From dining out at Daphne’s in Brompton Cross and The Dyart in Petersham to the perfect summer tastes and tipples, Sudi Pigott rounds up the best foodie news in South West London this August
Daphne’s beetroot & goat’s cheese salad
DAPHNE’S CHELSEA CELEBRATES 50 YEARS
It’s hard to imagine Daphne’s is 50 years old. I had no idea it had been started by a theatre agent named Daphne Rye who discovered Richard Burton! Its’ glamorous, airy facelift by Scott’s designer Martin Brudnizki with lots of eau de nil and great artwork makes it a most beguiling place to re-visit and the expanded menu offers plenty of Italian classics and new salad dishes that are perfect for sunny lunching.
I loved my perfectly prepared vitello tonnato – ultra-thin slices of veal with a tuna and anchovy mayonnaise and capers and a sophisticated chilled pea and mint soup. Chargrilled squid comes with a smartly piquant aubergine caponata and was perfectly partnered by irresistible thin strips of deep-fried courgettes and a beautifully hued salad of nectarine, red chicory, radicchio, coppa ham, robiola cheese and almonds – an idea I’m definitely copying at home.
Charming service makes a visit feel both homely Italian and deeply chic and special. The conservatory with retracting roof can be used as a private dining space for up to 40 seated/50 for cocktails.
Daphne’s, 112 Draycott Avenue, London SW3 3AE 0207 307 5903; daphnes-restaurant.co.uk
Daphne’s bar, photograph by Paul-Winch Furness
GAZPACHO FOR HIGH SUMMER LUNCH
Come high summer and I am craving gazpacho. Though it is best to make my own, when I’m feeling lazy I seek out a carton from Balham-based Brindisa. Their recipe manages to get just the right intensity of sun-ripened tomatoes, with cucumber, red and green peppers, extra-virgin olive oil and a good dose of sherry vinegar.
It is like Andulucian sunshine in a bowl. £4.95 a litre. brindisa.com
UNOCO’S RAW COCONUT WATER IS A PURE THIRST QUENCHER
Unoco’s Raw Coconut Water really tastes of young green, fleshy coconut. Rather than being pasturised it is given the latest high pressure processing treatment (in a waterbath with 1000s of pressure points per square cm) so its’ natural flavour and properties are retained. It is the anti-oxidents that turn the water pink. It is rich in minerals especially potassium and magnesium that help enhance hydration so good for post exercise or as a hangover remedy or for this very hot weather, though it does contain natural sugars, so drink in moderation. A clever twist on the coconut water trend by Putney resident Hamish McCall. £2.45 for 250 ml, planetorganic.com
The Dysart Petersham is worth a visit
THE DYSART, PETERSHAM
Petersham may be strictly beyond SW Resident’s postcode but The Dysart over-looking Richmond Park is such an exquisite gem both architecturally and gastronomically that I just have to share it. By train and a short bus ride, it is a mere half an hour from Clapham Junction. Owned by the Taylor family, who’ve completely renovated the gorgeous Arts & Crafts building with its mullioned windows and widely-spaced spaced elegant wooden tables, they believe passionately in working with artisan producers, are members of the Slow Food Chef Alliance, use only wild fish and have their own forager. Roux Scholar chef Kenneth Culhane upholds such principles with sophisticated, beautifully balanced and restrained dishes that combine his interest in Asian techniques (he trained with Tetseya Wakuda and Jean Georges Vongerichten) with utilising the best ultra-seasonal produce.
Kenneth Culhane, head chef The Dysart Petersham
Even the soda bread with wondrous crust is so delectable served with fennel butter I polished off the lot. Stand-out dishes include charred mackerel with kombu infused daikon, ginger and champagne, scallops with fennel, wakame, roasted popcorn dashi broth and tamarind Challans duck, black radish and hibiscus jus. Ice creams are sensational too especially raspberry and rose and miso salted caramel.
Weekday lunches and suppers Mon-Thurs are a remarkable £18.50 2 courses, £22.50 3 courses. The tasting menu is £49.50. Wines are superb with interesting English wines by the glass. The Dysart has monthly Sunday evening recitals £12 with a glass of wine, £30.50 for 2 courses post concert. Friday and Saturday evenings exceptionally talented classical pianists play unobtrusively adding to the cerebral atmosphere.
135 Petersham Road TW10 7AA; 020 8940 8005; thedysartpetersham.co.uk
THREE OF THE BEST SUMMER TIPPLES
Caipirinha Fizz based on Brazilian cachaca cocktail yet containing wine as well as lime and cachaca rum. I thought the lime cordial flavour was rather too dominant, but it does make for a refreshing, zesty different drink with a satisfyingly low alcohol content and price £4.99 marks-and-spencer.com
The family behind Mirabeau wines used to live in Wandsworth and still sell masses online to the locality. I love their top end Pure Mirabeau: a pale pink blend of Grenache and more punchy Syrah with wonderful cherry and raspberry flavourings and a smattering of Vermentino to provide delicacy and a hit of white pepper. It is has good minerality, a hint of garrigue and elegant finesse too. A wine that whispers rather than shouts. £11.61 thesampler.co.uk
A guilt-free rose champagne with 0% sugar sounds almost too good to be true but Tribaut Skinny Rose de Reserve Extra Brut Finest Fizz is just that. It has a complex nose, good biscuity depth and plenty of strawberry and raspberry notes in the taste. Good to drink on its own or with a summery supper such as wild sea trout. £38.00 Buy from www.finestfizz.biz who specialise in small artisan champagne houses.