The counter at Whyte's
What can you tell us about Whyte's?
It's the first permanent(ish) restaurant from the man known as Whyte Rushen, a chef who's spent time working at Brat, Scully and Kerridge's. After successful supperclubs and residencies across town, he settled down in Hackney last December in this restaurant opened with Livi Akers. The menu started off pretty eclectic and has changed every month since, sometimes settling in on a particular theme, like a recent menu that was inspired by French bistros.
This month, the menu has switched to a theme that's after our own hearts - a Basque-inspired affair. So there's a distinct Spanish approach throughout (with a few Whyte Rushen twists) and a particular San Sebastian influence. Based on all that, we felt a visit was long overdue.
Where is it?
You'll find it in London Fields (which is the nearest station), just off Mare Street on Helmsley Street (in the same building as Behind and Caldera).
Whyte himself in action.
What's the set-up inside?
The main event is the counter, which stretches around the kitchen, seating around 12 people, with more standard tables dotted around the room, and a few on a covered terrace outside. The counter is definitely the place to be, we'd say.
And what can we expect from the food?
So, as mentioned, it's an all-Basque affair. For a restaurant that changes its menu so often, there's a lot to choose from, most of which has been created from scratch for this latest theme. There's enough that you'll probably need two visits just to make the most of this menu. It's a mix of snacks, small and sharing plates and runs the gamut of dishes that are easily recognisable as classic Spanish dishes (Jamon Iberico and Ossau Irraty cheese, for one) with others that have had a distinct twist put on them.
Here's a taste of what's on offer for the Basque menu:
Two small dishes to start with. There's the roasted Basque chillies with smoked almonds and fleur de sal (£12) and Cantabrian anchovies with roasted red peppers and aged balsamic (£12).
Fried potatoes with grilled wild mushrooms, egg yolk (£15) - a homage to top pintxo bar Ganbara in San Sebastian
Marinated tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar (£10) - a standard Basque dish that we've also recently seen at Tollington's
Grilled cuttlefish and pinto beans (£12) - the perfectly cooked (and sourced) cuttlefish is a great match for the beans.
BBQ finger burners and honey (£11) - that honey is a phenomenally good touch and is one of those things you'll want to try yourself at home.
Bone-in sirloin Txuleta, pickled guindilla butter (£80) - that butter adds a pleasant kick throughout.
Whole roasted and barbecued turbot, olive oil, lemon (£70)
Burnt Basque cheesecake (£10) - in that perfectly just-about-set consistency
And there's more?
There was a lot more that we didn't get around to trying. The oyster, confit potato and caramelised onion omelette (£11) sounds amazing, as does the veal sweetbread with raw mushrooms and blackcurrant mustard (£13). There's also another big sharing plate of baked red prawn rice, brown crab, preserved lemon and roasted tomatoes (£55). We tried a bit of that and can certainly recommend it.
What the menu isn't all that great for is if you're vegetarian. There are dishes like the chillies and tomatoes above, but it's primarily a meat/fish affair.
What about drinks?
Just like the main menu, the drinks list has had a complete overhaul, with a focus on Basque and Spanish wines, supplied by The Modest Merchant who seem to be working with pretty much every interesting London restaurant and wine bar at the moment. Txakolina makes a welcome appearance, poured from a great height, of course, and as well as your standard whites/reds, there's a Spanish Pet Nat, cider and orange wine on the list. Prices start at £45 for that Pet Nat and £48 otherwise. There is, of course, a White Russian on the list (£14) but we think the following is a must right now:
A one litre jug of sangria (£22) with a little addition of Nuet dry aquavit makes for a wonderful drink.
Overall thoughts
We'd been hearing great things about Whyte's ever since it opened and it easily lived up to expectations on this long-overdue visit. The current Basque menu is excellent and if you haven't managed to make it to Spain this year, a trip to Hackney this month is definitely worth it. And even if you miss this particular iteration, whatever Whyte has cooking up next will be just as worth it (and keep an eye out for his great burgers making a comeback).
The restaurant isn't going to be in Hackney forever as they're taking it on the road next year. Before that happens, a trip to Whyte's is definitely recommended.
More about Whyte's
Where is it? Unit 3, 143 Mare Street, London E8 3RH.
How to Book: Book online
Find out more: Visit the website or follow them on Instagram @whytesrestaurant
Hot Dinners ate as guests of Whyte's. Prices are correct at the time of writing.
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