I think Isaac has a
lovely way with food, a soft blending of ingredients and complimentary
combinations without ever being too fussy or too try hard. He champions
heritage and locally sourced UK produce.
Since Elliot’s, he’s
been getting rave reviews for his pop up at The Ten Bells as part of the YoungTurks and now he’s launched a solo venture in Shoreditch Town Hall.
I’ve been vaguely
keeping up with the rave reviews about this grand new spot apparently filled
with a gorgeous ‘hipster’ crowd.
I may not be a hipster
but I’ve certainly been knocking around the area for many years, way back when
the Mother Bar was one of the only places open late night mid-week and when
Breakfast Club still meant having your mates over for brunch in your kitchen.
Anyway my point being,
those intimidating hipsters weren’t about to put me off from walking through
the door. In we went......
A Beautiful Night Out at the Clove Club, London
We had a drink at the central
reservation bar and marvelled at the jambons and charcuterie hanging down one
side – nice touch.
Actually the crowd to
me seemed a mix of ages and types and not at all hipster.
We we’re taken through
to the dining room, with Isaac busy in the open-plan kitchen at the front of
the room, surrounded by sous chefs and waiters.
Our table was right at
the back of the high-ceilinged room, which I loved as we could watch all of the
action and we also had a handy little ledge to put our wine up on.
I personally love a
tasting menu. It adds an extra sense of occasion to an evening and it saves you
having to choose your dishes – something that I always struggle with - as I am
so indecisive.
First up were a trio
of pre-menu bites.
(Posh melon & ham)
Buttermilk Fried Chicken & Pine Salt served on a bed of pine needles – which was
soft and delicious.
Mantua Melon, Pancetta Cotto & Sichuan
Pepper – our waiter described
this as ‘posh’ melon and pancetta. I think he had forgotten the name.
Oak smoked Cod’s Roe on Rye – I loved this tiny little crispy cracker with a
creamy cod topping.
Five larger courses
followed:
Isaac MacHale, Clove Club Tasting Menu
We started with English Broad Beans, Marjoram, Lardo &
Iced Goats Milk. OMG. Iced goat’s milk
is such a great invention, the cold temperature really brings out it’s flavour
and my hubby marvelled at how they had managed to get boring old broad beans to
taste good.
Second course was Wild Irish Pollan, Green Tomatoes, Brown
Butter & Dill – a beautiful, soft dish. The green tomatoes looked
awesome and the fish was topped with tiny little rings of crispy onion.
Slow Roast Lincolnshire Chicken, Peas, Girolles
& Garlic Scape – a hearty
course but not heavy at all and I particularly liked the inclusion of the
garlic scape.
I’m not sure if it’s
Issac’s trademark but both times I’ve tried his menus, they have had two
desserts in a row - double dessert. Love it!
First up was Kent Raspberries & Sheep’s Milk Yogurt
Mousse – the description says it all. This was divine and included tuile
and a delicious raspberry sorbet.
We had several
different waiters serving up different courses throughout the night, which was
really nice and informal and they were all chatty.
A new guy served up
our fifth and final course and as he explained our Corsican Peach, Iced Tea
Jelly & toasted almond Ice Cream – he divulged that this was a new dish,
his own creation and that he would appreciate some feedback.
This then immediately
descended into a drunken conversation, between myself and hubby, about which
tact of feedback we would be taking.
Husband: “Just tell
them it’s nice alright? Don’t give REAL feedback.”
Moi: “No, he wants
feedback, so I’ll give him some. I think the peach is a little on the sour
side, the biscuit is too soggy and dense.
Husband: “They don’t really
want feedback, just tell them it’s really nice.”
Moi: “No I’ll be
nice. I’ll also tell them the iced tea jelly is delicious and so is this ice
cream. Yum.”
I should point out
here that we were not just drunk off one beverage at the bar but had already
had a cocktail at Dishoom, two drinks at The Spread Eagle and were no two
thirds of the way through a bottle of Portuguese Duas Pedras.
The plates were
cleared. We fed back that the dessert was ‘very nice’.
We finished with an
espresso and then giddily toddled out of our new favourite ‘club’.
