Jean-Luc Piccata, Engage!

Well what a grande Sunday that was. The first installment of our Quality Wines & Friends series is under our expanding belts. A massive thanks to the irrepressible Tom Zahir, the QW team & you lovely punters who made it such a fun day of Creole gumbo, Vieux Carre & king cake cannoli. For the next installment on the 6th of July, Joké Bakare chef & owner of Nigerian restaurant Chishuru and Flavour Queen is in the house. If you want a spot you’d best book now. But, less about next-month you and more about next-week you. Welcome to Friday & welcome to the newsletter.

The next generation of set lunch is to include amongst other things: escalivada ‘to cook in ashes’, a preparation of onions, aubergines & peppers with confit garlic and lots of sherry vinegar, a Ricky Martin fave. Chicken piccata with boiled potatoes, an Italian-American take on a meunière, cooked in plenty of capers & brown butter and is available at lunch only. Risotto primavera is full of all the good bits of plunder on offer, zucchini, peas, broad beans & asparagus. For rice, for Flora, for Parmigiano!

Ladera or trifolati, the separation of the Adriatic, Michelangelo or Michalis, the cooking of vegetables in olive oil, a QW staple. To start this week, Romana & grezzina zucchini get the treatment, served with fancy cow’s milk ricotta & basil. As a main, green beans or fasolakia accompany tranches of turbot roasted in the oven, spoonings of tzatziki are added, you decide. I’m of the Demis Roussos, George Dalaras & Traianos Dellas persuasion personally.

Steamed white & green asparagus come as celebratory as a cup final Argyle/Greuther Fürth/Celtic shirt. Thick & juicy spears covered in beurre blanc, the Gastronome’s Trophy. Steak tartare and pork cheeks with fino & almond migas complete the savouries. Fuego.

Kentish strawberry ice cream, cannoli & cake from the pastry section are worth a trek alone. And, we’ve more wine in house than I can shake an rolled up winelist at so come and get your drink on.

Speak soon, bisou.

Marcos, Nick & the Team.