Sierra de Gredos, Spanish
Alex Gunz
A Gourmand’s Guide to Gredos

Whisper it rather than shout it, and certainly don’t tell everyone, but something very exciting is happening in the Gredos region of Spain. Drive two hours northwest from Madrid, where diners lack no shortage of plush restaurants, to encounter a truly different experience. Three days in the region left your reviewer and his group of five dining comrades swooning for both more of its food and wine.

A Gourmand’s Guide to Gredos
Mediterranean, Bristol
Alex Gunz
COR: Blimey, that was good

From its name onwards, there is knowing coolness, a certain intentionality to what COR is seeking to achieve. It’s a place to watch in an upcoming district of Bristol. And if COR is seeking to ape what is arguably the best restaurant in England (Clare Smyth’s Core in plush Kensington, London), then why not? The team at Michelin have already awarded COR a Bib Gourmand; stars may beckon.

COR: Blimey, that was good
Spanish, Cardiff
Alex Gunz
Asador 44: Smokin’, Cardiff-style

Just moments from Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, central train station and main shopping street, diners can imagine themselves transported to Spain. Parador 44 is a wonderfully conceived venture, set up by an enterprising couple of brothers. Visitors can sip sherry, eat top Basque-influenced nosh and then sleep upstairs in a handful of boutique hotel rooms. There is every reason to do all three.

Asador 44: Smokin’, Cardiff-style
Mediterranean, Marylebone
Alex Gunz
Bellazul: Not quite the Mediterranean

It was not the most auspicious of starts. When my dining comrade and I descended on Bellazul it was pouring with rain. We arrived soaked. Welcome to England in April. It’s about as far from the Mediterranean as one could imagine. Open only for two months, Bellazul has the laudable intention of transporting diners to the sunnier climes of southern Europe. The venture is well-intentioned but does not totally succeed.

Bellazul: Not quite the Mediterranean
British, Marylebone
Alex Gunz
Boxcar: Every neighbourhood needs one

If New Quebec Street in Marylebone were my local high street, then I would be delighted. Luckily it is close to where your reviewer both lives and works. Zayna has been a long-standing favourite for curry. There’s also a great wine shop, a fishmonger and more. In addition, Boxcar is located on this street. Open since 2017, Gourmand Gunno corrected a long-standing anomaly by visiting it recently. Billed as a ‘neighbourhood restaurant’, it certainly constitutes a wonderful addition to the street, for both food and vibe.

Boxcar: Every neighbourhood needs one

Notting Hill

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Assaggi: Old school charm

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Assaggi: Old school charm

Gourmand Gunno has had a long-held mantra that bad service trumps good food. Every time. What about the inverse? He and his long-suffering vegetarian dining comrade recently visited Assaggi, a Notting Hill Italian stalwart. While the venue gained a two-out-of-three success rate (just about) on my trio of dishes, my comrade’s culinary score was a big round zero. A return visit would, however, be in order. Full marks to Assaggi for atmosphere, service and drinks, even if the kitchen could do with upping its game.

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Akub: Middle Eastern mellow

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Akub: Middle Eastern mellow

There is something delightful about stepping one block away from any busy thoroughfare and finding yourself almost in a different place. Notting Hill’s Uxbridge Street has an almost olde worlde feel to it. It’s certainly an antidote to the tourist-heavy Portobello Road nearby. Being off the beaten track seems an appropriate setting for Akub, a new Middle Eastern restaurant, where Fadi Kattan and his team are cooking up a quiet revolution.

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Caia: Chameleon

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Caia: Chameleon

Have no doubt, Caia is cool. Certainly if you’re young and trendy, but even your mid-40s reviewer could appreciate its zeitgeist. Maybe it’s the perfect 2020s venue; a mix of cocktail bar, restaurant and music lounge cum nightclub. While it was hard to fault the atmosphere, this is not a place that lends itself naturally to dining. Food is just part of the experience. A future visit would likely see your reviewer having a pre-dinner drink here and then moving on elsewhere to dine, perhaps even to next door Maramia.

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Core: Top of the tree

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Core: Top of the tree

It is a rare and beautiful thing when you and your dining comrade can leave a restaurant with absolutely no complaints. This is what Clare Smyth’s Core achieves – and does so seemingly effortlessly. This was your reviewer’s first visit since the venue had gained its third Michelin Star, but nothing has changed. Clare is still hard at work in the kitchen, smiling and greeting guests as they arrive.

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Core: Still smiling

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Core: Still smiling

One year on from my previous visit to Core and the venue goes from strength to strength. The quiet confidence exhibited by Clare Smyth and her team remains firmly intact and certainly not disrupted by the pandemic. Certainly if you want to be treated, then there are few better places currently to visit in London that rival Core…

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Core: More than essential

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Core: More than essential

For someone carrying the burden of expectation as being ranked one of the very best restaurants in the country, Clare Smyth cuts a remarkably relaxed figure. Indeed, as we descended the stairs to Core (her first restaurant since parting ways with Gordon Ramsey), Clare was positively beaming, as she greeted us with a friendly wave from the glass-fronted kitchen. The moment captures all that Core is about: this is a relaxed venue that is confident in the knowledge that it will deliver an exceptional experience.

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Hereford Road: Uninspiring (February 2017)

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I had had high hopes visiting Hereford Road, but found them mostly disappointed. Located on the site of a former butcher’s and with offal as its USP, I have been led to believe that Hereford Road might have the potential to be as west London equivalent of the ever-popular St. John

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Dock Kitchen: Cooking up a feast (June 2015)

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Outdoor space and genuinely original culinary concepts that aren’t instant flops are a hard combination to find, even in London. Nonetheless, Dock Kitchen scores well on both counts, constituted a perfect place for a relaxed summer meal, and has the potential to be amazing, if only they upped their game in terms of service a bit.