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TRAVELLER
Galoupet
LONDON
On paper it sounds like it just shouldn’t
work. Fusion cooking is a tricky beast at
the best of times, but the idea of mixing
Mediterranean and Asian ingredients
in such a seemingly freehand style as is
done at Galoupet is surely a recipe for
disaster. That was my fear as I headed
to this recently opened Knightsbridge
eatery, but head chef Chris Golding has
created an impressively cohesive menu.
This upmarket joint is as elegantly
styled as the food is well-balanced too
– no mean feat when you’re throwing
together heritage tomatoes with shiso
(a Japanese herb) or squid pasta with
coconut broth. As is currently the
vogue in restaurantland, there are no
separate courses. All dishes are available
in large or small sizes, and diners are
encouraged to order a selection. It’s a
great excuse for a culinary road trip and
you can quickly travel from something
L’Avenue
MARRAKECH
With its vast menu of French and local
vintages, l’Avenue surely has the best
wine list in town. But that’s not the only
reason to recommend this new eaterie
in Marrakech’s trendy Guéliz district.
Owner Nordine Fakir has dressed the
dining hall with stylish contemporary
furnishings, lending a debonair air, but
this café-brasserie, which serves up a
mix of French, Italian and Moroccan
dishes, remains suitably cosy.
The menu is also a dream, with chef
Guillaume Mautalent fusing Moroccan
flavours with Italian techniques.
Starters include beautifully presented
carpaccio of sea bream, dorade and
lobster, and perfectly tender squid
with sautéed artichokes. Mautalent
also offers a couple of mains from star
chef Joël Robuchon, such as his lobster
and foie gras ravioli, which is light
and magnificently flavoursome. Other
distinctly Korean (lamb with chilli-
pickled fennel and pistachio) to a
southern European dish (grilled stone
bass with beetroot risotto).
The restaurant is owned by a French
vineyard in Provence and the wine
list is extensive. Though not cheap,
we’d recommend ordering different
highlights include classic tournedos
and huge battered scampi, with simple
desserts of baked chocolate mousse and
raspberry trifle.
Part of an emerging trend for great
French-Italian food in Marrakech,
the staff are enthusiastic and
knowledgeable, while the DJ-spun
music creates the kind of laid-back,
sophisticated vibe that Marrakech is
famous for.
A three-course meal costs 500MAD
(€45) pp. Angle Route de Targa and
Capitaine Arigui, tel: +212 (0)524 45
8901, lavenuemarrakech.blogspot.com
Jamie Carter
wines by the glass, with the help of the
knowledgeable sommelier. A delicious
way to see the world, one plate at a time.
A three-course meal costs around £35
(€42) per person. 13 Beauchamp
Place, SW3, tel: +44 (0)20 7036 3600,
galoupet.co.uk
Simon Kurs
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