GILGAMESH – CAMDEN
NWI
Opera
and Asian cuisine is probably not
a combination that is often uttered
together but one soon learns to expect
the unexpected at Gilgamesh.
Gilgamesh
is the celebrated chef Ian Pengelly's
uber trendy north London dining room,
and has to be seen to be believed
for its wealth of interior opulence
and its surreal awe inspiring setting.
On
this particular evening the sun was
streaming into the sizeable bar and
restaurant. The huge roof was partly
retracted with classical music playing
and it was clearly time for a drink.
I chose a ‘Kutu’ cocktail,
containing Absolut peach, Tanquerry,
peach puree and cucumber – highly
refreshing. My guest had a Don Corleone
(suitable as he has Italian ancestry)
comprising of Campari and Martini
Rosso.
The
bar area is both funky and beautiful
with a choice of round tables with
stools and sofas decorated in rich
fabrics. The overall scene, with
high ceilings and wrought iron work,
is reminiscent of the Musee D’Orsay
in Paris, which combined with Babylonian
artefacts and very detailed wood
panelling took 600 carvers six months
to complete. A frieze around the
walls depicts scenes of ancient Babylonian
folklore which change colour throughout
the evening. There is definitely
the feeling one has been transported
somewhere special, somewhere fun,
hip and very civilised. To cap it
all there is the bizarre added attraction
of a railway line at the side of
the building, adding a surreal element
to the setting with the occasional
goods train randomly gliding by.
We
visited on a Tuesday evening which
is when the restaurant throws itself
over to Opera soirees. These magical
theatrical evenings are a great way
to combine an evening's dining with
a spot of culture thrown in. At 8.30.pm
the first performance began and the
singers, elegantly attired in evening
dress, took their places around the
room. The standard of performance
is high and there is a wonderful
atmosphere of the Belle Epoch – a
heady blend of decadence, style and
romance. (This would be the perfect
place to take someone to introduce
them to opera.) There is a break
mid way through with plenty of time
for conversation and then a second
performance a little later on.
With
all this activity I had to remind
myself to focus on the food; but
it certainly lived up to its reputation.
We began with a mixed sashimi platter
and Mr Chang Roll. The shashimi was
stunningly presented on dry ice – a
piece of theatre at the table. It
was wonderfully fresh and tender.
To follow we shared some crispy squid,
(which is one of the chef's speciality‘s)
pork & prawn siu mai, hoba miso
Chilean seabass and twice cooked
pork belly, pak choi and black vinegar.
This was accompanied by steamed jasmine
rice and stir fried Asian greens.
The dishes represented a delicious
and exciting blend of the exotic
east whilst the squid and pork belly
had the edge on the other dishes.
The staff are attentive and very
helpful, should you wish to have
some advice on the menu. They also
have a superb sommelier who suggested
a Pinot Blanc, Alsace 2006 which
complemented the dishes well with
its crisp and fresh flavours. To
finish we had a selection of sorbets
- three intense refreshing flavours,
ginger & apricot, raspberry & chilli,
kiwi. The flavours were prominent
and the chilli was genuinely spicy.
Our other choice, a chocolate fondant,
came with green tea ice cream which
cut through the intense richness
nicely.
Gilagmesh
is definitely somewhere not just
to eat but to experience. The Tuesday
opera evenings offer something totally
different - a combination of fine
dining with a measure of culture
that gives one the feeling of having
experienced the best of both worlds..
Louise
Elgin April 2007
Dinner
for two a la carte with wine and
cocktails is around £150.00
The special opera menu is £59.00 per person or £49.00
per person for the vegetarian menu.
See
our previous review at: http://www.dine-online.co.uk/gilgamesh.htm
Gilgamesh – Camden
Stables Market –Chalk Farm
Road – London NW1
Tel: 020 7482 5757 www.gilgamesh.com
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