THE CLOVE CLUB (SHOREDITCH, LONDON, UK)

The Clove Club
Shoreditch Town Hall
380 Old Street
London
EC1V 9LT
The Clove Club
Tel: +44 20 7729 6496
Cuisine: British, Scottish
$$$$ ($50+)
Mon, 09/05/2016, 8:00pm reservation
     (4.5 Piglets)

What used to be a supper club in a London flat has now been turned into a brick and mortar spot in the Spitalfields area of London. The Clove Club, ranked No. 26 Best Restaurant in the World with one Michelin Star is the new up and coming restaurant in London. Chef Isaac McHale has tranformed the Shoreditch Town Hall into a bustling eatery delivering a five course or seven course menu. The five course tasting menu offers an additional dish with a supplemental fee (which I ended up adding of course). 

Upon entering, you are stricken by the window displaying their in-house meat curing techniques. There is a bar that constitutes the main room display with tables that surround its perimeter. It's a casual spot with a bit of elegance. In the back is an open kitchen where diners will be served their seven course menu.
  

Their meat curing window

The kitchen

Plating/Expediting

The back seating dining room

The bar area with curing meats

The cool staff

The menu

EMERALD ENVY (£12.00): Greenspot Whiskey, Gooseberry, Apple, served straight up). This drink was delicious! I normally don't like whiskey drinks, but I loved this one. It had a little sweet note to it and it definitely was on the stronger end. It's not for the light weight. My dad loved it so much he ordered another! 

A SELECTION OF SNACKS TO START: Dorset Tart. The tart was nice and crispy. It was a bit fishy with a creaminess like mayo. I thought it was good, but I wasn't amazed by this dish. 

A SELECTION OF SNACKS TO START: Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Pine Salt. This is one of the chef's signature dishes and it was definitely good. The batter wasn't overly thick and you could taste that it was well-seasoned from the pine salt. Unfortunately, my chicken was slightly dry. 

A SELECTION OF SNACKS TO START: Haggis Balls. Funny enough, these balls were actually pretty good. It was baked in a light crusted pastry and it was a great snack! 

A SELECTION OF SNACKS TO START: Baby Sweet Corn. The corn was from Hampshire and was baked in the husk with margarine butter. I thought it was good since I love corn. Nothing really too fancy about this dish other than it's local. 

COURSE ONE: Flamed Cornish Mackerel, Cucumber et English Mustard. This was made sashimi style where the mackerel was torched at the top with oil and sugar and topped with more olive oil. It was light and refreshing, especially with the cucumber. The mayo was a nice , creamy touch to the dish. It was a good way to start the meal.  

SUPPLEMENTAL COURSE (£18.00): Raw Orkney Scallop, Hazelnut, Clementine Et Manjimup Truffle. This is one of the chef's signature dishes. For some reason, I didn't love it. The scallops are raw and local from Scotland. It is housed with squid ink and mushrooms. I think it was a textural thing for me. The flavors were good though. 

EXTRA COURSE: Broth with herb and Cockle. The broth was a bright green that I couldn't get over. It was made with herbs that included parsley and tarragon with some miso as well. It felt like a palate cleanser and definitely nothing that I've ever tasted before. It was good. 

COURSE TWO: Monkfish Cooked in Roasted Barley Oil, Organic Aubergine Et Green Tomato. The monkfish was earthy and rustic. It was cooked so delicately with a slight char to it that I loved. I normally don't like monkfish, but I thoroughly enjoyed this dish. It was different and fresh. 

MY FAVORITE DISH. COURSE THREE: Roast Dorset Veal, Cepes, Sweetcorn, Pickled Walnut Et Coffee. Of course I picked the meat dish as my favorite dish! The veal was delicate and moist and served with a smoked bone marrow sauce. The corn puree with coffee crumbles was so good and meshed perfectly well with the veal. Everything was just damn good and I hope this is a repeat on the menu. 

COURSE FOUR: Apricot Sorbet, Burnt Honey, Toasted Almond Et Bee Pollen. This was my favorite dessert out of the two. It was soft and crunchy with so much texture. The sorbet was smooth and a bit tart to clean the palate. There was a good balance with the sweetness from the honey. This was a good, delicious dish. 

PETIT FOURS: Burnt Honey Sponge Cake Tart. This was a great petit four. Who doesn't love a tart with berries that are grown locally? The tart had enough sweetness with a bit of crunch. Delicious! 

COURSE FIVE: A Jelly of Champagne Et Summer Berries. I didn't love this dessert as much. It definitely was refreshing and a good way to end the meal, but I tend to lean towards something a bit more sweet. It's just a personal preference. 

PETIT FOURS. So good. Soft with a bit of crunch on the top! 

PETIT FOURS. How could you not love chocolate to end the night? Enough said. 

Overall, the Clove Club offers a unique take on British cuisine with a modern flare. The experience was awesome and the service was impeccable. They truly cater to the sophisticated palate. The flavors were prominent throughout each and every dish, which has taken that idea of British cuisine being bland and throwing it out the window. It's a cool vibe and a cool space. Definitely worth checking out! 

Notable Dishes: Veal, Monkfish, and Apricot Sorbet

THE RITZ LONDON (LONDON, UK)

The Ritz London
150 Picadilly
London
W1J 9BR
The Ritz London
Tel: +44(0)2074938181
Cuisine: British (afternoon tea)
$$$$ (+$50)
Mon, 09/05/2016, 11:30am reservation
     (5 Piglets)

I had just arrived in London and unfortunately, I had left my bag containing my camera in a black cab (which I'm still absolutely gutted about). As a result, I am now left to resort to my iphone for blogging until I purchase a new camera. I'm sorry if my pictures are not up to par, but I had to make the most of what I have on hand. 

My parents have never been to England and I thought it was necessary to make a reservation at the Ritz for afternoon tea (we booked months in advance). It's funny that I didn't make more of an effort to try afternoon tea when I was living in London, but it's better late than never. And this time around, I'm able to share this experience with my parents. 

Upon entering, the hotel was pretty magnificent. A long hallway leads you to the main seating area known as the Palm Court with a gorgeous skylight to bring in the natural light. The restaurant has a strict dress code, where gentlemen are required to wear a jacket and tie. The table setting was elegant placed with fine china and silverware. There are three types of afternoon teas to choose from: The traditional afternoon tea at 52, the champagne afternoon tea at 68 and the celebration afternoon tea at 63. We chose the traditional afternoon tea, which was still plenty of food and tea to go around. 

The Palm Court

The menu

You can choose among all these tea options

Place setting

ASSORTMENT OF AFTERNOON TEA PASTRIES/CAKES: These cakes were freakin amazing! There was so much food that I actually could only try a bit of each. The chocolate bomb with the cherry on top was absolutely delicious. 

SANDWICHES: Scottish smoked salmon with lemon butter on sourdough bread was my favorite. The salmon was soft, fresh with a delightful smoky aftertaste. The bread was super soft. It is what I imagined a tea sandwich should taste like. They even gave us seconds! 

The setup

FRESHLY BAKED RAISIN AND PLAIN SCONES: The scones were absolutely delicious. They were piping hot when they were brought to our table. I much preferred the plain scones since I'm not the biggest fan of raisins. They were flaky and buttery. It wasn't overly dense which I appreciated. 

CORNISH CLOTTED CREAM AND STRAWBERRY PRESERVE: The clotted cream is one of my favorite things in England and this was the highlight of my day. It's like butter but 100x better! It's rich and thick and spreads on well with a creaminess that can't be beat. The strawberry preserve was so delicious as well! 

COFFEE CAKE WITH ORANGE: This cake was delicious. It definitely tasted like coffee and orange. I was so full by this time that I actually couldn't finish it. They walked around with a cart full of cake and tarts with your choice of anything. My tummy was dying at this time of fullness...

Me and my parents

Overall, I had an absolutely lovely time at the Ritz. It is one of those iconic landmarks to have afternoon tea. I am so happy I decided to have it here and share the experience with my parents. The service was impeccable and the food was actually quite filling. The tea was delicious. You couldn't go wrong with any of the options from the menu. It's important to book in advance online as reservations can fill up. Below, you can check out a video of how it's like at the Palm Court. 

PLAYGROUND (SANTA ANA, CA)

Playground
220 E 4th St, Ste 102
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Playground
Tel: 714.560.4444
Cuisine: American (New)
$$ ($15-$30)
Sat, 08/20/2016, 8:30pm reservation
    (4 Piglets)

Once was the Lime Truck has now been turned into a brick and mortar spot. The winners of the Great Food Truck Race Season 2 have developed something special at this Downtown Santa Ana eatery. The menu is constantly changing and geared towards providing fresh ingredients as they come. It's globally inspired and they make note of what country or person offers that inspiration for the dish. 

The interior actually is nothing special. It's simple, with yellow painted walls and a bar. They have a decent selection of beer, cocktails and wine. 

In terms of ordering, if you're into changing your dishes rather than ordering as is, this place isn't for you. You must order as is. If you're not happy with how something tastes, they'll be happy to put in something more suitable for your palate. 

The interior

PAN ROASTED CORN ($13.00-JAPAN): Smokey Chicken Tare, Scallion, Crispy Shallots. This dish was amazing and one of my favorites. It was super tasty with a hint of soy sauce mixed in with some chicken sauce as well. The crispy shallots added a great texture and crunch. It was slightly sweet with a perfect balance of acidity. I thoroughly enjoyed this dish. 

UNCLE LOU'S FRIED CHICKEN (4 PIECES FOR $10.00): The one item you can't send back. If you don't know what you're getting yourself into, get something else. This was some good fried chicken. Four pieces is enough for two people if you want to taste other dishes. The chicken was done Memphis style with vinegar, Louisiana hot sauce and honey. It was super crispy and not breaded. Initially, I thought it was too acidic, but once you continue eating, it gets addicting. The chicken was nice and tender and its a definite must order. 

HILLARY'S PORK AND APPLE STUFFED BLACK GARLIC AGNOLOTTI ($22.00-ITALY): Fennel Soubise, Lemon, Hazelnut Crumble.  This was my least favorite dish. The agnolotti is gigantic! I've never really had agnolotti this big before. It felt more like potstickers or dumplings than a filled pasta. The texture of the agnolotti wasn't my favorite and the filling was just ok. The filling would actually pop out of the pasta as soon as you took a bite, which was annoying. The sauce was almost like a bechamel sauce with hazelnut. Overall, it was just ok. 

MY FAVORITE DISH. BLACK MISSION FIG STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING ($10.00). This dessert is freakin amaze-balls. When I ordered it, I wasn't expecting much. I've had a fair share of sticky toffee pudding whilst living in London. Upon first glance, I thought it looked good; but once I took a bite into this warm goodness, I was taken back at how delicious it was. It was super moist and warm. One of the best parts of the dish was the whipped cream. I am never really a fan of whipped cream with cake to begin with, but this stuff is like crack. It's so light and airy and almost tasted like a salted caramel whipped cream. I loved every bite of this dish!! 

Overall, the Playground is probably one of, if not, the best restaurant in Orange County. The menu is playful (hence the name) and I love that it's geared towards fresh ingredients while utilizing a seasonal menu. They've done something pretty special here and no wonder it's always pretty booked. Tip: There's a parking structure around the corner making it conveniently easy. 

Notable dishes: Black Mission Fig Sticky Toffee Pudding, Pan Roasted Corn and Uncle Lou's Fried Chicken