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Restaurant Review – The Grain Store, London – 85%

Written by: Sophie Buckley
Published on: 5 Feb 2015

grain store restaurant london

Good afternoon everyone, I hope that you all had a great Christmas & New Year! Today I’m writing about my first review of 2015 and a place that I’d been looking forward to visiting for ages. Last week I went to visit The Grain Store, a cool new restaurant by Chef Bruno Loubet and The Zetter Group’s Michael Benyan and Mark Sainsbury!

The Review – The Grain Store  I was excited about going to visit the Grain Store, Their menu is full of exactly the kind of food that I like to eat most. They manage to take traditional ingredients but give them a totally quirky twist. – making them into something that you wouldn’t ever really imagine being able to make at home. However, they set themselves apart in one way – although they sell themselves as travelling the globe to source the best possible ingredients, they also make a significant point of putting vegetables first. On that basis, I thought it would be interesting to challenge them, and was accompanied by the fussiest eater I know. Liz is a strict vegetarian, bordering on vegan, and can’t eat dairy products, so although she is excellent company, our dinner dates are usually confined to a select few bistros that she knows and trusts.

So, with trepidation – we stepped in to the Grain Store, and were immediately impressed by how big and airy it was. There was also a large outside area which, better weather permitting, would make a nice open space for a sunny weekend brunch. We were quickly seated, although a shortage of menus meant that we ended up sharing one.

After browsing the drinks menu and opting for herb infused wine, we started on our first course. I selected the Oriental sounding starter of sprouting seeds and beans, miso aubergine, and crispy citrus chicken skin with a potato wafer. My fussy vegetarian companion opted for wild mushroom croquettes with pine needle salt. Both arrived relatively quickly, and were stunningly laid out, if a touch on the small side.

Liz was very complementary about the wide selection of vegetarian options available – although I was actually slightly underwhelmed by the selection available for more carnivorous appetites. It feels like a slightly odd combination of almost exclusively vegetarian dishes, with a few token dishes with meat or fish thrown in. Although, as Liz pointed out – this is pretty much how vegetarians feel at every other restaurant, so perhaps it makes a refreshing change!

As a main course, I decided on steamed seaweed sushi, braised pak choi, black garlic puree and hake in vanilla. Liz was excited by the sound of preserved piquillo pepper, artichoke and vegetable chorizo paella – mainly because neither of us could remember ever having come across a vegetarian chorizo before.

Both of the main courses were again beautifully laid out, it certainly felt like there was a certain artistic flair behind them, and we had no complaints about the taste at all. We easily made our way through two courses and quickly settled on which desserts we were going to try. I’ve always loved any dishes that centre around salted caramel, so opted for the baked apple, rosemary crumble, crème fraiche and salted caramel sauce. Liz went for chocolate and red bean cake, soya yoghurt and balsamic mousse. We both agreed that it was a great way to end an excellent meal.

Our total bill wasn’t cheap – just over £100 including drinks. I really enjoyed the whole experience but maybe not as much as Liz who has been raving about it ever since as the best vegetarian culinary destination in London – so an interesting option if you’re still hunting for great meat-free meals that stand out from the crowd.

 

Where can I find The Grain Store? (Granary Square, 1-3 Stable Street, London, N1C 4AB) Useful information: Email > eat@grainstore.com

Phone > 020 7324 4466

Budget? > £50+ pp

Opening times > The Grain Store are open from 10am until 11:30pm on Monday to Wednesday and 10am until Midnight on Thursday to Saturday. Sunday opening times are from

The Leisurejobs Conclusion Check out our new tweetable, 140 character review which gets straight to the point for the online reader who doesn’t have time for longer reviews!

“Want a meal where vegetables are the star of the show? Visit @grainstore for delicious, beautiful meals!” [Tweet This!]

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Got a tip for us? Do you know a restaurant that we should check out or perhaps you own a restaurant that you think will impress our educated palates? Please feel free to get in touch with Sophie via SRB@sportsweb.com