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 – The Lecture Room & Library: not just a meal, but a wonderfully decadent experience.
The Greenhouse: new chef Alex Dilling has upped standards at this Mayfair classic. At 31 years-old he is a name to watch.
Marianne: it is hard to surpass the intimacy (and cooking standards) of this 14-cover venue in Notting Hill.
Newly visited and loved –
Delamina: Israeli food in a relaxed setting in Marylebone. Three trips made and #4 next week.
108 Garage: massively impressive modern British food in a renovated garage in Notting Hill.
Scully: extends and globalises the revolution begun by Yotam Ottolenghi. Food innovation at its best.
Titu: small and intimate, serving cutting-edge Japanese food prepared by an ex-Novikov chef.
Bombay Bustle: as the name suggests, a buzzing Indian by the team behind Jamavar.
Old favourites –
Hawksmoor: my other most-visited venue (along with Delamina). Standards consistently high across all branches. You know you will not be disappointed.
Wild Honey: still doing the business after 11 years of delivering British comfort food.
PS: if you have not seen, a thank you to Feedspot for including my blog in its top-ten UK restaurant blogs to follow in 2019: https://blog.feedspot.com/uk_restaurant_review_blogs/