FRAE – COOL AS ICE
‘Froyo’ must be the word of the summer. Everyone’s talking about it; everyone’s trying it; everyone’s having it. If you’re not, then you’re definitely missing out. As the curtains are drawn on this year’s rather miserable summer, the season’s best trend can still be found throughout September’s drizzly days and the coming wintry months. We might not need frozen yoghurt to quench our thirst or cool us in sizzling heat, but for whatever reason, froyo is a craze we certainly do need.
New frozen yoghurt company, Frae has opened a new store in London’s trendy Angel Camden Passageway jumping on the bandwagon of the nation’s obsession with healthy but yummy treats. The yoghurt is every nutritionist’s dream. One-hundred percent fat free, Frae’s froyo is made entirely from natural products fresh from the farm. This probiotic yoghurt not only hosts active cultures but is low in calories too, making this the perfect guilt-free splurge.
Available in two flavours, Original and Green Tea, you can also top up your delicious creamy yoghurt with a selection of 18 toppings. Choose from fresh mango or pomegranate, or granola and goji berries for the extreme health enthusiast. For those who like a bit of a treat, a crunchy topping of Oreo cookies, Kit Kat or gooey chocolate brownies might be up your street.
Frae’s froyos have something for everyone; Keira Knightly and Sadie Frost being among its most popular customers. As its fan base grows, it’s not hard to see why. Not only does it greet passersby with velvety healthy delights, but its New York style laid-back design makes for a perfect summer’s day retreat.
The light and airy décor together with bare brick walls mimics a NYC open-loft. Its breakfast bar and cushioned bench offer a fresh and subtle take on ‘fast-food joints’ without the garish colours and greasy food, whilst its lime green stalls add vivacity to ordinary mundane ‘health food stores’. Ideal for a refreshing alternative to ice-cream on a balmy afternoon, its carefree ambiance and comfortable decor is also inviting to friends after a day’s shopping on the Camden Passage, an instant healthy snack ‘to-go’ or even, the perfect haven to escape this summer’s turbulent storms.
To top it off, Frae’s spoonful desert comes in eco-friendly packaging; spoons are made from potato and smoothie cups from corn, as well as bio-degrable coffee cups. Indeed, not only is Frae healthy it is also environmentally aware which will lighten anyone’s conscience when handing over the cash.
Frae also offers organic smoothies and fat-free coffees including their own ‘fraeppuchino’, offering its unique flavours to everyone whilst seemingly doing the impossible: making healthy snacks as delicious as our biggest sins.
Open from 11am till midnight everyday, Frae knows what the people of London want and it knows what we need. The summer may have let us down, but whatever the season, a froyo will be sure to lift our spirits day-in-day-out…without adding any inches to our waist.
Words Natasha Al-Atassi
ROOM WITH A REVIEW
There is only one word that springs to mind on entering the Victorian stone building. Glamour. Old school glamour. Set in the Venetian Gothic old Reform Club on one of Manchester’s most affluent shopping strips, I knew this would be a time-travelling treat but what a treat it was. Let’s just say, if the food was going to be as good as our first impressions then we were in for a very special night indeed.
Room is a restaurant like no other. Opened in 2005, it is set in a 19th Century Liberal Party Reform Club and simply oozes historical and architectural charm through its carved wood ceilings, giant marble fireplaces and unbelievably tall windows. Transcending the rich red spiral staircase is like taking a step back in history, met at the top with a seven foot bronze statue of former Prime Minister William Gladstone. I suddenly wished I had put my glad rags on to match the glamour of this special dining experience. Vaulted ornate ceilings and Timerous Beasties statement print wallpaper against deep rich coloured walls radiated the drama you would expect from this gothic structure.
So theatrical is Room’s period features and Victorian design that it is strangely and effortlessly, en vogue.
Indeed, the clear attempts at making this centurion building contemporary with retro motifs and modern fixtures makes this bistro an archetype for vintage chic. The three gigantic lipstick-red lamp shades that must measure my height in diameter hanging boldly in the dining room, the centrepiece bar with Tom Cruise-esque cocktail staff whisking up exotic drinks for up to 70 guests, and the many club lights delicately draped from the ornate ceiling all made these pieces of history come alive in this paradoxical environment, relishing in fairytale glamour.
Black square dining tables are placed beside the twenty / thirty foot long narrow windows in orderly lines whilst in the bar, leather poofs and bar stools are scattered around giving an ambiance of frivolous pleasure and relaxed, yet sophisticated, jamborees, of which we saw many.
Room is refreshingly unpretentious, despite its refined design and upmarket location, situated on Manchester’s affluent King Street, next to the pricey Agent Provocateur and opposite designer store, Vivienne Westwood. It suits its young professional clientele tastefully, without the slightest hint of snobbery and though its menu may be pricey for a regular night off, for a classy do, it demands just the right amount of cash to splash. Everyone was here to have a good time with their partner or with their friends; albeit an urbane and chic one. And urbane and chic, Room most definitely pulled off.
Still, it’s not the decoration we came to enjoy: it was the food. Hard as it is to believe with its rich, exuberant and plush decor, it is the food which is Room’s pièce de resistance. The philosophy behind Room’s cuisine is simple yet effective: reinventing traditional British dishes into sparkling new Michelin-esque pieces of creative magnificence. It isn’t an easy feat but one that Room accomplishes brilliantly. Taking old (and often, mundane) cuisines such as ‘Lancashire Hot Pot’ and transforming the haggard dishes into plates of artistic and sensory pleasure, something quite unlike the original concept.
We were warmly greeted by the very helpful and attentive staff, performing serving etiquette you only find at The Ritz; pouring wine as only wine should be poured, with style, grace and an inch of anticipation. The wine list was meticulously crafted – well chosen tipples to match the traditional dishes flawlessly. Prices start from £25 a bottle but there’s always a choice to purchase a ‘cheeky’ wine for as much as £100, or if you’re really pushing the boat out there’s always Louis Roederer Cristal for £230.
Picking from the exciting menu wasn’t easy as dishes were accompanied by completely contrasting descriptions: ‘Paté on Toast’ became ‘Parfait, Mango, Gingerbread’ and Niçoise Salad, ‘Rare Tuna, Japanese Radish, Quail Egg’. It was quite clear from the get-go that this was no pub-grub but rather cuisines of the highest quality and culinary genius.
Their take on old meals compliments the long-standing English history of the building. With a retro touch, both the decor and the food make a marvel out of their kitsch origins, making this restaurant anything but ordinary.
Starting with ‘Carpaccio’ (Seared Lamb, Feta Cheese, Pine Nuts; £6.50) I was pleasantly surprised. Adorned on a giant white plate were three small pieces of rare lamb chunks and a feta cheese salad. Though the pieces were rather miniscule á la Michelin, they were just right as part of a three-course meal. Still, the meat was beautiful succulent, contrasting perfectly against the salty fried feta and sharp parmesan shavings. My boyfriend’s Pea Soup (Sweet shallots, Mint, Ricotta; £4.50) was deliciously sweet and delectably creamy complimented by the caramelised shallots.
My main, ‘Surf & Turf’ (£17.50) was an innovative take on the usual scampi and steak recipe. The ‘hand dived scallops and crisp pork belly’ was an exciting combination of tender, melt-in-the-mouth meat and slippery smooth scallops. This unique interpretation of Surf & Turf worked wonders as the salty sharp scallops and crackling bacon pork made a surprisingly excellent marriage of flavours. My boyfriend’s ‘8oz Sirloin Steak with Fries and Peppercorn Sauce’ was dutifully juicy and tender, the quality of Room’s aged local meat shining through.
Dining at Room is most exciting when ordering dessert and this is not an experience to skip. The puddings that ‘mum used to make’ were completely revamped, bringing them freshly into the 21st Century. The difference between name and product was so distinct that choosing your dish is like playing Russian roulette; you never know what you’re going to get.
Choosing ‘Peanut Butter and Jam Sandwich’ (£5.50) for example, is nothing like the soggy white bread sandwich we remember eating as children. Instead, delicious moist bread and butter pudding is met with sharp raspberry sorbet that bursts with flavour. Full rich velvety cream panna cotta melts seductively in your mouth. A large peanut brittle is positioned delicately on top of the artistic arrangement of puddings adding crunchy texture to this creamy dessert, perfectly rounding off this ‘sandwich’. It exuded just the right balance between a warm winter pud and fresh summer fruits, the sharp sorbet cutting through the buttery moist dessert.
After being warned that the ‘Mango Lassi’ (Lemon and passion fruit tart; £5.50) wasn’t up to its usual standard due to a faulty oven, we were still blown away with the soft tart emboldened by the robust tangy zest of lemon.
Room’s thrilling and tantalising renovation of cuisines works successfully by confusing the palate so that it soaks in each aroma and flavour as though it had never experienced it before; reinvigorating the essence of these traditional flavours to create a virginal experience of tastes.
Every detail at Room has been carefully crafted to create vintage coolness. Though the food really serves its style delicately on a plate, it is also the overall ambiance that establishes its individuality. The extensive bar offering exclusive champagne cocktails, the mahogany rows of diners and the DJ spinning up-tempo jazz / soul tracks all befit its trendy clientele.
Room manages to combine antiquity with tasteful contemporary design, offering guests an exhilarating rush of dining innovation, amalgamating retro chic with Victorian class, etiquette and, evidently, ambition.
The overall ambiance of excellent service, exquisite food and legendary quarters made for a really special night; a good choice for a cocktail evening with work mates, or perfect for the complete wining and dining extravaganza .
That is, if you enjoy feeling spoiled as part of Manchester’s young, trendy and of course, glamorous, elite.
81 King Street, Manchester
Words Natasha Al-Atassi
GAUCHO GETS A GRILLING
“You must love me, you must love me!” The words sung by one of Argentina’s most famous exports, Eva Peron could not have rung more true when it comes to another iconic export, the Gaucho restaurants famed for their first-rate steaks.
As we stepped into the cavernous space occupied by Manchester’s Gaucho restaurant (an old Methodist church by all accounts), our carnivorous cravings were put aside for a brief moment as we took in the splendor of our surroundings. If AGENT2 was to take our style and taste and open a restaurant, this is pretty close to how we would expect it to look. From the inviting reception area, bar and sexy black leather padded walls which open up into a seating area with modern leather white couches and sleek low sofas, the entire restaurant epitomized great, contemporary style.
Gaucho has managed to retain the grandeur that you would expect when entering a former ‘home of god’ and its central area is accented with just enough cow skin to pay homage to its Argentinean roots without leaving you feeling like you are being overcome with an acute case of ‘Mad Cow’s Disease’. The organ creates a sense of theatre within the dining space and reminds you to watch your ‘p’s and q’s’ as you ponder the building’s former uses while the flashes of fiery red throughout the venue are enough of a nod to the hot, South American temperament.
As day wound its way into the evening and we took our seats for an early dinner, a calm hum was audible over the beats of the modern, Latin American music. The mix of diners in every corner of the 180 seated restaurant was as diverse as the different cuts of meat that were winging their way to diners’ tables to select their meaty treat beforehand. Vegetarians beware!
Last comment aside, there are vegetarian options (and pretty good ones at that) available on the menu at Gaucho but the cornerstone of their menu are the fantastic, organic, Argentinean steaks. Gaucho Restaurants serve only Argentine Aberdeen Angus beef. These cattle are reputed to be top-class thanks to the mild climate, rich soil and vast terrain on which they graze. More recently, the addition of ‘cerviches’, somewhat reminiscent of sushi but with a spin specific to the region has added a more diverse flavor to the menu for those who crave more than meat.
Cuts of meat come in a variety of weights from 225g to 400g – larger sizes can be ordered on request should you have a Tyrannosaurus Rex in your dining party. All steaks are cooked to your taste and the highly trained and helpful staff can recommend the optimum cooking choice for each cut of meat.
At Gaucho restaurants the steaks are all cooked in the traditional Argentine way. By only turning the steak once, there is a greater caremelisation of the crust sealing the meat and enhancing the flavour, as the juices cannot escape. We would highly recommend he Churrasco cut, a spiral cut piece of meat marinated for 24 hours in a mixture of garlic, herbs and corn oil. Served with arguably the tastiest chips we’ve eaten and a side order of sweet peas and bacon we were left with only one option, loosen one belt notch before we tackled our dessert of pancakes and cheesecake with a topping of heavenly dulce de leche.
Gaucho’s vast wine list includes the Terruno, their own label which represents the Latin grape varieties. Many other Argentinian wines are also available, in particular the Vida Chenin, a delicate and clean cut wine. Its subtle tinges of honey make it an ideal accompianment to the tender meat. There’s also an impressive array of fine and rare wines but prices are steep with a bottle of 2000 Malbec setting you back over £110. The cocktail focus shifts to the Americas which provides Latin spirit if you’re in the mood for a party.
Gaucho successfully provides a clear indication of Argentina’s mixed heritage, with its Spanish chorizo dishes, its Italian risotto, French oysters and Latin American passion. This unique mix of culture is both exemplified and complimented in Gaucho’s design, menu and atmosphere. The variety of food and wine is unbeatable whilst still creating top class local dishes with rich exported ingredients making your culinary trip from Patagonia through to Buenos Aires a rather inexpensive affair. Its contemporary clean cut finish does not detract from its authenticity and it succeeds in remaining genuine to Argentina with its excellent food and quality ingredients.
Gaucho is a reputable showcase of fine Argentinian produce but more importantly, with its Latin American spirit it is most definitely a memorable night out.
Words Graham Gartside-Bernier
OPUS STRIKES THE RIGHT CHORD
A quiet Tuesday evening in Manchester city centre found my dining companion and I looking forward to wending our ways somewhat expectantly to the Opus One restaurant in the 5 star Radisson Edwardian Hotel on Peter Street. I had heard a variety of opinions about it in the past, from the glorious to the disparaging, so I was keen to put paid to hearsay and sample their wares first hand. A pre-dining read of their website assured me that, “From the day it opened, Opus One has been one of Manchester’s liveliest and most popular restaurants. Under the direction of Head Chef, Russell Brown, Opus One serves innovative modern British food that blends the best of local produce, presented in a modern, contemporary way.” Sounded promising, what’s not to like about a modern take on classic British with the local slant that is currently and justifiably apropos of late?
We were sat at our table by an awesome Maitre’D who clearly revelled in good old fashioned service that was mega efficient and mega attentive without being overly intrusive – and we duly revelled is this service style of he and his team, which lent a sense of occasion to the evening without making it stuffy or overly formal. Once our drinks order had been taken and the wine and water poured for us, first up to the table came an appetiser of Tomato Bruschetta with the compliments of the Chef and we were heartily grateful for this nice touch, as our stomachs were beginning to yearn as they do when anticipating a pleasing feeding session. This bitesized titbit set the high standard for things to come, beautifully presented on a slab of cool black slate, with a tomato slice, a sliver of pancetta and a richly flavoursome balsamic chutney piled artfully atop the bruschetta and peaked with parmesan shavings.
Swiftly along came the starters following the appetiser. As with each course, there was just the right amount of waiting time to allow for the savouring of the last and preparation for the next and the Maitre’D seemed to know exactly where each and every one of his diners were at any given moment during the meal, holding back service momentarily if someone had popped away from their table. I had chosen the Trio of Haddock Rarebit, Haddock Cannelloni & Omelette Arnold Bennett @ £5.25, which constituted a rather spectacular little masterpiece on a platter, the haddock cannelloni in particular being rich with a plentiful creamy based spinach sauce, perfect for dunking the plain and simple omelette. My dining companion went for the Caramelised Onion & Wild Mushroom Tart with Pea Shoots & Herb Salad @ £5.75, a generous slice, a firm pastry and savoury yet sweet filling topped with the crispy accompaniments – there was perhaps a touch too much tarragon in the filling which gave a prevalent aniseed flavour, but the dish wasn’t ruined by this, just a matter of personal preference. Our starters were accompanied by lovely, doughy, baked freshly on the premises warm bread rolls, white, brown or cheese flavoured, with a home made scone texture and lashings of butter – comfort on a plate!
The piece de resistance of the entire dinner was my main course – the Pressed Pork Belly with Sage Gnocchi & Apple Turnover @ £16.50, proved to be a perfect combination of flavours and textures. The pork belly was cooked to perfection, with the soft fatty meat juxtaposed with the crunchy crackling as it should be. The small sweet apple turnover provided a quirky accompaniment and alternative to plain old apple sauce. The sage gnocchi was the only mild disappointment out of the three components, flavoursome but a little too suet and stodgy. My dining companion tucked in to the Pea, Broad Bean & Soft Herb Risotto with Free Range Poached Hens Egg @ £14.50, a very satisfactory risotto, vegetables bursting with freshness and the egg poached to perfection, but slightly lacking in taste and refinement. We accompanied our main courses with side dishes of Wilted Spinach and Honey Roasted Root Vegetables @ £2.85 each. It is relevant to mention that my dining companion has been a vegetarian for many years and that, whilst this is not directed solely at Opus One – on the contrary, it is intrinsic to most if not all good quality restaurants and always has been – the vegetarian dishes always seem to be of secondary importance to meat and fish, not taken seriously and just a nod at non-carnivores, leaving the vegetarian diner feeling short changed. It was true to say of Opus One that this was apparent and compared to my Pork Belly feast, the risotto didn’t represent value for money in comparison.
However, being ever the dessert pundit, my compardree’s feeling of neglect about the main course was all but obliterated by the Mixed Chocolate Desserts @ £4.95, in the form of a cacophony of cocoa rich delights comprising a torte, a cheesecake and a brownie – a generous though not overfacing portion of each truly added up to equal chocolate heaven! I, being aware that my eyes were in danger at this point of being bigger than my belly, plumped for the Iced Coconut Parfait with Pink Grapefruit Sorbet, also @ £4.95. The appealing slab of parfait I likened to a chilled centre of a Bounty bar but not quite so dense, more like half ice cream half coconut. I was a bit disappointed that it was too frozen and hard in the centre, but chipped away at the delicious outsides, as the pink grapefruit sorbet scoop on top on the parfait melted down the sides, adding the right balance of sherbet flavoured piquancy to offset the parfait’s richness and cleanse the palate.
We finished off with coffees and still more to come with the unexpected arrival of marbled milk and white chocolate discs drizzled with a raspberry coulis to send us on our way. And I must say that we left very impressed at what we had just experienced. We had been slightly cynical about eating in a ‘hotel restaurant’, very few of which manage to exist as stand alone businesses other than catering to hotel residents and conference delegates, but Opus One seems to have done a great job at bucking this difficult trend. It is a cavernous space, but there is a warmth and relaxing ambience about it, assisted by the adjoining bar from which lively music filters through but is not intrusive. The floor to ceiling glass windows overlooking Peter Street also set it apart and encourage passing trade in a way that many other hotel restaurants lacking a ‘shop frontage’ fail. It is well suited for either intimate or large group dining and there was an equal mix of each during our visit. Importantly, amidst the difficult trading conditions currently being experienced in the hospitality industry, we didn’t feel we had been ripped of with inflated 5 star hotel prices, as the cost of the meal for the quality we were served was very comparable to other good city centre restaurants.
We would happily revisit Opus One and recommend others to try it if they haven’t already had the pleasure of doing so. And perhaps they will consider championing some vegetarian delights for us for next time?!?!
Words Judith Rafferty
FANCY A SNOG THIS SUMMER?
Just when I thought I’d seen it all, I pass the very word that brings me right back to my dreaded teenage years: “Snog.” There it is, in florescent pink letters flashing above me. But this was not a horrible dream of yesteryear that would result in waking up in a hot sweat. This was the new buzz word and craze that has swept our capital. Like a smack on the lips, Snogging was back and it tasted good.
It turns out that in the noughties, ‘Snog’ no longer refers to long sloppy kisses and has a new definition altogether. Within clear windows and pink walls the phrase has been reinvented into South Kensington’s very own frozen yoghurt shop.
The first frozen yoghurt outlet to be launched in the UK, Snog has taken the capital by storm. So popular is the healthy snack that this March saw Snog open its second store in trendy SoHo, ‘bringing the joy of Snogging to central London’.
It seems that icecream is now out. Frozen yoghurt is the new delicious summer-time snack. Boasting an array of yummy flavours without the calories of our favourite sugary snacks, there are now many reasons to Snog.
Whilst frozen yoghurt has been around for years, Snog has launched back into popularity with vengeance. Using only fresh non-fat organic yoghurt and organic skimmed milk, a 100g serving contains no fat, no artificial sweeteners or colouring and only 72 calories. Toppings of fruit, nuts and seeds also provide health benefits to the young crowd. And for all those without a calorific care in the world, there are still the ‘naughty snogs’ made with chocolate yoghurt and gluten-free brownie or cookie.
In a health-conscious society Snog is a dieter’s dream; a healthy snack with all the joy of an indulgent Mr. Whippy. And yet, it is not only its innovative selection that grabs those passers-by. It is its unique and quirky design.
Patrons of the original Kensington store will be used to effervescent ceilings, bright pinks and glass walls but Cinomod Studio, designers of the outlets, have gone all out with their second attempt. Quirky and modern, the ‘bubble’ ceiling is a novel lighting feature comprised of 200 glass bulbs whilst a gleaming white counter stretches the full length of the store hosting the sweet delights for all to see. Marcel Wander’s Shitake stools against Snog’s curved pink walls symbolise a design that has made the snogging craze spread like wild fire with stores in Covent Garden and Westfield opening in the next few months.
Snog’s funky designs, healthy snacks and clever slogans such as ‘I fancy a snog’ and ‘Snogging is good for you’ does all to tick the teenage boxes.
And for the rest of us: delicious flavours and healthy ingredients means that as the warm weather (slowly) creeps around the corner, we all might be snogging this summer.
Yummy, funny and frivolous, it’s about the best damn snog I’ve ever had.
Words Natasha Al-Atassi Images Snog
A ‘DOUGH’ THAT IS SURE TO KEEP ON RISING
Walking through the dark deserted streets, I wasn’t sure what to expect – how could one of the city’s upcoming trendy restaurants be hidden between the kebab shops and takeaways in this seemingly abandoned neighbourhood? However, when my eyes feasted upon the decadent Dickens-esque building I knew I had stumbled upon something truly exclusive.
Set in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, Dough compounds the area’s trendy reputation amongst young professionals that could catapult it into the bustling streets of New York’s SoHo with ease.
And this stylish quality is apparent immediately – for customers innocently passing this vintage 20th Century building become immediately charmed by Dough’s flame-red doors.
I was immediately charmed by Dough’s flame-red doors.
With your rose-tinted shades now firmly on, the open-plan restaurant expands into every design enthusiast’s dream. Crisp white paint on sharp-edged walls, floor-to-ceiling windows that seems to expand the square tables onto the cold empty streets, and soft red stage lighting that warms the clean-cut monochrome arena and brings the open kitchen rightfully to centre stage.
Being politely walked to our seats, the chessboard floor simultaneously transported us somewhere between Alice-in-Wonderland and an authentic eatery in the heart of Napoli.
The combined product of design gurus Astill Associates and DEDass who branded the Dough kitchen was evidently intended to give customers a totally unique creative atmosphere whilst exuding Italian authenticity.
The open ovens and over-sized Gaggia coffee machines screamed Italy with every steam whistle.
But Astill’s unique design of the restaurant was as much on the menu as the food. The creative detail was unmatched, from the central breakfast bar which catered for the single 20-something-year-old clientele, the modern art canvases on the walls, its low ceilings and alcoves alluding to its ‘underground’ location to the abundance of plants delicately laced with red fairy lights, which gave this art-deco room a contrasting and comforting earthy vibe. No stone here was left untouched.
And of course, the same principle went for the food. Its menu reads like a recent census of cultural variety, which initially seemed strange for a pizzeria. However, I, and as the waiter confessed, many others were intrigued with the unusual choices on offer making the like of ‘Morrocan Lamb’ pizza amongst the most popular.
Having only opened in November 2008, Dough is already a firm favourite amongst Manchester’s creative crowd but its inexpensive menu succeeds in inviting those who appreciate style and quality food without the hefty price tag. This credit crunch menu started with a bowl of marinated olives from £1.95.
Eager to tuck in to the fresh ingredients seen in the open-kitchen we chose ‘Garlic Prawns’ and ‘Cured Meats in Red Wine’.
Arriving in their mock cast-iron bowls, I began to see that artistry extended beyond the ‘60s monochrome décor. The first taste of my South-East Asian-style prawns burst through my mouth with the explosion of citrus cutting through the heat and spice in the chills, peppers and fresh coriander, transporting me straight onto Thailand’s breathtaking beaches. The cured meats offered exactly the opposite experience but no less satisfying: the succulent heat of the thick chorizo and salamis steamed with spice and depth of the wholesome paprika stewing in its rich natural juices. For less than £5 each, this was a delicious start to our evening.
Soon after the rich scents of our meals greeted us – ‘Asian Chicken’ pizza (£7.25) and ‘Piccante’ (£6.45) served on Dough’s speciality whole-wheat bases. The restaurant’s appreciation for today’s special dieter is also shown through the gluten free, dairy free and whole-wheat choice of pizzas, thus bringing pizza back to people who otherwise could not eat it. This menu has launched Dough into the future, attracting customers away from the nearby popular Pizza Express and Croma.
Served on crispy dough bases and polished with their speciality pasata made from plum, cherry and sun blushed tomatoes, the medium sized pizzas were sprinkled with an abundance of ingredients.
The ‘Asian Chicken’s’ combination of chicken, chilli, limes, cashew nuts, peppers, red onions, mozzarella, coriander and crème fraiche sounded scrumptious if not slightly ambitious. The reality meant that whist individually the flavours were fresh and tasty, the combination was rich and sharp yet strangely sweet. Together with the pomodoro base, this Asian-Italian fusion failed to strike and didn’t create the firework of satisfaction that the ‘Piccante’ succeeded in.
Biting through the succulent chunks of chorizo, rich red flavours oozed out of this more traditional Mediterranean meal. Complimenting the peppery tomato sauce, the spicy meat gives this pizza a fiery kick that creates a Spanish bull-ride on your palate. The wholewheat base only added to this traditional pizza, deepening its already intense flavour making it feel as though you were eating it straight out of Nonna’s kitchen.
This juxtaposition with Dough’s unique radical alternatives illustrates its conflict between contemporary and traditional. However, here it seemed that like its clean-cut décor, simplicity was the key.
This was certainly shown with the delectable helping of Tiramisu and Blueberry Cheesecake (both £4.25). Though the presentation was a feature itself with chocolate dust sprinkled delicately all over the desert, the taste of the Tiramisu was familiarly soft and light with layers of sweet cappuccino cream. Likewise, the cheesecake was just as it should be, with a crunchy biscuit base, bittersweet fresh blueberries and sharp cream-cheese, as though it had been made in a swanky cocktail bar in New York City.
And as we left Dough’s trendy interior onto the cold streets outside, this is exactly how it felt – as though this inconspicuous hideaway amongst the Northern Quarter’s concealed bars could have been a favourite of Woody Allen or Cher in her heyday; one that you know will soon fall to the prey to the bustling city’s crowd.
An authentic Italian trattoria it is not, but Dough succeeds in creating a chic, eclectic design and a fusion of flavours in this multi-cultural society that is now Britain.
And it does so with incredible grace and impeccable style.
Words: Natasha Al-Atassi
