Page 23 - Taste London Magazine

A Journey Through Faber Wine & Sea“food Restaurant Indulge in the culinary brilliance of Faber Wine & Sea- GENEVIEVE food Restaurant, a hidden gem near Hammersmith sta- BY GRANT tion. Led by Chef Ollie Bass, the menu dazzles with in- ventive seafood dishes, each bursting with freshness and flavor. An exceptional dining experience awaits, promis- ing culinary bliss with every bite. Nestled just a stone’s throw away from Hammersmith station, Faber Wine & Seafood Restau- rant is a hidden gem awaiting discovery. Despite its elegant decor, don’t be misled into thinking this is a place exclusively for the elite; it’s a welcoming haven for anyone seeking an exceptional dining experience. From the moment you step inside, the ambiance envelops you, setting the stage for a culinary journey that Faber Wine & Seafood is a welcoming spot offering exquisite, inventive seafood dishes with fresh, high-quality ingredients, all set in a beautiful- ly elegant decor. You might think from the elegant decor that the light-flooded restaurant caters for elites, and the menu is out of your reach, or even too complex for a simple afternoon of good eating. You’d be sadly misguided to pass this place by. Focusing on the gifts of the sea, and celebrating the coasts of these generous British Isles, the team at Faber have you in mind, whoever you are. Mean- while, when you’re ready for a piece of fish that’s a reason to eat fish, Ollie Bass is here to show you just how beautiful a perfectly cooked piece of fish can be. This review might become a bit repeti- tive, as we were gob smacked by the clarity of the flavours and the freshness of the ingredients. We started with Maldon oysters, which were light, lush, clean seawater delicacies. The chalk stream trout tartare was a reve- “Discover the hidden gem of Hammersmith - Faber Wine & Seafood, where every bite is a celebration of the sea’s finest treasures.” something to spread it on. But then, if there were bread, you might not have room to really enjoy the rest. Asparagus tender and to-the-teeth with a spend wood cheese sauce topped with shaved cobnut, balanced in the varieties of subtle and gently weird palates – aspargus being a somehow stinky vegetable and the cheese’s tang complimenting it perfectly. Then we were delighted by a cuttle- fish Bolognese on Coombes head farm sourdough. To think of making the most comforting of comfort foods – a Bolognese – with the most down to earth of seafoods – cuttlefish. Who is this mad genius? The smokiness and the headiness of the cuttlefish rested nicely on the dark spongy sourdough. This with a beer is the perfect lunch break. For mains we had the seabass – Cornish, with wild garlic dressed Dorset clams, and mackerel with parsley-anchovy sauce. If you like mackerel, you mustn’t have theirs, because you will never be able to eat it anywhere else again. The combination of crispy skin and mouth melting flesh, the sauce that supports the glorious oily fish without argument, and the presentation. Well, we learned from our theatrically gifts server Tomas that Ollie went to art school. Of course, he did. The seabass as firm and fresh (there’s that word again) and the clams were well-loved. In fact, we said to each other more than once, you can taste the love in these dishes. celebrates the bounties of the British Isles. Led by the talented chef Ollie Bass, the menu boasts an array of seafood del- icacies that are as exqui- site as they are inventive. Each dish showcases the freshness and quality lation. I’ve had some very expensive sushi in my life, and never tasted trout this... fresh. There’s a richness in the dish that is accessed via the astounding clarity in the taste of the fish and the caviar. The chef’s light horseradish cream simply presents the fish in its best light, without overwhelming it as some such sauces might. The generous burrata was absolutely silky, accompanied by samphire dressed with salty crunchy dulse crumbs. It’s the kind of thing you’ve order just to see how wacky the chef is, and you might not expect it to work. But of the ingredients, leaving a lasting impres- sion on even the most discerning palate. From the delicate Maldon oysters to the indulgent cuttlefish Bolognese, every bite is a revelation. it does, dear reader. The only thing I’d suggest is a bit of bread to go with it, as the burrata is such a generous portion you want TASTE LONDON II 23