Emli Bendixen
But I’m getting ahead of myself.
The first day offered a touch of classic London, which meant staying close to the Eurostar terminus at St. Pancras station near the city’s center, since getting from from west to east London often requires tube trips of up to an hour). Lunch was at Kiln, an exciting addition to the new wave of Thai restaurants that works closely with farmers to grow key ingredients like lemongrass for brilliant flavor. Many of the dishes are cooked in clay pots over fire and charcoal, a visual that’s as dramatic as the theaters near the restaurant. And when Camille announced she was allergic to chilis, the chefs calmly made her dishes without.
Next: A very swanky tea at Claridges, which Claire declares London’s best, thanks to its inventive pastries and exclusive teas from the Rare Tea Company, which also supplies well-known restaurants around the world. And then, a (very potent) cocktail at Duke’s, the hotel bar famous for its Martinis. Our drinks were made by bartender Alessandro, who wheeled a cart to our table to concoct Martinis with locally distilled Sacred gin, as well as a Room 39 for Camille (all drinks are named for Ian Fleming novels), made with Sacred gin, thyme liqueur, and a bitter liqueur made from 100 herbs. While she prefers the less-combustible nuances of wine, she had to admit that it didn’t get more London. And both high-end locations were excellent ways to rack up 3x points on dining with Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Dinner was back east in Newington Green at newcomer Perilla, where vegetables star in creative new ways. A roasted Bull’s heart tomato was topped with black currants, wild cherries, and a dramatic black olive sauce, while the pistou stirred into a summery minestrone yielded the surprise of lemon verbena. The restaurant isn’t even on the review radar yet; Claire stumbled upon it and liked its rustic-elegant looks.
Emli Bendixen
Dining and Cooking