my pies...
An English classic that was smooth, creamy, and fragrant with lemons, with a really nice pastry base. Although the berries were maybe a a tad bit too much on the sour side for me.



Doughnuts with salted caramel and salted caramel ice cream. 
The doughnuts had a lovely dough texture with a slight chewiness and a crispy outside - fresh, warm, and nicely complimented by the sweet and saltiness of the caramel.
I am so high on sugar these days...

I didn't get to try the Sunday Sundae, but I heard that it was excellent - please feel free to eat it on my behalf.







This little gem, which has been opened for a few weeks now, is open all week except on Mondays - serving brunch during the day all week, and dinner on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I haven't personally tried the brunch menu, but I'm certain (and have been informed by a reliable source) that the food and coffee are just as superb.
*Hint: look out for the Huevos Rancheros*

Great food and value for money - the perfect place for a lazy Sunday, or any other day of the week...just not Monday.