Thursday 8 August 2013

Two little pigs visit Story restaurant

Restaurant Story beef dripping candle

Oh boy...this is another one of those situations where I include a photo in a round-up and promise that more photos are "coming soon"...and then realise 3 months later that I still haven't shared them...! Apologies, my bad (and note to self, I really must stop doing that!).

So back in Spring the London food scene was going wild over Story, an intimate new restaurant near London Bridge from former Noma chef Tom Sellers (not to be confused with American chef Thomas Keller or moustachioed actor Tom Selleck). Established food critics and unknown food bloggers alike were fighting for reservations, particularly once word spread about fantastical dishes such as the "beef dripping candle" starter and "Three Bears' porridge" dessert.

Fellow May baby and Mauritian master chef Selina from Yummychooeats suggested we attempt a booking as a mutual birthday treat to ourselves, and we were stunned that we had no problem in snapping up a table for a weekday lunch. Arriving at what looked from the outside like a futuristic chalet with its vast wall of glass and wood panelling, our stomaches were filled only with butterflies. We were eager to suspend our disbelief and fully immerse ourselves in Tom's magical culinary adventure.

Suspecting that this was the sort of restaurant where a 6 course menu really results in 10 courses, we chose to put the extra £20 towards a celebratory glass of wine. Clearly our powers of intuition are strong (or at least, we'd already seen a lot of photos on Instagram), as we were almost immediately presented with an exquisite array of bonus morsels as a prologue. Crispy fish skin was a marvel, and I'd have happily wolfed down another 20 rabbit "sandwiches".

Over the next two hours we were mesmerised as dish after spectacular dish was brought out for us to delight in, plus an epilogue of two tiny chocolate teacakes filled with delicate rose water marshmallow. The entire meal was sensational, with each element demonstrating serious technical ability, an impressive palate and a wild imagination.

They say a picture says a thousand words, so I'll end my narration here and let these snapshots tell the rest of the story...

Restaurant Story amuse bouche
Restaurant Story rabbit sandwiches
Restaurant Story 6 course menu
Restaurant story bread and pickles
Restaurant Story beef dripping candle
Restaurant Story burnt onion, apple, gin and thyme
Restaurant Story scallop, cucumber & dill ash
Restaurant Story lamb, salad roots, garlic and sheep's yoghurt
Restaurant Story "lemon" dessert
Restaurant Story Three Bears Porridge
Restaurant Story salty porridge
Restaurant Story sweet porridge
Restaurant Story "just right" porridge
Restaurant Story chocolate tea cakes

 

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