Best bites: Terrine en croûte at The Barley Mow and seafood gohan at SUMI

The Barley Mow

Downstairs, the newly opened Barley Mow in Mayfair is a proper pub. I’d prefer it if they took down the painting of Boris Johnson (it’s got to be him) and stuck some labels on the draughts, but I’m a big fan. Upstairs, it’s a white linen tablecloth restaurant. There’s a carvery – no space for a trolley, but it’s an actual carvery – and a glass display cupboard for the cheese. The menu, put together by the charming Ben Tish, is short and all the better for being so. There are classic dishes like soused mackerel, pie and mash, and Dover sole on or off the bone. I went along with a big group of characters, one of whom was Lady Elizabeth, aka Liz Carter, the editor of The Good Food Guide. She had the sole and it was good. My sea bass was well cooked and juicy. We also shared a crab rarebit, a sausage roll, and a gamey, nicely dense terrine en croûte with just the right amount of jelly. Our cheeseboard excited us, and I really did enjoy that glass cabinet. It’s nice to look at cheese isn’t it. Anyway, good pub.
Josh Barrie, editor
CODE was a guest of The Barley Mow

SUMI

Ever since I read our CODE meets with Endo Kazutoshi, I’ve been yearning to try his food. While I might not be able to get a table at his signature restaurant, Endo at the Rotunda (they are fully booked until December…), SUMI, its sister restaurant in Notting Hill, is the next best thing. The miso soup was followed by a refreshing, sesame seaweed salad and some chilled sake. Moving swiftly on to the sushi, six delicate nigiri arrived, the fish meltingly tender, and then sweet scallop and pickled carrot temaki. But the pièce de resistance for me was a dish I’ve never had the pleasure of having before: seafood gohan, which is pot of steaming rice seasoned with dashi and soy sauce. A slice of the matcha mille crepe for pudding, shared between two, rounded off a very, very good meal.
Molly Wade, memberships manager
CODE was a guest of SUMI

Cicchetti, Knightsbridge

Are you a sharer, or more of an independent orderer? You’re either one or the other and I’m the first. Sharing is caring, and an opportunity to experience a lot more. The new Cicchetti in Knightsbridge is all about sharing, and there’s plenty to choose from, with a vast menu. I must say, this might be one of the prettiest openings of the year, with clearly a huge amount of creativity (and cash) having gone into the interiors of the place. Highlights included the lobster risotto, prosciutto pizza, and beef tagliata. New spot for lunch if you’re shopping in Harrods.
Henry Southan, social media manager
CODE was a guest of Cicchetti Knightsbridge

Granger & Co, Marylebone

Granger & Co’s laid-back approach to all day dining has now come to Marylebone High Street which we visited for a midweek dinner. There really is something for everyone here, with a thoughtful menu full of fresh salads, punchy small plates and bowls and some interesting larger dishes to share. We had the chilli miso salmon with hot and sour aubergine – a beautifully cooked piece of fish swimming in a rich, salty broth, accompanied with a zingy chopped salad that was brimming with flavour. We also enjoyed the labneh with tomato and dusty knuckle sourdough, all washed down with a couple of bizarro spritz (bizzarro bitters, sparkling Riesling and soda).
Tom Pilgrim, Account Manager
CODE was a guest of Granger & Co

Lisboeta

I am currently on a mission to visit my top five bucket list restaurants in London before I buy a hat with some hanging corks and head Down Under. It had taken me a while to adventure north of Oxford Street to the anticipated Lisboeta. A friendly, familiar face greeted me at the door: a bloke called Kevin who’d previously worked at Manteca. I felt at ease. We had bacalhau a bras: tender pieces of cod sat in herbaceous garlicky sauce with a scattering of crispy matchstick potatoes for texture. The pork fat custard with caramel changed my life for the better.
Harry Cromack, Account Manager

Read more reviews from the CODE team here