2018 has been another year of culinary pleasure for Gourmand Gunno both at home and abroad. 37 restaurants have been reviewed on my website over the past 12 months, although this probably only represents some 50% of those visited. For now, my site remains UK-specific, but beyond Britain there were notable dining highlights from Bergen to Boston with Indonesian food enjoyed in Amsterdam and Mozambique cuisine in Lisbon, among others.
My top-ten highlights among venues reviewed follow. They are all London-located and split by 3 fine dining venues, 5 more informal places (all visited for the first time in 2018) and 2 perennial favourites worthy of mention –
Fine dining –
Sketch (opens in a new tab) – The Lecture Room & Library: not just a meal, but a wonderfully decadent experience.
TheGreenhouse (opens in a new tab): new chef Alex Dilling has upped standards at this Mayfair classic. At 31 years-old he is a name to watch.
Marianne (opens in a new tab): it is hard to surpass the intimacy (and cooking standards) of this 14-cover venue in Notting Hill.
Newly visited and loved –
Delamina (opens in a new tab): Israeli food in a relaxed setting in Marylebone. Three trips made and #4 next week.
108Garage (opens in a new tab): massively impressive modern British food in a renovated garage in Notting Hill.
Scully (opens in a new tab): extends and globalises the revolution begun by Yotam Ottolenghi. Food innovation at its best.
Titu (opens in a new tab): small and intimate, serving cutting-edge Japanese food prepared by an ex-Novikov chef.
BombayBustle (opens in a new tab): as the name suggests, a buzzing Indian by the team behind Jamavar.
Old favourites –
Hawksmoor (opens in a new tab): my other most-visited venue (along with Delamina). Standards consistently high across all branches. You know you will not be disappointed.
WildHoney (opens in a new tab): still doing the business after 11 years of delivering British comfort food.