Tom was pretty apprehensive when I first showed him the menu at the Grain Store, but I don’t often get restaurants wrong (I have very trusted recommendation sources), so he was happy to go with it. Although he did warn me that it was also his reputation on the line if our friends didn’t like it.
We organised to have dinner at Grain Store in Kings Cross last Friday night. I’d been wanting to try it for ages, and so it was great to have an excuse to go. The restaurant has a lovely modern interior, with a full bar area and plenty of dining tables. We were so lucky to score a table directly opposite the open kitchen, so we could see the chefs at work while we ate. Although I work in food, I don’t think I would survive in the fast pace of a professional kitchen! It did look fun though.
Onion Bread with creme fraiche butter, and foccacia with olive oil and dukkah for the table to share whilst enjoying our cocktails. I enjoyed a very salty (and strong) Green Tomato Margarita.
A lot of discussion went in to our orders, with the boys finding it incredibly confusing that the meat or fish aspect of a dish was listed last in the ingredients. For example Braised endives filled with quinoa, wood roast onion and Toulouse sausage ragout. I think it’s a brilliant idea, and causes diners to think about their orders a little more, focusing on the veg and pulses in a dish rather than directly on the meat.
Grilled green asparagus, minted mushy peas, parmesan mousse.
Sprouting seeds and grains, miso aubergine, crispy citrus chicken skin, potato wafer.
Millet, blue corn, tomato and pepper tamale, mole chicken.
Steamed seaweed sushi, braised pak choi, black garlic puree, hake in vanilla butter.
Rhubarb rice pudding brûlée.
The flavours were all so fresh, and clean. I loved the combination of chocolate flavours with my chicken alongside the spicy corn and millet. I think best looking dish has to be the Hake though!
I highly recommend dinner at Grain Store, especially for a group. It’s fun relaxed atmosphere was ideal on a buzzy Friday night, and we enjoyed tasting each others drinks and meals throughout the evening. It would be a fun place for vegetarians to take non-veggies, I think, to challenge their perception of the menu, and not pick a dish solely based around the meat or fish element.
I’m not a vegetarian but I always base my meal choice on the vegetables included when I go out. Purely because my carnivore boyfriend refuses to eat anything but peas and carrots at home so I’m pretty limited when I cook!
I got much more adventurous with my food and restaurant choices after working as a restaurant manager myself in my early 20s and I’m usually happy to try anything on the menu now.