ottolenghi

the bill wasn’t cheap, but this dinner was a treat. yotam is one of my favourite chefs andottolenghididn’t disappoint when it came to the food, staff, atmosphere and general prettiness. so for that ladies, i’m giving it a lle rating of 8/10.

since moving to london, i haven't kept up my reading of the foodie scene (in australia and overseas). so when i made an impromptu stop at ottolenghi, i didn't realise that it was one of few eateries that is owned by chef, yotam ottolenghi. i chanced uponottolenghiafter lunch at almeida. we were too full but just had to buy some of the food-porno-worthy cakes that were on display in the window. i'm rather glad that we decided to get the cakes takeaway, as the seating inside was at full capacity, and the narrow entrance was like a night club - a crush of people who were either gawping at the divine food (i don't blame them), people waiting for a table, and people doing takeaways. too many choices on offer, and it's a shame that i can't quite remember the delightful names of each cake, but we went with... raspberry sponge cake. the raspberry was a balanced tart and sweetness. it had a cream-like inner, which i think was somethink along the lines of cream patisserie. it was dusted with i

the cakes inottolenghiis simply best. you cannot ask for anything better. the salads given were also good. prices are also very reasonable.

we decided to take our chance for dinner atottolenghiwithout a reservation. we waited about 20 mins for a table for two which wasn't too long. we shared a smoky eggplant salad, ricotta stuffed zucchini flowers and the slow cooked goat on polenta. my favourite was the tender, delicious shredded goat meat; the polenta made it a hearty meal. the eggplant salad from the counter was served cold but it was still tasty. wasn't a big fan of the zucchini flowers, i found it greasy. we ended with an apricot tart for dessert. it was a rustic homely slice but was a nice finish to the meal. though the food was nice, i thought it was a bit on the pricey side given the petite portion sizes. service was hit and miss - the hostess was quite dismissive when we approached her but the other staff were friendly.

it’s been so many years since i last went toottolenghithat it was pre-blog days – and the blog turned 6 last month! so when annie suggested we ate there last night before going to the almeida theatre, i was really pleased. i’m not sure quite why it’s taken me so long … i’ve been to the almeida quite a few times; i fairly regularly meet up with north london friends in islington. and certainly i’ve walked pastottolenghi(the first and flagship ‘ottolenghi’ store) many times and the food on display in its windows is so enticing, i’m not sure how i’ve resisted going in (well, actually i did once but just for coffee and cake). i know it’s partly because i always think of it as very expensive but last night i realised that while not cheap, actually it isn’t outrageous at all and given how amazingly special every dish was, it’s certainly worth what you pay. there were 3 of us as jerry came too and the waiter suggested 6 to 8 dishes to share – all plates of food are for sharing; some cold from the counters at the front and some hot from the kitchen. on average they’re about £10 each and as we chose 2 each (to then share) that’s a base of £20 a head.

considering the immense influenceottolenghihas had on my dining preferences i'm surprised i hadn't written this blog post earlier. i first came across the name back in 2010 when looking for good vegetarian cookbooks and the namesottolenghiand plenty. once i planned to move to london, it was a name that i intended to go searching for to see what the originals tasted like.

yotamottolenghihas been one of our favourites chefs of all times. his food is simple, diverse, and absolutely delicious. we genuinely connected with his cooking style, influences and recipes: generally gorgeous middle-eastern dishes with loads of veggies and plenty of our favourite ingredients and spices such as garlic, sumac, za’atar, lemons, yogurt or tahini. the food is indeed delicious and delicate, just like we hoped, but slightly better. so good in fact that we wished the portions were bigger. much bigger.

if you knowottolenghifood, you won't be let down by the islington branch. a fantastic lunch from beginning to end. a simple, yet divine late lunch menu which makes for easy choosing and a wonderful experience. the salmon was cooked perfectly and the salads were fresh and aromatic in flavour. the desserts are a big must! i could go on... but my advice is to get yourselves along and find out for yourselves.

although there was a queue nearly out the door we were seated within 10 minutes of arriving at ottolenghi. the space is all painted white to allow the stunning salad platters, cakes and treats to stand out - and boy they do. i was positively salivating by the time we reached our table and grabbed the menu with earnest. the menu is truly unique to anything we have eaten during this exploration of london breakfasts. the presence of more 'dinner' style dishes including a cannelloni bean stew and shakshuka were duly noted, while the classic eggs and salmon and welsh rarebit are given anottolenghitwist.

bright red dualit toasters and minimal cutlery sit on the tables to invite a communal feel at the large table, while the very personal service from the staff ensures you feel looked after. after considering the simple but delicious menu, we ordered: two shakshukas, one cannelloni bean stew, two breakfast teas and a flat white. 

although the restaurant was clearly at full capacity, our food and drinks both arrived relatively quickly; steaming hot and inviting us to jump in. the breakfast tea was served in a striking cast iron tea pot which was quite heavy but gave a really authentic feel to the meal. alex's flat white came a a plain white cup which, again, allowed the coffee to stand out. there is a real sense of focus on the food and drink being served at ottolenghi.

my cannelloni bean stew was absolutely stunning. i guess it was a sort of posh beans on toast, but laced with garlic, chorizo and severed with a slab of black pudding (which i've never eaten before) and crusty toast. the black pudding had a really soft texture which i didn't expect and a very sausage like flavour, which complemented the earthy, spicy and tomato rich stew. the side salad, as with all breakfast side salads, was not required.

alex and my mum's shakshuka was also delicious. it had enough spice from chilli and paprika to wake you up but was generally very warm and comforting. the eggs were poached first to give them a spherical shape then added to the sauce and baked. this too was served with crusty bread for added texture and was really delicious.

on the side we got a sweet bread board for 'dessert'. we got four different types of sweet bread with banana jam, cherry jam, butter and hazelnut chocolate spread. my absolute favourite was the fennel and cherry bread with cherry jam but the banana jam was also amazing. the condiment was so unique and it was like nothing i have ever tried before - fabulous!

if you know ottolenghi's recipes then you won't be disappointed by his food here. a changing, seasonal menu of veryottolenghisalads will overwhelm as you enter but don't worry - it's all very good, there's no danger of 'ordering badly'. there is a choice of meat, fish or vegetarian at lunchtime. limited options leave room for the incredible sides.
there will most likely be a queue for takeout but once you get inside the atmosphere is noisy, busy, bustling but service is friendly and quick and helpful.
the thing withottolenghiis the flavourings, they're always strong,  middle eastern and balanced but leave room for the main ingredient to shine through. cakes may look tempting but they're not quite as good as the savoury stuff.

oh.my.gawd. i won't be surprised ifottolenghicalls his next book serendipity. i was unexpectedly in london for a boring work meeting yesterday, which unexpectedly finished early, so i unexpectedly found myself right next door toottolenghiand unexpectedly found out a friend was in town too, asking did i fancy lunch at ottolenghi? did i? i have had dreams about it!

the menu is simple but amazing - i just wanted to ask for a big spoon and enough time to work my way through everything. however the very helpful waitress helped me narrow it down to three amazing salads and some bread. doesn't sound like much? it had to be seen to be believed, and tasted. 

it's all very relaxed at ottolenghi, it was busy but we got a table no problem. serendipity you see. it's so clean, so fresh and so amazing. if like me, you cook formottolenghibooks all the time, you'll be familiar with the flavours of the middle east, but being faced with them all at once was almost overpowering. luckily i kept myself composed and enjoyed every last mouthful. 

i was only sad that i simply couldn't contemplate a cake, wow, they looked amazing. i'll just need to return, and maybe plan it next time so that i can eat for longer and try everything...

after moving to london, i kept hearing aboutottolenghiand so i absolutely had to try it out. everyone told me that it had a delicious mixture of mediterranean and middle-eastern food and having grown up as an italian in turkey i was very excited to come here. unfortunately i was quite disappointed about how average the main course dishes were. don't get me wrong, i think the dishes taste ok; however, if someone hadn't told me what kind of cuisine this was, i would have never guessed mediterranean/middle-eastern.ottolenghiis a restaurant that has clearly tried too hard to have a modern take on these delicious and very flavorful cuisines. the dishes were fairly bland which is never something you should say about any food from these cuisines and the dishes are based on salads which mix in way too many types of vegetables and herbs and lose the essence of what the dish is supposed to be. the deserts are quite tasty but again they're not middle-eastern or mediterranean in any way, they just seem like the kinds of deserts you would find in a french patisserie.

i have to say that the the restaurant does have a nice atmosphere and the service is good. the waiters are very nice and attentive and you get served quite quickly. however, i was overall quite disappointed by my experience. i leftottolenghistill hungry, not having finished my dishes and having to pay a bill which was way too expensive for the three little bland salads that i was served.

ottolenghi is always a good option for lunches and dinners with its amazing salads and meals. but, the other day i and a friend went on the islington brunch for breakfast and it was delicious. we had to endure a queue during around 20 minutes but it was worth. the breakfast menu has good options and try to escape from the expected, adding hearty meals to the offer. my friend opted for a shakshuka, a dish with eggs, peppers and tomatoes and it was delicious. i opted for a more common dish: scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. it was cooked to perfection and had a nice little salad on the side. we really enjoyed the dishes and the atmosphere. i love weekend breakfasts and it was great to discover thatottolenghiis also good on this apart from its well known lunch and dinner.

distinctive mix of middle eastern flavours with a western twist, israeli born yotamottolenghiframes himself to having the best salads in london.

the restaurant interior is very simple, a deli by the front with an array of tasty bakery sweet treats and a colourful all sorted salad selection. plain white tables fit the mood, and shows off the vibrant colourful dishes well.

between the eight of us we ordered two dishes each, but shared everything amongst us. caramelised candid peaches, chunks of roquefort milk blue cheese, spicy pecans with mixed bitter leaves.

smeared apple and cauliflower puree, filled with bright orange chana dal, carrots and black radish pickle. topped with a pan-fried pollock, it was the sharp flavours from the apple that made it memorable for me.

the next dish came in a contrasting scale of greens covering orange sticks of roasted carrots, and garden peas. this one had to more of sweet dish, from the carrots and honey, orange dressing.

poached lobster came in four big hunks of meaty bites, along with green tomatoes, citrus sharp lime salsa and pickled cucumber.

five spiced quails cooked until both sides have grilled marks with a pink inside. tasted familiar to the asian flavours use to having. to add drama to the plate, a combination of rhubarb and apple salsa with pickled yellow mustards seeds.

distinctive mix of middle eastern flavours with a western twist, israeli born yotamottolenghiframes himself to having the best salads in london. already owning four restaurants within london i went to the islington deli, simply called ottolenghi.   i even got a chance to meet yotam and sami tamimi in person at food bloggers connect this year.