FREE FISH'N CHIPS IN THE CITY

City institutions are not noted for giving things away free but in Autumn last year, with temperatures soaring to a record 24 C, one restaurant in the heart of this financial centre gave away 500 meals.

Chamberlain’s is situated in Leadenhall Market, one of the City’s many tucked away treasures. A family-owned business, its strength as a fish restaurant is backed by the experience of four generations of the family working in Billingsgate, London’s oldest wholesale market that is dedicated to fish.

It is to be expected that with its family connections, the fish served here would be of the finest and indeed it is.  And to mark Poppy Day, when servicemen and women from the three forces were to be seen throughout the City and West End of London selling poppies, Chamberlain’s made its own contribution to the event by serving traditional British fish and chips to some 500 of the poppy sellers.

Gathered under the graceful arched covering of Leadenhall Market, outside Chamberlain’s, and resplendent in their uniforms, they not only tucked into this welcome fish supper but washed it down with a libation or two from the adjoining bars. As part of the long programme of memorial events last year, it turned into the sort of celebration that the young men being remembered would surely have approved of.

The historic Leadenhall Market above, photographed at dead of night. It houses Chamberlain's restaurant, at top and below, serving the freshest of fish.

Seated at a sunny table, looking out onto the bustling market, we awaited a first course of scallops, for my companion, and oysters for me. The scallops were environmentally sound, having been hand dived, and roasted to perfection. The chef had decided against native English oysters on this occasion and so mine came from Ireland’s famous Carlingford beds, and brought that wonderful taste of the sea to the City.

Other starters on the menu that tempted were the Lobster Bisque scented with Armagnac, the Darjeeling Tea Smoked Mackerel and Butter Poached Scottish Lobster; and the Ham, Egg and Chips, of a low poached duck egg, jabuga ham and salsify chips, would be just the ticket to keep a ravenous City trader going until his main course.

Our mains of grilled Dover Sole and Guernsey Skate were suitable testaments to the fishy credentials of the proprietors, the skate a meaty specimen that was sourced from assured stocks in Guernsey waters. A Sancerre from the Loire valley was a very nice accompaniment – and then we were inevitably tempted to have a pudding, but restrained ourselves to sharing one.  This was the walnut & coffee cake with coffee and salt caramel ice cream. Loved the ice cream but found the cake a trifle soggy. And with coffee came a delicious honeycomb biscuity thing.

The service was attentive and friendly without being over-bearing or over-interrupting. We left with that warm glow of contentment that a good meal imparts and strolled off under the arches.www.chamberlainsoflondon.com

DINING STATELY STYLE

The latest enterprise from that most enterprising entertainment brand, Bourne & Hollingsworth, is a delightful restaurant just off the Farringdon Road. Not so long ago, such a situation might have been akin to being in darkest Surbiton, but, like many hithero unlovely regions of London, Farringdon has come up in the world. A grand new station, new blocks of residences and a rash of restaurants and bars make it a happening area.

The restaurant is admittedly in a tucked away corner but well worth finding. It benefits from having taken over a rambling old building that has been transformed into a  hub of delights. These cover a cocktail bar, a grand café, a brasserie and the more posh restaurant extending to a greenhouse dining area, all in a style that is laid back, light and comfortable, inspired, they say, by ‘the faded grandeur of a stately home’. 

Personally, we thought it rather more modern and welcoming than that might suggest but essentially it has Style.

It subscribes to the prevailing trend of providing all-day dining and drinking. With the astronomic prices of London premises, it obviously makes sense to use them as much as possible, and here you may start with brunch in the morning in the Grand Café sector, move on to pre-prandial cocktails in the separate Cocktail Bar, take tea, if you will, by moving back to the Café, and if you have room, enjoy dinner in the fine restaurant up until late.

Starting in the long, elegant bar, complete with grand piano, we had the house speciality cocktails, Hollingsworth Fizz, followed by the rather more alcoholic Blood, Smoke & Sand, mixing malt whisky with orange juice, cherry liqueur and sweet vermouth.

Moving sensibly to the dining room, we had crab salad and rabbit terrine for starters, both excellent, and for the main course chose the cod tempura, lovely firm flakes of cod and crisp tempura of a substantial size. We hardly needed more but managed a peanut brittle ice cream and a cheesecake portion apiece.

The menu is an interesting one without being too fancy, and reasonably priced - the tempura, for example, served with potato rosti and mushy peas, at £16. The wine list starts reasonably too at £18, the cocktails averaging at £8.

Bourne & Hollingsworth is also renowned for its Blitz parties, staged at various venues and where party-goers all dress up in 1940s style to jive the night away, and Prohibition parties, with similarly period inspiration. Find out more on www.bourneandhollingsworth.com