LOCATIONJust opposite the Almeida theatre in Islington
DETAILSThe quirky fit-out at the Islington restaurant is wonderfully contemporary and fresh with white-washed walls, rough-hewn timber floors, and a long, thick white communal table encircled by an eclectic mix of bright white and orange chairs. There are also smaller two-seater tables that line the side-wall, but the communal table is definitely the way to go. It features hip, brightly-coloured toasters plugged into power chords that dangle from the ceiling, so you can toast your freshly baked sourdough at the table to your liking. Brilliant.
FOOD & BEVERAGEThe food is familiar, yet highly innovative, drawing on an abundance of culinary traditions, with a focus on the Mediterranean basin and its colourful produce like lemon, pomegranate, garlic and chilli. It is difficult to describe the Ottolenghi menu without it sounding delicious, because it is completely delicious. Israeli-born pastry chef Yotam Ottolegnhi fixation with preparing food and indulging in it drives his passion to invent, so diners are left licking their chilli-spiced lips with the likes of roasted aubergine with turmeric yoghurt, fried onion, curry leaves, mustard seeds, chilli and coriander, and other ‘from the counter’ delicacies like poached quince with Roquefort, pecans, pickled red onion, rocket and balsamic and orange blossom dressing. Other main-meals include a tea-smoked duck breast with fig and kalamata tapenade, sweet potato cake, walnut and spice port reduction that is robust in flavour as well as the jerk-spiced quail with coconut and chilli spinners and watercress and cucumber salad. Ottolegnhi is known for its tasty sweets so save room for legendary flourless chocolate tea-cakes or the famed passionfruit cupcakes. Menus change daily and follow the rhythm of the seasons.