Time Out rating:
<strong>Rating: </strong>4/5
User ratings:
<strong>Rating: </strong>4/5
Rate this
Time Out says
Thu Jul 12 2012
It could easily have gone wrong. They could have gone with 'Elysian Fields', or down the populist route of 'Field of Dreams'. But this new addition to the London Fields café-restaurant scene is named after William Taylor's 2001 book about Spitalfields, which is doubly appropriate as it's linked to the florist's shed across the road, whose main branch is at Spitalfields.
A smart start is followed up by a just-so, studiedly casual scrubbed wood and white tiled space filled with pretty pots of lavender, where the water jugs come with large sprigs of fresh mint in them and the short, appealing menu of small plates is built around fresh-as-a-daisy seasonal produce.
Lyme Bay potted mackerel with gooseberries was slathered onto crisp crostini slices, made with bread from local artisan bakery E5 Bakehouse; the unctuousness of the fish was set off beautifully by the tart, sweet fruit. A good start, but a main course of two dinky salt cod fishcakes with garlic mayo was too salty.
Delicate Brixham hake with creamy saffron beans and spiced sausage was a beautifully nuanced take on the Spanish bean stew, fabada. Crispy Suffolk pork teamed with a tomato salad was somewhat schizophrenic, the pork's crust oversalted, but redeemed by a mix of tomatoes whose bright, zesty flavours won out.
Through all this we were charmed by the staff, who were attentive and engaged. Their informed enthusiasm over a drinks list that includes five London beers and a small but excellent wine selection gives the impression that the focus here is as much on the drink as it is the food.
To accompany perfectly delicious desserts of gloopy strawberry soup dotted with meringue and a delicate, subtle elderflower sorbet, moustachioed co-proprietor Phil poured glasses of a delicious white port (a gift from his uncle, he told us). It was the perfect end to an enjoyable dining experience - just hide that salt cellar from the chef.
Comments & ratings