My wish to go to Ottolenghi’s restaurant was the genesis of this entire trip. “Let’s go to London!”. Of course, just going to a restaurant in London did not seem adventurous enough and the rest of our plans grew from that one, first thought.

Tonight we went to Ottolenghi’s flagship restaurant in London, Nopi. It is located at the end of Warwick, a small, rather nondescript street, just off the beaten path in London’s theatre district. There is no large sign and the building is currently hidden behind scaffolding. The menu out front and the name, discreetly lettered on the glass doors, were the only signs that we had arrived. Well, that an our GPS telling us “arrived”.

We went inside, were told our table would be ready in two minutes and stood at a long shelf of live edge wood, perusing the menus while we waited. True to their word, we were comfortably seated in the back corner 3 minutes later.

The restaurant itself is all white, subway tile on the wall where the bar is located, and painted stone on the opposite wall. The polished brass lighting fixtures, reminiscent of middle eastern lamps, and the similar square brass tables were the only other elements that really created a ‘vibe’. There were relatively few tables in the main dining space, less than 20, and all were occupied.

First we ordered drinks. Rick had a cherry americano negroni and I had a zero proof negroni. Both were delicious. I actually could not believe that mine was zero proof – or maybe it has just been so long since a negroni has passed my lips that I don’t have expectations of a particular flavour anymore.

We poured over the menu, looking at each of the sections: Nibbles, Veg, Fish & Meat , Mains, Sides, Desserts. We wanted to try as many different things as possible, without rolling out the door in pain later. We finally landed on the following:

• Nibbles: Ottolenghi roasted spiced nuts
• Veg: Roasted aubergine, olive yoghurt, masala spiced dates and Root vegetable fritters, green shatta aioli, nouc mam
• Main: Lemongrass chicken, ginger butter sauce, hispi cabbage
• Sides: Baharat-buttered new potatoes, tarragon
• Desserts: Tonka panna cotta, roasted pineapple, pumpkin seed brittle

The meal was served at a nice pace: nuts first with our cocktails, then the 2 veg dishes with a break before the chicken and potatoes arrived. It was all so delicious. We debated what was best, then changed our minds on the next mouthful.

Rick really loved the chicken which I thought was wonderful, though my favourite part was the hipsi cabbage. And the ginger butter sauce – which I could have eaten with a spoon if manners allowed such a thing. The aubergine was enlightening. Eggplant (a much less exotic name) is a vegetable I have struggled to appreciate having frequently experienced it as a soggy mess, but not this time! The root vegetable fritters were perhaps my favourite. It was possible to taste each vegetable within the fritter which was a nest of veg, each piece separate rather than the pancake type of fritter one might typically expect. Even the simple potatoes were exceptional. We shared the panna cotta, creamy and flavourful, though I always love a good panna cotta. This was probably the safest choice we made from the menu – well except for the potatoes :0)

Here is the thing, in almost everyone of those dishes there was one (or more) ingredients I had never heard of and knew I would have to look up. I chose not to do it then and there; I just wanted to experience the flavour and not prejudge what it maybe, possibly, could taste like. It was the right call.

After dinner I went downstairs to the “toilet” (so much more direct than the the more discreet “washroom” we are used to saying). I would normally bring this up, but it allowed me to see a different face of the restaurant. I walked past the open kitchen, crowded with huge stacks of pots and pans. The group tables are also downstairs, setup for shared family-style dining with a familiar group or a bunch of strangers. They were clearly have a loud and enjoyable time together.

The washroom itself was cool – but a bit tricky to navigate as it was essentially a funhouse hall of mirrors. Picking out what was actually a door handle and what was a reflection of a door handle was a challenge. I had not taken my camera but found a photo on the internet that I have included here. It was such a curiousity.

We left the restaurant more than 2 hours later, happy and suffencified – as my Grandmother used to say. I clutched my signed copy of the Nopi cookbook to my chest the entire way back to the hotel, an accomplishment as I am certain it weighs at least a couple of pounds. I look forward to adding it to my shelf, with all of the other Ottolenghi cookbooks I love so much.

I imagined many things about this meal – good and bad. In the end… it was simply perfect.