From Panzer’s to Palma, here are the best things the CODE team ate this week

Hoppers

Have you ever come out of the appropriate exit at King’s Cross? No, you haven’t. It’s impossible. A dream of fools. Once you tap out, you’re in an inescapable nightmare, an optical illusion, with escalators leading nowhere except five different Leons, and oh, wait, now you’re trapped inside a Boots. You follow the signs of sunlight in the distance, accidentally running into a post-work staff party outside Google HQ. Chilling. But despite all this you keep going, because that’s how you get to Hoppers King’s Cross, and that’s where the mussel hodi is. The bright yellow dish is my favourite on the menu (it’s served only at the KX location), and beautiful: mussels in a coconut broth, provocatively open and placed on a bouncy bed of string hoppers, themselves flawlessly, virginally, white. Green samphire covers the top. It pairs so well with the cumquat gin and tonic on the new terrace cocktail menu  – the ‘Sunset Squeeze’ – and with an ice-cold shot of lychee infused arrack. Worth it.
Rebekah Lodos, editorial assistant

El Camino, Palma

I think I might have stumbled across the best tapas bar in the world. Tell a lie, its not the best kept secret, it was booked well in advance after many recommendations from friends. It is nestled in the middle of Palma’s old town. It stands out with its chic interior, warm lighting and Aesop hand wash. The latter is something you don’t find in many Mallorcan tapas joints. Eddie Hart, one third of the Hart group, is behind this sophisticated place. It bares resemblance to its Barrafina brothers when it comes to the food. We went all out upon ordering. The waiter looked slightly perplexed and worried when I ordered over half of the menu. I laughed. Every single dish that came our way had a splendid simplicity about it. It allowed the ingredients to sing. A gazpacho to start, which I fear has ruined all any I have in the future. I’m not too bothered about this – I will just have to return. The usuals you’d expect to see where all there – pan con tomate, tortilla clasica, padron peppers and croquetas de jamon. We had them all of course. All delicious. The highlight for me was the octopus. Grilled and served with a mojo rojo sauce. It was perfect. I can’t wait to return to Palma to experience this all over again.
Harry Cromack, account manager

MiMi Mei Fair

I ate at MiMi Mei Fair twice this week. It was that good. I had seen the TikToks and the Instagram posts of the Peking duck being expertly prepared table-side, and I knew it was in my destiny that I would one day experience this too. It delivered, and then some. Inspired by Shanghai speakeasies, the restaurant is like a rabbit hole of pretty small dining rooms that you could quite easily get lost in. The ‘xiao long jewels’ are a nice way to start, dumplings filled with chicken, chilli crab, king prawn and purple yam. The Hunan crispy seabass was the highlight for me, a dish unlike I’ve had before. So satisfying, so warming. A triumph.
Henry Southan, social media manager

Panzer’s Deli

Panzer’s deli is a classic Jewish deli and bakery in the leafy, affluent neighbourhood of St John’s Wood. Everything bagels, lox, schmears – Panzer’s provides. Beyond the classics though, the deli is a kind of mini version of the Harrods food hall a condensed cornucopia of exceptional produce, from niche British suppliers to more mainstream international ones, where quality always take precedence. Of course, you pay for that quality at the till, but what’s remarkable is how many chefs are turning to Panzer’s for produce to but on their menus – knowing how seasonal and delicious everything is. The Panzer’s terrace does a fine morning trade too, with a great breakfast menu chock-full of bagels, baked eggs and pastries. The salmon, schmear and classic bagel, with caperberries, cornichons and lemon, was simplicity personified. Call me boring but when you’ve found produce this good, why opt for anything else?
Mike Daw, partnerships manager
CODE was a guest of Panzer’s Deli

The Garden Café

The Garden Café in Lambeth is a tranquil restaurant, situated in The Garden Museum. If you can, grab a seat in the courtyard and you’ll be dining amongst beautiful potted plants. With a daily changing menu, chef George Ryle has been producing excellent, seasonal dishes such as skate, pepper and onion salad; Catalan fish stew; and borlotti beans, courgettes, goat’s curds and basil. There’s a focus on lunches here (although they are open for dinner on Tuesdays and Fridays) which we’re big fans of.
Tom Pilgrim, accounts manager
CODE was a guest of The Garden Café

Chatsworth Bakehouse

On Saturday, I donned my Birks and went on a rather long walk to Crystal Palace with a couple of mates. The target destination was Chatsworth Bakehouse, somewhere I’ve been wanting to go for a while now. Having made the long trip, I stocked up, getting a couple of brown butter cookies and some olive focaccia to take home. We were also there just in time for lunch, so I had a ‘grandma slice’ topped with blistered tomatoes and burrata. While the toppings were delicious, I’m a bread boy, and the dough was beautiful. A bakery to be reckoned with.
George Gill, operations co-ordinator

Myrtle

Anna is a genius and makes no mistakes. Her herb bouquets are volitional and are the portals of discovery. At Myrtle, for Bloomsday, there were also oysters, some smoked, and delicate little rolls of ham in cabbage; salmon too although I found myself returning endlessly to the boxty, soft dumplings, full of gravy-soaked beef and crowned resplendently by a crispy circle of strong cheese. They kept coming, following Guinness and champagne. How many of these dumplings would I eat? I think I would continue until death. Then, in my coffin, I’d finish with a morsel of black pudding from Clonakilty – cow’s blood, not pig’s – and have a long lie down.
Josh Barrie, editor

Dipna Anand at Somerset House

There’s something very special about arriving at Somerset House for dinner. A sense of occasion, specialness, and grandeur. I was here to visit Dipna Anand’s restaurant, where she hosted a special seven-course dinner full of flavour, education… and spice! Pani puri was served up first before spicy, garlicky prawns and all of Dipna’s signature dishes. As we tucked in, Dipna told us and demonstrated how each dish was made. The table next to me told me that her cookery classes are great, so that’s next on my list.
Henry Southan, social media manager
CODE was a guest of Dipna Anand at Somerset House

Homeslice x Symplicity

100 per cent pizza, 100 per cent plants. Not my usual vibe but I actually quite liked it. It worked. I don’t think I have tasted plant-based meat products that taste as close to the real thing. I recommend trying the ragu and red onion on one half of your pizza, and fennel and sausage on your other. For a meat eater these worked for me. However I’m told by my friend Lucie, a Homeslicer herself, the cauliflower, Vietnamese mince, coconut Sriracha, pickled cucumber and red chilli salsa. Let me just catch my breath. Sounds weird, but wonderful? I’ll let you judge. Would I recommend Homeslice x Symplicity to someone asking for pizza recommendations? If they were vegan or you want to cut down your meat consumption, yes.
Harry Cromack, account manager

Jazz brunch at The Cinnamon Club

Brunch has become a Saturday afternoon staple across the capital for many. On Saturday I went to The Cinnamon Club for their new jazz brunch, where a two piece jazz band soundtracks chef Vivek Singh’s menu of great British produce with delicious Indian spices. The saddle of lamb with corn and yoghurt sauce was a favourite. The rich savoury lamb complimented the cooling yoghurt sauce so sumptuously.
Henry Southan, social media manager
CODE was a guest of The Cinnamon Club

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