From Peckham to Lake Como, here are the best things the CODE team ate this week

Chet’s at Rondo La Cave

One might argue that the spot where the Hoxton Holborn lies is a funny one. A sort of no man’s land between Holborn and Soho. Despite its location, the hotel’s ground floor lobby is always busy with freelancers, armed with MacBooks and oat milk flat white. By 6pm it’s buzzy with people sipping a negroni or two. Today the former Chicken Shop space in the basement has become Rondo La Cave, which has a strong focus on natural wines but now also plays host to different pop-ups every four months. Chet’s, in collaboration with Kris Yenbamroong of LA’s NIGHT + MARKET, is currently in residency and is some of the most fun food I’ve had for a while. The menu offers American classics with a Thai twist, with dishes such as wedge salad with crispy pork jowl and spicy and garlicky nam jim. A shrimp bikini – think of a sort skinny toasted sandwich – is great snacking food with a glass or two of orange wine, while the pad rigatoni is a risky thing, but they pull it off. Go before it’s gone in September.
Adam Hyman, founder
CODE was a guest of Chet’s

Fiume

I fell in love with Francesco Mazzei’s cooking at Sartoria when my heaped spoon of Zabaglione I fell in love with Francesco Mazzei’s cooking at Sartoria when my heaped spoon of zabaglione, covered in crushed amaretti biscuits and fresh raspberries, met my lips. It was love at first bite. This is why I ventured down to Battersea Power Station tanother Mazzei restaurant, Fiume, for an evening of riverside delight. Highlights were the red prawn carpaccio, fresh and subtle, and the burrata and ‘nduja tortellini, a textural and flavourful feat.
Henry Southan, social media manager
CODE was a guest of Fiume

Kanada-Ya

I’ve always found deciding where to eat in Soho to be a slightly overwhelming task. Luckily for me I started at CODE this week, and on my first day I was informed that we were all going to Kanada-Ya for lunch, at 11:53. My luck continued as I was recommended the spicy uuzu, which turned out to be the perfect level of umami and spice, with the hard noodles (recommended) being texturally pleasing. It’s clear however that my apprenticeship has just begun, as I failed to order the hanjuku egg as a topping, which I enviously watched my colleagues enjoy. With sites in Piccadilly, Covent Garden and Carnaby (as well as Angel), I’m sure I’ll be back though to right this wrong.
George Gill, operations co-ordinator
Kanada-Ya is available on the CODE app

Allegra

The restaurant is stylish and minimalistic with a hint of Scandi design. I like it. Nothing to get lost in. It painted a telling picture of what was to follow: Patrick Powell and his team do the space justice, producing elegant dishes with plenty of flavour. The snacks and small plates are a must. I would go back and have them all in one sitting. Oyster with Bloody Mary granita, fried chicken with the best aioli outside of Spain, and grilled mussels in a smoked butter and seaweed sauce were the main highlights. I will definitely be back to try their tasting menu because I’m a sucker for good restaurant snacks.
Harry Cromack, account manager
Allegra is available on the CODE app

Black Bear Burger

Look, I didn’t want a burger when I went to Black Bear’s new Exmouth Market location on Saturday. I just didn’t. I was tired and bloated, on day two of a hangover; what I wanted was a salad and pilates. But we went, and I’m glad, because not only was the burger very good — I had the simplest one with bacon, cheese, onion jam and garlic mayo — it was also made with the most sesame seed-heavy bun I’ve ever seen in my life. The whole thing was covered with them. You could hardly see the bread, just little golden-white sprinkles, breaking in my mouth with every bite. I loved them. I loved it. You should go.
Rebekah Lodos, editorial assistant
CODE was a guest of Black Bear Burger

Grand Hotel Tremezzo

Despite the weather being lousy, I forgot how magical Lake Como is. An hour from Milan, it has some of the grandest hotels in Italy including Villa D’Este and Grand Hotel Tremezzo. After a sneak preview of it’s new sister hotel Passalacqua, which opens on Friday it was of to GHT for a leisurely lunch on the lakeside restaurant for a hearty bowl of vongole and a glass or two Sicilian white from Mt Etna.
Adam Hyman, founder
CODE was a guest of Grand Hotel Tremezzo

Dinner by Heston

I won’t lie to you, I wasn’t expecting to eat at all when I visited Dinner by Heston for some social content earlier this week, but boy was I happy to accept their kind offer of their signature liquid nitrogen ice cream followed by a trout Florentine and a coronation chicken tartlet. The ice cream is churned tableside. You watch the custardy mixture become magically harder as more liquid nitrogen is added, and it is churned. The tips of the cone are filled with fresh strawberry compote, and you have a choice of toppings – I had hazelnut and chocolate dust. Delish. I felt like a kid again. I’m told Heston often enjoys pudding before the main course, and I think I can get behind this idea.
Henry Southan, social media manager
CODE was a guest of Dinner by Heston
Dinner by Heston is available on the CODE app

Peckham Cellars

I feel shame I have not been here before. They have been on CODE for a while, and after my visit I reckon they are one of our best offerings to South London members. A fantastic wine list, with great value options. If you are like my girlfriend and always pick the second glass on the list you’ll be very happy. Embrace the tap wine with an AA Badenhorst chenin blanc, extremely good value for such a well established South African wine maker. The small plate offering with get all taste buds tingling. A Mediterranean backbone in the menu is influenced by new head chef Pablo Urain. The star of the show was the pig cheeks, melt in the mouth vibes with a rich sauce, and some fries for moppage. Can’t wait to return.
Harry Cromack, account manager
CODE was a guest of Peckham Cellars
Peckham Cellars is available on the CODE app

Read more reviews from the CODE team here