It's on a whole other level from Prime Grill, Mike's Bistro, etc. Both in terms of quality and creativeness, the dishes were absolutely top notch and the presentation was world class. It's an absolute must stop for any London visitor, kosher or otherwise. And frankly, it was relatively inexpensive. Our bill was about £85, including tax and tip and though we didn't have any drinks, we did have an appetizer and dessert and we were not shy in ordering our mains.
Not long after we arrived--after the gate was closed, requiring the maitre'd to wait for us in the courtyard--which made it feel like an old fashioned neighborhood restaurant, we were served a complimentary amuse bouche of falafel in a tehini bath with thinly shaved slightly pickled cucumbers. It was pitch perfect.
We shared the (somewhat deconstructed) sabich to start, which was really just fantastic. It was topped with "sesame snow," which was vaguely molecularly gastronomic and quite mind blowingly delicious. The egg took the form of a slow cooked (perhaps sous vide) egg yolk that brought such a force of eggy flavor that it reminded me of fresh eggs from the farm. The eggplant was perfectly prepared and infused with miso (and topped with a miso drizzle) and the mushrooms were wonderfully earthy and stringy for a very interesting texture. We also saw the carrot salad being served and it looked phenomenal--like the cover of Saveur.
My wife had the flanken. They gave her a steak knife, which was completely unnecessary. The meat was soft like white bread. And ridiculously flavorful, with a pomegranate jus drizzled and bits of celeriac puree dotted around the plate.
I had the Jerusalem mixed grill. The hangar steak just exploded with flavor and was absolutely perfectly medium rare--like a photograph. The sweetbreads were slightly crunchy on the outside and buttery on the inside. I think I slightly prefer Prime Grill's preparation but this was excellent. The gizzards were also wonderful--just gamey enough to remind you where they came from, but absolutely clean and meaty. Bold dollops of tehini dotted the plate and were creamy and delicious.
For dessert we shared the sacher torte. Many of you know that it's a cake I take very seriously. This did not disappoint. While the cake on its own was very good--at least as good as the piece I had at Hotel Sacher last November--it was the accoutrements and presentation that really made this a special dish. It was served with a variety of gels, shavings and creams, alongside some really fantastic ice cream infused with mahlab and all pulled together in a single bite, the combination was heavenly.
The only misstep, which was admittedly perhaps subjective, is the bread served, which is a homemade za'tar pita. The bread lacked oomph/texture and the za'atar could have been ground a bit more. And though the EVOO was of high standard, there was no bread plate or salt to add.
Service was attentive and timely, but not solicitous. The atmosphere is warm--both antique/classic (it's in the enclosed courtyard of the Bevis Marks synagogue, built in 1701--hence the name) and modern at the same time, with sleek edges, a primarily glass roof and industrial touches.
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