London Restaurant Reviews - Courtesan

Courtesan – Brixton’s new den of iniquity?

Words & Photography by Simeen Kadi

Name: The Courtesan

Where: 69 Atlantic Road, Brixton SW9 8PU http://thecourtesan.co.uk/

About: The Courtesan is a new(ish) bar and restaurant in Brixton where the walls drip with the tears of a courtesan undone and the dim lighting adds to the louche allure. 'Who is free and who captivates?' asks the menu as, indeed, I was captivated by the dim sum and cocktails and found it difficult to prise myself away.

While the decor evokes opium dens of a romanticised Orient, the real attraction here is the dim sum. The cocktails aren't too shabby, either. Owner Hammant Patel Villa has brought together a crack team of dim sum ninjas, alumni of Hakkasan and Royal China, to deliver a dim sum menu that reassures with beautifully executed classics and excites with creative cultural fusions.

What we drank: There is a large selection of exquisite teas but the cocktails are not to be missed. Treacherous Heart was a heady blend of plum wine, Martell, red bean and chili - not for the faint hearted. More delicate but still packing a punch are the cocktails named after the legendary courtesans considered the four great beauties of China - at once sweet and seductive. Xi Shi, named for a woman once considered so beautiful that 'fish forgot to swim', blended Havana 7 year old with Prosecco, Dry Ancienne Curacao and Chrysanthemum honey while the less ethereal Courtier brought together Lapsang Souchong, aged Glenlivet and Laphroig whiskies with Fig liqueur and chili.

What we ate: The menu here is dim sum ranging from the classics to more innovative and creative flourishes such as the Jerk Chicken Parcel in Rice - a genius blend of flavours and a well-judged nod to the restaurant's environs.

Szechuan Style Ribs were slow-cooked and yielding with a crunchy and fiery coating - these are now officially my favourite ribs.

The classics were created with an assured hand and were as good as some of the best in London - Char Siu Buns were filled with an unctuous honey barbecued pork, Soft and chewy Cheung Fun was given an extra dimension with the addition of a crispy layer of beancurd. King Prawn Dumplings were plumply filled with fine, translucent casings but had the added zing of wasabi which worked very well.

Baked dim sum included a Duck Puff which is unusual as most baked puffs contain pork. This one was a buttery and light puff pastry around dense and peppery slow-roasted duck.

Crocodile Bites were commendably cooked but lacked the umami punch or the intoxicating spice of the other dim sum.

Likes: The dim sum is excellent and the cocktails will make you stay longer than you planned. The late licence is another reason to stick around.

Dislikes: Alas, Brixton is a bit of a schlep for me so, sadly, I won't be going as often as I would like.

Verdict: A great addition to the burgeoning Brixton scene and a dimly lit den of seduction - a good alternative to the bright lights of the excellent eateries in nearby Brixton Village.

The Fantastic Teacup Chandeliers by Madeleine Boulesteix

I first came across Madeleine's work in 2002, while leafing through a copy of Living Etc. She makes spectacular, quirky, culinary-inspired chandeliers out of recycled metal cooking utensils and glasses.

I tracked her down to her studio in Brixton, and we spent a happy hour or two discussing the kitchen we were designing and the colour schemes.

At the time, we were constructing a Denby-inspired 1930s cream and green colour scheme for our units, and Madeleine suggested a similar theme for our chandelier. We loved it so much, we took it with us when we moved to Islington.

Now some years later, we have just installed a new kitchen with a very different look, and once again turned to Madeleine for a centre-piece chandelier over the central island.

This time, we spotted a spectacular multicoloured glass chandelier replete with jelly moulds, pastry cutters and flan tins. It sounds barmy but looked fantastic, and had just been exhibited at the Courtauld Institute.

I don't use this site for commercial promotion, have no financial interest in Madeleine's sales and have paid the full asking prices for the two pieces I purchased from her.

But in Madeleine's case I love her work so much, I thought I had to let people know what a fantastic artist she is.

Madeleine is currently holding a brief exhibition, 'A Light Shower' at The Corner Shop, Craft Central, 21 Clerkenwell Green, London CE1R 0DX from 1-6th November. The exhibition is open Tuesday to Saturday 12-7pm with wine & snacks between 6-7pm, and on Sunday from 12-4pm. Nearest station is Farringdon.

I would thoroughly recommend a visit to her exhibition - every item on show is for sale. You can see more at www.madeleineboulesteix.co.uk, and at www.craftcentral.org.uk.

London Underground Restaurants #8 - Saltoun Supper Club

Saltoun Supper Club

I had nearly given up hope of ever going to the Saltoun Supper Club (SSC) when I unexpectedly heard from them at the beginning of last week. After numerous e-mails, I was very pleased to have finally secured a table, and so Dr G and I drove with much anticipation to the elegant and rather quirky flat of Arno Maasdorp in Brixton.

One of the things that first struck me about SSC was the intimate setting created in Arno’s living room with its bare brick and the open plan kitchen. From the choice of glasses and cutlery to the careful use of indirect light, the room expressed an understated elegance and refinement of taste.

 

The artwork was intriguing; I loved his wall installation made up of many different miniature items, as well as the beautiful antique pieces like the South American baskets dotted around the room.

 

I had the feeling of entering a private gallery; wherever I looked there was something intriguing to catch the eye. There were 10 diners in the room (Arno can sit up to 16); an interesting mix of people of different ages and backgrounds.

Smoked sea-salt had been sprinkled over the butter and it went very well with the excellent sourdough bread purchased that morning from Franco Manca.

We were soon served our first course, a “Winter Vegetable Salad with Mandarin Oil”. I was very impressed by this dish and the complexity of flavours that Arno managed to create out of broccoli, beetroot and cauliflower. To make a delicious dish out of such humble ingredients is the sign of a talented palate.

The vegetables were perfectly al dente, but the secret was definitely in the sauce – a sweet and sour and highly aromatic dressing made of mandarin and chervil. It complemented the vegetables perfectly and started the evening on a very good note.

Our next course was “Leek and Pecorino Gnocchi”. This was also good and very well executed – the gnocchi had been cooked and then flash-fried with the potato and leek sauce. I could also taste truffle oil, and the addition of generous shavings of pecorino cheese made for a very delicious dish.

We had a short break between the first two courses and the main, so we all decided to take a tour of Arno’s amazing flat and examine the quirky art pieces more closely. I soon got chatting to fellow guests which for me is one the nicest aspects of dining at supper clubs.

 

We were soon called back into the living room as our main dish was being served - “Roasted Duck Breast” accompanied by a medley of root vegetables, mushrooms, spinach and fresh green olives.

This was nothing short of sensational – the meat had been perfectly cooked, the duck skin was crisp and delicious, and the vegetables were faultless. I was struck by the effect of the fresh green olives – a slight salty tartness that provided a nice balance against the rich and fatty meat.

For dessert, Arno served what he described as a “Pear and Bramley Apple Fine Tart”. This was an intriguing and fun dish, and had very interesting flavours at play – it was served with a quenelle of vanilla cream, very fine homemade tuiles biscuits, and sea-salted caramel. I loved this dish and despite being very full, I wish I could have had seconds!

 

“Petit Fours” and coffee/mint tea were served – these were delightful and I think a very nice touch to end a perfect meal.

I was impressed by Arno’s attention to detail in everything that he did – from the chic and quirky decor to the high standard of the food and the time and trouble he took to engage in conversation with each diner.

Verdict – Excellent food to match some of the top restaurants in London in intimate and quirky surroundings, and at a very reasonable price. Arno was an excellent host and I would certainly like to return.Highly recommended.