An autumnal orgy of new London menus is upon us, which continue to drift down like colourful, scrumptious leaves. Just as squirrels stockpile the juiciest nuts for their winter feast, we’ve updated our list with the very best new dishes and drinks: allow us to guide you through this heavenly harvest.
What: Artisanal paccheri with chestnuts and sautéed mushrooms
Where: Rivea London at Bulgari Hotel, Knightsbridge
Please sir, may I have some more? Alain Ducasse is having a nutty turn this October, converting the kitchen at Rivea into The Chamber of Chestnut (our words, not his). As well as this rather handsome pasta dish, expect chestnut velouté, scallops and pumpkin, and pear with chestnut for dessert. The four-course set Chestnut Menu (£45) is in honour of the chestnut harvest, which runs throughout the month in Britain, France and Italy. Whatever you do, don’t tell the squirrels.
Foodporn score: 8/10 (this part required much science)
What: Kheer chawan mushi rice bun with mango
Where: Anise bar at Cinnamon Kitchen, City
Please sir, may I have some more? No, a mushi bun doesn’t sound particularly appetising, but this is clearly a beauty. It’s a typically Japanese egg custard dish (given a twist with mango), so we’re fully on board with this one. The rice bun is part of the Sweet Treats section on Anise’s new Indo-Japanese bar snack menu, combining two cuisines to create interesting new flavours.
Foodporn score: 7/10
What: Poached eggs with avocado, spinach and a rocoto pepper jam
Where: Lima Floral, Covent Garden
Please sir, may I have some more? Lima Floral has just launched a breakfast menu and, along with this picture, we should imagine that’s all the convincing you need to sprint to Garrick Street. Given a Peruvian kick with rocoto chilli pepper, this breakfast mountain is available every day from 8.30-10.30am, alongside the likes of fried eggs with corn cake or Andean ‘porridge’ with chancaca (raw, unrefined sugar) syrup.
Foodporn score: 10/10 (IT GLISTENS)
What: The Red Lantern
Where: Hutong at The Shard, South Bank
Please sir, may I have some more? Hutong clearly don’t do food vessels by half: this fiery basket is brimming with crispy soft-shell crab, tossed in dried lantern chillis. Served as part of the restaurant’s Mid-Autumn Festival menu, The Red Lantern is available until 27 September so scuttle (sideways) up the Shard pronto.
Foodporn score: ?/10 (this really depends on how you feel about those spider-like crab legs)
What: The Toadstool
Where: Plateau, Canary Wharf
Please sir, may I have some more? Apparently it’s mushroom month (of course there’s a mushroom month) so happily, the fun guys (sorry, really very sorry) at Plateau have put together a tasting menu which includes this little fella. Beneath the spots lies cep and dark chocolate mousse, with a caramelised white chocolate and thyme ganache on a bed of smoked chocolate and praline shavings. What. A. Sentence. Catch it before the end of September.
Foodporn score: 10/10
What: Haggis pops
Where: Mac & Wild, Marylebone
Please sir, may I have some more? Until a few weeks ago, we didn’t know what a haggis pop was, but now we couldn’t imagine life without this divine creation (it’s basically a miniature haggis ball on a stick, FYI). Andy Waugh (the man behind this first restaurant from the Wild Game Co) likes to wear kilts, so his haggis game should be strong.
Foodporn score: 8/10
What: Partridge crown
Where: Savoy Grill, Covent Garden
Please sir, may I have some more? This bird used to swoop over the rolling parkland of Essex’s Braxted Park Estate, until game season arrived and…well, you know what happens next. Served with gamekeeper’s pie, barley, roast squash and bacon jus, Essex’s loss is Gordon Ramsay’s gain: he’s added this tremendous dish to the Savoy Grill’s Game Escoffier menu, available until the end of October.
Foodporn score: 8/10
What: Rabbit ravioli
Where: Rabbit, Chelsea
Please sir, may I have some more? You may, but rabbit is ruled by the whims of the season, so call ahead to make sure you aren’t disappointed. Duck liver will also make an appearance, which positively screams autumn. Also screaming autumn (possibly) is head chef Oliver Gladwin, who wants you to donate your harvested veggies in return for a free cocktail with dinner.
Foodporn score: 7/10
What: Chicken Kiev
Where: Coin Laundry, Exmouth Market
Please sir, may I have some more? Nope, you can’t have any at all actually…yet. This 70s-themed diner doesn’t open until the middle of October but when it does, expect kiev to be the star attraction (they have a dedicated counter, no less). Nothing says British comfort food like a chicken kiev, served with a hearty helping of nostalgia.
Foodporn score: 7/10
What: Pheasant
Where: Brasserie Blanc, City, Covent Garden, Southbank, Chancery Lane, St Paul’s, Charlotte Street and Tower of London
Please sir, may I have some more? There’s a harvest festival hamper’s worth of Brasserie Blancs in London so yes, you can have more – but not until October, which is when this trussed up and broodingly attractive pheasant will appear on the menu.
Foodporn score: 9/10
What: Lobster, scallop and truffle éclair
Where: One-O-One, Knightsbridge
Please sir, may I have some more? Fish fingers, baked beans and chips: just what the doctor ordered for the colder months. To celebrate 60 years of Fish Fingers (who knew?), they’re serving these fancy fingers from 15 September to 17 October. Another option will be of the salmon variety, with wasabi mushy peas and sweet chilli.
Foodporn score: 9/10
What: The Convict
Where: Milk, Balham
Please sir, may I have some more? Yes, yes you can, because there’s now even more of this upmarket caff to go round: they’ve knocked through into next door. The Convict is stuffed with dry-cured bacon, sausage and egg. Still hungry? A new ‘Milk Lates’ menu is being served from 6pm on Thursday to Saturday, featuring whole pigeon with wild blackcurrant salt.
Foodporn score: 9/10
What: Piña Colada
Where: The Ivy, Covent Garden
Please sir, may I have some more? The Ivy has a new drinks list, which doffs its tipsy hat to the ‘golden era’ of the cocktail bar (they’ll always be golden to us, *hic*) via sips like the above. As you can see, this isn’t your average Piña Colada, but then that new bar at The Ivy isn’t average by any stretch either. You menu also includes a Strawberry Daiquiri (including a boule of strawberry sorbet) and the Lapérouse, mixing cherry blossom-infused Lillet rosé and Champagne with St-Germain elderflower liqueur.
Hangover score: we’ll leave that up to you, shall we?
What: Hot and Cold
Where: The Vault at Milroy’s, Soho
Please sir, may I have some more? The Vault has clearly marked the new season by inflating its glassware budget and buying a bigger dishwasher – why have one glass when you can have four? Nobody expects balancing acts to commence before a drinking session, but the bar team clearly binned the rule book before creating the autumn menu. The cold glass mixes Byrrh (a quinine-flavoured, wine-based aperitif) with Dolin dry vermouth, Maraschino liqueur and angostura and orange bitters, paired with a hot blend of Michter’s rye whiskey and orange zest.
What: The Rake
Where: Seymour's Parlour at The Zetter Townhouse, Marylebone
Please sir, may I have some more? Everyone needs a Rake for autumn, right? Dead leaves and such. Well, that’s what you can tell yourself as you sip on this aptly-named gin creation at the new Zetter Townhouse. For further ginspiration, order the Turf Club, which is muddled with Dubonnet, grape reduction and Peruvian bitters.
This article was modified 24 September 2015