LYLE'S DOYO NO USHI SUPPER

 After missing out on last year's sold out eel dinner, I was glad that we managed to nab a table this time round, thanks to Ge's eagle eyes and prompt booking skills.

The dinner was part of the annual 'Doyo No Ushi' celebration which celebrates the eel eating culture of both Japan and England. There is a long tradition in Japan to eat eel on that day in preparation for the hot summer, with beliefs that the nutritional benefits of the vitamin rich eel (particularly vitamin E) will provide energy and bring relief from the summer’s oppressive heat and humidity.

The Doyo No Ushi supper also coincided with Chef Junya's last dinner in London before he moved back to Japan. I have clearly missed the Backbench days at Koya, and I'm sure that like many others my heart sank after attending the final dinner at Koya before it closed its doors for the last time at the end of May. 

Hence, it was a really wonderful opportunity to enjoy his delicious cooking for one more time.

The first course was jellied eel with chilli vinegar, sansho leaf - a traditional English dish served chilled with a nice spicy twist to it. On the side was a bowl of creamy mashed potato to share. This was follows by a piece of eel bone which had been deep fried so that it was really crunchy, and came with a soft boiled egg and celery salt - an improvised version of eggs and soldiers! I could have done with a couple more 'soldiers', or a whole plate of them...

Jellied eel, chilli vinegar, sansho leaf

Mashed potato

Eel bone, soft boiled egg & celery salt

Next up was eel offal, skin and girolles. I am generally not too keen on offal, but I always try it every time with the hope that one day it will grow on me. I adore girolles but unfortunately the offal and I did not quite get on too well...I did finish about two thirds of the dish though, which I think was a pretty good achievement! I probably shouldn't have told Ge what offal was as I don't think she was that much of a fan of it either (oops!).

Eel offal, skin & girolles

The English Shanghai hairy crab was an eel by-catch. We both definitely had our share of 'crab-peeling' practice a couple of day before at Newman Arms, so this was a piece of cake! It was pretty small, so you can guess that there wasn't much meat in it either, but at least it served its purpose in life somewhat despite its short existence...

The seawater pickled cucumber with wild fennel served as a form of palate cleanser, before we moved on to the slightly heartier eel and coco bean soup.

 

My favourite dish of the evening was undoubtedly the grilled eel, with lovely smokey flavours and a nice, crisp skin at the bottom - perfection. This was served with a horseradish and bitter leaf salad which helped to balance out the richness of the eel. 

And to finish off, a light dessert of Kappacasein ricotta ice cream, fennel blossom and sour cherry.

Grilled eel

Horseradish & bitter leaf salad

Kappacasein ricotta ice cream, fennel blossom & sour cherry

Overall, it was a really laid back evening filled with simple and clean dishes.

A successful collaborative evening and hopefully there will be more like this in the near future.

The Cheekster, signing out x

PIZZETTA & PROSECCO AT FIFTY9, MAYFAIR

Fifty9 is one of the latest trendy additions to Mayfair, set across two floors and features European-inspired design. Located in Berkeley Square, it is an ideal spot for after-work drinks, parties and private events. The space is brightly lit inside, with outdoor seating which plenty took advantage of on that fine summers evening.

The windows were open, allowing in the nice, cool breeze. Discreetly scanning the crowds for familiar faces, I eventually spotted our group, and was greeted by the lovely Kelly, Mya, and Montana from PRandEI. We were offered a glass of chilled prosecco upon arrival, which I graciously accepted - a good start to every weekend. And an even bigger plus when mine started mid-week...if only every week was like this.

I was actually quite hungry and my face beamed with excitement when the cheese and meat board was brought out. I did however adhere to the 'unspoken blogger rules' and refrained from touching the food until everyone had finished taking photos of it...we really are a disciplined bunch.

Their menu is simple and straightforward, consisting of a selection of appetisers, grilled sandwiches, salads, and their speciality hand-pulled pizzettas which I was very much looking forward to. Not just because I was pretty famished by then...

I don't really eat pizza that often, but when I do I usually prefer the thin crust ones. Their hand-pulled pizzettas were thin and crispy, and we were able to sample the different flavours available: chorizo, guindilla & piquillo peppers; prosciutto San Daniele & halkidiki olive; roasted mushroom & caramelised onion; and the classic Margherita.

There also seems to be less of the 'guilt-factor' with thin-crust pizzas (or pizzettas...) - less carbs...which also means you can eat more, right?
The kind barmen also prepared a few shots of bellinis for us. And of course the efficient staff also made sure that our glasses of bubbly remained topped up as the evening went by...

The underground club/bar was unfortunately closed that evening, but we were allowed to have a little look around.

For those of you interested to check it out for yourselves, Fifty9 if open from Monday to Wednesday from 12.00pm-1.00am, and from Thursday to Saturday from 12.00pm-3.00am. They are also available for private hire on Sundays - do check out their website for more information.

It was as usual lovely to see familiar faces as well as new - here's to more food, fun and bubble-filled evenings.

The Cheekster, signing out x

THE MAGAZINE IN BLOOM AFTERNOON TEA

 Summertime is one of the best times for a visit to the park when flowers are in full bloom, and to commemorate the well-renowned RHS Chelsea Flower Show, The Magazine celebrated with a charming floral-inspired Afternoon Tea menu.

The Magazine forms part of the Serpentine Sackler Gallery in London’s Hyde Park, a former 1805 gunpowder store that now serves as a contemporary art gallery. The architecture of the striking modern extension is rather unique, artistically designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Zaha Hadid.

We arrived slightly early and made the most of our time enjoying the warm sunshine in the garden, prior to advancing inside just as our afternoon tea was about to be served.

The sleek white dining room features a stunning undulating membrane roof, with natural light flooding the room through the skylights framed by imposing steel columns. The glass walls that encompass the vast space offer a great view of the beautiful green surroundings, giving guests the impression of dining in the surrounding garden. The dynamic and contemporary space is complemented by built-in furniture that echo the shapes of the structure.

The Afternoon Tea menu is inspired by the beauty and ingredients in the surrounding Kensington Gardens, where the chefs have the opportunity to utilise the seasonal British botanicals.

We started off with some thirst-quenching Magazine in Bloom cocktails, made with peach, pink grapefruit, Absolut vodka, thyme infused syrup and a splash of sparkling prosecco – sweet, fruity, and a perfect summer cocktail. A non-alcoholic option was also available upon request. To complement the menu, they had a selection of floral and fruit blends of Ronnefeldt teas, from which we both ordered the Silver Lime Blossom.

Our array of afternoon tea delights soon arrived, and instead of the conventional three tiered stand, they were served on black slates in a rustic wooden box. Our waiter gave us a brief explanation of the delicious platter laid before us. 

We started with the savoury bites, topped with delicate British botanicals such as blue borage and nasturtium - each one a mouthful of tantalizing goodness. Our favourites included the rainbow trout ceviche with cucumber which was very refreshing, and the black angus beef tartare with aromatic black truffle. The young goats curd was rich and creamy, served on a charcoal wafer and topped with a dainty blue borage. Others included a chive cream cheese, and an avocado mousse on toasted brioche.

Moving towards to the sweet treats, one of the substituted desserts served that day was a 'flat white' chocolate dessert sprinkled with pistachio which gave a nice crunchy texture – kind of like having a shot of coffee! The white chocolate was lightly coated with dessicated coconut, and as we bit into it, it released the sweet syrup infused with wonderful flavours of lychee. The mini lemon verbena meringue had a lovely zesty flavour and buttery pastry, and were like little bites of sunshine.

We washed it all down with a cool and healthy smoothie, served in cute glass bottles.

And lets not forget the buttermilk scones, the essential element in every afternoon tea - nice and fluffy, served with fragrant rose infused English strawberry jam and luscious clotted cream.

The Afternoon Tea menu was indeed a delightful experience, and a wonderful portrayal of the vibrant colours and flavours of the season – pleasing to the eyes as well as the palate.

The portion sizes were just about right for a casual afternoon treat, which leave you satisfied without the guilty feeling of overindulgence.

The Magazine in Bloom Afternoon Tea menu is available until September 30^th 2015, subject to availability. It is priced at £25.00 per person, and is served 3.30pm to 5pm Thursday to Sunday. 

Reservations can be made via afternoontea.co.uk .

If you are looking for a bit of art and culture after, I would recommend a visit to the Serpentine Sackler Gallery with plenty of exhibitions to explore.

The Cheekster, signing out x

This review was conducted on behalf of afternoontea.co.uk