Brunch at Fifteen

Weekend brunch is an event to look forward to in Australasia. Every Saturday and Sunday morning, hoards of hungry hung-over antipodeans race to Cafes and Brassieres’ to devour a hearty fare unlike any offered across cities in the northern hemisphere.

This practice is by no means unique to the antipodes, however a culture of excellent coffee and inventive breakfast menus combined with healthy competition has resulted in a consistently high standard.

In London the dominance of the full English at the local greasy spoon has given way to a gradual rise in quality and there are now more places than ever in the east to enjoy a fabulous and tasty brunch whilst dodging a hangover. Morning remedies are now dished up by the likes of The Breakfast Club, The Book Club, Leila’s and, as I recently discovered, Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen.

Hot Cross Buns - courtesy of Kenny the Baker

Before leaving London earlier this month I was invited to Fifteen, London alongside famed brunch lovers (and a few bloggers) to experience Jamie's take on brunch.

Greeted at the door by our host Angela from Fifteen, we were swiftly guided to our table where freshly pulled espresso and oven fresh hot cross buns awaited us. This impressive welcome was swiftly followed by dishes from the brunch menu.

Eggy Brioche

My choice of 'Eggy brioche' (also commonly known as French toast) which came with drizzled with maple syrup and capped with slices of cured Bacon drew envious stares from around the table.

Perfect poached eggs

My neighbours envy was short lived as eggs poached to perfection were served up. The division of these quivering white ovals coincided with gasps of delight as the deep orange yolks oozed out onto plates.

Restaurant cellar

After thoroughly stuffing ourselves, we were given a guided tour around the entire restaurant and introduced to a few of the personalities who make this landmark establishment tick. With a heavy stomach and clear head I stepped back into the pouring rain much happier. The combination of hot coffee, fresh baking and bacon had quickly evaporated any remaining pain from the night before.

The brunch at Fifteen sets a high standard for other establishments to aspire towards. I foresee a greater proportion of my Saturday mornings dedicated to exploring offerings across the capital.





Tuck & Vine ate as a guest of Fifteen

Last suppers - Pied à Terre

Lunch at Pied a Terre was an essential meal to have on my list of last suppers.

When booking a table at Pied a Terre, all reservations require a credit card with no shows attracting a £50 per person surcharge. After selecting my ideal time I nervously awaited for the confirmation e-mail to appear. When it did I deftly followed its instructions, calling the number - credit card firmly in hand.

My eagerness was to be rewarded, and after taking my pick of lunch reservations, there were three whole weeks for me to dream about the experience. I imagined it as a slick but perhaps serious and formal place, one where everyone is dressed to the nines, engaged in deep conversation about Swedish naval history (or some equally erudite topic).

Any aspersions which I had of Pied a Terre being a stern affair were cast aside as soon as we walked in. The setting was formal and the fit out, contemporary, the staff however were enthusiastic, filled with life and were eager to impress.



'The best value Michelin star lunch in London' (a claim which PaT make on their website) was certainly an impressive proposition. With 2 courses for £23.50, this was indeed great value, nevertheless the food we were served was also of a very high standard, no short-cuts with quality.



As expected, the essentials were done well - service was seamless and friendly, the atmosphere was quiet yet relaxed. The food balanced interesting combinations and was delivered in a visually stunning format.



We were suitably impressed at the above and would certainly go back, the constantly evolving menu ensures a unique experience every time. My advice, make a booking and if you want to nail that Friday lunch slot, book well in advance - its worth the wait.

Shouts to James the Sommelier for excellent guidance on the wine, 5 glasses at lunch time is just the right amount.

Coffee Shots - Department of Coffee and Social Affairs

There's something brewing down on Leather Lane



Full set over here

Last suppers - Buen Ayre

A bit late on this one but still worth illustrating the hearty fare which we enjoyed last week at Buen Ayre.

In my opinion this is the best value steak restaurant in London and doesn't come with the any of the undesired elements that you might encounter in postcodes starting with EC. The service was efficient and brisk (perhaps a little too so at times) and the main attraction - the steak was perfectly seasoned and tender.

It's worth booking ahead as they don't have loads of covers and it can get pretty crammed if you try and go with 6 people on a 5 person table.



Our inspiration



Weapons for the night



Crispy Empanada's - Cheese & Spinach and Chicken



Marinated Ox tongue, interesting textures



Septima Malbec, excellent wine at an excellent price (25)



Mixed grill consisting of blood sausage, steak, mushroom and cheese lashed with Chimichurri Sauce.

For those who like their steaks a little closer to public transport they have spawned a sister restaurant A la Cruz, just off Exmouth Market, either is great although Buen Ayre will give you much more meat for your money.

Buen Ayre
50 Broadway Market
London
E8 4QJ

Rooftop picnic

As Sweden and parts of Scotland endured another February weekend in the negatives, a surprise showing of sunshine in London spurred an impromptu picnic on a friends' roof in Barbican.



Dashing through the express at St. Pauls I snagged a ripe avocado and some Gravlax made with Scottish salmon, a nod to our shivering Scandinavian counterparts.

Gravlax dressing

result..



Not bad for the first picnic of 2011.

Tuck & Vine heads to New Zealand

Flat white and Friand

It's probably about time that I started to address the '& Vine' part of this blog. In less than two weeks I'll be leaving London and embarking upon a very exciting trip to New Zealand, the ultimate mission - to make wine. More on that at a later date though.

On the way i'll be doing a tour de force over the next month of wineries in the Hunter Valley, Central Otago, Hawkes Bay, Martinborough and Waiheke as well as a road trip through Napa if i'm lucky.

I'll be littering the blog with updates and photos throughout, but if you live around these areas and want to show me around then give me a shout below or e-mail tuck.uk@xtra.co.nz - first round is on me!

Sourdough

Delicious, eat it by the loaf

Last suppers in London

The rumours are true, I'll be leaving these fair shores in a matter of weeks! I am returning to the 'Land of the Long White Cloud', New Zealand to catch up family and friends, go to a wedding, visit most of the wine regions across the country and finally to work the 2011 vintage. This is of course very exciting but at the same time leaves me a little sad to be leaving London.

The Hackney Pearl

To help my friends cope with the shock and sadness of my imminent departure, I have put together a list of 'last suppers': eating and drinking establishments in London that I want to visit before I finally depart.

These are (in no particular order):

1. #MEATEASY (visited 29 Jan) 
2. Ottolenghi
3. Byron (visited 4 Feb)
4. The Hackney Pearl (visited 2 Feb) 
5. Railroad 
6. Buen Ayre
7. Pied a Tierre
8. Fifteen 

Looking to the above, i'm struck by the range of styles and cuisines represented. One thing about London which i'll miss is the sheer variety and depth of establishments which cater for even the most particular and intrepid eaters.

Any others I have missed? Shout me below or mail tuck.uk@xtra.co.nz