FOOD & DRINK • REVIEW
ABSOLUTELY eats out…
Like the first plate, it doesn’t take itself too seriously
Black Radish A perfectly unpretentious restaurant serving fine dining in Wimbledon Village
FOOD French-inspired, inventive cooking
B y F LO R A T H O M A S
T
he menu at Black Radish is inventive, modern and hyperseasonal. What’s more, it’s confidently sparse - three starters and three main courses to choose from. I’m told that new dishes stay on the menu for about three weeks being being replaced, which speaks to its focus on seasonality. For the most part, the food celebrates British ingredients, but with an international twist. We decide on the tasting menu which comprises two starters, two main courses and a chocolate pudding (each).
DECOR First up is a vegetarian starter. It’s a little parcel of creamy squash wrapped in elegant, strips of crispy pastry which offer a satisfying crunch. It’s resting on a splodge of morish parmesan cream and the whole plate is adorned with onion two-ways: dainty wisps of bitter burnt onion and slices of bright pink pickled shallots which are perfectly piquant. A fun dish, playfully plated but a little too sweet for me. Next, it’s sea bream crudo. Like the first plate, it doesn’t take itself too seriously which appeals to me. Slivers of delicate fish sit in tiger’s milk essentially seasoned lime juice - and
Casual
PRICE Five-course set menu is £49
VERDICT Neighbourhood restaurant punching well above its weight
little blobs of whipped cod’s roe have been artfully placed around the plate. As if you needed another reminder that it’s a fish dish, bottarga is scattered over it all. I prefer this to the first course and could happily eat more of it. The vegetarian main course is rich with an overarching taste of balsamic, which is not a bad thing in my book. Somewhere in the mix there’s a long thin slice of onion tart - which is bittersweet and more red onion than red onion tart. A hidden piece of blue cheese is a pleasant surprise, although I could have done with more of it to counteract the sharpness of the rest of the plate. At this stage we’re both pretty full and the idea of lamb is overwhelming. Thankfully it’s a dainty plate; the meat is tender and delicious and it’s really just a of couple of bites. With a scrumptious, indulgent chocolate pudding to finish, we leave feeling rather jealous of those Wimbledoneons who can call Black Radish their local. B L AC K R A D I S H 28 Ridgway, SW19
blackradishsw19.com
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28/03/2019 15:20