The best things we ate and drank in August

Outcrop (Temple) - Wildfarmed flatbread with shrimp paste butter and Brixham crab

One of those dishes you could smell way before it landed at your table this funky flatbread from AngloThai chef John Chantasarak was all fermented shrimp and fresh crab. We paired it with a glass of natural wine from John's wife and business partner Desiree at the leafy location of this super popular pop-up. Sure you're actually just off the Strand but here you could be miles from central London. 

Lobster toast with red dragon mayo and shaved cabbage (Clerkenwell) - Ho Lee Fook at Carousel

Hong Kong's Ho Lee Fook made a journey to London with its chefs and all the trappings of the original restaurant in a pop-up at Fare in Clerkenwell. There was a retro vibe with an 80s and 90s setlist in the background and a LOT of waving maneki-neko all over the restaurant. A lively affair, they're planning to open a restaurant in London soon, so this was seen as testing the ground somewhat. Based on the vibe and dishes like this lobster toast (created for this menu) this will definitely be one to watch when it arrives on these shores.  

64 Goodge Street (Fitzrovia) - Scallop, lentils & beurre blanc 

If this picture doesn't make you want to drag the scallop through that perfectly executed sauce then we're not sure you're in the right place. This was one of many stellar starters we enjoyed at 64 Goodge Street, the latest opening from the Woodhead Restaurant Group who also run Clipstone, Portland and Quality Chop. Frankly we're still thinking about the sweetness of those braised lentils - the perfect accompaniment to the scallops. 

Tendril (Mayfair) - White bean, chilli and garlic dip

It's been a long time coming but Rishim Sachdeva has finally found a permanent space for his "mostly vegan" venture Tendril. The meal there had many highs but this deceptively simple dip was the standout, just one of the best dips we've ever had, vegan or not. They act as a bar too, so if you're curious about the space you can just pop in for drinks and some of this amazing dip too. 

Fazenda (Bishopsgate) - Carabinero prawn tartare, feta cheese, roe mullet, empanada dough

The arrival of upmarket rodizio restaurant Fazenda meant that there was an awful lot of meat on skewers for the main event. But for this London location, the menu has expanded much more than before and some of the real winners were to be seen out of the main meat and buffet fest. Chief amongst them, this fantastic tartare which is a light way to get things started before the meats take over. 

Leo's (Clapton) - Spaghetti with lemon and bottarga

This dish from chef Guiseppe Belvedere's pasta dish is a tribute to his homeland of Sardinia - ostensibly simple, it marries the zest of fresh lemon with the umami hit of freshly grated bottarga. A dish that you would genuinely and deeply regret sharing even the smallest bit with your dining companion; you'll want this all to yourself.

Darog (Galway, Ireland) - Grilled French toast with cheese custard and onion crumble

Right opposite Galway's Michelin-starred restaurant Aniar (and in the space that used to be Tartare) you'll find this new wine bar run by former Aniar sommelier Zsolt Lukács and his wife, restaurant marketer Edel McMahon-Lukács. In the kitchen is chef Attila Galambos who's also ex-Aniar and Loam. This savoury take on French toast went perfectly with Zsolt's wine recommendations. 

The Portrait Restaurant (National Portrait Gallery) - House-made conchigliette, Dorset snails, rosemary 

Taking over the signature restaurant at the revamped National Portrait Gallery, Richard Corrigan could maybe stand back and let the amazing view do half the work, but instead he's created an excellent restaurant up on the top floor, with a menu that pleasingly doesn't play it too safe. Chief example is this dish of snail pasta (which has been evolving and changing over the weeks), adding a real hit of umami to the conchigliette, while embracing the snail trend we're seeing of late. Oh, and that view really is quite impressive too. 

Dovetale (Mayfair) - Carpaccio of English Wagyu "Harry's Bar" with hot mustard, chives & beef fat chips

Dovetale is chef Tom Sellers' second of three new restaurants to open this year (including the revamped Story, coming in November) and he's definitely on a roll. Backed up by Tom Anglesea in the kitchen, the menu here is absolutely full of hits, but this wagyu carpaccio came out top for us. The carpaccio itself is prepared to perfection but it's the almost hash-brown-like chips that really help to bring it all together.  It doesn't hurt that it's very instagrammable too. 

Franco's (Mayfair) - Wild strawberry pannacotta with pistachio crumble

Sitting in the sunshine on Franco's capacious terrace watching the moneyed folk of St James on their perambulations was made all the better with a glass of chilled rosé and this for dessert. The candied pistachios were just the right foil to the rich dessert and we liked the old-school sugar glass shard for decoration. 

Estelle Manor (North Leigh) - English Ibérico pork loin with charcuterie sauce

There was a lot to like at this super chic new Cotswolds hotel, from the crispy duck skin and sugar dip in their Billiard Room restaurant to the aubergine dressed with flowers from the kitchen garden just metres away in their Glasshouse restaurant. But this fabulous pork chop in their Brasserie restaurant for lunch on the first day just edged out its competitors. 

Raspberry and almond tart (Charlbury) - The Bull

Trying (and failing) not to eavesdrop on the conversation of our fellow diners who wanted to open their own restaurant, our dinner at The Bull in Charlbury ended in high style with these exemplary tart made with the butteriest of pastries, warm from the oven. This countryside pub is from the same folks behind the huge Notting Hill hit The Pelican and it has a similar focus, cooking on fire and with a menu that changes daily according to what's good right now.

Swans Bar at Maison Assouline (Area) - Vesper Martini

We've been meaning to check out the bar at Maison Asslouine for a while, but this was our first visit. Set at the back of the beautiful bookshop on Piccadilly, it's easily one of the best bars in the area and something of a hidden gem. We were very impressed by their martinis too, not least this Vesper which is served through an aerator to give it an lightly sparkling feel.

Made in Oldstead (Area) - Herdwick lamb kofte with fermented turnip and wild garlic

It's been quite a while since we've done an at-home meal kit, and this one is from Tommy Banks Made in Oldstead, one of the few meal kit providers that have stayed the course since the pandemic. Issued to celebrate the upcoming Home of Food festival at Lord's, this is a dish that he recently served up on Sunday Brunch. We're pretty happy with the way this one came out...