Wild Honey

Restaurateurs Anthony Demetre & Will Smith have struck gold a second time with this follow-up to Soho’s award-winning Arbutus. If anything, Wild Honey is better. The basic formula is the same – cost-conscious ingredients treated with haute-cuisine craftsmanship; affordable pricing; a wine list entirely available by the carafe as well as bottle – but the surroundings are decidedly swisher, with sombre wood panelling & plaster mouldings offset by modern art & contemporary furniture. A starter of braised pig’s head with potato puree & caramelised onions is a deeply porcine, sticky terrine. To follow, shin of Limousin veal is slow-cooked to the point of collapsing, but outshone by its glorious accompaniment of cavolo nero in a cheesy, creamy sauce. A textbook creme caramel, quivering with richness, provides an impressive finish. But while it all looks & tastes terrific, service hasn’t yet proved so adroit, while instant popularity has brought two-hour table turns & securing a peak-time table can be arduous: book well in advance.
Wine List: The list at Arbutus, Wild Honey’s sister restaurant, is one of our favourites. This continues the theme of excellence with a compact, brilliantly chosen collection from around the globe. The real joy is the concept of 250ml & 375ml carafes. This gives the opportunity to experiment & indulge in the food & wine matching. Best Buy White 2006 José Pariente Verdejo, Rueda, Spain, £24. Best Buy Red 2003 Antiyal, Alvaro Espinosa, Maipo Valley, Chile, £40.