Fried halloumi sticks, Brother Marcus
Various, Afghan Kitchen
Lamb rump, The Olive Tree
Braised short rib ragù, Sorella
From Spitalfields to Sorella. Here are the best things the CODE team ate this week.
KOYA
Two restaurants on one street celebrating birthdays is something special, but while Hoppers is marking five years, the mighty Koya has been serving its highly addictive udon, rice dishes, tempuras and more for ten years. To make the date, chef patron Shuko Oda and team have brought back some of the most celebrated dishes of the last decade. A memorable lunch included some of these gems – tempura carrot, English breakfast udon, this sensational lemon sole ‘nanbanzuke’ with dehydrated satsumas and fennel and many more. The small space is managing social distancing with perfect aplomb and it was great to see a steady stream of fans coming to pay homage. Here’s to the next ten!
Lisa Markwell, editor
To read CODE’s interview with Shuko Oda, click here
Fried halloumi sticks, Brother Marcus
Brother Marcus Spitalfields
Any restaurant with a large outdoor terrace in 2020 must be counting their blessings and the Brother Marcus chaps in Spitalfields have just that. Despite the temperature dropping, the market makes for a perfect setting for al fresco dining and it seemed a popular spot on Thursday evening for Londoners to enjoy a Greek beer or two over their hummus, fried halloumi sticks and posh kebabs. And it’s on the CODE app. A win, win situation.
Adam Hyman, founder
Various, Afghan Kitchen
Afghan Kitchen
The dining scene around Angel and Upper Street is notorious for a high turnover of restaurants, so the small-fronted Afghan Kitchen looking onto Islington Green in particularly remarkable for its 25 year tenure. If you can get a seat at the communal table downstairs, or the handful of tables upstairs there’s a short and satisfying menu of tenderly cooked and gently spiced meat and vegetarian dishes, homemade bread and spicy house pickles.
Chloë Hamilton, head of partners & memberships
Lamb rump, The Olive Tree
The Olive Tree, Bath
Lunch at the Olive Tree, Bath’s only Michelin starred restaurant, was the highlight of a whistle stop 24-hour trip to the city (a last ditch attempt to escape London while it’s still possible…) The weekend lunch menu is excellent value, with dishes like tagliatelle with venison bolognese, and lamb rump with anchovies and ewes curd. And what better way to walk off your lunch than with a stroll along the royal crescent just around the corner.
Minna Gabbertas, partners & memberships
Braised short rib ragù, Sorella
Sorella
Another of Robin Gill’s small neighbourhood haunts, Sorella emits an inviting glow to a dark side street in Clapham that’s impossible not to be drawn to. As it was a Saturday night, a house negroni was in order and it certainly packs a punch – a sure sign an excellent Italian is in store. Its best to share (mainly because it means no food envy) and we went for a mix of Cicchetti (small bites), antipasti and all four of the Primi dishes as we couldn’t decide between them. It’s just as difficult to choose which dishes to mention here but the pecorino Agnolotti with jerusalem artichoke & onion brood was unlike any pasta I’ve had and the longstanding menu favourite: pappardelle with braised short rib ragù is a favourite for a reason!
Molly Wade, partners & memberships
Yopo
The Mandrake hotel in Fitzrovia is a hedonistic bubble of extravagance that wouldn’t be out of place in Paris or Amsterdam. The dimmed lighting across the property creates an atmosphere of naughtiness – something we all need a bit of in our lives right now. The hotel’s restaurant has recently relaunched as Yopo with food influenced from South America. Expect empanadas, ceviche and pork belly tacos with a concise wine list from French and Argentina.
Adam Hyman, founder
Sirloin steak, Yopo
To read more of the best things the CODE team ate this week, click here
Search results
