The best things we ate and drank in November

Brooklands  (Belgravia) - Coronation chicken

From a seemingly endless parade of amuse-bouches, canapes and snacks at the satart of our lunch at Claude Bosi’s Brooklands at the newly opened Peninsula London, this swoon-worthy dish of chicken liver ice cream with fried baby onions on toasted brioche really stood out.

Saltine  (Highbury) - Sticky toffee and apple cake

Deservedly singled out for praise by the Standard’s Jimi Famurewa in his review, Highbury restaurant Saltine has a huge hit on its hands with this perfect wintry dessert. The menu may change regularly but right now it looks as though this signature will be on for a good while longer.

The Emory (Knightsbridge) - Egg toast with caviar

At a hard hat preview of the upcoming Knightsbridge hotel The Emory (from the Maybourne Group who also run The Berkeley, Connaught and Claridge’s) this fabulous canape-sized version of Jean Georges’ signature egg toast was served to us by the man himself. Jean-Georges will be running the restaurant at The Emory which will be an amalgamation of his three ABC restaurants in New York.

Wolseley City (The City) - Marmalade bread and butter pudding

While much about this new version of The Wolseley in the City is designed to make you think of the original, there are a few brand new dishes on the menu to try. Chief among them is this rib-sticking dessert where marmalade is employed to give the classic pudding a citrus lift.

Cafe Kitty (Soho) - Steak tartare with shoestring fries

At the new restaurant from the team behind Kitty Fisher’s and Cora Pearl, the steak tartare that’s so popular in the latter gets a great glow-up with the addition of a mountain of shoestring fries under a cloud of Pecorino.

Pearly Queen (Shoreditch) - Cuttlefish lasagne

Described by chef Tom Brown as ‘like a supermarket lasagne in the best kind of way’ this amazing cuttlefish iteration of the classic dish takes three days to make starting with the ragu and finishing off with a topping three days later of 36-month-aged Parmesan. It’s the restaurant’s signature dish for a reason.

Bistro Freddie (Shoreditch) - Dorset snails flatbread

London chefs’ love affair with the snail shows no signs of slowing down and we are very much here for it. Here at this new and immediately popular Shoreditch bistro they’re served on a flatbread slicked with tarragon butter and dotted with shards of chicken skin.

Silverleaf (Liverpool Street) - Tarte Tatin with whey

If you like your desserts alcoholic, then maybe this take on the classic French dessert will be right up your street. The highly-rated bar at the Pan Pacific London has just launched a new cocktail menu, Under the Lens, and this drink was one of the highlights of a recent visit there. An evolution of a cocktail that was on their first menu, it leans into brown spirits such as brandy and dark rum.

Devonshire  (Soho) - Lamb cutlets

Right out of the gate, The Devonshire has become one of the hottest openings of the year (we've already been back to the pub twice). These cutlets are a good example of what the restaurant is doing so right. What seems like a relatively simple dish has had an awful lot of work put into it, with a mix of rendered lamb fat and infused mint brushed on just before they arrive at the table. Phenomenal. 

Kolae  (Borough) - Chicken skewers

The duo behind Som Saa may have taken a while to launch their second restaurant, but it's been well worth the wait. Everything on the menu at Kolae is a winner, but we're reserving special love for these Kolae chicken skewers, as big as a Magnum ice cream. 

Atelier Coupette (Soho) - Poussin

The original Coupette in Bethnal Green is one of London's best bars and now they've come to Soho with a spin-off. Atelier Coupette is enjoying a little more experimentation with the cocktails and they've also got a great menu of French-inspired small plates. The Poussin is a panko-covered drumstick served with truffle jus, zucchini purée, girolles and grilled courgette and is a must-have. 

Calum Franklin's Christmas pork pie

This enormous pie is the latest collaboration between Dickinson & Morris and pie-maker extraordinaire Calum Franklin. It's the Celebration Christmas Pork Pie and contains outdoor-bred pork, chicken and smoked bacon, paired with chestnuts and wrapped in a blanket of cranberry and port jelly. If you've been missing Calum's pork pies, this will be a must and you can get it delivered in time for Christmas.