SD4
The Jewish News 4 August 2016
www.jewishnews.co.uk
SUMMER DINING
RULING THE
ROOST “I dream of a world where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned.” That’s the message pasted across a poster on the wall of the men’s toilet at Pecking Order of a chicken mid-cross. It amused my husband no end and all the more so because Pecking Order, as the name suggests, is a restaurant in Stanmore that’s all about chicken. The humour doesn’t stop in the loo, however. Owners Dhilon and Vish, who met at university in Kingston-upon-Thames, have extended the wit and laughter to their menu and cocktail list and, most obviously, on the faces of the waitresses, who are some of the loveliest table servers you will ever meet. All this contributes to a relaxed, effortless dining experience in a Belgo-like setting with rough walls, an open kitchen and more line drawings of poultry than you would expect. “Everyone dreams of owning a bar or a restaurant,” says Vish, who actually followed his dream alongside Dhilon after a lengthy search for the right
Brigit Grant took her family to a laughter-filled Stanmore local eatery
place to open a restaurant that served simple food really well. And that is exactly what Pecking Order is, from the Quick Fixes (among them, chicken wings served buffalo hot, smoked in chilli honey chipotle or Coca Cola hickory BBQ; fish tacos and crumbed mushrooms) to the chicken mains done on the rotisserie or Southern-style. As a salad fan, I went for the quinoa superfood version, a generous helping of red and white quinoa, roasted butternut squash, pomegranate, raisins and radish dressed in a raspberry vinaigrette. Eating healthily isn’t a sacrifice when it’s
this tasty, although I found myself battling poultry envy when I saw the Southern-style fried chicken tray my husband and daughter shared. With pieces and strips, together with house slaw, corn on the cob and skinny fries, the temptation to rifle their tray was overwhelming. Sadly, painkillers for a trapped nerve also prevented me from sampling the cocktails that night, but the Gingerbread Manhattan, labelled as Hansel and Gretel’s favourite, has my name on it the next time we visit. Brunch is one of the best reasons to return (weekends 10am to 4pm) as Pecking Order serves dishes such as smashed avocado with sourdough, poached egg, truffle oil and chilli flakes, and salmon smorrebrod, which has the oak-aged salmon beside a hard-boiled egg, cracked black pepper and lemon labneh. Dhilon or Vish are always in-house to make sure all is as it should be and when they open another Pecking Order, as they plan, one will always be there ruling the roost and keeping the team smiling.
SUSHI WORTH SHARING HA5’S TURKISH DELIGHT With hungry family in tow, Debra Barnes was ready for Izgara
When food this good is available locally, go spread the word, says Brigit Grant My daughter has an annoying habit of taking the salmon off her nigiri roll. Left to her own devices, she would work her way through a plate of sushi, removing tops and bottoms from the various combinations to suit her taste. This will seem criminal to sushi lovers, but we’re just glad she likes it enough for us to eat Japanese food, which we’ve been doing more of since Zushi Sushi opened down the road. Executive chef May Thu is the commanderin-chief at this clean, cool and convenient eatin/take-away cafe that offers a vast array of innovative, quality sushi dishes. All ingredients are sourced by top-grade suppliers and delivered fresh to the store daily. Israeli co-owner Tomer Vanunu is usually found at Zushi Sushi after the gym and admits his desire to eat healthier food brings him here all the time. The consumption of sushi dates back to the second century AD in South-East Asia, when there was a need to keep food fresh without
refrigeration. This was achieved by wrapping the food in rice and leaving it to ferment for several months. The idea spread eventually through China and then to Japan, where their cured-fishand-rice sushi would be fermented with Japanese rice wine, or sake. In the 1820s, chefs started using raw fish in their dishes. This is known as Edo-style sushi and is the style chef Thu offers at Zushi Sushi. Starters at the restaurant include wakame salad, which contains Japanese seaweed served in a light dressing, and miso aubergine, which is a grilled aubergine dressed in miso vinegar sauce. There is also the delicious tuna tataki, which is tuna sashimi fried in batter with coriander sauce. Because sushi is so moreish, the Zushi platters are the best value and what you don’t eat will keep for next day’s lunch if you order a Zushi Uramaki Selection, which consists of two of everything, including salmon avocado and chicken teriyaki. The salmon avocado burger is also a treat, with its mix of beetroot, mayo and rice paper, which is much better for you than any regular burger. From lollypop nigiri to hot donburi dishes, Zushi Sushi has a menu Japanese food fans will never tire of and with a new branch due to open in Market Place in Hampstead Garden Suburb in September, local residents will soon be saluting chef May Thu. Order at zushisushi.co.uk or call Mill Hill 020 8906 2705 or Market Place 020 3758 9334 from September
W
ith front windows opening up completely to a large decked area where you can enjoy fresh juices or home-made lemonade, Izgara is made especially for August evenings. Needless to say, when I visited, it was windy and raining so the windows were shut, but that didn’t spoil the experience at this great new local eatery. The latest addition to the Izgara group has moved away from the format of the other restaurants. “At Hatch End, we have taken Izgara to the next level,” said manager Shukur of a restaurant as far removed from the corner kebab shop as you can imagine. It has modern stylish decor, low lighting and a quiet sophisticated ambiance. “Our Edgware branch is hugely popular, so it would be silly to change it, but this new venue in Hatch End is quite different,” Shukur added. One big difference is that the BBQ is hidden away in the kitchen, so some may miss the distraction of watching the skewers of meat being
grilled along with the accompanying delicious smell. The menu is smaller than that of the other branches, too, but it was still difficult to make a choice. We went for a selection of starters, including a delicious tabbouleh salad and sigara borek, which are basically cigar-shaped borekas made with filo rather than puff pastry and filled with halloumi cheese, spinach and fresh herbs. The mixed shish was beautifully presented and both the chicken and lamb were melt-inthe-mouth soft. “We only use the prime cuts of meat,” Shukur explained. We hadn’t felt the need to order any rice and I was just thinking how it had been a pretty healthy and fat-free dinner when the chocolate soufflé desert arrived. Clearly not a typical Turkish pud, but one of the most popular – and for good reason, as the melting middle was spot-on, whereas I always manage to overcook it. A glass of mint tea to finish and we were sorted. The restaurant is deceptively large and has five round tables, one of which comfortably seats up to 10 people, so is ideal for a gathering. The friendly and attentive staff will happily package up any leftovers for you to take home, or there is always the option of take-away. Izgara is at 302 Uxbridge Road, Hatch End HA5 4HR. Reservations: 020 8421 1525. izgara.uk