Setting sail from Dubai, and travelling all over the world, Le Petit Chef comes to London!
The multisensory, multimedia, multicultural, 6 course event (I know I’m pushing it, it’s a Sunday and I’m craving a Ramos Gin Fizz before noon, sue me) follows the adventures of the Marco Polo, being relived by the tiny Petit Chef, as he guides us through the cuisine of several regions along the way. We begin in the Mediterranean, enter the Middle East and the Maghreb, then South Asia, a short stop in the Himalayas, with a main course in China and ending with a dessert that brings elements of the journey together.
Personally, something I really enjoyed about the event was how family friendly it was. Nadine Beshir has developed a great way of introducing kids to varied cuisines in an accessible, attention grabbing way. As the story unfolds, the décor changes as well, keeping the experience immersive.
Going in without being sure what to expect, we found ourselves seated on upstairs at TT Liquor (which we know is one of the Hoodooist’s favourite venues, and basically his Hogwarts), with a book set out in front of us.
Soon, I quickly realise there our projectors set up over our heads, and the table comes to life, introducing us to tonight’s Dinner Time Story, as our minuscule chef guides us across the silk route in cuisine.
I was thinking of posting videos of the event here, but then again, I thought I’d leave it up to you to find out!
So, leaving some mystery to the night, let’s get down to the courses!
Each food course is paired with a cocktail, and wine pours throughout the evening, so be prepared for a heavy one!
Our amuse bouche, honestly is gorgeous and is a good sign for the rest of the evening. Simple and effective: Truffled goat’s cheese and slow roasted tomato, spiralled on a Gruyere sesame seed biscuit with sweet tomato chutney. The umami fullness of the truffle forms a base for the brighter and sweeter tomato chutney, whose savouriness complements the salted cheese gracefully.It’s an amuse bouche that packs a punch.
Tuna nicoise tartlet with a soft boiled quail’s egg immediately follows, condensing a classic into a quickly digestible whole.
Our amuse bouche is paired with a TT Liquor staple that manages to be one of my favourites: Le Chat Noir. A perfect aperitif of Hayman’s Old Tom gin, Lillet Blanc, Henry Bardouin Pastis, fresh lime juice, syrup and tarragon. A light sweetness of the Old Tom and Lillet along with the aniseed of the pastis and the herbaceous tarragon invigorates the palate, announcing the evening.
Our chef fights the sandstorms of the Middle East and finds himself in a spice souk, making his way through several classics along the way.
Okay, how many ways can I say I adored this course?
A lamb tagine croquette with pistachio crumbs served with a harissa and lemon dip is rich with full meaty sweetness lifted by the pistachio, and brought to life by the spiced and citrus dip.
A filo cup is stuffed with smoked aubergine caviar and a baby ratatouille garnish, and a classic dolma twists itself with more mint and a spicy tomato and cucumber dip, setting itself apart from its store-bought cousins.
A crispy flatbread is thoroughly dusted in Zaatar, paired with corn fed chicken kibbeh, for a smoky, rich bite.
The course is paired with the Maghrabi TT: gin, spicy honey syrup, lemon, Verbena tea and mint. This cocktail, though intriguing on its own, I fear struggled a little with the flavours of the course, often risking over-crowding – particularly the verbena tea.
Sweeping into South Asia, we are served butter chicken on mini poppadom with mint raita – I mean, butter chicken is a classic that it is impossible to not enjoy, mildly spiced with a buttery fullness that’s brought alive by the fresh mint raita contrast. Immediately followed by a cauliflower pannacotta with a gobi aloo (cauliflower and potato) tartar served in a crisp puri.
Our cocktail pairing is a Pineapple Mango Cobbler – vermouth bianco, fresh pineapple, fresh mango and kaffir lime cordial. A low ABV break from our last two courses, the fruit flavours of a summer in India bring a balanced sweetness to this savoury course.
We take a break with a sorbet of pink grapefruit and lychee in the Himalayas, with one of the most visually enjoyable and immersive moments of the evening – which I will not spoil for our readers! A chill runs through the room, and the sound of a cold mountainous wind rushes across the table.
Just, this is a great course. I am not spoiling it.
After that palate refreshing sorbet, we prepare for the main course – though I must admit, I was already pretty full!
Paired with a red or white wine, our main takes place in China – though still a good course by all means, the past 4 courses raised the bar fairly high. Unfortunately, I think this might be the weaker course of the evening.
My duck with Bok choy and East Asian vegetables left me envying my friend’s seafood choice. The duck could have been warmer, and considering it is served with chopsticks, the rice could have been sticky, instead we found ourselves requesting spoons.
But we finally enter our final course of the evening, by now finding it impossible to move. Our dessert is a wonderful combination of ingredients from previous courses into a crème brulee, served with a refreshing digestif: the Sgroppino mixes vodka and lemon ice cream, topped up with sparkling wine for a wonderfully lively end to the evening with its citrus sweetness.
Cue us trying to think of a way to stand up after an absolutely massive meal.
Le Petit Chef is a fantastic evening, which finds a way to bring multiple cuisines together to one meal in a way most of us would normally be skeptical of. Its use of multimedia is a fun way to segue between courses, and its family friendly nature makes it an excellent evening for kids and families. Oh, and vegetarian options are available if informed in advance!
I encourage anyone to certainly pop down to TT Liquor for Le Petit Chef while it’s running, which, due to its success, has been extended to 31st August 2018! And prepare for a trip across the globe from the comfort of London.
Drinks: ****
Atmosphere: *****
Service: *****
Le Petit Chef @ T. T. Liquor
17b Kingsland Road,
London E2 8AA
http://dinnertimestory.com
Tickets are available on the website at 95 GBP.
Highball Hoodoo 