#HammersmithRestaurants

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The Rook’s Nest: All The Ingredients For Success

Oliver Joseph This autumn the kitchen team at The Rook’s Nest is introducing a tempting new menu ‘Living up the road, I was a regular at The Rook’s Nest,’ says Oliver Joseph. ‘I was taken by the place so, when I got the chance to join the team, I didn’t hesitate.’ Sous-chef Oliver is the new face in the kitchen at the hostelry (and boutique hotel) and he has exciting plans to revamp the menu. ‘Cooking is my passion and this is a wonderful opportunity to influence the food we serve. Chef, Karl Turner, and I have put together a new menu (it will be introduced next month) focusing on wholesome dishes that are light, fresh and singing with flavour.’ So, what can customers expect to see on the revised menu? ‘I’m a huge pasta fan – we’ll be making fresh pasta – and I’ll be introducing dishes like seafood linguine and chicken and chorizo linguine. ‘As well as the traditional Sunday roasts – we make our own stocks and sauces – I also want The Rook’s Nest to become known locally for its high-quality steaks: one of my favourite recipes is steak marinated in garlic and thyme with rocket salad and salsa verde. When it comes to starters, the focus will be on tapas-style sharing dishes and, for dessert, homemade ice creams and cheesecakes. Of course, there’ll always be a place for classics such as rhubarb crumble with crème anglaise. ‘The Rook’s Nest has a relaxed family atmosphere that makes it the perfect place to come for a meal. You’ll get a warm welcome, excellent service and enjoy delicious dishes.’

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Best Restaurants In London: Toro Gordo

Miguel Caffarena The True Taste Of Spain - Exciting new dishes, Christmas special offers and a friendly, vibrant atmosphere make Toro Gordo the perfect W6 local Miguel Caffarena, owner of the Toro Gordo restaurant and bar on King Street, is going back to his roots this Christmas. ‘I wanted to add a festive flavour to our regular menu and so I’ve decided to include some Spanish seasonal classics that I know and love,’ he explains. ‘We’ll be serving traditional dishes, such as filled aubergine, lamb, beef and pork rolls and bomba de chocolate, as well as a dessert that my mother always used to make at home: fried banana with caramelised chocolate and sugar – that was my favourite.’

Toro Gordo is the ideal Christmas party venue, comfortably accommodating 50-plus people and with private areas for smaller groups, and Miguel is offering a superb value £27 set menu (for 10 diners or more) consisting of three tapas courses – his tapas are larger than usual – and a dessert. Miguel opened Toro Gordo four years ago. ‘I live locally and my aim was to create a lively neighbourhood restaurant, somewhere that I’d like to go myself, whether for lunch, beer and tapas or for an evening meal.’ As his customers know, Miguel frequently refreshes the menu and he’s always keen to mix and match new culinary concepts. There is already a strong Japanese emphasis and the latest innovation is Hawaiian Spanish fusion in the form of Miguel's own take on poke bowls (poke is a nutritious Hawaiian staple dish).

‘Every day we make five fresh poke options – tuna, salmon, chicken, beef and vegan – which are perfect for a delicious quick lunch or to take away. You can’t get poke bowls anywhere else in Hammersmith, so I’d love people to come and try them!’ With Spanish nights on Thursdays, when you can enjoy a drink and complimentary tapa for under £5, a superb wine list and sherries, sangrias and cocktails, Toro Gordo is the ideal place to meet friends, to relax after work or have a meal before a show at the Apollo or the Lyric Theatre. One thing is sure: you’ll enjoy authentic Spanish cuisine with an inventive twist.

Miguel Caffarena

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Toro Gordo: Buen Provecho!

Miguel Caffarena With a new chef and revamped menu, Toro Gordo offers an authentic Spanish dining experience for under £30 ‘I live in Hammersmith and I always wanted Toro Gordo to be a proper neighbourhood restaurant and bar,’ says Miguel Caffarena. ‘My idea was to create a friendly, welcoming place that I’d enjoy going to myself, whether for lunch, for a beer and tapas after work or for a meal.’ Toro Gordo opened on King Street four years ago, serving delicious Spanish tapas with, unusually, an Asian influence. In recent months Miguel has made some significant changes. ‘You could say that our adventure is beginning again. I’ve recruited a talented chef, Ellie from Malaga, and we’ve worked to refine the menu. ‘Everything is freshly made every day using the best ingredients; we’ve kept the most popular original dishes and added fantastic new choices. Also, I’ve put together exciting offers such as a lunchtime tapas box for £10 and a beer and a tapa for £5 on Thursday evenings.’ Miguel has extensive experience in the hospitality industry, starting from the ground up. ‘I came to London with £500 in my pocket when I was 20. My first job was making coffee and after that I worked my way up from kitchen porter to waiter to restaurant manager.’ So, which tapas would Miguel highlight from the menu? ‘The Grilled Lamb Cutlet is superb, our regulars love the classic Gambas Pil Pil (spicy prawns) and the Panfried Seabass and Seared Scallops are real favourites.’ And what about that Asian influence which is clearly evident in the menu – for example, Green Tea Chocolate Cheesecake – and stylish decor? ‘I spent three years living in Japan and loved the culture. So I just thought, why not!’ The menu is complemented by an excellent wine list – Miguel recommends Emilio Moro reds and the white Rioja – sherries, sangrias and beers (both Spanish and Japanese). The restaurant can be hired for private parties and corporate events and it’s the perfect place to meet friends for lunch, to relax after work or for a meal before seeing a show at the Apollo or Lyric. One thing is certain: at Toro Gordo you’ll enjoy the true taste of Spain. Toro Gordo 121 King Street, W6 9JG +442088347434 Reservations@Torogordo.co.uk http://torogordo.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/torogordo121/ https://twitter.com/torogordo121 https://www.facebook.com/torogordo121/ https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186338-d6892254-Reviews-Toro_Gordo-London_England.html

Toro Gordo 121 King Street, W6 9JG +442088347434 Reservations@Torogordo.co.uk http://torogordo.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/torogordo121/ https://twitter.com/torogordo121 https://www.facebook.com/torogordo121/ https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186338-d6892254-Reviews-Toro_Gordo-London_England.html Read the full article

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The Caketail Club: Cakes Meet Cocktails

Have you drunk your favourite cake? Or eaten a cocktail? Welcome to the Caketail Club... You may have noticed a new business on King Street called The Caketail Club. That name is not, as you might think, a signage error. Far from it! In fact, it perfectly describes an exciting dining concept where customers can drink cakes, eat cocktails and enjoy delicious savoury dishes. The Caketail Club is owned by the Patel family – mum and dad (Mala and Shashi) and daughter and son (Tanvi and Sameer). ‘We’re real foodies,’ admits Sameer, who by day is a structural engineer. ‘My mum used to run a cake-baking business from home. We had been thinking of opening a shop – but when this fantastic space came up, we wanted to try something different.’ The focus is on a fusion of cakes and cocktails, but with a twist! Hence you can order Caketails, in other words cake-flavoured cocktails (Pineapple Upsidedown Cake, Bourbon Black Forest, Chocolate Cake Martini) and cocktail-flavoured cakes (Espresso Martini, Raspberry Mojito and Dark and Stormy). In addition, customers can eat their cocktails as alcohol-infused nitrogen ice creams, enjoy home-made gelatos and order bespoke cakes for special occasions. ‘We developed a global savoury menu (also a special Christmas menu) to provide more than just desserts,’ explains Sameer. ‘Of course, many customers enjoy a savoury dish before dessert. We also have vegan options, a weekend brunch and a Happy Hour (5-8pm Tues/Wed/Fri and until 9pm on Thurs). Next year, we’ll be introducing cake decorating workshops and Afternoon Tea.’ The premises have been stylishly re-decorated with artworks adorning the walls and an intimate speakeasy feel downstairs that is perfect for private parties. ‘Currently, we’re exhibiting paintings by Karun Soni, who created our murals, and we’d like to encourage local artists to get in touch for wall space to show their works. ‘We’ve had a warm welcome, with many customers becoming regulars – parents enjoy the Caketails while their children go for the desserts. We love to see people eating our food – and it’s a nice way for us to work together as a family too.’ The Caketail Club 268 King Street, W6 0SP +442085639358 info@thecaketailclub.com https://www.thecaketailclub.com

The Caketail Club 268 King Street, W6 0SP +442085639358 info@thecaketailclub.com https://www.thecaketailclub.com Read the full article

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Best Restaurants In London: Toro Gordo

Miguel Caffarena The True Taste Of Spain - Exciting new dishes, Christmas special offers and a friendly, vibrant atmosphere make Toro Gordo the perfect W6 local Miguel Caffarena, owner of the Toro Gordo restaurant and bar on King Street, is going back to his roots this Christmas. ‘I wanted to add a festive flavour to our regular menu and so I’ve decided to include some Spanish seasonal classics that I know and love,’ he explains. ‘We’ll be serving traditional dishes, such as filled aubergine, lamb, beef and pork rolls and bomba de chocolate, as well as a dessert that my mother always used to make at home: fried banana with caramelised chocolate and sugar – that was my favourite.’

Toro Gordo is the ideal Christmas party venue, comfortably accommodating 50-plus people and with private areas for smaller groups, and Miguel is offering a superb value £27 set menu (for 10 diners or more) consisting of three tapas courses – his tapas are larger than usual – and a dessert. Miguel opened Toro Gordo four years ago. ‘I live locally and my aim was to create a lively neighbourhood restaurant, somewhere that I’d like to go myself, whether for lunch, beer and tapas or for an evening meal.’ As his customers know, Miguel frequently refreshes the menu and he’s always keen to mix and match new culinary concepts. There is already a strong Japanese emphasis and the latest innovation is Hawaiian Spanish fusion in the form of Miguel's own take on poke bowls (poke is a nutritious Hawaiian staple dish).

‘Every day we make five fresh poke options – tuna, salmon, chicken, beef and vegan – which are perfect for a delicious quick lunch or to take away. You can’t get poke bowls anywhere else in Hammersmith, so I’d love people to come and try them!’ With Spanish nights on Thursdays, when you can enjoy a drink and complimentary tapa for under £5, a superb wine list and sherries, sangrias and cocktails, Toro Gordo is the ideal place to meet friends, to relax after work or have a meal before a show at the Apollo or the Lyric Theatre. One thing is sure: you’ll enjoy authentic Spanish cuisine with an inventive twist.

Miguel Caffarena

Read the full article