Glass is excited by some new menus in London

CHELSEA Physic Garden has a venerable history, being founded in 1673 for the cultivation of plants of medicinal value by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries. The most noticeable of the thousands of useful plants still being grown here are two giant ginkgo trees while close to one of them, a mandrake lies below the ground; bringing to mind John Donne’s lines, “Go and catch a falling star, Get with child a mandrake root.”

London Menus - Chelsea Physic Garden CafeChelsea Physic Garden Cafe

This cocktail of the literary, cultural and historical is the unusual backdrop to rebranded The Physic Garden Café. Whether eating at rustic-style tables inside or in a gazebo outside, the ambitious menu goes well beyond what might be expected from a humble café in the four acres that make up the Physic Garden.

Scallops are cooked as a starter and served alongside a slice of black pudding while, softening these strong and salty tastes, mushy mashed peas also find a place on the plate. It’s all rather clever and works well as a shared preamble to one of the main dishes. Given the setting, and seeing the generous size of one being brought to another table, it seemed right to tuck into a giant salad packed with seasonal produce, plus the option of halloumi, poached salmon or chicken on top.

Depending on where you are sitting, it may prove difficult to resist the allure of a sumptuous array of goodies, like Bakewell tart, marble cake or chocolate and coconut ones, piled up in profusion at the counter. The drinks list is equally tempting – smoothies, spirits, and wines available in three sizes as well as by the bottle – though being ultra-virtuous, I enjoyed a caffeine-free latte of beetroot powder, cocoa and milk.

London Menu's - Chelsea Physic GardenChelsea Physic Garden

Eating amidst the tranquil plant life of Chelsea Physic Garden has little in common with the relative raucousness at Kym’s in the City – apart from a mutual regard for quality food. Chef Andrew Wong is basking in the glory of Michelin-star status from his first restaurant (A Wong in Pimlico) and his second venture looks destined to succeed.

London MenusKym’s Cherry Tree

Kym’s glass frontage blends seamlessly with the steely architecture of the arcade off Cannon St where it is situated. Semi-darkness prevails inside, apart from the lights of the open kitchen towards the back and a simulacrum of a cherry tree, that blossoms eternally in numinous pink over the copper-topped bar.  A club vibe colonises the ground-level space (upstairs is quieter) with horrendous music thumping out from speakers and human voices trying to rise above it. Far from proving dispiriting, everyone seems to revel in the noise.

The food at Kym’s, traditional Chinese but with a modern accent, is exquisite. Meats are roasted with precision: witness the classic threefold combination of crispy pork belly, soy chicken and Iberico pork char siu cooked and presented with perfection alongside matching sauces. Non-carnivores have few choices once starters have been chosen but, in homage to a penchant in Chinese cooking for mock vegetarian food, an ersatz Peking duck takes its honourable place on the menu. It looks the real McCoy with its imitation of crispy thin skin and – this is the decisive test – manages with flair to evoke the flavour and taste of this classic Beijing dish

London Menu's - Ootys Baker St RestaurantOoty’s Baker St Restaurant

Just as Kym’s has its culinary roots in the cuisine of China, Ooty’s reside in another part of the world, India,  that is blessed with gastronomic traditions just as honourably ancient. The spiritual home of vegetarianism is southern India but Ooty, named after a hill station town there, caters for everyone and the menu is built around the choice of three courses. Special praise must be accorded its soigné starter,  labelled plainly as veg trio platter on the menu. This triumph of arrangement is brought to your stone table on one plate containing a vermicelli banana lolly (to be eaten first), ragada samosa and, to finish off, fried flour balls (vadas) in a thick yoghurt. Main courses similarly blend traditional dishes with innovation and imagination. The wine list includes a convincing viognier from Bangalore and there is also a snug basement bar for pre-/post-dinner drinks. All in all, Ooty makes a compelling case for a trip to 66 Baker Street to experience high-end Indian dining in a sophisticated and winsome setting.

London Menu's Enzo's KitchenEntrance to Tasting Sicily Enzo’s Kitchen

In the heart of the West End, Tasting Sicily Enzo’s Kitchen is so keen on promoting Sicily that a giant TV screen on the back wall replays images of sights and attractions of the island. Tacky, you may well think, but after experiencing what is conjured up in the kitchen using Sicilian ingredients the pictures become more entrancing and by the end of the meal you’re searching for flights and accommodation.

London MenusTasting Sicily Enzo’s Kitchen

It starts with the bread, or rather the organic olive oil (Centonze) that carries a woody and grassy taste traceable to the centuries-old olive trees on the estate in western Sicily from where it hails. With nearly a dozen starters on offer, it is hard to choose but the antipasto ‘Tasting Sicily’ is a kaleidoscope of tastes and ideal for sharing. It consists of cheeses, salami and ham, as well as pumpkin sweetened with mint and coriander, aubergines pickled and marinated for a week, and a tapenade using olives which, like everything else, are 100 per cent Sicilian. The rest of the menu ranges widely from pasta to steaks (though sadly lacking a vegetarian main course).

Enzo’s Kitchen makes a convincing case for scooting off to Sicily on a foodie holiday, though on learning that one of the restaurant’s dessert wines comes from Pantelleria – a tiny island, closer to North Africa than Sicily, completely new to me – any trip I do will include a visit to this island.

by Sean Sheehan