Taste of London

 Helena Moretti gives Lifestyle her opinion of the capital’s annual food festival…

Taste of London is an annual food festival that is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. It brings together all of the best restaurants and food producers that London has to offer for a three day period, making haute cuisine available without having to nab an elusive booking, or spend hundreds of pounds on a meal out. I have been lucky enough to visit the festival for two years now, and get a taste of the phenomenal variety of foods that our capital has to offer.

From the flavours of the Far East to traditional British white pudding, delicacies from all over the globe are represented in the myriad of stalls and exhibitions at Taste. British food has a reputation for being rather bland and uninteresting, but I defy anyone to visit Taste and come away with that opinion. Whilst many of the restaurants on show are not quintessentially British, most of them are either here in London, or based elsewhere in the country. The fabulous multi-cultural backdrop of London allows the old favourites like pie and mash or sausage rolls to take influence from different corners of the world and evolve into something really special.

My first dish of the day was from ‘Graffiti’, a restaurant based in New York City offering an eclectic range of cuisines. Their dishes included charred bacon duck buns and duck gratinee, but I chose to sample the aubergine buns. The bun itself was perfectly fluffy, and the aubergine was spiced with expert precision. The slightly sweet bun and the heat of the vegetables were a veritable symphony of flavour. If I ever get the chance to visit Graffiti, this dish will be top of my list.

Not all of the culinary offerings were as delicious as Graffiti’s. The foie gras and apple from Gautier was quite good, but it didn’t quite pack the rich, gluttonous punch I was expecting from something so sinful. The cod, crab and crayfish dumplings from Roku/Zuma had all of the fresh, fabulous flavours you would expect from haute Japanese cuisine, but at £6 for two dumplings, I wouldn’t say they were value for money.

My two food favourites came from opposite sides of the globe, though both restaurants are located in London. Lima, a Peruvian restaurant, served up a sea bream ceviche. It looked about as appetising as you’d expect from lumps of raw fish, but it was an absolute explosion of flavour. Served in a tiger’s milk sauce with a generous squeeze of lemon, the outside of the fish was slightly cooked by the citrus, making it incredibly tender. The raw middle ensured that all of the fantastic flavour of the fish was preserved, coming together to provide an exceptional taste sensation.

The final sampling for the day was the wagyu beef nigiri with foie gras snow. The dish was made by Sushisamba, a Japanese restaurant based in the Heron tower in London. Wagyu beef has a reputation as one of the finest meats in the world, and after tasting it, I can see why. The meat was phenomenally tender, the foie gras heavy and smooth, and a sparse sprinkling of dark chocolate cut through the richness of the dish, making it far too moreish. Again, at £6 for two small pieces, it’s not exactly cheap. However, it is completely justified as the quality of the ingredients and harmony of flavours are well worth the price.

Of course, it’s not all about the food. Taste has plenty of drinks on show as well. Sipsmiths, well known for their gin, were offering their delightful ‘Summer Cup’ – a Pimms alternative that is both more refreshing and lower in sugar. Perfect if you enjoy a tipple in the sunshine but would rather have something a bit less calorific!

The Mai Tai from ‘Tails’ was, much like the dumplings, quite expensive considering what you got. No one can say that they skimped on the measures (I felt a little bit tipsy once I’d finished) but the flavours of the mixers were a bit lost beneath the booze. At £4 a pop, they’re certainly value if you’re looking for a drink to get drunk. I like to drink cocktails for the taste, however, and I felt that this was a little bit lacking.

Although expensive, The Quebec stand offered my favourite drink of the day. The absolutely extraordinary ‘Ice Cider’ is produced in a similar way to ‘Eiswein’, a desert wine made from grapes that have survived a frost. Best described as ‘Liquid tarte tatin’, this cider has a rich, sweet flavour, perfect for an after dinner drink. It doesn’t come cheap at £26 a bottle, but is definitely worth it if you’ve got something to celebrate!

Taste of London is a brilliant way to sample all of the flavours London has to offer without breaking the bank. Tickets start at £25.80, though for £43 you can get a £20 book of crowns (the main currency used at the festival) included. The price of the tickets is definitely worth it for the myriad of delicious food and drink available at the festival. Taste of Christmas is taking place from the 6-8 December this year. I know I’ll be there to see what the capital’s restaurants can bring to the festive season.