I’ll be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of New Year’s Eve. In my opinion, it’s a little over-hyped and I’ve always thought that people put a little too much pressure on themselves to have a perfect night. So, when a dear friend suggested that we opt for a late dinner at NOPI in London, I knew this was the right mix of festive and fun without going too crazy!
As my friend’s flight delay meant that we were not meeting up earlier in the evening as originally planned, I decided to pop in to a friend’s house party in Barnes. I decided to keep it casual yet festive, with a lightweight silver gray sweater dress that I scored at Primark of all places – it couldn’t have been more than £15. I paired it was a statement necklace scored from Forever21 years ago and Michael Kors Sabrina over the knee boots (like these but in leather vs. suede). How’s that for mixing high and low end together!?
Unfortunately, getting from Barnes back into Piccadilly was no easy feat. With so many of the roads closed in central London, my Uber driver told me the fastest way was to hop on the tube at South Kensington. Thank goodness I wore comfy, low-heeled boots!!
Once inside NOPI and away from the throngs of people in Piccadilly Circus, I found myself in a comfy, yet festive oasis. With champagne in our glasses, we proceeded to tuck into an impressive assortment of Ottolenghi’s signature dishes.
The meal started with a heavenly Burrata with myagawa, coriander seeds and lavender honey.
Twice-cooked baby chicken with lemon myrtle salt and chili sauce.
Mixed green beans, kaffir lime, coriander, sesame seeds.
Roasted aubergine with black garlic, broad beans, basil.
Roasted butternut squash, red onion, tahini, za’atar.
And quite possibly my favorite dish of the night, the decadent Valdeón cheesecake with pickled beetroot,
almonds and thyme honey.
Followed by not one – but two – desserts! Starting with coffee and pecan financiers and maple cream.
And baked chocolate ganache, plum soil and crème fraîche.
All in all, it was an incredible meal! It was the perfect way to ring in the New Year!
NOPI is located at 21-22 Warwick Street, London W1B 5NE. Reservations are highly recommended. For more information on NOPI’s menu, visit their website.