GASTRO FILES

Àclèaf, Boringdon Hall

AA 4 Rosette West Country Star

Overlooking the Great Hall at the historic Boringdon Hall Hotel near Plymouth you’ll find the intimate and sophisticatedly romantic Àclèaf; a space to gather around the table and taste exquisite menus created by Head Chef Scott Paton. Recently awarded AA 4 Rosette status, and rightly so, this hidden gastronomy gem is worth seeking out. A 3-ish hour jaunt on a good day from London, Boringdon Hall is a super place to stay for a long weekend with the delights of the Devon countryside, coastline and Dartmoor on your doorstep and a super spa to enjoy. The restaurant is small and intimate and has views over what might have been a minstrels’ gallery in the Great Hall down to the lounge and bar below. It’s gently lit, peaceful and refreshingly free of the superfluous décor fripperies many restaurants favour. Here the focus is firmly on the food. Incredibly talented chef, Scott Paton uses only the finest locally sourced ingredients for his elegantly presented dishes. You can enjoy Àclèaf’s signature four-course menu with paired wine flights, or as we did, their rather fabulous 6-course tasting menu with wine pairings. Settling down we were warmly welcomed with a glass of delectable Gusbourne Pinot Noir, before an eye-catchingly pretty aray of canapes arrived. These packed-with-flavour morsels included a goats’ cheese mousse ball with a tasty truffle glaze and gold leaf decoration, as well as a game donut topped with sticky-sweet sauce. They were almost too pretty to eat - but were so moreish they didn’t last long! We delighted in scallops with champagne and fermented grape paired with Gavi di Gavi, La Minaia, Nicola Bergaglio, followed by curry and mango crab with Gewurztraminer, Trimbach. Turbot with lemon and brassicas paired with Bollinger was savoured before Iberico, walnut and waldorf with Amarone Della, Valpolicella, Zonin. And then butter soft Wagyu, truffle and morels paired with a fine Margaux, and chocolate, itakuja and passionfruit with an Orange Muscat from Essencia. It’s so rare to find such sophisticated yet simple and delicious dining like this outside of London. It would be no surprise at all to see this talented chef earn a Michelin star. We wouldn’t hesitate to return. Six courses £140 pp, with wine pairing add £80pp and £16pp for a cheese course. You can book a wonderful Àclèaf Tasting Experience Break, available until 1st June. This includes one night’s accommodation, full breakfast in Mayflower Brasserie, SixCourse Tasting Menu along with wine flight, complimentary access to the Gaia Spa and 10% off any treatments pre-booked. For further information visit Boringdon Hall Hotel www.boringdonhall.co.uk

Copper Chimney

A Touch of Bombay in London

Once upon a time, almost exactly forty years ago, Copper Chimney opened its first outpost with much aplomb in the western Indian city of Bombay and shook up the local restaurant scene. It was started by Mr. JK Kapur, a Punjabi entrepreneur and gastronome, who wanted to bring the best of North Indian food to the most cosmopolitan of Indian cities. Not that there was a dearth of quality fare in the metropolis – cuisine from every nook and corner of India was well represented and indeed food from other parts of the world. However, Copper Chimney brought a finesse and a stamp of quality to the scene; something that was amiss in that pre-liberalised, socialist state of India. The décor was dashing, the tandoors worked wonders and the Bawarchis or chefs– also referred to as Ustads or masters since Moghul times - spun their magic upon bewitched patrons. Dilip Kumar, still regarded as India’s greatest movie star and who unfortunately passed away last year at the ripe old age of ninety two, inaugurated the first Copper Chimney in the Worli area of Bombay and the rest is history. Delightful photos from that evening now hang in Copper Chimney’s latest venture – its first in London at Westfield Shopping Centre in White City/ Shepherd’s Bush. Copper Chimney’s newest incarnation is housed in a commodious building perched on the southern end of one of the great modern malls of London. A moderate-sized bar with just the right amount of glass detailing welcomes guests into a rather inviting, large hall that seems incongruous in a shopping centre. A quick look at the menu reveals the restaurant’s omniscience of the art of working thehumble Indian tandoor oven. The genius of tandoor is particularly evident in the Chargrilled Chicken Tikka and it the first thing I’d literally admonish everyone to try. It is utterly unbelievably good and I am sure I haven’t tasted such flavourful succulence anywhere in London. To be honest, that one dish itself is worth the trip to W12. The tandoori section also includes Grilled Burrah Chops, Chutney Fish and Seekh Kebab – all of which further cement the eatery’s tandoor credentials. Starters also include a divine masala-salted fried Okra, a worthy substitute for papadum which its crunchy goodness and a more familiar Samosa Chaat. Mains include a tangy Pickled Chicken masala, a classic Rogan Josh and a choice of scrumptious Biriyanis and vegetarian stars including Parada Lamb Biryani and Black Dal Maharaja respectively. Drinks include classic cocktails and some very interesting with an Indian twist such as the vodka-based Worli Morning. The beer list includes the ubiquitous Indian lager Kingfisher. There is even a masala chai section for enthusiasts and teetotallers alike.

Copper Chimney in Westfield delivers on its promise and reputation back home in India. It ignites memories of Old Bombay and the legendary cuisine of the nawabs and maharajas of India. The name’s the same and ditto the logo and most importantly, the food! Copper Chimney fans in London can breathe a collective sigh of relief that the name associated with quality and some of the most delectable food to come out of south Asia delivers a strong suit on its debut in London. Copper Chimney, Westfield Shopping Centre W12 Website: www.copperchimney.uk Social Media: copperchimney_uk By Sid Raghava