WILLIAM CURLEY DESSERT BAR

A massive fan of desserts and all things sweet and naughty, I was naturally keen to try out William Curley's Champagne Dessert Bar, exclusively with Laurent Perrier.

A nice little hideaway and shelter from the rain, it was not as busy as I was expecting, as we comfortably perched ourselves on the seats at the bar - always the best seats in the house.

 

 

We were kindly handed the menu and served some very much welcomed glasses of champagne.

 

And now, I shall let the photos do the talking...

FIRST COURSE

White Peach & Champagne Granita

with poached peach

 

SECOND COURSE

Chocolate Sorbet

 with cassis compote

 

THIRD COURSE

Coconut Rice Pudding

with tropical compote & ginger madeleines

 

FOURTH COURSE

Pain Perdu of Caramelised Pears

with almond milk ice cream

FIFTH COURSE

Chocolate & Sesame Tart

with raspberry sauce and jasmine ice cream

 

Petit Four

We were too full from the five courses so we requested for our Petit Four to be packed for us to take home.

Just trust me when I say that every single course was just as good as it looked ;)

Overall, a nice little place for dessert/sweet lovers like myself.

The Laurent Perrier Dessert Menu is available every Friday from 6pm throughout September at the William Curley Belgravia Boutique.

 Apart from this, their regular weekend dessert bar is also available on Saturdays and Sundays, on a first come first served basis. Click here for more information.

The Cheekster, signing out x

BDK SARDINIAN NIGHT

This was my second supperclub experience hosted by The Backdoor Kitchen guys, after attending the previous one held at SALON in Brixton (Backdoor Salon). This time round, the dinner was hosted in a more intimate setting, at their homely flat in Bermondsey. 

It was a solo mission this time, which is rather rare for an introvert like myself - embracing more of the single Londoner spirit nowadays!

I did have to rely on my trusty iPhone to help my with directions to their flat, and eventually found the place (after wandering down some dark unknown streets, filled with unnecessary paranoia - this is why I never watch horror movies). 

 

Chefs Rob & Fabio prepping for dinner!

The menu...before it caught fire!

The other guests slowly streamed through the door, until we were all comfortably seated along the dining table, hungrily anticipating our first course of the evening.

THEME: SARDINIAN NIGHT

COURSE ONE

Aragosta alla Algherese

- Boiled lobster topped with red onion, celery, carrot and marinated in a sauce made from lobster head, lemon, garlic, white pepper, egg and olive oil -

Fresh lobsters sourced from Borough Market, cooked to perfection! - was lucky enough to have a cheeky extra helping ;)

 

COURSE TWO

Seppie al Culurgiones

- Chargrilled squid stuffed with potato, ricotta and mint and splashed with squid ink -

Nice firm, chewy texture with a lusciously smooth and creamy filling...

COURSE THREE

Cartoccio alla Campidanese

- Malloreddus (traditional Sardinian durum wheat pasta) sauteed in saffron cream, tomato, mussel, pecorino sardo, parsley. Gently baked in grease-proof paper and foil, and served with a sprinkle of bottarga (dried mullet roe) -

The conch-shaped pasta which is ridged on one side traps the sauce, giving each mouthful a burst of creamy goodness.
The slab of bottarga, when grated, revealed a lovely golden-red colour, giving the pasta some extra flavour. Definitely something to consider sprinkling on any hot pasta dishes.

 

 

COURSE FOUR

Porceddu

- Suckling pig stuffed with Sardinian myrtle berries, garlic, black pepper and Italian herbs -

Delicious, juicy meat packed with flavour - I picked a decent (easy-to-eat) cut of meat and left the pork knuckles to the braver men to take on...

 

 

This was served with a glass of Sardinian 'Mirto' liqueur - the classic spirit of the island made from myrtle, which grows freely in Sardinia. 

 

And finally the secret dessert...'Seadas'! - traditional cheese-filled fritters particular to the island of Sardinia.

Already stuffed from the earlier courses but still managed to devour one - there's always an emergency spare compartment in my tummy for dessert!

 

It was around midnight by the time we finished, and we just about made it to the station to catch the last tube home!

Overall, another pleasant and enjoyable experience. Great food and company - The Backdoor Kitchen guys are definitely one to watch in the supperclub/pop-up scene!

Hope everyone else had a good weekend x

RONNIE SAUNDERS DINERS UNION

Diners Union, one of the latest pop-ups that launched on 31st August, in the yard behind the old Foundry Building on Rivington Street -  Michelin-inspired street food in the heart of Shoreditch.

The concept was inspired by Ronnie Saunders (grandfather of co-founder and Head Chef Rolan Dack) - aimed at bringing people together and providing outstanding food for everyone.

When the gates finally opened, we queued up with cash in hand, the atmosphere livened up by the band playing at the entrance. It cost us £15.00 per person, plus an additional corkage fee of £3.50 each.
Upon making payment at the front desk, we were then handed plastic trays to collect our food from the different stations - cafeteria style.
Long wooden communal tables were arranged along the dining area, that were slowly filled with hungry diners and their food-laden trays.

And now for some close-ups of the food...

THEME: VICTORIAN LONDON

 

COURSE ONE
Soda bread, clam butter, sprats & lemon

I don't think I've eaten a sprat, hence with my limited knowledge of fish, I found out that it's small marine fish of the herring family. The flavour was quite similar to sardines. 
The butter was soft and creamy, and together with the soft flesh of the sprat, made a lovely spread on the soda bread.
Eating is learning!



COURSE TWO
Pickled oyster & parsley salad

After so long I still quite haven't had much of an appreciation of fresh oysters...I'm sure it will grow on me someday! 
I can just about manage a couple - Lili offered me hers, but I politely declined.
If anyone ever decides to bring me along on a seafood adventure, I'd gladly trade you my oysters for your prawns...or scallops (mmm...).

COURSE THREE
Wild Girolles, peas & dill

A simple but really tasty dish - I just wished there was a larger portion of mushrooms (you know how much I LOVE my mushrooms...)

 

COURSE FOUR
Flank of beef, tarragon, marrow & watercress

This was probably the highlight dish for me - deliciously pink and tender, and went well with the fragrant and smooth texture of the garlic.

I made a major slip-up and totally forgot that Lili didn't eat beef (!) so I was (UN-intentionally!) lucky enough to enjoy two portions of it. 

Don't worry, we had supper afterwards, so she didn't go hungry!



 COURSE FIVE
Victoria Sponge

A sweet and simple treat to end the Victorian-themed meal.



There was an excellent turn-out on their first night, as they successfully fed 250 happy diners!

Diners Union is also partnered with St Mungo's, a homeless charity - housing and training a group of homeless Londoners, and eventually resulting in them running their own business. Definitely something worth supporting.

They change their menu every week (with vegetarian options available), running on Fridays and Saturdays.
Next one coming up - French Revolution.


 

'Everyone pays the same, everyone gets the same' - just as all things should be.




The Cheekster, signing out x