Pidgin (Hackney)

• 35 set menu of just four courses challenges the commonly held misconception that a choice of a large number of dishes is automatically a good thing
• A no choice four course meal that evolved from a supper club with a menu that changes weekly
• A restaurant with only 25 covers there are two people working front of house and three people in the kitchen
• Otherwise service was very good and knowledgeable about the food
• We started with good sour dough and butter
• The butter was flavored with powdered corn that was quite subtle
• The starter was the only dish that didn't work
• The shiso granita was too sweet for me and the dish needed a savory counter point
• Also replacing some of the sugar in the granita with vodka (both sugar and alcohol act to prevent granita from freezing too solid) would have improved the dish
• The main on the other hand was very successful
• Pink pan fried slices of lamb neck with tiny cubes of pan fried nduja
• Crunchy deep fried chick peas were the best chick peas I have ever had
• A blackened charred spring onion was outrageously tasty
• This came garnished with a few leaves
• Deep fried chick peas might be a dangerous splattering mess best left to the proffesionals
• Tonight's little treat were warm madeleines
• We shared a glass of the cheapest white with the fish course which was beautifully floral
• A few weeks ago I was invited to a wild mushroom dinner at Heirloom restaurant in Crouch End
• Wonderful staff and the food was incredible
• Food is of a very high standard and the staff are always so friendly and helpful

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