An Evening at Ottolenghi's New Bicester Village Restaurant

 

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Ottolenghi's new restaurant in Bicester Village, Oxfordshire, to sample their summer menu. It was a lovely evening, filled with delightful surprises.

A Warm Welcome

As we arrived, we were greeted with welcome drinks. The drinks were a refreshing apple and hibiscus gin with Amalfi lemon and strawberries, and St. Germain with sparkling wine. Alongside these, we enjoyed an array of delicious canapés. The restaurant buzzed with excitement, and the ambiance was perfect for mingling with other guests.

Delectable Canapés

The canapés served were a treat for the senses:

• Spiced potato samosas with apricot chamoy
• Herby feta and walnut dip with pomegranate and chicory leaves
• Beetroot pkhali filo cups with olive salsa

For the non-vegetarians, there were:

• Cured-crusted salmon with peanut gochujang
• Ricotta and beef meatballs with tomato sauce

Stunning Decor and a Deli

I fell in love with the décor of the restaurant. The deli, offering Ottolenghi products and cakes for purchase, added a unique touch. Now, you can enjoy Ottolenghi’s staple dishes at home or at events in the Cotswolds and Oxfordshire.

Ottolenghi Expands Catering Services

The Ottolenghi Group is thrilled to expand its catering services to the Cotswolds and Oxfordshire. Previously exclusive to Greater London, these services are perfect for weddings, birthdays, and corporate events, making each occasion special and memorable.

Catering for All Occasions

Ottolenghi's catering service suits any event, from intimate dinners for two to large celebrations for five hundred. Their offerings include bountiful salads, breakfast spreads, celebration cakes, and full sit-down dinners, all radiating abundance, color, and generosity.

Expert Team for Unforgettable Events

Their team of fantastic chefs, bartenders, and waiting staff ensure unforgettable events. They can present your food, cook at your event, arrange waiting staff, or deliver your food anywhere in Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds. For a simpler option, you can collect your order from their new Bicester Village restaurant and serve it yourself. With no minimum spend requirements, their services fit any budget and occasion.

Diverse Menu Selection

Sample catering menus feature a wide selection of dishes, including canapés, salads, mains, and cakes. There’s something for everyone, ensuring a delightful experience.

A Journey of Flavour

Ottolenghi began in a small shop in Notting Hill in 2002. Chefs Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi developed a unique style rooted in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean traditions, incorporating diverse global influences and ingredients.

A Growing Family

Over 20 years, Ottolenghi has grown into a proud family of nine delis and restaurants across London, and now in the Cotswolds and Oxfordshire.

A Vegetarian Delight

After the appetizers, we enjoyed our main meal, served family-style. As vegetarians, my partner and I were pleasantly surprised by the excellent options:

• Lentils and pickled shallots with berbere-spiced croutons
• Roasted cauliflower with pumpkin seeds and barberries
• Roasted aubergine with saffron yoghurt and pine nuts

For the non-vegetarians, there were:

• Seabass fillet with caponata and green peppercorn
• Herby leek, hispi cabbage, and feta borek with caraway seeds
• Lamb kofta with bulgur and caramelised onion

All the food we tried was tasty, beautifully presented, with the perfect balance of textures and flavours. The chef made good use of seasonal produce, and the variety of choices suited every palate.

Irresistible Desserts

When we thought we could eat no more, we were tempted with a trio of desserts:

• Passion fruit meringue tart
• Flourless pistachio, lemon, and polenta cake with orange blossom
• Raspberry and white chocolate pavlova

All these delightful treats were served with our coffee of choice, ending the meal on a perfect note.

Conclusion

My evening at Ottolenghi's new Bicester Village restaurant was a delightful experience. The warm welcome, beautiful décor, and delicious food made it a night to remember. Whether dining in or catering an event, Ottolenghi's offerings are sure to impress.

**I was an invited guest at the Ottolenghi summer tasting menu event, all views and opinions shared are of my experience of the food and drinks.

Manthan Mayfair- Indian Cuisine.

London is one of the best cities in the world for dining out. The restaurant choices are endless, whether you want fine dining or fast food. There are countless restaurants serving Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Moroccan, Lebanese, and Indian cuisine. These are just a few, there are many more world-famous cuisines to enjoy. 

It was a pleasure to visit Manthan, an Indian restaurant recently. A short walk from Bond Street and Oxford Circus Stations, Manthan is situated on Maddox Street Mayfair. A Michelin-starred Indian Chef, Rohit Ghai and his business partner Abhishake Sangwan own the restaurant.

The Decor

The restaurant owners have used the space well, creating a stylish and uncluttered dining area with a focus on the central statement bar. The restaurant has an elegant contemporary theme with many décors inspired by the ocean, fish, and blue and green colours.

The Menu

Manthan offers an A la carte menu, tasting menus with food and wine pairings and brunch-sharing menus. The restaurant has an impressive drinks menu with a fantastic selection of wines and spirits to complement the food and enhance your dining experience. This includes a wide selection of cocktails and mocktails inspired by exotic fruits, botanicals, and infusions from the seven oceans of the world.

There are many dishes on the menu that are inspired by Indian street food. You can enjoy bar snacks and sharing plates as well as mouth-watering grills, curries, and a selection of the chef's signature dishes and family recipes.

We booked a table in the evening and chose the A la carte menu. A courteous and friendly waiter seated us at our table and we ordered mocktails. While I chose Sindhu, which was pomegranate, mint, lime, jaggery and sparkling apple. My partner chose Sapta, which was lemongrass, ginger with guava. The mocktails were both delicious and refreshing.

There were many dishes on the menu with a fusion touch, and it was difficult to decide what to have. A wide variety of vegetarian dishes are available. The manager was very helpful in suggesting what to sample and asked about allergies before taking our order.

Appetisers

For our appetisers we tried the Pyaaz Kachori, a deep-fried pastry garnished with Roscoff onions, sprouts, mint and green chutney, tamarind chutney and pomegranate seeds. There was an explosion of flavours in every mouthful.

We also ordered the Jackfruit Uthappam, a lentil rice pancake served in the shape of a taco filled with spicy cooked jackfruit filling. It was served with delicious coconut chutney and we really enjoyed it.

Both dishes were very unique in taste and flavour with just the right balance of spices. The presentation was top-notch in both dishes.

Main course

It was the manager's suggestion to order the Aubergine Moilee. The baby aubergines are cooked whole and served over coconut gravy. I am a huge Aubergine fan so I was excited to try this dish. 

We also ordered the slow-cooked Kali dal which was creamy and rich together with the Saag makai, a puree of spinach cooked with tender sweetcorn. 

The main course was completed with flaky tawa paratha and steamed rice to help mop up the delicious gravy and flavour the fluffy rice.

All three curries were very different, each cooked in its own blend of spices and presented beautifully. We loved the Saag Makai and Kali Dal as well as the Aubergine Moilee. I would have preferred some sort of spice-stuffing in the aubergine moilee instead of plain aubergines as they were a little bland on their own although the gravy was delicious.

Desserts

The meal would not be complete without dessert. I am sure you will agree there is always room for dessert. I chose the delectable classic Trio. It was presented in the style of a cheesecake with a layer of besan barfi layered with mini spongy gulab jamuns and a creamy srikhand topping. A beautiful garnish of chopped nuts and rose petals completed the look. 

As a big chocolate fan, my partner chose Narangi Chocolate. The mousse was rich and creamy and the addition of the tartness of the kumquats and tangy orange coulis really balanced the dark chocolate. The chocolate truffles added another dimension to the dessert and paired well to enhance the flavours and textures.

As a huge foodie, I was mesmerized by the beautiful presentation and the combination of flavours and textures. We loved both desserts, but the Narangi chocolate was the winner.

Ambience and Service

The ambience and service were wonderful, and despite the restaurant being busy, we found the waiters very attentive.

Value for money or not?

Even though the restaurant is a little on the pricey side, it is definitely worth a visit for its location, delicious food, ambience, and service. We will definitely visit again to sample the brunch menu.

Our reservation for Manthan was made through Open Table.

Manthan, 49 Maddox Street, London. W1S 2PQ. 020 7408 2258

**Collaborative Post

World Vegan Month with tastecard

I have always been a vegetarian all my life, but in the last few years, my diet has been shifting more towards a vegan diet. I have found that veganism is more readily accepted worldwide and catered for in most places. Most restaurants have at least 1-2 vegan dishes if not more on the menu and some restaurants have separate vegan menus that they serve.

November is world vegan month and I have joined forces with tastecard to enjoy a vegan meal at a local restaurant. tastecard partners with many restaurants to offer discounts on meals as well as days out and coffee clubs, along with many more benefits. tastecard membership can start from as little as £5.99 a month or annual membership from £39.99 offering excellent value for money.

There are many restaurants in Watford to choose from. We decided to visit Namaste Watford an Indian restaurant that came highly recommended by a friend who had been there. Namaste Watford serves a good variety of Indian Cuisine. Looking through the menu, there were ample dishes to choose from. We were extremely impressed with the staff's knowledge of the ingredients used in the dishes and their suitability for vegans and anyone with allergies.

The restaurant is spacious, bright and well-decorated. There is plenty of seating to accommodate large groups and families alike. There is also a well-stocked bar with plenty of soft and alcoholic drink choices.

While waiting for our appetisers to be prepared, we enjoyed some soft drinks, poppadum, and delicious chutneys.

Our appetisers included Chilli Garlic Mogo (cassava in spices) and Crispy Bhajiyas (deep-fried potatoes dipped in chickpea coating and spices). 

Both dishes were delicious, and we really enjoyed them. The portion sizes were generous and since we did not finish the entire starters. The waiter kindly offered to pack them to take home as a kind gesture.

 

For the main course, we opted for some Tarka dhal, Methi Corn (a curry made with sweetcorn and fenugreek) and steamed rice. 

The food was piping hot, freshly prepared, and had just the right balance of spices making it tasty and appetising. Once again, the portions were generous and there was plenty of food left over that we took home with us.

There were no vegan desserts on the menu, but tea and coffee were available. Following an excellent meal, we were too full to sample dessert, so we were not concerned.

Namaste Watford was a suitable choice of restaurant to visit during World Vegan Month especially as they accept the tastecard, making the dining experience more affordable. 

**Collaborative Post

Vegan Supper Club with Chef Saurav Nath at Chakra Restaurant Kensington

My family and I love discovering new places for dining out. With the Covid situation now improving the options have opened to allow us to travel to London and visit our favorite restaurants. Being a vegetarian my first choice of restaurants are the ones that accommodate our dietary requirements and offer a good range of dishes not one or two, so that we can enjoy a variety of textures, tastes and flavours. 

We were recently invited to attend the Flavours of a Vegan Indian Spring supper club at Chakra Kensington hosted by Humayun Hussain one of the UK’s leading exponents of Indian food and restaurants and Chef Saurav Nath who is an extremely experienced chef who has headed up the kitchens of some of the finest of Indian restaurants in the UK as well as worked alongside such revered European chefs as Pierre Koffman and Eric Chavot. There are so many amazing chefs in the UK such as Merlin Jabron Johnson, Chet Sharma , Shelly Abe and many more extremely talented chefs who also run restaurants. You can check them out at Square Meal UK

 

We were lucky that the British weather was thankfully in our favour and we were able to dine outside under the stars. We sipped on refreshing Passion Fruit and Rose and Cardamom mocktails. 

The menu presented to us was extremely exciting, especially as a lot of thought and attention was given in choosing interesting ingredients, spices, flavours and textures. Here is the menu we sampled.

AMUSE BOUCHE

Palak & Aloo Chat

Tangy potatoes, sprouted beans, popped lotus seed, pomegranate, tamarind sauce, soya yogurt foam, red onion.

STARTER

Global Artichoke Doughnut

South Indian spiced infused globe artichoke patties, sesame seed & tomato chutney, black onion seed, coriander oil, mooli & peanut salad.

 

MID-COURSE

Beet & Broccoli Tikka

Tandoori spiced, glazed beet root & broccoli tikka, coconut & wild garlic chutney,  shimeji mushroom, golden beet, quinoa & walnut salad.

 

MAIN COURSE

Served with vegetable Yakhni Pulao

Separate grainS of rice, light and fluffy cooked to perfection with subtle flavours to compliment the curries and dhal.

Spring Green Kofta

Melt in the mouth spring green & soya ball cooked in Awadhi kormas sauce.

Tofu Hara Pyaz

Organic tofu tossed in black pepper & coriander flavoured tomato sauce with spring onions.

Dhaba Dal

Channa dal tempered with cumin & garlic.

 

Tandoori Roti

Soft tandoori roti cooked on the griddle, the perfect accompaniment to mop up the delicious curries.

Dessert

Boondi with Poached Pears and Icecream

Boondi pearls dipped in syrup served with poached pears in cinnamon syrup and creamy vanilla icecream.

 

Each and every dish was beautifully constructed, well balanced in look and flavours. I especially liked the fusion touch that Chef Saurav Nath introduced to the Indian cuisine. Using ingredients such as artichoke, beetroot, tofu and quinoa in a very unique way was welcoming and very exciting to eat.

I was a guest at the supper club and would like to Thanks Chef Saurav Nath and Humayun Hussain for inviting me to sample this gastronomical feast. My tastebuds were rocking and rolling all evening as each course arrived. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are of my experience of the supper club. If you would like more details for further information on all forthcoming Supperclubs and dinner events please contact Humayun Hussain or Chef Saurav Nath.

1947 London - An Indian dining Experience.

1947 London is not just any Indian restaurant; it offers a shared dining experience to bring together cultures and generations. Centrally located in Charlotte street London very near Tottenham Court station it is easy to access for a pre theatre meal and drinks or for a complete dining experience.
The restaurant is tastefully decorated with a beautiful flower wall at the entrance.

The fully stocked bar has an extensive wine list together with some amazing cocktails and mocktails on the menu. If you are a teetotaller like me you will  love the mocktails. I enjoyed the lychee mocktini, it was made with a lychee purée, elderflower cordial, lemon juice, mint and lychee juice. I also tried the Mai tai mocktail, made with orange juice, pineapple juice, grenadine and orget.

The huge choices in drinks makes it the ideal place to enjoy some pre dinner drinks whilst munching on some  home made pappodams and chutneys.

At 1947 the menu is rich and diverse with dishes that have been inspired from all over India. The dishes boast Indian flavours but many have been given fusion touches using British ingredients.

I was fortunate to sample the asparagus, corn and coconut samosas, avocado Bombay bhel, wild mushroom tikki and chickpea masala. All three dishes were very different to any starters I have tried in any Indian restaurants. Each dish was beautifully presented and seasoned with aromatic flavours.

My friends tried a variety of non veg dishes which according to them were superb too.The main courses were equally tasty and the variety of dishes on offer were incredible.

For the main course, I tried the daal tadka , yellow split lentils tempered with cumin and garlic, daal makhani , black lentils soaked overnight which are then gently cooked on a slow fire, and finished with butter and cream.

The baby corn methi palak was absolutely delicious, the dish was made with baby corn stir-fried with sun dried fenugreek leaves and fresh baby spinach. Another unusual dish that I tried was asparagus & sugar snaps with fresh coconut, the dish was tempered with mustard seeds, ginger garnish and fresh grated coconut.

Accompanying these dishes I had mushroom and asparagus biriyani served with a burani raita. At this point my taste buds were dancing with joy and my stomach was screaming no more.

To accompany the curries there was also a large selection of breads such as roti, naan, butter naan, garlic  and naan, lachha paratha.

The final course ; desserts were heavenly, it was hard to choose between them all. On offer were  chocolate fondant & vanilla ice cream, the kulfi in rose, mango and salted caramel flavours, lemon cheese cake and the famous pistachio, cardamom and coconut flavoured phirni. I think having tasted all of them my personal favorite was the mango and rose kulfi and the  phirni.

The dining experience was enjoyable, the ambiance was good and the service was excellent and second to none. I really enjoyed the meal and would definitely return again although next time  I would probably choose to enjoy the pre dinner drinks and opt for the just the starters which were superb.

I was a guest of 1947 London and all views expressed are of my own experience.

Dining experience at Copper Leaf, Hampton Wick

A short distance from Kingston-upon-Thames in Hampton Wick, Copper Leaf is a gin bar and restaurant with an extensive list of over 60 gins. It serves modern European cuisine with a fusion of many flavours.

The restaurant is tastefully decorated and offers an ala carte menu as well as a tapas menu. For the gin lovers the restaurant also offers a six-course gin pairing menu. 

Gin is the USP of the restaurant and it is the perfect place to enjoy food with a choice of 60 different gins from their bar.

I visited copper leaf with two friends, Manjiri from travelsfortaste and Heidi from kitchentalkandtravels I am a teetotaller and also a vegetarian but to my amazement I had the most wonderful dining experience at Copper Leaf.

 My friends enjoyed the Gin of the week cocktail, which was Gabriel Boudier Saffron Gin, served with Fever-Tree Light Tonic, orange zest, chocolate bitters and hand carved ice made by mixologist Hannah.

Since I don't drink Hannah made me their their signature mocktails, the Lychee Rose and the Tropical Crush.

Both were beautifully presented and tasted amazing although, I really enjoyed the Lychee Rose which was very unique in flavour.

For dinner we chose to sample the Tapas menu rather than the a la carte menu, this was a good decision as it really was exquisite. Each dish was lovingly prepared and beautifully presented. My friends tucked into various meat dishes, and were totally wowed by them.

Being a vegetarian I chose the vegetarian options:

The Tempura Asparagus served with lime Aioli  and poached egg was really crispy and delicious. I chose not to have the poached egg with it.

The Manchego cheese croquettes, were crispy filled balls of oozing cheese served with caramelised onions and pickled walnuts. What a tantalising match of flavours this was.

My palate was craving Indian flavours and I was pleasantly surprised with the little bowl of rice with spiced chickpeas with pomegranate, potato, tamarind and chilli sauce arrived. The flavours and textures were well balanced.

Lastly I tried the pan fried green beans, sundried tomato, roasted garlic and pine nuts. The beans were al dente and perfectly cooked. 

Accompanying this I also had the Batata Bravas, in comparison to the other dishes these were not as exciting in presentation but still were very tasty.

The chef also offered us the paella option, but we declined it as at this stage we were really full and would have not done justice to it wholeheartedly.

Finally when my palate was dancing with a flavour explosion and stomach was screaming no more, I was enticed with the dessert menu. Now a girl can never say no to dessert!!

We had Grilled pineapple, rum infused cherries, fresh mint and coconut sorbet featured above.
My friends Heidi had the Peanut butter cheesecake, candied peanuts, miso caramel served with ice cream.

 The final  most watering dessert was lavender and white chocolate panna cotta, macerated strawberries and ginger crumble. It was so pretty like art on a plate.

The evening was wonderful, we had lovely food and the ambience was great too. We finally finished the meal with Negroni with tea cocktail.

I was a guest at Copper Leaf, all opinions shared are of my own experience. I will certainly be visiting Copper Leaf again with my family.

I enjoy eating out and always try to find restaurants that offer good vegetarian choice. You may like to read about my visit to Chakra and Ritorno for inspiration As both restaurants offer a varied vegetarian menu.