From Ave Mario to Apothecary, here are the best things the CODE team ate this week

Hospitality marches on with verve despite the odds, and the CODE team share their weekly best

The Clunie Dining Room, The Fife Arms

A weekend in the Scottish Highlands was always going to involve some great food and whisky and The Fife Arms didn’t disappoint. The hotel’s Clunie Dining Room is where a hearty breakfast is served before a day out on the Highlands and it’s where we returned for dinner after sampling some of the 365 different whiskies at Bertie’s whisky bar. The beef Wellington to share – which interestingly had a lining of turkey in the pastry instead of the usual mushrooms – was then followed by a generous serving of sticky toffee pudding.
Adam Hyman, founder

The Clove Club

Food that’s wonderfully inventive without being too challenging, service that’s charming without seeming false, so many plates but you’re still disappointed when they stop coming: the tasting menu at The Clove Club is something quite special. Within the beautifully bright and airy dining room inside Shoreditch Town Hall, waiters and chefs in the open kitchen put on an effortless spectacle of synchronicity as they serve plate after plate of utter deliciousness. 
Sam Selwood, account manager

Ave Mario

I hold a special place in my heart for Tuscany, where I spend a lot of time, so the trattorias of Florence and Siena are some of my favourite places to eat. Although Big Mamma Group’s latest restaurant in Covent Garden may not quite be what the locals of Tuscany would be used to, Ave Mario makes it clear that dining here is about having fun! From the themed rooms to the confession box (think shots of limoncello if you have sinned) there’s a reason why carby pastas and pizzas are served – they help soak up the alcohol. If the past year has taught us anything, it’s that we must never forget to have fun – and this is exactly what Ave Mario wants to!
Adam Hyman, founder

Casa Calavera x Honi Poke

As office days start to return after a year of WFH I find I’m struggling with that age-old question: ‘What shall I have for lunch?’. A packed-lunch involves levels of organisation I rarely have, and I’m bored of the local Pret, so I was both delighted and inspired to try the new the Casa Calavera x Honi Poke collaboration on delivery last Thursday. Mexico meets Hawaii here – a poke bowl but in a crispy, nori ‘taco’ shell instead. Fried in a sea salt batter, the taco is uber crisp, filled with a sushi rice, topped with yuzu marinaded salmon, yuzu caviar and pretty micro herbs and flowers. What a way to brighten up lunch ‘al desko’.
Molly Wade, membership manager

Theo Randal at InterContinental

One is first struck by the staff inside the elegant interior of this Park Lane hotel. The large floors of the InterContinental whispered hospitable charm from the very beginning, with attention and discretion combined in matrimony. In the dimly-lit restaurant of Theo Randall, we had a traditional dining experience. The focaccia came flaked with salt and soused with oil; a gently wobbling fontina souffle prefaced silky wisps of pappardelle con ragu and winged cappelletti di vitello. There was a bottle of the famous Foradori vineyard by our side – the third diner – as we finished with guineafowl, larded with prosciutto and stuffed with mascarpone. Making our way around Hyde Park, we left with the indelible taste of Italy on our tongues.
Céire Carey, team assistant

Amélie, Cambridge

We had almost as much fun saying it as we did eating it! Amelie’s Flam-kuche kit was one of the quickest and easiest to prepare, with maximum eating reward. We opted for the beetroot one – topped with delicately-spiced creme fraiche, caramelised onions, beetroot and goat’s cheese. After 7 mins in the oven then topping with a little honey and toasted pine nuts, we had a delicious crispy treat to eat while watching the football. 
Sam Selwood, account manager

Apothecary

Merchants Tavern in Shoreditch is where I spent the evening in the kitchens for a charity dinner a few years back cooking alongside Angela Hartnett and Neil Borthwick. The lofty space on Charlotte Road has since had a refresh and is an izakaya – serving sushi, yakitori and all sorts from the grill. The founders of Spiritland are in charge, the bar at the front still has their sound system in playing funky Japanese tunes and although it’s still early days, I can see this being a popular spot for those who may not want the price tag of Nobu opposite.
Adam Hyman, founder

To read more reviews from the CODE team, click here