A michelin star restaurant serving ultra modern cuisine in Bethnal Green!? Yep, I'd assume you're more likely to pick up heroin or pay cheaper rent rather than stumble across a restaurant of this calibre, but this is where they've chosen the location for Nuno Mendes' amazing Viajante. A team of dedicated chefs from all over the globe working with Portuguese born Nuno and his modern molecular gastronomy menu.
Viajante means traveller in Portuguese and they like to show this in the array of ingredients, styles and cuisine used in their menu. The restaurant is situated in Town Hall Hotel, within walking distance from Bethnal Green station. I walked through the hotel entrance to see what the place was about about saw some interesting items...
The bar, the first place i'll go if they've got one. Had to kill some time whilst i waited for my mother, today was my birthday and what better present than a 9 course tasting menu.
Me being the geezer i am, ordered a Rosie Posie. Anything with gin in it and im happy. Very nice cocktail & very friendly barman.
The best seat in the house. The guy on the left was possibly the hippest waiter i've ever met. The man with the beard is Nuno the head chef. This kitchen is the place where they put it all together, the actual cooking is done in another kitchen. Plating kitchen, if you like.
'Shiso lovely' we had several of these. Amazing, refreshing & a little sweet.
Thai Explosion. A canapé of crab, egg & chicken skin. So yummy, great start.
Amaranth with sorrel. Kinda like a breakfast bar with a sorrel puree. The white stuff is popcorn powder. Really needed the popcorn powder. It was strange to say none the least but i did enjoy it. It all went together and was interesting.
Cuttlefish with leek and almond.
We had a tiny green olive soup now but i forgot to take a photo, it was really delicious. Tiny portion at the bottom of an iced glass. Was cute. This here is 'Potato & yeast' which was really tasty, with a black olive powder. The yeast spread tasted of a strong cheese and the layer of what i think is fat tasted like ham.
Bread and butter. Smoked butter and burnt butter with bacon bits.
Turnips with dill granita and mussel valve ju. Fresh, palet cleansing and tasty.
Squid with pear caramel & sunflower.
Squid and pear work. I've had this dish stuck in my mind since eating it, i think that's saying something.
Brown crab. My mums favourite dish of the day.
Asian flavours.
Confit halibut, seaweed sofrito & seafood and rice broth.
Again Asian flavours. Only just found out what a sofrito is and it was nice.
Langoustine & pork tendons. Again Asian inspired and lovely. The pork tendons are an odd choice and very very sticky. Tasted great though.
Cod tripe and onions. Only one i couldn't finish, because of the onions being so rich and intense. Not an onion fan im afraid.
This knife is fucking slick.
Charred presa, tomatos and adobo.
Nuno served this to us himself explaining that it was inspired by a popular Filipino dish he ate on his travels. A deconstructed version.
The tomatos where cooked in calcium, creating a crunchy crust around the outside and leaving it juicy and full of flavour on the inside. Great technique.
First dessert.
Cucumber with reduced milk sorbet.
Cucumber jelly, lemon & lime granita and reduced milk sorbet. Beautiful dessert.
Walnut and goats curd.
Goats curd ice cream (possibly) with a chocolate & walnut crumb. Very yummy.
A signature dish.
'Milk'
A technique using milk and calcium powder to create a thick skin on the top (usually frowned upon and thrown in the bin). They then use a dehydrator to turn the skin into crisps.
Amazing experience. And that's what is was, an experience, a tasty experience.
Friendly staff, all dishes are explained at the table and most of all amazing food.
www.viajante.co.uk
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