Wednesday 19 October 2011

Odettes


Last week I caught up with a friend and had a fabulous lunch in Odettes in London.  Douglas Blyde who is a former documentary maker now turned culinary scribe.  With almost 5000 London food lovers hanging on his every word Douglas has been described recently as  ‘one of the most respected (and well-fed) experts on eating out in the capital’ by the Evening Standard. He is a journalist, photographer, consultant, famous for his foodie Blydisms, and tremendous fun to eat out with. The only downside to eating with someone who’s dry wit sometimes makes me laugh out loud is that ‘s not terribly elegant when I have a mouth full of food!  


That said, I just love dining out with Douglas.  His palette is the most refined I’ve ever encountered and without sounding like I am dissecting a frog in a biology lesson, I get such a thrill from his detailed analysis of the dishes, his wry observations and unparalleled wine knowledge makes him a delight to dine out with. In short he is the perfect lunch partner.


Listen here to Douglas and Bryn chatting after our meal

So I felt that I must share our lunch at Odettes, not least because it was utterly delicious and the truth is, that I can’t recommend eating there enough. Bryn Williams is the owner. Initially becoming famous as a sous chef in 2006 as he won the opportunity to cook the fish course for the Queen's 80th birthday celebrations on the Great British Menu and he is regarded as one of Wales' best chefs and has taken over the long established restaurant in Primrose Hill.


The food is straight forward, simple yet elegant, the menu was, as you would expect is balanced and seasonal but what I found really extraordinary was that the 3 course set menu was just £20.  Douglas described it in a word as a steal.

The steak tartar was clever, as Douglas noted that the crunch from the potato weaved over the top was a textural delight.  We chatted away whilst being served a friendly Chardonay and agreeing that Bryn has an honest way with food letting the ingredients take centre stage.  The brown crab custard was like a savory Crème Brulee, it was smooth and rich with a velvety finish and my steak tartar was wonderfully balanced.  Douglas encouraged me to go for Bryn’s signature dish the Pan Fried Turbot with Oxtail and salsify.  It certainly lived up the hype (although I must point out this is not on the ser menu.) The beef was sweet. Intense tender melt in the mouth richness against the firm pan-fried turbot on a base of cockles and salsify.  There is no doubt that Bryn’s country background has given him a wonderful understanding of combining the best simple ingredients in life.

At the end of the meal I wanted to cook three of the recipes and hoped that Bryn would come out and chat so I could pick his brains about the dishes.  To my delight he did pop over to our table and had a chat pointing out that his book  Bryn's Kitchen had all three of the recipes in that I wanted.

For me eating out is as much about being inspired in my own kitchen at home, and so I can must say that I’ve so far cooked three of these recipes, which is a true indication of just how much I like a chef’s creations. 

So to be invited to Lunch by Bryn William at Odettes or win a  a signed copy of Bryn's Kitchen please tell me what you would cook for the queen if you had the opportunity to feed her?   Bryn will pick the most creative entry to enjoy a three course set lunch menu in January 2012.  What a perfect start to the year!



RULES

Please see competition Rules before entering. This giveaway is open to all readers over 18 with a UK mainland address.  The winner will be chosen by Bryn Williams.  You need to leave your e-mail address in order to comment, I am the only person that can see it. Please do not include your email in the actual comment as well.

This competition on behalf of Odettes and they will be responsible for organizing the prize with the winner. Their decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

There is one main way to enter and there are 3 more chances to win .. . and you must leave a separate comment for each bonus entry otherwise they will not be counted. 

For a chance to win please comment and tell me what you would cook for the Queen if you had the opportunity.

For a chance to win a signed copy of Bryn's Kitchen please tweet this post using the button below and you MUST comment with your twitter ID telling me you have done so.

For a 2nd chance to win a signed copy of Bryn's Kitchen please follow @brynOdettes on Twitter and comment below to tell me you have done so.

For a 3rd chance to win  a signed copy of Bryn's Kitchen sign up to the Odettes Newsletter and comment below to tell me you have done so. Each Comment counts and an entrance and you can have a maximum of 1 entry to win this meal and 3 entries on win the recipe book. 

Automated Entries are not allowed.  There is no cash or product alternative.  The invitation must be used on January 2012 
Odette's on Urbanspoon

48 comments:

  1. to combine the UK in the meal.
    Irish - Irish potato & parsley soup served with soda bread.
    Wales - Teisennau Cocos (cockle cakes) served on a green salad.
    England - Roast Beef (hereford), yorkshire pud, roast potatoes, spring cabbage, various coloured carrots, leeks in cheese sauce. Along with English Mustard.
    Scotland - Caledonian Cream

    Finishing off with various English cheeses served with crackers & oatneal biscuits. lol di x

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  2. Well have, tweeted, followed & subscribed to the newsletter. By the way the iced fingers at work went down extremely well. They only want more...... lol xx

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  3. Seeing as the Queen's favourite place to relax is in Lancashire ( better keep it a secret), it would have to be Morecambe bay shrimps, Lancashire Hotpot with suet crust and beetroot and Chorley cake to finish.If she would like a cheese course a slection of fantastic local cheeses served with Lancashire Oat cakes.

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  4. Now following @brynodettes Tweet as LancashireFood :-)

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  5. I would cook for The Queen: blood cakes and banana blossom in a pigs trotter, ox tail and lemongrass broth with beef rib meat and noodles.
    (tweeted)
    Love, Leluu xxx

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  6. That is a steal, what great prices for a meal! May try there when I am in London in a few weeks.

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  7. I would cook something quite simple,as I know HRH has simple tastes and dislikes garlic.
    Starter: Whitby fish cakes with stir-fried samphire and English salad leaves.
    Main: Ryedale Lamb steaks with redcurrant Cumberland sauce and mixed Spring greens, steamed Royal Jersey potatoes with minted lemon butter.
    Cheese: An English cheeseboard with walnuts and seasonal fruit
    Pudding: Yorkshire Rhubarb Syllabub with Ginger Shortbreads and a glass of Sparkling English wine.
    Simple but using fresh local ingredients.

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  8. I am following @brynOdettes in Twitter

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  9. I have signed up for Odette's newsletter.

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  10. Hi Vanessa,
    Your first post just appeared on Urbanspoon! Check it out:
    http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/567722/restaurant/London/Chalk-Farm/Odettes-Camden
    I encourage you to claim your blog, which allows you to add a picture and change some settings. The blog photo shows up next to your posts wherever they appear on Urbanspoon. Here's how to claim:
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  11. TWEETED - @GEORGEBEE69

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  12. Follow on twitter - @GeorgeBee69

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  13. I would celebrate our Anglo-Indian heritage by serving a sphisticated take on kedgeree - lightly spiced with a little saffron, containing slivers of smoked salmon and topped with a boiled quail's egg.

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  14. have shared on Twitter - I'm @janesgrapevine

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  15. I've followed @brynOdetted on Twitter - I'm @janesgrapevine

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  16. I've signed up to the Odettes newsletter, although I've just realised I've not used the email address linked to my Google profile! Oh well, I'm Jane Willis if you are checking the list.

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  17. What would I cook for the Queen? A lot would depend on the time of year. Right now, I'd do a salad of wild mushrooms with softboiled quail eggs, followed by roast grouse with game chips, spiced fig compote and braised cabbage and then a blackberry and apple crumble with fresh custard. But it's autumn. Ask me in the spring and it would something quite different;)

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  18. I'm following @brynOdettes as @fionamaclean

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  19. I've signed up to their newsletter

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  20. I've tweeted your message @fionamaclean

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  21. I would make the Queen one of my and my families favourite dishes - Haddock Morney served with green beans. I do a lot of baking so for dessert I would make a fresh cream victoria sponge topped with a mountain of whipped cream and summer fruits (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and red currents).

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  22. I have signed up to Odettes newsletter.

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  23. Following on Twitter (AlanaMSE)

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  24. Have followed on twitter @paulcrumpton

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  25. I would cook her a nice chicken curry and rice wioth all the trimmings! yummy!
    @angiesandhu

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  26. Have tweeted the competition post @angiesandhu

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  27. I am following @brynOdettes on twitter
    @angiesandhu

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  28. I'd keep it simple - roast rib of beef with all the trimmings, and trifle for pudding. You can't go wrong with a classic Sunday roast!

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  29. Have tweeted the comp post @liz545

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  30. Proper British fish and chips so she can see what normal people eat!

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  31. Signed up to newsletter x

    @linziwoopp

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  32. Following on twitter

    @linziwoopp

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  33. If i were to cook for the queen I would cook her British Game Pie accompanied by parsley mash potato, honey glazed carrots and buttered grean beans. For dessert it would be Rhubarb & Strawberry puff pastry pie served with Devon Clotted Cream.

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  34. posted my recipe
    tweeted your post (twitter name tiamilodolly)

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  35. am following you on twitter @tiamilodolly

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  36. and have signed up for the newsletter - fab competition good luck everyone

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  37. I'd have to keep it simple for the Queen, or i'm afraid the whole meal could end in disaster!

    I'd cook some of my favourite foods along the lines of.. Starter Spiced butternut squash soup with ginger, Main course Slow cooked shoulder of lamb from mid Wales (home, and I much prefer shoulder to leg) with rosemary and garlic, my husband's perfect roast potatoes, roast parsnips and sweet carrots cooked in water/butter and brown sugar, with a simple lamb gravy.
    Dessert, Eton Mess but with a twist maybe with some seasonal fruit (maybe for winter some figs and dates and a cream spiced with rum). I have never tried figs with meringue, I am not entirely convinced they would work?!
    Thanks for the competition.

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  38. Odettes sounds lovely - Thanks for the tip! I will be going soon.

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  39. if i had the cooking skills (if!) i'd cook queenie a banquet of all the foods her ancestor, liz the first, would have eaten. and i'd certainly CERTAINLY throw a swan in there too!

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  40. I have been at Odettes, I think it was last autumn, I went to that excellent restaurant with my girlfriend at that time, now she's my wife :)

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  41. I would cook the Queen Coronation Chicken followed by Queen Pudding - what else

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  42. I'd cook the queen something really simple, like tomato soup with cheese on toast. Although it's always gorgeous to eat out at a great restaurant sometimes she must just want a night in front of the TV with a bit of comfort food! @piperanddaisy

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  43. I've tweeted this comp @piperanddaisy

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  44. following @brynOdettes on Twitter @piperanddaisy

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  45. Have signed up to the Odettes Newsletter @piperanddaisy

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If you are reading my blog I must warn you that I am not impartial. I want to influence you. I want to make you stop for just a moment and consider the effect of a lifetime of seemingly insignificant decisions and how making small delicious choices can change the world.

I believe that we can change the world one bite at a time.

It's a delicious revolution.