This was another great visit to my favourite Indian restaurant not only in Hornchurch but in Essex itself. The Punjabi style of cooking is really what appeals to us because it’s a different style to any other restaurant in the area. This is why we try to visit as often as possible.
I wonder what more I can say about this restaurant but when you keep going back you find it’s quite easy. This was our fifteenth visit and once again the food , wine , cocktails and service was nothing short of impeccable. The standard they have set from day one has just been outstanding which has led them to earn the highest accolade of Three Michelin Stars.
It was great to be back and support one of my favourite local restaurants Da Vinci’s and enjoy a fabulous lunch. The food from chef/owner Craig is always cooked to a high standard and is matched by good friendly service. We arrived on sunday and received a friendly welcome before being shown to our table. Once seated it was nice of Craig to come over for a quick chat and welcome us back to the restaurant. We then looked at the menus where there was a choice of the main menu , sunday roasts & specials.
It’s been a long time waiting for hospitality to reopen but once it did there was really only one place where could choose to begin. This was with my great friends at Haywards in Epping. We’ve been here over one hundred and thirty times now and after today’s fabulous lunch I see no reason why we wouldn’t return many more times in the future.
As it was now time for the hospitality industry to once again open it’s doors we decided to enjoy a last cook at home from The Dishpatch. On this occasion we opted for a Thai feast from Som Saa a place we’ve unfortunately not had the chance to visit yet. But I can honestly say that after enjoying their amazing food today it won’t be very long before we do.
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.
