06 January 2013

Best Eats of 2012: London | Fifteen London


April 2012: London 


Let me tell you about being a single girl in her thirties. Or rather, as I imagine a girl in her thirties would feel; or how I would feel when I get there since I'm only 25 ;)

 The ups: You can travel the world in a heartbeat. You know where you want to go. You know what you want to do. You are confident with your choices. You're no longer too afraid of getting lost and embrace wandering as a part of life. You're not a frazzled little chick who can't afford a cab. And you can indulge in your happiness, whatever that may be - art, fashion, music, food.

 The downs: Well, to begin with, all your photos look like this:
Stretch out arm. Smile. Click. Crop out arm. Learn photoshop to erase double chin.
Secondly, you witness majestic views but have no one to share it with. :(

 Equally annoying: you need to stuff yourself silly because you have no sweeper to help you with all the food you want to taste. It's not so bad at a Robuchon atelier where you have a burger the size of a pearl earring. But if it's a Jamie Oliver outlet with his generous proportions, you're in trouble.

As I was when I got too excited and ate all this:


Jamie Oliver, God bless his heart, opened Fifteen not just to please patrons' palates but also to assist those who cannot afford it become chefs. In his website's words, it's "a restaurant that uses the magic of food to give unemployed young people a chance to have a better future." And man do they achieve this dream!
The "graduates" of Fifteen
The gnocchi: melt in your mouth soft. The pork: oh my giant liempo with tempered taba. Zubuchon king Marketman would go crazy over this. And the burrata - well, hindi sila nagtipid.

Thankfully this restaurant is at the other end of the world from Strand where my hotel was located and I had the courage to take the bus so there was a lot of walking to shake the carbs off.

 The portions are heaping and can be shared; the prices are not too painful on the pocket; and the ambiance is relaxed casual so you can come as you are. Totally worth the trek.

15 Westland Place, London 
N1 7LP United Kingdom
+44 20 3375 1515
on