In the Beginning
The story started in 2012 when a foodie friend was raving about his latest purchase, Yotam Ottolenghi's "Plenty". It wasn't long before I'd purchased my own copy in an effort to persuade myself to include more vegetables in my repertoire. Shortly after that, I bought "Jerusalem" and I actually cooked some recipes from each book, which can't be said of every cookbook in my collection, many of which remain in a somewhat pristine condition.
Around that time "Ottolenghi's Mediterranean Feast" aired on television and when I started planning a trip to London, it was an obvious choice to include in my restaurants a visit to Nopi.
That trip I had booked meals at Artubus, Dinner at Hestons, The Three Chimneys on Skye, James Martin's Talbot Hotel in Malton, Yorkshire, and Fergus Henderson's St John's in Smithfield. Quite the foodie hit list but somehow I hadn't made a booking at Nopi; I was afraid of over-commiting both time and budget.
Nonetheless, while in London I rolled up at Nopi around lunchtime, hoping they would have room for me. No table was available, I was told, but if I didn't mind the shared table in the basement, there was a place there. This was exactly what I was hoping for, shelving with ingredients down the side of the room, open to the kitchen at one end and a huge table in the middle, I was quickly served and easily convinced to try one of their amazing cocktails. Several small plates made it easy for a solo diner to try a few different things and everything was delicious. Even a trip to the loo was an experience (no spoilers!).
I was a fan. The next day ( after lunch at St Johns) I found myself near Islington so I made a detour to have an early evening meal at the Upper Street branch, which was also amazing. Naturally when planning a 2015 trip to London with my friend L, it was natural to include Nopi, especially as it was her friend who had converted me in the first place, and she in fact already had the first "Ottolenghi" book.
Once again we had an amazing meal and when I saw the newly released "Nopi" cookbook, I knew what she was getting for Christmas! And something made me wait patiently till after Christmas to purchase a copy for myself. Because what do you know? She had bought a copy for me.
Around that time "Ottolenghi's Mediterranean Feast" aired on television and when I started planning a trip to London, it was an obvious choice to include in my restaurants a visit to Nopi.
That trip I had booked meals at Artubus, Dinner at Hestons, The Three Chimneys on Skye, James Martin's Talbot Hotel in Malton, Yorkshire, and Fergus Henderson's St John's in Smithfield. Quite the foodie hit list but somehow I hadn't made a booking at Nopi; I was afraid of over-commiting both time and budget.
Nonetheless, while in London I rolled up at Nopi around lunchtime, hoping they would have room for me. No table was available, I was told, but if I didn't mind the shared table in the basement, there was a place there. This was exactly what I was hoping for, shelving with ingredients down the side of the room, open to the kitchen at one end and a huge table in the middle, I was quickly served and easily convinced to try one of their amazing cocktails. Several small plates made it easy for a solo diner to try a few different things and everything was delicious. Even a trip to the loo was an experience (no spoilers!).
I was a fan. The next day ( after lunch at St Johns) I found myself near Islington so I made a detour to have an early evening meal at the Upper Street branch, which was also amazing. Naturally when planning a 2015 trip to London with my friend L, it was natural to include Nopi, especially as it was her friend who had converted me in the first place, and she in fact already had the first "Ottolenghi" book.
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| a selection of delicious salads, nutricious indulgence |
Once again we had an amazing meal and when I saw the newly released "Nopi" cookbook, I knew what she was getting for Christmas! And something made me wait patiently till after Christmas to purchase a copy for myself. Because what do you know? She had bought a copy for me.
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