Edit "Modern Pantry, EC1V 4JJ"

About your edit

Your username (set it):

Comment about your changes:

Type of edit:

Main information

Content: (see also text formatting help)

An excellent cafe, restaurant, and delicatessen in [[Locale Clerkenwell|Clerkenwell]], opened in late 2008.

This venture, which was started by one of the partners at the [[Providores And Tapa Room, W1U 4RX|Providores &amp; Tapa Room]] in [[Locale Marylebone|Marylebone]], overlooks the historic St John's Gate near Clerkenwell Green. Inside, the decor is sophisticated, modern, light, airy and attractive. The cafe downstairs seats 40 and is open every day. A delicatessen sells produce and dry goods in a back room. Upstairs is a larger dining area (60 covers), in two large rooms [http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/3329739860/ photo of the upper front dining room].

On [[Ewan]]'s Friday lunchtime visit in February 2009, the dining rooms were only around half full, so there should be no trouble getting a table, though the cafe area was far more busy.  Service is friendly and efficient.

The use of ingredients is every bit as interesting and inventive as at the Providores & Tapa Room, though without the same emphasis on south-east Asian influences. The cooking here is modern European, but no less enticing for all that. The menu, which is a variant on that served downstairs in the cafe, covers a range of options, including vegetarian [http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/3315181261/ photo of menu]. The menu on our visit even included a kangaroo meat starter (more amusing given the chef proprietor hails from New Zealand).

Bread was offered before the meal came, a very tasty selection indeed. We both chose as our starter the pan-fried manouri (which is a type of cheese, somewhat similar in texture to feta), with roast golden beetroot, red onion and shaved fennel, toasted pinenuts, pomegranate molasses dressing, and a parmesan crisp on top (&pound;7.20). The combined cheese flavours were balanced by leaves and roasted beetroot below, and was very satisfying. [http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/3316087110/ photo].

[[Ewan]]'s main of celeriac, leek & porcini gratin, grilled spring onions, a deep fried egg, and sumac (&pound;13.50), was beautifully executed [http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/3316089868/ photo]. Gratin was suitably filling, and the egg was particularly nicely presented, looking for all the world like a scoop of icecream. My friend's pan-fried wild halibut, with carrot & miso puree, seaweed, and liquorice & sesame relish (&pound;19), got a very positive reaction as well, particularly for the liquorice & sesame relish which perfectly offset the fish [http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/3315265149/ photo].

The dessert of poached rhubarb, goat's cheese custard brulee, with ginger & almond shortbread (&pound;6.50), that my friend had, was also well commended, notably the striking taste of goat's custard [http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/3315268951/ photo]. [[Ewan]] had the cheeseboard (&pound;8.50), not excessively large, but well selected and with some lovely pickle and generous oatcakes [http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/3316094078/ photo].

See also:
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jan/03/modern-pantry Guardian review by Matthew Norman] (Jan 2009)
* [http://www.doshermanos.co.uk/2008/08/modern-pantry.html Dos Hermanos review] (Aug 2008)
* [http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/restaurants/restaurant-312997-details/restaurantReview.do?reviewId=23541993 Fay Maschler's review in the Evening Standard]
* [http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/reviews/13385.html Time Out review]
* [http://www.areyoureadytoorder.co.uk/review.php?id=301 Jan Moir's review]
* [http://rwapplewannabe.wordpress.com/2008/08/31/the-modern-pantry-clerkenwell/ An American In London review]
* [http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/609618 Chowhound thread]
* Ito Eats reviews: [http://itoeats.blogspot.com/2009/06/modern-pantry-clerkenwell.html 1], [http://itoeats.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/modern-pantry-part-2.html 2]
* Su-Lin's photos and brief reviews: [http://flickr.com/photos/su-lin/2928007780/ 1], [http://flickr.com/photos/su-lin/2928008382/ 2]
* [http://agirlhastoeat.com/the-modern-pantry-clerkenwell-restaurant-review-anna-hansen A Girl Has To Eat review]
* [http://www.thecattylife.com/2009/12/modern-pantry-sunday-roast-with-a-side-of-pain/ The Catty Life review]
* [http://tomeatsjencooks.blogspot.com/2010/01/restaurant-review-water-house-boo-and.html Tom Eats Jen Cooks review]
* [http://francoisesmiscellany.blogspot.com/2010/06/modern-pantry-clerkenwell.html Francoise's Miscellany review]
* [http://www.londonchow.com/2010/09/modern-pantry-farringdon-review.html London Chow review]
* [http://londonreviewofbreakfasts.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/modern-pantry-clerkenwell.html London Review Of Breakfasts review]
* [http://londontastin.com/post/39649812833/the-modern-pantry-sunday-brunch London Tastin' review]
* [http://www.fifteenpickles.com/2011/03/25/brunch-at-the-modern-pantry/ Fifteen Pickles review]
* [http://www.london-eating.co.uk/34870.htm London Eating comments]
* [http://tinykitchentales.blogspot.com/2010/03/modern-pantry.html Tiny Kitchen Tales review]
* [http://theboywhoatetheworld.wordpress.com/2009/09/26/themodernpantry/ The Boy Who Ate The World review] (brunch)
* [http://www.arbuturian.com/2011/afternoon-tea-modern-pantry The Arbuturian review] (afternoon tea in the cafe)

<div class="last_verified">Last visited by [[itsbruce]] and friend, 3 March 2011.</div>

Locales (one per line) (view all locales in a new window):

Categories (one per line) (view all categories in a new window):

One-line summary of this page (for search results):

Additional information

Phone:

Website:

Twitter name (e.g. rglondon):

Opening hours:

Address:

Postcode:

OS X coordinate (e.g. 528113):

OS Y coordinate (e.g. 179347):

Map link:

Image to illustrate this page

URL of image:

Photos should be no larger than 240x240

Name of image copyright holder:

URL of image licence:

URL of image's info page:

Cancel edit