My blog

Tag: London Dining

  • Meraki: A Delightful Dining Experience

    Gift of the Gab, Meraki Review, Ronel Lehmann

     

    Planning to visit a restaurant is a bit like being on a conveyor belt. Firstly, you phone to make a reservation. Bubula, known for its middle eastern feasts doesn’t have a phone number for bookings. So, you then resort to sending an email, which results in an out of office reply and then you decide to take your chance for a walk-in table. It seems that everyone else did the same, and the next table was not going to be free for 90 minutes.

    We were patient but not as patient as the welcome and decided to continue up Great Titchfield Street to that famous trattoria, Sergio’s. Despite a warmer welcome than Bubula, they too were fully booked. And so, we stumbled into Meraki. Meraki is a name that indicates a gift of gab – the ability to persuade others effortlessly.

    The good news was that they had a table. The unwelcome news was that we had to endure being told that we had only ninety minutes to enjoy dinner. Then there was passport control. Our name and telephone number were requested so presumably they could capture all our details and market their restaurant to us in future. Or perhaps it was in case there was a fire in the kitchen, and they needed to be sure that we were accounted for during an exit.

     

    Seated at a table for two, the menus arrived. I dispensed with these, saying that the menu needed explaining to us: fortunately the waiter turned out to be more than proficient and courteous. I was still smarting from being cross-examined by reception. Tap water was provided, my guest had a cranberry juice, and I ordered an ice cold Keo, from Cyprus. I always like a light straw-coloured lager and this was no exception.

    The last time we booked a Greek restaurant in Camden, I booked Alexander The Great. It was during the meal I looked out the window to my left and saw the fluorescent sign. We had sat down in Andromeda which was directly opposite and found ourselves in the middle of the meal before noticing. I then had to telephone Alexander The Great from a Greek restaurant opposite to apologise that we were not going to make it. You will appreciate I did not want to look out of the window of Meraki in case border control was searching for me.

    It was time to order. I never like to dwell too much over the menus and don’t like drinking on an empty stomach. Quick choices were made including Aubergine Melitzanosalata, smoked aubergine. parsley, florina pepper; a bread basket containing pita, ladopita, focaccia, sourdough, olive; Mykonian Salad, tomato, ‘kritamo’, cucumber, olive, feta; Taramasalata, white cod roe emulsion, smoked herring caviar, bottarga; Tzatziki, Greek yogurt, garlic, mint, courgette; Hummus, Crispy chickpea, toasted buckwheat seed; before we drew breath. I myself don’t particularly like Taramasalata, however, this tasted unlike any that I have tried before.

    The waiter returned and after topping up our drinks, invited us to try the chicken and lamb kebabs. Two small skewers arrived for each, the chicken was so tender, beautifully marinated with basil and yoghurt. The lamb was served with florina pepper, hummus, parsley. We could have gone on with another round but saved some space for pudding.

    We shared a plate of Saragli, rolled baklava, caramelised nuts and vanilla ice cream.

    On the way out, I remarked to my guest whether we could remember the names of the twelve Greek Gods. They are of course, Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Hestia, Demeter, Hades, Apollo, Artemis, Hermes, Athena, Hephaestus, Aphrodite and Ares.

    Meraki is right up there.

     

    Ronel Lehmann is Chief Executive of Finito Education

  • Chutney Mary Hits the Spot: A Delightful Dining Experience Reviewed by Ronel Lehmann

    Chutney Mary Hits the Spot: A Delightful Dining Experience Reviewed by Ronel Lehmann

    Chutney Mary Hits the Spot: A Delightful Dining Experience Reviewed by Ronel Lehmann
    By Ronel Lehmann

     

    I am always punctual. Imagine my surprise when arriving at Chutney Mary in St James’s Street ahead of my reservation, to see my Parliamentarian guest already seated and drinking a Mango Lassi.

    As I was led to the table at Chutney Mary, I could hear myself saying: “I did ask for a quiet table in the corner.” No matter, we were seated in the middle of a pandemic with a series of socially distanced diners. I felt that I had been here before and then realized this was the old Wheelers restaurant reincarnated. Leaving the oppressive summer heat outside, it was a quick adjustment to the refreshing cool and a dimly lit environment by which elbow greetings and pleasantries were exchanged.

    The waiter at Chutney Mary arrived bearing the drinks menu. I looked at the cold beers and didn’t recognize any of the usual Kingfisher and Cobra suspects. My guest prompted me to taste one, but after a moment’s reflection, I decided to wait until I had selected my food. Sparkling mineral water was poured.

    I did find the chairs at Chutney Mary particularly comfortable whilst we chatted away. After all, it had been nearly a year since we last conversed in person, and there was much to catch up on. The ambiance of the surroundings at Chutney Mary was peaceful, and you could hear yourself speak, something of which other notable eateries should take note. I suggested that we order. I always find that the moment you begin a deep and meaningful conversation, you immediately find yourself interrupted by attentive staff, to make gastronomic choices.

    To get some food quickly on the table, I requested a Tray of Papad, miniature Poppadoms, and Crudités to share. They arrived very promptly. It was a meal in itself, with tasty vegetables and an assortment of exquisite dipping flavors. We deliberated further about the menu at Chutney Mary. My guest selected a small plate of Afghani Chicken Tikka cooked with fennel, cardamom, mace, and mint.

    I elected for the Crispy Naan Salad, which had a chili oil dressing, paneer, gem lettuce, rocket, roast tomatoes, avocado, and asparagus. The salad rested on the Naan, which was divided into pizza slices. It was delicious but not the easiest dish to eat with cutlery, so I used my hands and endured finely chopped items falling from my palate onto the plate.

    Next up, we enjoyed the Lamb Shank Nellore, Welsh lamb dum cooked for six hours to achieve a smooth and intense taste. The Royal Rajput White Chicken Curry at Chutney Mary, which was spiced chicken thigh, cinnamon leaf, mathania chili, and melon seeds, was also a highlight. I hesitated to order the Goa Green Chicken Curry with herbs, green chili, and tamarind as my guest had ordered a separate bowl of hot green chilies as a side dish. He was eating hot raw chilies!

    At the same time, I was thinking about a few days ago when I cooked dinner and nearly blew my head off adding Scotch bonnet chilies to a dish, so you might say, I retired on this occasion from this latest experience. There were additional side orders of garlic Naan, basmati rice, and Green Peas with Paneer. We had requested another vegetable side dish, but the chef at Chutney Mary suggested the peas would make a suitable replacement.

    Back to drinks. My guest had a couple of American pale ale craft beers, made near Enfield. I didn’t fancy the German or Cornish lager and decided to order a glass of the Chateau Beaulieu Rose, Cuvee Alexandre, Provence, France 2019. It was served extremely cold and a perfect accompaniment to the main meal at Chutney Mary. I couldn’t, however, see the pale pink wine in the colorful surroundings.

    The dessert menus arrived. Persian Kulfi with saffron, pistachio, and rose chikki was quickly consumed by my guest, leaving me to enjoy Delicious Fresh Mango with vanilla bean ice cream. I am a great fan of the other Vanilla Tonka bean ice cream, but the latticework in the presentation of the mango really stole the show at Chutney Mary.

    I never grew up eating Indian cuisine, not at home, school, or university. It was only when, as a young man, a client introduced me to Tamarind in Queen Street, Mayfair. There, I found myself immersed in flavors and tastes. I had never experienced anything quite like it until that very moment. Every time that I have visited, it is like leaving a special place and reliving the original moment again and again, still able to savor extraordinary fragrant food hours later. It was magical and mesmerizing.

    It is a tough benchmark to measure by, and yet I can never not think back to that first meal and remember where I was, who I was with, and what I was eating.

    And so it is. Just because you might be a Saab driver doesn’t mean that you won’t drive another vehicle or allow yourself to be a backseat passenger in another car. It won’t stop you from thinking about what you like about sports mode, turbo thrust, and safety.

    It is the same with a favorite restaurant. Sometimes you have to venture outside somewhere different. Chutney Mary was a completely different and enjoyable experience. Outstanding food, beautifully served to boot. I just cannot be sure that my feet won’t try to walk me elsewhere.