Our first menu Gourmand was my birthday din dins at the Pompadour by Galvin in Edinburgh! One time for our Scottish brethren, I had some amazing food out there – ottoman feast and scrumptious pudding delights! Our second menu Gourmand happened in our hometown, London, at Galvin La Chapelle in Spitalfields back in August 2019. When I explore east London in the summer, I am either going Spitalfields market, boxpark shoreditch or Brick lane for some bagel goodies. So, when Neal said we going up that way for food, I was like
Of course, we arrived early (eager much?) Don’t be judging us, any excuse to have a lickle pre dinner drinks is a must! Besides it was a lovely summer evening and the city was bustling! Gosh, I miss being out and about like!
I liked the restaurant space – large windows, high ceilings giving me a grand ball room type vibe, plus the fixtures on the tables was nice. As always, we kicked off the meal with a glass of bubbly!!
This menu gourmand was a seven-course taster menu with wine! Our meal started with lasagne of Dorset crab, beurre Nantais and pea shoots! As a sea-food person, crab is something I really enjoy. I remember as a child, going to the farmer’s market called the ‘sunday market’ back in Lagos, Nigeria with my dad (my mom was allergic to certain shellfish so, she didn’t make the rounds). Anyway, the fish mongers / sea food vendors were usually women from the French speaking parts of Africa – Cotonou, Cameroon, and I was always fascinated with their produce – massive crabs, fish (cured, smoked, dried) crayfish et al. They were vicious at negotiating with their babies tied to their backs or perched on a hip! THEY were FIERCE and I was enthralled and in AWE! Right, back to this crab then eh? Whilst it was not pepper crab, jerk crab, spicey crab claws, it was crab meat at it’s finest. It was pasta sheets filled with fresh tasting crab with herb butter sauce and pea shoots! I promise you it was not a messy dish (because we all know crab can get a little messy ha!)
accompanied with the Muscadet Sevre et maine, ‘Le confluence’ 2017 glass of white wine just made it even more delicous! The citrusy taste of the wine was subtle enough and did not overshadow the crab! boi! were we ready for the rest of this menu.
Pressed terrine of rabbit, ham hock & foie gras, apricot and pickled mushroom was the second course. I mean foie gras! 😋 In hindsight, the pressed terrine should have been a giveaway on how the foie gras was be cooked but your girl saw foie gras and got way to excited! Whilst the foie gras was not pan fried (my preferred), presented as the pressed terrine with rabbit and ham hock; it was a slab of juicy cured meat goodness! With a side of veg aka the apricot and pickled mushroom needed to reduce what could otherwise have been a fatty juicy course. The Bourgogne terrier noble chardonnay, even though a dry wine, with oaky, citrus and fruit notes was actually really nice with the terrine. Felt like a palate cleanser in that it minimised the ‘fatty’ taste making it silky on the palate! Darn good!
Anyone ever had green risotto? Yes? No?, this was the third course – green risotto! To be precise, a courgette and basil risotto! Still trying to work out how I feel about courgette. I mean there are some amazing courgette recipes but I have more miss than hits to be honest, plus anytime there is courgette on the menu I always go to Neal ‘do I like courgettes?’ he always certainly responds with tried patience ha! what a guy! In spite of the green colour, it was creamy and flavourful accompanied with chardonnay Sous voile, made the risotto more aromatic!
Grilled fillet of Cornish red mullet, cuttle fish, orange braised, fennel, pine nut puree and sauce was a WHOLE dish! I mean did you read the elements in this dish? Bet you thought it was going to be a busy plate? Ha! wrong! it was quite a quaint dainty dish (if I may say so) I particularly liked the crackling too… yep, this fish dish had crackling all up on it! Cutting into the dish it was a burst of textures on your palate – crunch from the crackling, the fish, the nuttiness of the pine nuts; it was a delight!
Alas this course was not served with red nor red wine with ice like Don Alfonso and Ilbuco, yet, the 2018 willunga 100 Grenache was as close to red it could get. A dry rose with strawberry notes was a good call. listen up people red wine and fish is a thing, get acquainted!
For the beef course, we had highland beef sirloin, pommes anna, girolles & grelot onion. I don’t know about you lot, but when it comes to beef steak we usually go with the chef’s recommendation on cooking choice. This usually is medium rare (which I know some don’t like) but this beef sirloin was perfect – tender in the inside with the right ‘bite’. I really liked how it looked plated up as well.
The wine that accompanied this course was very interesting, a 2015 rofosco veralda from Croatia! Yep, my first time having Croatian wine and it was not bad. I am not a fan of oaked red wine and for me, my favourite grape for red is pinotage, yet, this was easy to drink. The plum notes combined with the oak made it an earthy wine and went well with the beef!
Our cheese course was quite unconventional – Saint -Marcellin, walnut, raisin croute & pickled walnut. Don’t get me wrong, we have had some truly phenomenal cheese courses – L’enclume, Ledbury, The square; these guys have cheese mongers serve you up some of the finest cheese! Still, this cheese course was pretty dope. Saint Marcellin is soft cheese made from cow’s milk (I am a blue cheese kinda girl myself) which formed the base with the croute and pickled walnut placed at the top. Yes, it might sound simple and what not but the burst of textures from the croute and walnut, and the ‘gooey’ cheese.. it was darn good!
The 2016 coteaux du layon a chenin blanc wine that is sweet and fruity was the perfect balancer for the cheese. Apple tarte tatin & Normandy crème fraiche was the only way to end the meal to be honest! And the desert wine? 2007 Riversaltes Ambre, chez Jau.. Delish!
Thinking back on this food adventure, I have a big smile on my face because these guys managed to restore my faith in French cuisine, err Le Millienaire? Come check your brethren’s out , please and thanks. Plus, having the head chef come over and have a chat was pretty dope as well.
Cheers
Ndidi
p.s. grabbed some screen shots of the wines from the innanets becasue I cant seem to find any of the pictures .. solz!
jealous of you can’t wait to start eating out again
ha ha ha!!!!…
soon come