I only heard about Native when a good friend of mine was going to be at their restaurant in Essex but when we said that we would come and visit it turned out that she had already moved to the new restaurant in mayfair. So with this we looked into the type food they did and I have to say it really appealed as it was all about sustainability , foraging & zero waste so a very different style to what we were used to. A decision was then made and we decided to book ourselves in for saturday.
The Greyhound Pub in Beaconsfield really has become one of my favourite places and based on saturday’s visit it doesn’t take much to understand why. The food , drinks & service was once again of the highest order which is why we think making the hour long trip from east to west is totally worth it. On this occasion we would be outside where they had created a fabulous dining area in their garden.
So into April we go and thanks to my local patisserie along with hospitality allowed to open for outside dining this turned out to be another fabulous month of delicious desserts. So take a seat and feast your eyes on the delights.
It was so good to be back at one of my favourite restaurants yesterday even though this time it would be a little bit different. This is due to the current situation so we would be sitting outside. Oklava had managed to set up outside dining by placing bar stools outside each window therefore giving the staff the opportunity to serve you from inside the restaurant. This was a great idea that meant considering they had five windows could accommodate fifteen to twenty people at a time. So we arrived on saturday and luckily enough it was a lovely day. We received a nice welcome before being told which window was our table. The menu which is designed as small plates for sharing only had to be adjusted slightly but some of our favourites were still there. After a chat with one of the waiters we placed our order and waited for the amazing food created by chef Selin Kiazim to arrive. We then met new general manager Conall who really looked after us throughout our visit to choose some wine where after a couple of tastings we chose a Turkish rose. Now it was time for the first few dishes to arrive. We started with the Baharat Bread with the most amazing Medjool Date Butter. This was followed by the Courgette , feta & mint fritters. Along with these were the Whipped Feta with candied pumpkin , chilli & sourdough crackers.
This was simply outside dining at its best. The location , food , service and all round hospitality was second to none. I’ve been lucky enough to have visited Kerridge’s Bar & Grill at the Corinthia Hotel on a couple of occasions and are due to return once again at the end of June. Therefore when I heard they were going to be creating an an outside dining experience I just couldn’t wait to make a reservation. So with no hesitation I got in touch with my good friend Matthew O’Connor and all was sorted. This now brings us to the day itself and with beautiful spring weather we headed into town. We arrived at the Corinthia Hotel and was escorted to the lifts where we were told to go to the first floor. On exiting there was Matthew himself waiting to greet us.
This turned out to be a lovely lunch with my in laws. I say this because our welcome was not that great. Once we’d arrived and parked the car we headed towards the outside dining marquee. As we approached I was asked if I’d reserved a table and with this he alerted a lady who I presumed was the manager. Our name was taken and we was pointed to a rickety park bench table outside of the dining area. When we questioned this we were told in an abrupt manner that they were fully booked and this was our table. We took our seats but felt we wouldn’t be able to enjoy our lunch sitting here. Also at this time which was 12.30 pm the dining area was empty.
As we enter the next stage out of lockdown I just felt the need to say a little thanks to a few local businesses for their efforts in recent weeks which have kept us going through these difficult times
I was contacted a couple of weeks ago by Fusa Sushi asking me if I would like to try their food. This was something I was very pleased to do especially when firstly they were a fairly new business and secondly they were in essex. Once I’d looked at their menu’s which consisted of sushi , sashimi and maki rolls etc. a style of cuisine that I really enjoy I couldn’t wait to place an order. We decided to order the Subrashi Okasan menu priced at £58 for two people plus as they offered us a little discount we ordered an extra item of maki rolls.
Mixed Roast at Da Vinci’s
As takeaway Sunday roasts go you will have to go a long way to beat this beauty of a mixed roast from Da Vinci’s in Hornchurch. The beef was nicely pink , the turkey & pork were very tender and delicious. All the veg was perfectly cooked and the roast potatoes along with the yorkshire’s were a delight.
