My 21 eats of 2021

December 30, 2021

2021. A year of finding one’s feet again. Eating however has continued to be the one constant that has kept us going. And although this blog hasn’t been kept as fresh as it once was, the annual tradition of rounding up my favourite eats over the past 12 months is one I will strive to continue (though I may have to reset and cap this to a Top 10 or Top 20 list as the year count continues to climb!).

With the exception of some short trips to France, Birmingham and Yorkshire, this year’s round up sees us hunkering down in London for the most part. Usual neighbourhood haunts like 40 Maltby Street, Casse Croute & Brawn were back on the regular agenda. As we widened our eating out radius, we revisited the likes of Chez Bruce, La Trompette and Medlar – long-standing bastions of exemplary Modern European cuisine, all still firing on all cylinders. New bright spots emerged too that are now firmly on my London favourites list: from the brilliant bistronomy-style cooking of Sebastian Myers at Planque to Joke Bakare’s scrumptious Modern West African dishes at Chishuru.

Outside of the M25, we finally make the pilgrimage to Carter’s of Moseley in Birmingham – kudos to Brad Carter & team for truly one one of the finest meals I have experienced in 2 decades of living here in the UK. Keralan ‘Meen Pollichatu’ at Leeds institution Tharavadu and Florian Poirot’s marvellous macarons in the Yorkshire village of Malton also stood out. Beyond the UK, Dijon’s Cibo and Marie Simon’s Patisserie in Beaune were highlights I will most certainly be revisiting when I next return to Burgundy.

Here’s to a better 2022 !

~ 2021 ~

21-Course Degustation Menu

—- Starters & Small Plates —-

Salt Cod, Artichoke & Egg Tart – (@ 40 Maltby Street – London)

Mussels, Cuttlefish, Fregola & Gremolata (@ Brawn – London)

Crab Raviolo with Brown Shrimp, Samphire, & Bisque (@ Medlar – London)

Native Lobster Roll (@ Quality Wines – London)

Pad Cha Razor Clams (@ Singburi – London)

Xiao Long Bao (@ Dim Sum Duck – London)

Duck Offal Choux Farci (@ Planque – London)

—- Mains —-