Notorious Foodie

Dinner in the grill room @thehero_w9 🔥🥩
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A stunning space. Set on the first floor of The Hero in Maida Vale is their newly opened Grill Room. Ultra high ceilings, dim lighting and a warm, cozy mood all made for a really pleasant meal. The focus is of course on the grill here, with all the usual suspects on the menu + some creative new dishes. For starters you need to order the raw beef hash brown. One of my favourites from the evening - crispy potato hash brown, chunky beef tartare - exploding with flavour. Tender beef, tastefully dressed and just a really solid bite. This was too good and it went fast. The clams were incredible too. Highly recommend - smokey notes in a sauce that was so well emulsified. It really coated the mouth and had such an addictive, oceany, umami packed taste to it. I spooned up the sauce once the bowl was done - a delicious plate of clams!Langoustines were good but nothing notable, prefer the ones at the Devonshire tbh - similar style but elevated with that special sauce. Beef was knockout - a 1.3kg bone-in ribeye. Beautifully marbled, and the perfect temp on that thing. The crust, the texture and an ultra beefy dry-aged flavour. The beef reduction surrounding the steak was rich and addictive. I love a steak with beef jus on the side for dipping and dragging. The chilled Chateau Cambon Beaujolais was tremendous with this! Brown butter brill, cooked beyond perfect, just lacked any flavour. The sauce didn’t do too much but damn was that thing soft. Pork T-bone also didn’t quite do it for me but I’m not a huge pork lover, so don’t go off my comment. All in all, a great place for dinner. That dining room has such charm and there are some great bits on their menu #notoriousfoodie 🙅🏽‍♂️
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#london #londonfood #londonfoodie #maidavale #steak #ribeye #txuleta #beef #pub #eeeeeats #finedining #londonlife #marylebone #mayfair #steakhouse Less

Warm Prawns @africanqueenrestaurant 🔥🦐
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Back in France and made a quick stop at African Queen for dinner. It’s a nice vibe here in the evenings with plenty on the menu. Some good, some great with a few standouts. Their warm prawns are delicious, as is their truffle pizza which is one of the best in town. For me though it’s that foie gras with brioche and fig jam that is one of their stand outs. The foie is so rich and creamy. It spreads with ease over the brioche and the sweet fig jam just complements the umami so perfectly. For main course, it’s the Maison Perrin Niçois ravioli - hearty beef-filled parcels of bite-sized pasta, tossed in a glossy beef reduction. It’s intense and comforting to eat - a really enjoyable dish that has a super meaty punch. The vongole on this visit wasn’t quite there though, a little bland and very overcooked spaghetti. The farm chicken on the other hand, delicious. Nicely roasted and carved table-side, served with a truffle jus on the side. This place has been around for so many years, it’s good to see it with new life and energy! #notoriousfoodie 🙅🏽‍♂️
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#france #sof #southoffrance #nice #cannes #monaco #villefranche #cotedazur #prawn #prawns #finedining #french #frenchfood #eeeeeats #finedining #truffle #pizza #africanqueen Less

Etli Pide @macakizihotel 🔥♠️
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An amazing few days at my favourite hotel. Nothing like chilling on the deck here from morning through to evening. A few lahmacun, some pide and their unbelievable watermelon juice is all you really need to get through the day. The hotel is sort of tucked into the hillside, so when you look from afar, you don’t really see any rooms, just the lower deck and beautiful green and pink flora. It’s a very cool space that makes you feel like you’re right at home from the moment you walk in. Great food and a buzzing yet relaxed atmosphere day to night is what makes this place so special. It’s kept me coming back for years. They have a few days of the week here where they serve specials during lunch service. Saturday is my personal fave, with huge homemade döner rotating on the spit - it’s nuts. Perfectly charred and thinly sliced, piled up high. The Manti is excellent too. The best! #notoriousfoodie 🙅🏽‍♂️
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#bodrum #bodrumbodrum #turkey #turkiye #türkiye #türkiyem🇹🇷 #pide #lahmacun #turkish #turkishfood #summer #sea #seafood #eeeeeats Less

Dinner at the all new @ambassadorsclubhouse by @jks_restaurants 🇮🇳♥️
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Their doors are finally open in Mayfair. The team that brought you 2-Michelin starred Gymkhana have been working hard on their new concept and it’s now up and running in full swing. A slightly more casual affair but no less impressive than Gymkhana, Ambassadors Clubhouse celebrates the dynamic cuisine of the Punjab region. There are a number of small plates, chaat and papads to start. For main course, a lovely variety of dishes on the grill with three different options of either tandoor (clay oven), Sigri (charcoal grilled) or Tawa (flat-top). Lots of the classic kebabs and spiced, roasted meats in this section. My favourites were those sensational grilled butter chicken wings in makhani sauce along with the Ajwaini prawns and lamb nalli. In between all of this goodness you’ll find the matka, karahi and biryani. It’s really a menu that hits all avenues of Punjabi cuisine and there’s a lot to try, so go hungry. The matka beliram lamb curry is the must order dish from the curries - ultra soft baby lamb that was so tender, covered in a deeply spiced tomato based gravy. Those who know will order a Tusker as soon as they see it on the menu. If you’re going for a lager, this is the only thing you should be ordering! A cool vibe downstairs for late night Indian funk! #notoriousfoodie 🙅🏽‍♂️
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#london #londonfood #indian #indianfood #india #mayfair #londonfoodie #curry #currynight #takeaway #eeeeeats #finedining #spicy #indianphotography #butterchicken #naan Less

Lunch at @macakizihotel @chefaretsahakyan ♠️♥️
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Back at my favourite place. Nothing quite like starting the day here and sitting out on the deck till the early evening. It’s a place I visit every year and it’s become an essential part of my summer. Café Med is their new lunchtime offering, serving up a lovely Mediterranean-Turkish menu throughout the afternoon. Plenty of the freshest seafood like vongole and lobster to their irresistible Lahmacun and pide. Courgette fritti and dondurma ice cream wafers here are a must. Macakizi Restaurant just upstairs gained a Michelin Star earlier this year, as well as opening a new fine dining concept @aylamacakizi - lots going on for them at the moment! Head chef Aret is really pushing the boundaries of Turkish cuisine with a fresh, interesting and refined menu that utilises ingredients from across the region. More from this trip soon! #notoriousfoodie 🙅🏽‍♂️
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#bodrum #bodrumbodrum #turkiye #turkey #summer #turkish #macakizi #macakizihotel #yalıkavak #sea Less

Istanbul for the night! 🇹🇷🍔
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Stopped into Istanbul for the night and headed straight to my favourite butcher shop and steakhouse @dukkansteak - This really is a local hangout and I’ll be honest, the burgers are the main reason to go here. The patties are formed from their secret blend of beef that is all dry-aged in house and contains a great amount of fat. They’re smashed and grilled over charcoal before being sliced in half and then grilled face down for an intensely Smokey bite. Just add a little flakey salt and chow downSteaks are a little hit and miss, they don’t often rest the meat so it can be tough - that was very much the case on this visit! A shame as it was leaking juices and not the most tender T bone. For dessert, a huge slab of dark choc that you need to crack into with a knife so that large shards fall off. Very cool! Stayed at @bebekhotelbythestay this night - cool hotel, feels like you’re on a boat. Loved vibe in there. Next stop, Bodrum! #notoriousfoodie 🙅🏽‍♂️
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#istanbul #steakhouse #burger #turkiye #turkey #breakfast #turkish #turkishfood #butcher #steak #grill #grilled #summer #bosphorus #bodrum Less

Cip sessions @ciprianilondon 😮‍💨
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Paccheri alla Genovese. A dish that brings so much to the table and the first thing I order every time. It’s not typically on the menu here, but ask and you may receive! It’s a sauce that’s made by slowly simmering beef shanks with mounds of sweet onion. Braised for hours till the flavours become one, till the meat falls apart and till the onions are oh so sweet. At Cip though, they strain out the sauce so that you’re essentially having a pasta that’s tossed and coated in a rich and glossy demiglace. One that’s infused with lots of onions. An incredible depth of flavour and perfectly al dente pieces of paccheri. It’s so good. I have two other favourites here. First is the veal al limone with rice. Thin slices of rose veal, seared in butter and finished in a limone sauce that’s so rich, sharp and addictive. Spooning that sauce over the individual grains of rice is a great feeling. The risotto al salto is top tier here too. Try it, but try it with a side order of their tomato marinara for a flavour overload. Best gelato and meringue cake in town.. uffff #notoriousfoodie 🙅🏽‍♂️
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#london #londonfood #londonfoodie #pasta #pastalover #carbs #mayfair #cipriani #eeeeeats #finedining #italian #italianfood #cake #pastafresca #londonlife #londonfashion #michelinguide Less

Feasting at @chinatanglondon @thedorchester 🥟🇨🇳
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A heavenly spread. Easily my favourite Chinese in London. Everyone has their go-to but this is where I always find myself going back to. The Peking duck is top tier, prepared the traditional way with ultra crispy, golden lacquered skin, translucent pancakes, deeply sweet hoisin, spring onions & cucumbers. For second course, their duck lettuce wraps with the remaining off-cuts is the best. They stir fry the remaining duck and serve it with fresh crisp lettuce cups - a lighter but equally tasty way to enjoy it. Their Siulong bao soup dumplings are always phenomenal - filled with a warming and rich broth and tender pork mince. For mains, their sweet and sour chicken is the must order. So many good items on the menu here.. charsiu bao, sizzling pepper beef, tiger prawn toast to name a few. Best of all.. any leftovers are just as good for takeaway #notoriousfoodie 🙅🏽‍♂️
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#london #londonfood #londonfoodie #chinese #chinesefood #eeeeeats #dimsum #duck #pekingduck #dumpling #dumplings #noodles #friedrice #dinnerparty #dinnertime #mayfair #marylebone #knightsbridge Less

Decisions decisions.. @nijulondon 🥩😍
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Popped back in to Niju for dinner the other night and had some excellent plates. It’s a restaurant that elegantly blends home-style Japanese cooking (katei-ryōri), with incredible steak and sushi. These are the three core pillars of their menu, so there’s something for everyone. If you’re thinking steak, they’ll bring out this board to show you the different cuts and varieties available on the day. This rotates but you’ll be sure to find an incredible Wagyu and Kobe selection - some Japanese, some Australian and some cross-bred British. Amazing stuff. I ordered the Japanese A5 chateaubriand in the centre - cooked over binchotan charcoal till medium. Amazing flavour profile and texture. Smokey, well seared and ultra tender. The fat melted as I ate it, but more than anything, it was the combination of a hard sear and rendered fat that made this taste so good. The sushi and sashimi here is top-tier too, led by @david.sushi.london . Loved the aburi toro and Wagyu nigiris, but the scallop nigiri was a sensational bite too. Buttery soft, sweet and with firm, warm grains of sushi rice. Definitely try this. A4 tartare with house made shokupan for starter is also a must. Lots on the menu here so go with what stands out to you! #notoriousfoodie 🙅🏽‍♂️
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#london #mayfair #londonfood #londonfoodie #wagyu #beef #wagyubeef #steak #steakhouse #carnivore #omakase #japanese #japanesefood #kobe #finedining #eeeeeats #michelinguide #michelinstar Less

Fillet de boeuf au poivre @josephinebouchon @claudebosi1 🔥
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A charming French bistro in Fulham. Been meaning to go here for a while and very glad to have finally visited. On the menu, a number of bistro classics along with some lovely dishes you may not have tried before. Much of the food is influenced by Claude’s hometown of Lyon and one of the standouts for me was the saucisson de brioche Lyonnais. A spectacle. On the plate, a thick slice of butter toasted brioche with a perfect sphere of Morteau sausage in the middle. The brioche was surrounded by a voluptuous, glossy and rich red wine sauce. Honestly so delicious - crunchy, meaty, slightly acidic and full of comforting flavours. I kept the plate for dipping, you probably should too. Other favourites were the French onion soup - deeply flavoured and sweet from the dark and sticky caramelised onions. Cheese soufflé was yum, light, airy and mature - again, loved the sauce on the bottom - they really know how to make a good sauce here. Beef fillet was good but nothing out of the ordinary.. apart from the sauce. A real au poivre. Lots of crushed black pepper and whole green peppercorns in the sauce. Spicy just how it should be. Everything was very tasty and rich, lots of butter but no complaints from me. Nice atmosphere in here. I went for a Dard et Ribo 2021 Crozes Hermitage on wine - stunning bottle of natural white from the Rhone valley. A good find!! Try it! Desserts.. for me the best were the pink praline tart & strawberry shortbread number. Lovely place, good food. Will be back! #notorjousfoodie 🙅🏽‍♂️
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#london #londonfood #londonfoodie #londonfoodguide #bistro #french #frenchfood #chelsea #fullham #finedining #bistrot #michelinguide #steak #aupoivre #fillet #tenderloin #paris Less