If you follow E Cooks on Instagram, you'll know that E can indeed cook. Every Insta the dude posts results in a Pavlovian response of combined belly rumble and salivation. Miho is the luckiest wife ever (and clearly has an incredible metabolism to boot!) So it was that I was quite literally bouncing up and down at the prospect of dinner at their house with my fellow invitees: Yee, Honey and Thach.
As all good foodies do, we kicked things off with a drink in Miho and E's charming back garden in west London, with delicious bellinis made up by our obliging resident French Gourmet/Sommelier.
And the best combination ever? Bellinis and blinis, of course. Especially when they're lovingly homemade with incredibly fresh taramasalata. We unanimously agreed that the latter was the best we've ever tried. I don't think I was a particularly huge fan of taramasalata before, but this stuff was addictive. If E's not going to open a restaurant, he should at the very least open a deli...one taste of his cooking is not enough!
And the amuse bouches didn't stop at the blinis, oh no.
We were also treated to the most moreish little potatoes, topped with truffled scrambled eggs. A genuine once you pop, you just can't stop situation...
Smoked salmon sprinkled with fresh dill. Seasoned to perfection.
We all gasped when E brought out these amazing pissaladières. On the left, a traditional Southern French pissaladière niçoise with anchovies and olives, and on the right, topped with the most indulgent reblochon and lardons. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, all this before we even got to the first course. I really couldn't decide which one I liked more. Which was lucky because I got to have multiple pieces of each...
After gorging ourselves silly on the pissaladières, we relocated to M and E's living room to await our first course. Time to roll those foodie sleeves up, people...
I really can't help but lick my lips when I look at this photo of our plat principal: an incredibly generously stuffed lobster and langoustine raviolo perched atop minty pea purée, and swimming in a lobster bisque with a lemongrass and chervil velouté. Seriously tasty and complemented beautifully by the different sauces. I couldn't believe the work that went into this dish. When I try to count the manifold processes behind making this my head starts to spin. Something you never think about when you go to a restaurant!
Next up - the most prodigious beef wellington, baked inside - yes - a brioche. It was at this stage that I wondered if E might possibly be verging on insane. This man sets the bar incredibly high for himself!
Slicing the brioche open was almost like witnessing a birth - E, originally incredibly nervous that the meat inside might be overdone, cooed like a proud father at the beautifully rare beef nestled within.
Golden Couple being golden. #perfecthosts
I'm proud to say that I demolished my portion of the beef wellington (otherwise known as the 'Beast Wellington'). Just look at that incredible pink meat. Paired with asparagus, cauliflower purée topped with 'microleaves' and a crispy potato millefeuille, this made for the perfect hearty main course. A meal truly worthy of Desperate Dan.
A little photo break while the beef wellington was digesting. I love these people.
Grandma and Grandpa being creepy/cute as usual <3
The cutest Ba(n)ker Yee, who brought us all the most deliciously buttery starry shortbread cookies filled with Nutella and strawberry jam. I devoured mine in about two seconds flat with a cup of tea the next day - thank you, Yee!
Et finalement...E's pièce de résistance. An incredibly smooth tarte au citron with a raspberry coulis. Top marks for plating and taste. I absolutely loved the interplay between tart and sweet here. I can't stand it when a lemon tart is so acidic it sets my teeth on edge, but I'm happy to say that an ideal balance was struck here. And of course I expected no less of E!
The rightfully proud (and exhausted) face of the man of the night!
This baby deserves a photo from every angle.
Second helpings, accompanied by an accurate depiction of how we were all feeling by this point in the evening.
Oh wait, did you think the supperclub ended with dessert? If you did then you clearly need to get over to E's Instagram and study it more carefully. Chef E is notorious for his crazy macaron skills, and this evening was no exception to the rule. In fact, it marked a special occasion: the début of E's Ispahan flavour, a celestial medley of rose, lychee and raspberry.
What better way to round off an evening of excellent food and drink than with sinfully good macarons and an equally sinful game of Citizens Against Humanity?
Thank you so, so much to E and Miho for inviting us into your home for a supperclub sans pareil - the most amazing food I've ever had cooked specially for me, with kind, attentive hosts, beautifully considered presentation and fantastic company. Superlatives aren't enough for this supperclub! All I can say is...bring on round two next month. I'm prepping myself physically and mentally for BBQ carnage...
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