Shibui - Elizabeth Allen pop-up at Carousel

This was my first visit to Carousel; how have I never been here before? It's a wonderful idea for a venue, and pretty much everything I love under one roof. Food-wise, lunch is prepared by their own team and dinner comes courtesy of a series of stellar chef residencies; there is an exhibition space for new talent and also a programme of events ranging from life drawing and yoga to acoustic sets and spoon carving. Spoon carving!! I didn't know this was a thing, but now I do and I need it in my life.

So - on to this week's guest chef. Elizabeth Allen was formerly head chef at Neil Rankin's Smokehouse before moving on to Pidgin and her first Michelin star; I'm pretty sure it won't be her last. Allen has a self-confessed love of fire and flames as 'sophisticated barbecue' and specialises in the delicate balance of bold flavours, all of which will be showcased in her new restaurant project, Shibui.

Shibui is an ancient Japanese word with no direct translation into English but which expresses the elegance, grace and beauty of simplicity - a perfect name for a restaurant that promises dishes combining both everyday and exotic ingredients and a relaxed fine dining experience. I think this is an exciting trend; I am a greedy, obsessive and endlessly curious foodie but for me food is both literally and metaphorically nourishing - it should be an experience that is relaxing, heartening, soothing, exciting, nurturing and sociable. (I heartily detest the concept of 'good' and 'bad' foods - and don't even get me started on so-called 'clean eating'.) So, the concept of jaw-dropping food without the intimidating starchiness and obligatory reverent hush of classic fine dining is very good news.

Carousel was a good choice of venue for this, with its scrubbed wooden refectory tables, communal seating and subdued lighting; it is also very intimate, with the prep and kitchen area a few feet from the bar, so you can have a pre-dinner sharpener whilst watching the chef at work. Consequently, I was at a toddler-on-Christmas-morning level of excitement by the time we actually sat down for the meal. The first dish was bite-sized tempura nori with apple puree, oyster and sambal and did not disappoint. This was so clever; a mouth-pleasing mix of textures and the nori, oyster and sambal all balanced out by the apple and making different contributions to produce something that, quite simply and in the best possible way, tasted of the sea.

Next up was the buttermilk chicken with miso and caviar, which I hear will be a signature dish when Shibui finds a permanent home later this year and which embodies Allen's philosophy of combining the humble and the sophisticated. Crispy coating, tender chicken, a salty hit of caviar and a savoury mayo, this was delicious. We had also opted for the wine flight which paired this with Konishi Gold, a light, clean sake with a hint of apple - a perfect match.

We then had a fresh, palate-cleansing dish of fermented cucumber, sorrel and apple with rhubarb, all wonderfully zingy, sour flavours to wake up the tastebuds. This came with a De Loach California Chardonnay; I'm normally ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) when it comes to wine but this was light and fresh with a refreshing fruity acidity.

At this point there was the option of an additional course at a surcharge. I overheard some scattered and gentle grumbling at this culinary ambush, as of course the only real possible answer was yes; everyone I could see paid up and ate up. Having said that, it was the best possible call. Maltagliati (literally, 'badly-cut') pasta with tender, creamy lamb sweetbreads, brown butter, cabbage - all basic, almost rustic ingredients - oh, and did I mention, Perigord truffle? Allen had me at the fried chicken and caviar, but this was silky, seductive and outstandingly good. The wine pairing was explained to us by a friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic member of the team; a balanced and 'minerally' Chilean Caquenina from a vineyard a mere six kilometres from the Andes.

On to the next course, which was three succulent slices of Koji beef with coffee and Jerusalem artichoke puree, served with blistered sprout tops, beef fat and XO. I've never had sprout tops but they were surprisingly tasty, especially with the nuggets of beef fat nestling in amongst them. This was accompanied by a punchy Langhe Nebbiolo which held its own against the beef.

Finally, dessert; apple, kinako custard with miso butterscotch. Delicate and balanced, this showcases another facet of Allen's work, which is a blend of European and Asian influences. If Carlsberg made hot apple pies, they would taste like this. Alongside was an intriguing digestive with suze gentian, lime juice and a home-made smoked hay syrup.

In summary, this was an exceptional meal and a thoroughly enjoyable evening: incredible food, imaginative wine pairings, relaxed vibe, fascinating chats (and some great restaurant recommendations) with fellow foodies sat alongside us, and I have discovered some new ingredients that I am off to try. When Shibui eventually finds a permanent place to call home, I will be queuing at the door.

Yours, STILL thinking about that lamb dish,

London Girl About Town xx

Dumpling Shack pop-up

So I managed to grab a couple of places at John Li's Dumpling Shack pop-up event in Leicester Square last weekend - no mean feat, considering that his last pop-up venture with Shotgun sold out within hours.

Dumpling Shack has been resident in the School Yard at Broadway market since 2014 and John Li has built a steadily increasing reputation and fan base for his fresh, handmade dumplings amongst some very stiff competition. This pop-up brought his street eats inside and central, at Leicester House in Soho.

The table was set with some roasted peanuts and a sizeable bowl of zingy smacked cucumbers (surprisingly easy to make at home btw if you are serving a spicy Sichuan main) for a fresh, palate-cleansing start.

First to arrive was a salad with lily bulb, celery and jellyfish. I can't recall having had lily bulb as a key ingredient before but it was interesting, with a texture and flavour not unlike a mild version of roasted chestnuts.
This and the toasted sesame dressing went well with the crisp celery and the classic delicacy of very finely-sliced jellyfish, looking almost like glass noodles.

Then came the star of the show, the dumplings. Note that these are sheng jian bao, pan-fried soup dumplings, which have a completely different texture to the xiao long bao Shanghai soup dumplings popular in dim sum restaurants. These are more robust in texture, the exterior almost like a thinner version of the fluffy char siu bao bbq pork bun; and they needed to be, as the fillings were substantial - and amazing.

The signature pork and water chestnut filling was tender, juicy and deftly seasoned; the shiitake, woodear and leek provided a veggie option that had great depth of flavour, but for me the crab and truffle option was one of the highlights of the evening and had me chasing tiny shreds of filling around the plate with my chopsticks out of pure greed. They were as good as I had heard - a beautifully crisp, browned base, not too doughy and piping hot. One word of warning though - when I say hot, I really do mean hot - please don't be tempted to pop a whole one in your mouth as soon as they are served, as the result will not be pretty.

These were followed by the long bean fritters with smoked tofu mayonnaise. These were not so much actual fritters as long bean tempura, with the lightest of batter coatings and a fabulous gently spicy chilli kick, balanced by the creamy smokiness of the mayo.

Next up were the barbecued duck heart skewers; beautifully and simply presented, tender nuggets of meat with robust bbq flavours.

Potatoes in spicy red bean sauce arrived next; again the spice factor is mild, more warming than eye-watering, with the starchy sweetness of the red beans providing a comforting backdrop to the dish.

We were seriously starting to flag when the next dish arrived at our table, the signature spicy cumin lamb chops with pickled radish. However, these were everything you might hope they would be: juicy, crisp, perfectly seasoned melt-in-the-mouth heaven. Definitely one of the stand-out dishes of the evening.

Scallops in XO sauce came next. I lived in Hong Kong for a couple of years and XO sauce was a staple seasoning, a seafood-based umami high. These were good but not outstanding . . . although in fairness we were both ridiculously full and still going on about the lamb chops.

The final dish arrived, a vegetable dish of kai lan served with crushed peanuts. I had a mouthful or two and confirmed that yes, I absolutely would order it again as a side if I hadn't already eaten my own body weight in dumplings and associated fabulousness.

Rumour has it that this pop-up is in preparation for a bricks-and-mortar version of Dumpling Shack planned for 2017. For what it's worth, my vote is a resounding YES PLEASE.

Yours, still daydreaming about dumplings,

Girl About Town xx

Breaking Bad pop-up bar

Yo bitches! As a fan of Breaking Bad I was very happy to get my hands on tickets to ABQ's themed pop-up bar in Hackney last week - and it didn't disappoint. I'll try not to give away any spoilers for those who haven't seen the series but if you are in the know you will recognise some key features. . .

There are three time slots per evening and despite taking time out to admire the street art on the way from Hackney Wick station (East London for me is still the best place for this) we arrived early for ours and so had time for a couple of pre-drinks. There are some nice details: the menu is in a copy of Walt  Whitman's Leaves of Grass, cocktails are served in beakers and blue is the colour of choice. You can even buy a charred pink bear with one eye and round off the evening with fried chicken and chips from Los Pollos Hackney, which clearly had to be done. 

The main event happens in an RV; you are hustled in by a DEA agent but, once your credentials have been established, it's time to get cooking. You get to make two different cocktails in teams of six, using an impressive array of equipment straight from a high school chemistry lab and assisted by guides in yellow overalls, all under the steely gaze of a huge backlit Heisenberg. Tread lightly.

Once you have done your thing with dry ice and nitrous oxide, the cocktails are served up for you to enjoy. It's dark, a bit cramped and lots of fun; you bond with your fellow meth cooks over the tasks and recounting your favourite characters (Jesse, obviously, and Mike - and as a character, Gus is fab) and quotes from the show (I am the one who knocks!).

Win the competition for the best version of cocktail two and your team is rewarded by a test tube rack of violently blue shots. Do you even have to ask, of course we won! Yeah bitch! 

Tumbling back out of the RV into the night, I was slightly envious of the next group as they got rounded up by the DEA. If you're missing your Walter White fix, or you fell for the new season prank and got your hopes up (really??), then get on the ABQ website now and grab yourself a reservation. Show them some love; rumour has it that they might make it a permanent bar, and I think I need this in my life.

Yours, cookin' some blue, bitch!

London Girl About Town xx