THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
After 5 years in Homerton, the three friends behind Nest have spread their wings and migrated to Shoreditch. This is the same team that created Restaurant St Barts in 2022 which earned a Michelin star a mere six months later and is one of my favourite dining experiences ever. These guys are flying!
Johnnie Crowe heads the kitchen, Toby Neill runs the business and Luke Wasserman combines design with managing the front of house. Their passion is palpable. You can see it in the attention to detail and taste it in every mouthful. They champion small British producers, wave the flag for low waste and in this case, make fine dining affordable. When I grow up I want to be just like them!
The new digs combine the feel of a country pub with Shoreditch sensibility. Tiled flooring, rustic wood tables and painted wood paneling are adorned with bits of nature and mason jars filled with pickles, preserves and ferments. A place to nest and be nurtured.
The set menu at £65 is incredible value, offering Michelin quality at a fraction of the price. The drinks pairing at £55 is optional and one could easily drink for less …or just drink less, a concept I have never explored! The wine menu is curated with care, again featuring small producers and contemporary viniculture. When I visited, Nest was featuring a game menu with wine pairings from Austria. November-December features beef with wines of the new world.
The menu began with 3 “snacks” served on a cross section of wood. How a pearl-sized beetroot meringue filled with game liver parfait can explode with so much flavor is beyond me. Game bird terrine is beautifully executed and topped with lightly pickled walnuts. At St Barts, Chef Crowe bowled me over with his bread and broth and he did so again at Nest. Grouse tea and moss, reduced to perfection, brims with flavor and vitality. Soda bread with cultured butter is served, deservedly, as a course of its own. Dark, soft, crusty, warm…the best bread I’ve ever eaten. Should Crowe ever want a side hustle serving bread and broth, I will finance it myself!
Chalk stream trout with elderflower is meant to give a bit of relief from the game and does so beautifully. The floral notes make the perfectly translucent fish sing.
A game bird faggot was a delicious mix of meat and offal but the caul fat casing hadn’t melted or caramelized and remained stringy.
Roast Yorkshire grouse, presented on the crown in a bed of juniper before carving and plating was a sight to behold. Served with spiced squash and pressed potato cakes fried to crispy heaven, the rich red bird was the crowning glory of the evening.
There was no soggy bottom on my custard tart! On the contrary, I had difficulty cutting through the pastry, but the effort was worth it. The meadowsweet ice cream on top was a dream. Perfectly creamy with that lovely taste of herbal honey. A sensational jelly doughnut followed, like a parting kiss!
Book while you can. The crowds are already flocking!
