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Week in pictures: 7- 13 September 2024
This week saw Louis Thomas in Piedmonte, Jessica Mason at Rhum Tavern in Soho, Douglas Blyde at Fitzrovia’s Kitchen Table, and Patrick Schmitt MW at the Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters and Dosa at the Mandarin Oriental.
The Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters
This week saw Patrick Schmitt MW and judges tasting this year’s edition of the Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters.
In 2022, the overall style seemed more herbal and grassy but in 2023 tropical fruit notes came to the fore. Check back on db in print and online soon to see what this year revealed.
Consorzio Barbera d’Asti
Senior staff writer Louis Thomas headed to Piemonte in order to discover Monferrato with Consorzio Barbera d’Asti e Vini del Monferrato.
While the Barbera is, obviously, the star (and is enormously versatile – from pleasingly simple, light and fruit-forward wines to the oaked Superiore style, and even sparkling and passito expressions), Louis said you certainly shouldn’t overlook the Grignolino.
Dosa
Welsh Michelin-starred chef Roger Jones with Korean Michelin-starred chef (and former pro snowboarder) Akira Back at this week’s ‘soft launch’ of Dosa – a Korean restaurant at the new Mayfair-based Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
Among the wines on pour by the glass is this selection of fizz, taking in the outstanding Champagne Rare 2013 and delicious Californian sparkling that is Roederer Estate’s L’Ermitage 2017.
The hotel’s assistant head somm Maxime Maiano has come up with an eclectic selection of wines to pair with Akira’s tasting menu, which is served at the 14-seater chef’s table (due to open officially on 18 September). Partnering a course of Wagyu beef bansang was Chateau Changyu Moser XV ‘Purple Air’ 2016. Matching the wine was not only the dish, but Maxime’s pocket handkerchief too.
Rhum Tavern
Beer and features editor Jessica Mason headed to the new concept bar from industry veteran Gabriel de-Vere (previously Sketch, Mr Fogg’s) which now houses one of London’s largest rum collections, in Fitzrovia in a space inspired by the legends of the 17th Century golden age of piracy.
The bar, named The Rhum Tavern is tucked away on Margaret Street, just off of Regents Street and is like walking into the hull of a ship. Expect skulls, candles and signature rum cocktails you can select from a treasure map menu.
Kitchen Table
Onishi-san, the master butcher behind Singapore’s first authentic Japanese butchery, originally founded in Kyoto in 1953, brought his expertise to Fitzrovia, showcasing his Wagyu wisdom at Kitchen Table. He challenged the common belief that older cattle produce tougher meat, insisting instead that patience leads to perfection.
While most Japanese Black cattle are harvested at 26-28 months, Keisan Wagyu Juku cattle are raised for an impressive 100 months, resulting in beef that’s richer, more tender, and packed with deep umami. These ex-breeding cows, often overlooked in Japan, are fed a linseed-rich diet, which not only reduces methane emissions, but also yields beef with snowy marbling, a low melting point, and a clean finish.
To highlight these attributes, Kitchen Table’s James Knappett crafted a special menu. Dishes included a standout charcoal-wrapped tartare with trout roe and sauce Américaine, a rich beef broth with unagi, bonito, kombu, and ginger sprout, and a thoroughly cooked peppery stir-fry of rib fingers with broccoli – a more rustic take in contrast to the restaurant’s two Michelin-starred status. Guests, reaped from some of London’s top restaurants, eagerly devoured such offerings.
To complement the dishes, Sandia Chang, co-pilot of Kitchen Table, poured Coedo Craft Beer from Saitama into Stem Zero glasses. The Japanese Pale Ale, brewed with Aiyama sake rice and yuzu peel, was a crowd favourite, followed by the 7% Beniaka Imperial Sweet Potato Amber, a “Vienna Lager” with a richness fit for the occasion. All while Kaiser Chiefs’ Everyday I Love You Less and Less played in the background – but unlike the song, the more time Keisan Wagyu Juku cattle spend on this earth, the more, it seems, their meat is cherished.
Jameson
With the buzz for American Football in Dublin “stronger than ever”, Irish whiskey brand Jameson has kicked off its latest campaign with former New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman unveiling the Jameson Touchdown in Dublin Bus in New York, rallying in front of the pro football HQ to make some noise and show that Dublin deserves to host an NFL game.
Friday’s festivities marked the return of the season-long Jameson Touchdown in Dublin campaign, which is an unofficial call for a regular season pro American football game to be played in Ireland, with the bus making stops across the country this autumn.
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Week in pictures: 14 - 20 September