sandwich, times that by 100 and add all of the beautiful childhood memories that co- incide and you have an idea of what it tasted like. Needless to say, I made reserva- tions right away. By my next visit, I was ready to try any-


thing and everything. Tat’s exactly what we did. We started off with their interpre- tation of moin-moin with red prawns and black garlic, dambu nama (shredded and fried beef ) with whipped bone marrow and fried plantains with a scotch bonnet emulsion. For my main dish, I had their Wagyu beef served with broccoli rabe, glazed with a reduction of smoked eel bones and a side of smoked crab jollof rice. Every part of my meal was better then


the last. If you are looking for a traditional West African meal, this isn’t the place. Ikoyi is more a celebration and expression of West African cuisine. Awarded their first Michelin star last autumn, within the first year of opening, I think it is safe to say this is a place worth trying.


Name Ikoyi. Neighbourhood Mayfair. Cuisine West African. Reservations Needed. Price £££ Tip Don’t skip the starters.


Israeli


Te next stop on our journey around the world takes us to Jerusalem. Yotam Ottolenghi is well known for highlighting Middle Eastern flavours and dishes. A few years ago, I was teaching cooking classes at Sur La Table and we had a class dedicated to him. I was in awe of how beautiful his cookbook was, but also how approachable it was for everyone. Ottolenghi and his partner Sami Tamimi represent the Palestinian–Israeli divide, having grown up just miles from each other on opposite sides of the conflict. Tey combine the subtle differences in their cooking in a magical way. Ottolenghi now has three cookbooks


and five delis and restaurants, each with amazing reviews. His most recent restau- rant opening is Rovi, which has a focus on vegetables, fermentation and open fire. As I mentioned before, I am a true carnivore so I am always skeptical about restaurants that hold vegetables as the highlight. My first bite of the crumpet lobster toast with kumquat and chili, completely changed my expectations. In fact, not all of the dishes on the menu are vegetarian, how- ever there is a great amount of effort put into making sure that each dish is balanced and each vegetable is anything but an af- terthought. Te corn ribs were fun and playful, cut


off the cob but still attached in one piece, they were then grilled and served with smoked salt and an apricot puree. Te beef carpaccio had great flavour with raw and cooked beets as well as homemade soft goat’s cheese. Te most surprising and pleasant part of the night was the celeriac shawarma. Grilled celeriac served with fer- mented tomatoes and Tunisian pkaila on a homemade roll. I was meant to share it but couldn’t stop eating it. It was so meaty without having any meat in it. In fact, I’m drooling as I write about it. While the menu does change regularly,


luckily the crumpet and the celeriac shawarma are always on the menu. Te cocktails are also something to experience. Te Tutti Frutti Tommy is a little too easy to drink and the Lucky Dip with vodka in- fused with oranges in-house is refreshing and tasty. Next time you are in Fitzrovia, make sure to stop in.


Name Rovi Cuisine Middle Eastern Neighborhood Fitzrovia Reservation Yes but walk-ins welcome Price $$ Tip Te celeriac shawarma is a must.


6 FOCUS The Magazine January/February 2019 www.focus-info.org


Japanese


Our last stop on this leg around this world brings us to one of my favorites… Japan. After working at Morimoto, my standards are high as I came to understand and ap- preciate the skill and craftmanship that goes in to being a great Japanese chef. A lot of our fish was shipped over night as soon as it was caught from Japan to Philadelphia. Sushi chefs are trained by being given only a few tasks to complete day in and day out until they have shown perfection and efficiency. In many cases, only two people are allowed to make the sushi rice. You are likely to start with just chopping herbs, then promoted to just being allowed to scale the fish, then clean- ing oysters and scallops. Eventually, you are allowed to cut fish once your knife skills are at a certain level. In ramen restau- rants, the time and effort put into making the perfect broth and noodles is immense. Roka is the best Japanese restaurant I have been to in London so far. Like many restaurants in Mayfair, Roka


is a place to be seen. It is a very busy restaurant, so if you are looking for a quiet and intimate dinner, this is not the place.


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