Restaurants

By Charmaine Mok

Last year we tipped Maria Elia as one of the chefs to watch in 2009. Formerly of the excellent Delfina restaurant in Bermondsey, she was meant to be launching a vegetarian brasserie in Brick Lane, dubbed ‘Love Life Stories’. But that project wasn’t to be. After nine months of preparation, the planning permission for the building still hadn’t come through; the plans came unstuck. Luckily for Elia, the Whitechapel Gallery was looking for a chef. She’s landed on her feet, just around the corner – albeit this time working for a contract caterer.

The Whitechapel Gallery Dining Room is a good-looking place, if a bit cramped. A space perhaps better suited to 20 to 30 covers has squeezed in 40 seats; don’t come here for private conversation. Our neighbours – a group of well-to-do over-60s – seemed satisfied with the elegance of the room, admiring the smooth wood detailing, mirrored wall panels and heavy, streamlined light fixtures.

The menu’s a far cry from the ‘Modern British’ slant currently so popular in other museum and gallery eateries: rich spicing and Mediterranean influences feature strongly here, in combination with local and seasonal British ingredients. We started off well, with a delicately mousse-like smoked eel pâté paired with tangy marinated beets and a few firm pieces of eel. Wild garlic, leek and potato soup was a comforting course – although veering dangerously close towards a sloppy purée, its flavours were clear and distinct.

Mains are priced rather high, with the cheapest of four options being the single vegetarian option (‘textures’ of heritage carrots, with pancake, baklava, soup and houmous) at £13.50; our dish of chargrilled lamb with a braised lamb shoulder parcel cost a staggering £17.75. Lest you expect some veg on your plate for that price, you won’t get it – sides, such as ‘smashed’ spuds with crème fraîche, or steamed greens with lemon oil and toasted almonds, will set you back an additional £4.50.

Elia’s vibrancy shone through though, despite the parsimonious servings and enthusiastic pricing. The highlight of the lamb dish was the braised lamb shoulder meat encased in filo pastry, studded with preserved lemons and dates – a taste of Meditteranean sun. Less successful were the accompanying chickpea chips, which resembled dry Jenga blocks rather than than golden, crisp chips.

A dish of roasted rabbit with a caper, rosemary and sage stuffing served with a white bean purée, roasted fennel and gravy was not much of a looker, being various shades of brown and beige. But it was far from bland; the rosemary and sage overpowered (in both flavour and quantity) the tender rabbit.

As our neighbours went into raptures about the treacle tart, we were left confused by our rose-scented macaroon with roasted rhubarb and white chocolate parfait – what came out on our plate was unrecognisable from the smooth domes of these traditional French almond cookies, being pockmarked and crisp. The tart rhubarb, however, was a fine match with the sweetness of the creamy white chocolate parfait.

We ate here in the opening week, when the 20 per cent opening discount felt like an admission that the place was still only 80 per cent ready. Some of the hiccups we experienced can be forgiven and will be resolved as the kitchen works them out. Front of house has already got it down to a tee, the service being welcoming, helpful and cheerful; and for a gallery eatery, it’s a decent place to dine.

Time Out April 2009