Address: 15 The Pavement, London, Clapham SW4 0HY
Telephone: 020 7622 4165

http://the-dairy.co.uk/

We had heard so much about this restaurant that we really wanted to try it but you need to be determined as booking is tough. We decided to celebrate and event – a friend leaving his job for pastures new and so this was booked a long time in advance. This is a small restaurant spilling out onto the pavement (in two ways). There is a narrow bar that opens to a small set of tables and an open kitchen. The waiters are helpful when you catch their eye but it is loud so for a conversation you need to lean into the table. It’s also a bit dark, so apologies for the photographs.

To reduce the decision making we went for the tasting menu. There are four main courses (snacks, sea, land and dessert) and an optional cheese course. It is all too long to explain in any detail. Snacks come in the form of olives, eel and crispy anchovy but of special note is the smoked bone marrow butter and soughdough which comes hot in a little hessian bag.

The sea was skate in a dashi sauce with lemon and smoked eel with black garlic and onions. The descriptions are much better than this! We were really impressed by this course both were really different and even though we are not great fans of skate we finished every bit.

The land course was blackface lamb rump, smoked aubergine, pressed shoulder and miso. In this case whether it had a black face or not didn’t seem relevant and we were glad that they didn’t give it a name as well. But it was delicious.

At the dessert course we had choices – we chose apricot kernel panna cotta with green almonds and salted caramel with malted barley ice cream. The salted caramel was lovely.

We did enjoy the meal and the company. If it is an intimate dinner for two then go somewhere else. To impress a first date then this is definitely the place to go. Lots going on and lots to discuss. The bill was large – the tasting menu is £45.00. For four people the whole bill came to £313.30 including a couple of bottles of more expensive wine, an extra cheese course for three of us and 12.5% service charge …. so this is definitely somewhere special for a celebration.

Coldharbour Lane, (corner of Somerleyton Road)

Brixton, London, SW9 8Q

Open: every Saturday & Sunday

This market lies just opposite Brixton Village and the erstwhile laundry. It is hard to miss as it is in the open space in Coldharbour Lane with the famous anti-nuclear missile mural. It seems to be run by the same people as the night market and so isn’t so much a market as a set of food stalls, extending the offering of Brixton at the weekend.

We visited on both a Saturday lunchtime and Sunday afternoon. There were about 6 food stall and two selling local beers and a lot of tables and chairs – a much better option than outside the Ritzy where there was nowhere to perch except some steps. It was of course sunny on our visit and all these open air venues look different under a grey sky but it was pleasant and well used. But we can’t say what food stall you will get as they changed between each visit.

I ate an Aloo Roti (the veggie option of potatoes with a minty yoghourt dressing and one chili and coriander which was very hot). This came from the No 53 stall which has a bus on its logo. While I was waiting I learned a lot about skill development as one of the customers was receiving good advice from the chef about local options of courses. My partner chose lots of meat and some vegetables from another stall.

There was another roti stall and on one visit tried the pulled pork roti – which was slightly sweet (as most of the food was). Beware the sauce gathers at the bottom and squirts as you get down to the last mouthfuls. Paella, a staple for Sunday lunch in Andalucía, was available, and on the same stall pasta and sauces. This one looked good but it we were too full to try.

Definitely the best food came from the caravan selling burgers and other meat dishes. I chose belly pork with rocket and onion marmalade in an olive ciabatta. Not only was this enough for two but was a cut above everything else on offer. All meals are cooked to order and your Monterey jack on the burger is flamed to make it melt. They offer bacon and chili sauce as well as tomato. We will definitely revisit and, as the burger truck was around on both our visits, our readers should try it too.

The beers on offer are mostly local with alcohol from 4% to 8% so buyer beware. We are sure that given the popularity of Brixton as a go to venue this place is going to be a godsend to those groups who can’t decide which restaurant to go to. This way all your mates can still sit together but try different cuisines. The cost is about £5.00 to £7.00 for a meal and a little less for alcohol depending on what type and which stall.