The contents of The Nook supper club.
So - remind us about The Nook again?
The Nook is a relatively recent opening in Islington, run by Angus and Lale Oztek-Pook (ex Zucca, Bernardis, Oklava, Mash Inn) which we visited in one of the rare non-lockdown periods in early December. We were immediately impressed and think it's another great addition to Islington and Highbury.
And now they're delivering?
They are. Part of the everyday business of The Nook is as a deli and cafe, and that element continues almost as before (with the exception of hot food takeaway being paused due to government regulations). Now they've also kicked off The Nook Supper Club, where they're pulling together a weekly changing finish-at-home menu.
What degree of finish-at-home is needed?
It's a combination of simple plating (the snacks and starters) or chucking in the oven (mains and dessert) - it's extremely easy to follow.
So what's on the menu?
As mentioned - it changes regularly, so make sure to check out their Instagram feed for the latest menu. Everything you need is in the pack, down to the Maldon salt for seasoning. Here's what we had:
Kicking off our supper was this dish of burrata with samphire, chilli and almonds and a lemon dressing.
Next up are a number of bits that you can pull together for a snacks/starter plate or a fridge buffet par-excellence. Starting bottom left and moving clockwise, we have Bread by Bike sourdough and crostini (we really do rate their sourdough highly), then pickled cucumber followed by truly brilliant homemade cranberry mustard. The latter pairs extremely well with the final element - rabbit and port rillettes. Out of sight is an extra dish of agrodolce lentils. This was almost a meal in itself.
Next up are the friggitelli peppers - already pre-seared, these just need 10 mins in the oven and a sprinkling of salt.
The main event - prawn and crayfish Güveç. They explained this perfectly on a recent Instagram post: "Guvech, Güveç in Turkish, is traditionally a stew cooked in claypots. The Prawn/ Veg Güveç is a rich stew that is baked in the oven with melty cheese on top; along the way the claypot was replaced very often with other baking dishes but the flavoursomeness of it hasn’t changed." Perfect food for a wintry night.
A look inside the Güveç
Extreme close-up of the dessert. It's apple and pistachio halva crumble in all its gooey marvellousness. This comes with vanilla and orange creme fraiche. Normally we're not massive fans of creme fraiche with dessert - but this was a big upgrade. All this needed was 30 minutes in the oven.
And what about wine?
Wine is a large part of what The Nook is all about - there's an excellent wine list when the restaurant is open. If you're passing by you should definitely peruse what they have in stock as they also work as a wine shop. The wine pairing is an extra £15 and at that price, we think it's a must. The wine list also changes regularly - we had an excellent Le Verger Muscadet which, coincidentally we also had when we dined in. We loved it then and it's a perfect match for this meal too. There's also an extensive wine list that you can use to add to your order further.
And is there anything else to order?
There are plenty of deli items available for click and collect or delivery - options include The Nook's top-notch sandwiches, cheese and lots more. All can be delivered alongside the supper club.
Overall thoughts
We've been singing the praises of The Nook for a while now, as we think it was one of the more promising openings of 2020 (and we're very lucky we're local). If you haven't managed to make it over to Islington to try it out - then their delivery supper club is the next best thing and well worth a try. Keep an eye out for new menus announced every Tuesday on their Instagram page.
More about The Nook
Where is it? 220 St Paul's Rd, Highbury, London N1 2LL
Delivery range: About 6 miles from the restaurant (but do check with them if you fall outside that)
How to order: On their website. A new menu goes up on Instagram every Tuesday.
Find out more: Visit the website or follow them on Instagram @thenook_london.
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