I recently visited 100 Hoxton for work (in case you didn't know - I blog for Access London and this was part of that) but within a week I'd actually visited this place again on my own accord. It really is a hidden gem and I simply cannot wait to share it with you. If you want to read my other review, it's here: Access London 100 Hoxton Review
Hoxton used to scare me - I won't lie to you it really did. I suppose as they say - reputations die hard. It's silly because now I love it, I spend a lot of time there through work and leisure. You've got a variation of incredible bars, pubs, restaurants and pop-ups - it's the place to be.
Needless to say - 100 Hoxton is in the perfect location. It's a little further up than the infamous Hoxton Square, opposite the White Lyan owned by the same person who does Dandelyan in the Mondrian Hotel...bloggers, you ought to know it!
100 Hoxton seemed like a great idea - relatively new, good review and a quirky menu. I was set to enjoy myself!
We are warmly greeted by Will, the owner, who immediately shows us to our table. We are sat a stones’ throw from the bar in a booth style table with the comfy, dark leather sofas being an immediate hit with us both.
It’s quaint – meaning you forget you’re mere moments from the hustle and bustle of the City.
Will talks us through the menu; there’s a choice of the standard dinner menu, or if you’re on a tighter budget the Early Bird menu. The early bird menu includes 5 dishes for £30 – a complete steal.
Immediately the menu draws me in – flavours I rarely dabble with but am nonetheless intrigued by. With a menu full of delicious flavours we are both struggling to decide, luckily Will is on-hand to give us his recommendations.
It’s recommended that, between two, you have 5 dishes. Feeling a little more peckish than usual we opt for 7. We opt for; chargrilled broccoli (fried garlic, chilli, feta, preserve lemon and toasted quinoa), Singapore soft shell crab (breadcrumbed with Singapore sauce, peanuts and lime), rainbow trout (with monks beard and spiced pineapple), pan-fried duck breast (pickled mushrooms, courgette kimchee, cashew beer butter), crushed new potatoes (parsnips, chilli, garlic, coriander), katsu tofu (edamame wasabi puree, aubergine pickle, seaweed and finally Okra Dahi Salad (caramelized onion, cottage cheese, spinach and curry oil.
The food, we are told, comes out as it’s ready much like it does in tapas restaurants. With a whole host of flavours in our choices – we cannot wait. We decide to sample a cocktail whilst waiting; my friend opts for the light and stormy, whilst I opt for the signature 100 Hoxton. The 100 Hoxton is a blend of chilli, lemongrass, ginger, lychee and prosecco. I am warned not to breath in whilst drinking – it will make you sneeze!
First up was the Katsu tofu and the Okra Dahi Salad. The katsu curry immediately drew me in; the smell was incredible. Despite not being a huge tofu fan – I tucked in. To my surprise I barely noticed it was tofu; the incredible sauce masked it. It’s the first tofu dish I’ve tried – and loved.
The Okra Dahi Salad is delicious, it has a fresher taste compared to the Katsu. It’s a lighter option for a course; but the Katsu stole my heart out of the two.
Whilst eating the chargrilled broccoli, soft shell crab, rainbow trout and potatoes arrive. Everything looks incredible; a range of colours, smells and tastes sit before us.
Tucking into the soft shell crab (the first time I’ve tried soft shell) I am immediately taken aback by how moreish the sauce is. It’s almost like a Thai red curry, but with a peanut/mild twist. We clear the plate, and towards the end we end up dipping the other dishes into the sauce. The potatoes, which are also divine, combined with this sauce is a winning combination!
The rainbow trout is the standout overall for me (and the reason I went back under a week later). It’s dubbed “underrated” by Will, and given the fact I’ve not tried it before, I can’t help but agree that it’s overshadowed by other seafood. The flavour is incredible; it’s complemented extremely well with the monks beard and spiced pineapple. It’s a fishy and sweet combination; something you wouldn’t expect to taste delicious but it does.
After this feast we were undoubtedly stuffed; we couldn’t even sample dessert. Though when I headed back a week later I tried the panna cotta which was creamy and worked well with the passion-fruit – I’d really recommend saving room for this!
The food, service and atmosphere completely blew us away. We came out speechless; I hadn’t expected the food to be on the same level as some of the top restaurants in London.
It really was outstanding.
After a week away – I actually headed back to 100 Hoxton. I was a little nervous that it would match my expectations after the exceptional meal before, however I needn’t have worried. It was, once again, incredible and I managed to try the octopus in a masala glaze – it was to die for.
Bon Appetite with this absolute gem of a place!
I want to eat this food, looks so delicious.
ReplyDeletelooks so delicious
ReplyDeletebookmarked!!, I really like your site!
ReplyDelete