Latest news with #Bubala
Times
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Times
Bubala restaurant review: ‘The carrots nearly made me take a Covid test'
My wedding reception was held upstairs at the Ivy. Back then, there was only one Ivy: our favourite spot in London, where — in the pre-soft-play days, when our disposable income wasn't funnelled directly into Bluey Inc — we'd had our favourite, joyous, boozy dinners. It was the only possible venue. But now, with an Ivy on every high street, it's like announcing we got married at a Zizzi. And here, with slight regret, I present another cautionary tale of overexpansion. I love Bubala. It opened in Spitalfields in 2019, offering a vibrant take on Middle Eastern food that was delicious, quietly vegetarian and deeply hip — not that I'm in any position to judge hipness, but various beard-oil users have assured me that it was. Its firstborn arrived in Soho a few years later, and this sequel proved even better. It was The Godfather Part II, Thor: Ragnarok, Miley Cyrus. Bubala 3 is a 15-minute trek from King's Cross station, located in the sprawling techtropolis, presumably to vary the lunch options for Google and Facebook employees. The walk gave me plenty of time to hype up the food to my husband, J. By the end of my pitch, he was practically jogging there. We were welcomed in by a brilliant Kiwi manager, but it's not quite the restaurant I know — it's cool and airy rather than cosy, all concrete, exposed plaster and towering arched windows. It would be hard to say the place had much personality, as if it's ready to be turned into a Wagamama or Côte at a moment's notice. Inside Bubala REBECCA HOPE You have the option of a £33 per person mezze sharing menu or choosing, as we did, from the twenty or so à la carte dishes. We picked about half of them. The falafels were 10/10. Just the right amount of give on the outside and fluff on the inside, all served on a tahini so white, smooth and creamy it should have an SPF number. Bread and hummus were also spot-on. The laffa, a scorched flatbread threatening to become a naan, tore with a sublime stretchiness and was the perfect mode of transport to shovel in the glossy hummus, pimped up with nutty burnt butter. 'See?' I said to J. But, alas, man cannot live on chickpeas alone. Charred halloumi was squidgy and succulent, the antithesis of the squeaky vulcanised rubber found at every barbecue. In Soho, it comes topped with a phenomenal chamomile honey. Here it's been punished with half a jar of marmalade. Sickly and dissonant, it tasted as though a label had been misread — even Paddington would have scraped off the stuff. The spanakopita looked fantastic — a chimera of the Greek staple with Turkish borek pastry — but was polystyrene dry; the fist of sesame-miso chutney on the side delicious but ultimately unable to perform CPR on its neighbour. Leeks came doused in a Mexican-themed gratinated béchamel of jalapeños and sheep's cheese, with a tangy amba (mango pickle, to save you a google) reminding us we've got one foot in the Middle East. But the leeks were unforgivably tough. The thoughtfully provided utility knife wasn't up to the job — I think I'd have needed a power tool. I will forgive them for calling hash brown cubes 'latkes', but I can't forgive them for the potato being grey. The carrot main was so underflavoured it could have been a side for a Sunday roast — I almost took a Covid test. The button mushrooms on the pickle plate were overly soft, slightly redolent of a Travelodge breakfast. The basbousa dessert, a warm semolina cake with pineapple and coconut, had intricate flavours but was stone cold in the middle. Unforced error after unforced error that made me keep apologising to J. Carrots, feta and apricot Maybe these were all teething problems — the restaurant has only been open a month. ('Ask your server about our daily wine specials!' screamed a box on the menu. I asked a server, who asked another server, who told us there were no wine specials.) Maybe we caught them on an off day. Or maybe this is a moment for Bubala to take a beat, hopefully before branches start to take hold across the country like knotweed. Or Ivy. ★★★☆☆ 1 Cadence Court, Lewis Cubitt Park, London N1; Charlotte Ivers is away
Forbes
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
7 New London Restaurants To Try This Summer 2025
Giorgio Locatelli at the National Gallery London's dynamic food scene never stands still, with exciting new restaurants opening almost on a weekly basis. From fine dining to casual cafes, the capital continues to attract top chefs and creative newcomers alike. These seven latest openings promise to serve up something special. Seventy Five at Liberty, London The name of Seventy Five at Liberty is a tribute to the famous department store's founding in 1875. Tucked away on the second floor of Liberty, the lovely new restaurant headed by Joe Holness (formerly of Da Terra and Fera at Claridge's) features a seasonal, locally sourced Modern British menu. Highlights on a recent menu included moreish gnocchi with wild mushrooms; hake with mussel sauce and leeks and a divine dessert, milk chocolate mousse with cherries. The service is stellar and the bright, airy room is as gorgeously designed as you'd expect. Arts and crafts influences are combined with contemporary design. Bold Liberty prints and layered fabrics in warm color palettes of burgundy, pinks and green create an inviting dining environment. Bubala restaurant, London This is the third Bubala restaurant for the popular plant-based (almost vegan) is now open in trendy Coal Drops Yard, Kings Cross. Every dish is a highlight, from the baba ganoush with curry leaf oil and pine nuts to cucumbers with tahini and chilli cucumber chilli to Jerusalem artichokes, ras el hanout and miso. Be sure to save room for the insanely delicious desserts including salted caramel chocolates and the coconut tahini fudge. The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in London. One of the world's most respected Italian chefs Giorgio Locatelli oversees Locatelli, the new restaurant at the National Gallery, along with Bar Giorgio, an espresso and maritozzi bar. Located on the mezzanine level of the Sainsbury Wing which has reopened following a two-and-a-half-year transformational renovation and rehang in the galleries, the 80-seater restaurant and bar offers guests a unique opportunity to experience Chef Giorgio's celebrated Italian cooking. And opening on the ground floor is Bar Giorgio, ideal for visitors looking for a quick caffeine fix before or after exploring the excellent new galleries. Following the announcement of the closure of their eponymous, Michelin-starred Locanda Locatelli which he ran for over 20 years with his wife Plaxy, this new National Gallery venture represents the much-anticipated next chapter for the lauded chef. Be sure to try one of the five delicious pasta dishes including Tagliatelle al ragu, or one of the excellent steak, fish or chicken dishes. Cod and clam curry at Town, London Town is Chef Stevie Parle's first big restaurant opening since Joy. His new Covent Garden restaurant is focused around British products and is the first restaurant serving wild-farmed beef—from its own herd of 100% grass-fed cows. Tempting dishes include: Tempura sage leaves drizzled in chilli and honey from their own bees; Crudo, tomato water and Todoli grapefruit; Romney Marsh hogget with Chianti and anchovy butter and Welsh lobster with lardo. Even the vegetable curry has a Modern British twist with the addition of rhubarb. 3 Gorges, London 3 Gorges, a slick new 80-cover, three floor, contemporary, elegant Hubei and Cantonese restaurant is helmed by Chef Qian, one of London's top Cantonese chefs. Qian was recently Head Chef at Gouqi on Cockspur Street, one of the few Chinese restaurants in the UK to hold a Michelin Star. Menu highlights include the decadent lobster pot, black truffle duck rolls and king crab noodles and scallops with glass noodles in XO sauce. Caramello, Bancone's twist on the creme caramel The fourth location for the popular Italian restaurant Bancone offers the winning formula of the other locations: fresh pasta made by hand every day. Menu highlights include: Silk handkerchiefs, walnut butter and confit egg yolk; spicy pork and nduja ragù with tagliatelle and melt in your mouth Gnocchi with roasted tomato and smoked stracciatella. A moreish vegan dessert is a twist on a creme caramel, made with coconut milk, coffee and toasted buckwheat. This restaurant unites some top Chilean chefs, including one voted best female chef in Latin America, to highlight the food and drink from the country). From coast to mountains, Mareida brings a fresh take on Chilean cuisine to London, adding bold modern twists to the menu. Founded by Prenay Agarwal, the Chilean team includes Head Chef Trinidad Vial Della Maggiora, Chef Carolina Bazán, voted Latin America's Best Female Chef in 2019 by the World's 50 Best and Sommelier, Rosario Onetto. Menu highlights include Corn pie with poached eggs and lamb; Mussels, charcoal shells, and fennel and Crab cake gratin.
Telegraph
27-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
The 13 best restaurants where you can eat into the early hours – and their special offers
Unlike in Spain or Italy, where eating at 9pm or 10pm is common practice, Britain has never been a late-dining nation. Our habits have become further entrenched since the pandemic: a 9pm booking at a restaurant was once normal, but restaurateurs now fret that late-night dining might become extinct. According to reservations platform OpenTable, 'early-bird dining' has increased by 5 per cent this year. Its research suggests that almost half of us plan to book earlier dinners in 2025, with many pointing the finger at social changes such as healthier lifestyles and the rise of streaming services. We'd much prefer a light supper and an evening on the sofa, it seems. Tom Rogers, who works in restaurant public relations, says some restaurants are focusing all their efforts on their early-evening customers. At Bubala, which has three branches in London, 5.30pm is now the prime-time slot, while The River Cafe Cafe, which opened last year, quickly ditched dinners on Monday to Wednesday, opening at breakfast instead. Now, chefs and restaurateurs are fighting back, hoping to encourage diners to 'reacquaint themselves' with later dining. Leading the charge is Jeremy King, who has announced a 25 per cent discount for post-9.15pm dining at his London restaurants Arlington and The Park. London Outside London Londoners are 'becoming strangers to the joy and fun of late-night dining', King told Restaurant Online. He isn't the only one on a mission to lure them back. Kitty Fisher's Group, which runs Kitty Fisher's in Mayfair and Cora Pearl in Covent Garden, has launched a 'Champagne on Us' offer, promising a free bottle for late diners. Vivek Singh of the Cinnamon Collection, a six-strong restaurant group he founded more than 20 years ago, recently told The Telegraph that 10pm bookings were once common; now, there are barely any past 9.30pm. Singh advocates dynamic pricing, offering cheaper meals after 9pm as a way to entice customers. While it's a myth that there are no late-night spots at all in London – or elsewhere in the UK – they are certainly less common than in many major cities abroad. The Government is exploring new licensing laws to help pubs and restaurants open later, but, for now, many operators are doing all they can to bring back the night owls. London The Park
The Guardian
29-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Guardian
Wanted: new sauces and dressings to jazz up weekday cooking
What sauces and dressings can I make to rejuvenate weekday meals?Sauces and dressings give dinner life, making even the simplest meals taste better. The formula, says Gurdeep Loyal, author of Flavour Heroes (published in June), goes something like this: 'You need two things: a really good fat and a really good sour.' Sure, that fat could be oil, but it doesn't have to be. 'It could be an egg yolk, it could be avocado, but if it's oil, go for a flavoured one,' Loyal says, and in place of the usual acid suspects (vinegar or citrus), try the likes of gherkins, capers or preserved lemons instead. 'My go-tos are preserved lemon whizzed up with a bit of their brine, some garlic-infused olive oil and maple syrup. Or avocado blitzed with gherkins, gherkin brine, a bit of sugar, if you want, and perhaps herbs such as chives or tarragon. Or chilli-infused olive oil blitzed with a teaspoon of tamarind.' These powerhouses are a dream on pretty much anything, he says, from a roast kale salad with chickpeas to baked butter beans or even as a dip for pizza crusts. For William Gleave, chef-patron of Sargasso in Margate, meanwhile, 'Something with anchovies is always nice, because it goes with so many things'. For him, a 'classic stolen/borrowed from the River Cafe' comes out tops: 'It's essentially a dressing with lots of chopped anchovy, grated garlic, red-wine vinegar, lemon juice, oil, black pepper and chilli flakes,' which is to say it's bright, umami-rich and versatile. 'Spoon that over everything from grilled fish to lamb or pork to crunchy veg, and it will feel as if you've put in a load of effort, even though it's super-simple.' Another shortcut to big flavour is zhoug, says Marc Summer, founder of Bubala, which has just opened a third restaurant in London's Kings Cross. 'Whizz up a load of different herbs – coriander, parsley, mint – with oil, garlic and hawaij [a Yemeni spice blend with lots of black pepper, cumin and coriander].' That will transform meals in seconds: 'Add it to pasta for an amazing herby sauce, or to fried onions, much as you might a curry paste.' Summer is also a big fan of crunches, especially when apricots are involved. 'Make it as you would a chilli crunch, with lots of fried shallots, garlic and Sichuan peppercorns, then add hot oil, dried apricots and harissa for a really amazing, smoky-sweet oil.' Drizzle over yoghurty roast carrots or blanch some noodles, add tahini and top with the crunch: 'That's so tasty.' And remember, it's the small things that count, so while the harissa's out, Summer suggests combining it with honey and using as a marinade for vegetables before roasting: 'That adds flavour quickly and puts a stop to same-old weekday meals.' Tahini sauce, meanwhile, is Xanthe Ross's salvation': 'It feels indulgent,' says the author of Stay for Supper, 'and it'll instantly jazz up roast veg and salads, or use it as a dip.' You'll most likely have all the ingredients (tahini, lemon, olive oil, sometimes honey and water) knocking around, anyway. That said, you can't go far wrong with a classic vinaigrette, either, but mix up the vinegar element to keep things interesting. 'It's hard to make in small quantities, so have a batch in the fridge for the week,' she says. 'That's good on so many things beyond a green salad, such as tomatoes on toast for lunch, although the French might hate me for saying so.' Got a culinary dilemma? Email feast@
Express Tribune
22-02-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
Female chefs slam sexism in UK kitchens
Dozens of female chefs have condemned "pervasive" sexism in British restaurant kitchens, saying in an open letter that the industry needs more women in top roles. Around 70 women signed the letter which was first published on Wednesday in response to a newspaper interview with Jason Atherton in which the Michelin-starred male chef claimed he had "not seen" sexism in British kitchens. The female chefs said the restaurant industry was "systematically flawed" and criticised a "pitiful representation of women" at the Michelin Guide UK awards presented earlier this month. "Sexism has been and remains a pervasive issue in our industry, shaping the culture of our kitchens in ways that diminish the potential and contributions of countless talented women," the letter said. "We need you to know that we are tired. Exhausted by an industry so systematically flawed that we struggle to see ourselves within it." The chefs highlighted "inappropriate comments and behaviours" as well as "unequal opportunities for advancement," noting that "over the last four years only two women have been awarded Michelin stars" in the UK. About a quarter of the country's 203,700 chefs are women, according to the latest Office for National Statistics figures. The letter's signatories stressed it was important to address a lack of diversity in the industry, saying "the only way to do this is by rectifying the lack of women and people of colour in leadership roles". Those who signed the letter included chef Sally Abe of London's The Pem and Helen Graham, former executive chef at Middle Eastern restaurant Bubala, according to The Times. "The industry is turning a blind eye to behaviour which is so endemic that it's not recognised as sexism, and it gets left unchecked," Graham told the paper. The Michelin Guide told AFP in a statement that it condemned all acts of violence and harassment. But it acknowledged that "gender stereotypes were deeply seated" in the industry, which was "unfortunately reflected" in their selections. "A chef's gender has never been and will never be a criteria for our selections," it said, adding that Michelin was "conscious of its responsibility" to promote diversity. afp
