Jikoni
Marylebone, London
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Looking pretty in shades of peach and pastel pink, Jikoni’s boutique charms are a perfect fit for this increasingly trendy quarter of the capital. Inside, cute scatter cushions, pillows, arty lampshades, individually designed napkins and covetable tablecloths create a homely vibe – families and all comers happily eat together here. Dreamed up by well-travelled chef and TV presenter, Ravinder Bhogal, this self-styled ‘no borders kitchen’ reflects her mixed Asian/African heritage and the menu roams far and wide. Expect anything from a ‘prawn toast Scotch egg’ with banana ketchup or a mischievous Indian riff on Spain’s classic pan con tomate to a ‘small but delightful’ plate of Devon crab courgette fritti with avocado and coconut chutney or a tangy take on aloo chaat involving potato skin, black chickpeas, burrata, more avocado and crunchy sev. Larger dishes include the wonderfully named kuku paka with sukuma wiki, which sees grilled chicken paired with a spicy coconut sauce, braised 'collared' greens and saffron rice – a triumph of East African/Asian fusion. If you're partial to a spot of dunking, grazing and sharing, try one of the thali-style combos – perhaps sweet mango curry with a steamed dhokla cake, puri, thoran and a crispy mini papad for scooping. When it comes to sweet things, the wicked banana cake with miso butterscotch, peanut brittle and Ovaltine kulfi is rightly renowned, although the strawberry and yuzu roulade (‘bright, airy and creamy’) is also spot-on. To drink, there’s a tip-top selection of spice-friendly wines, an intriguing collection of global cocktails as well as single-estate teas; also check out the range of Toast beers (made with surplus fresh bread). Jikoni’s many virtues extend to warmly personable service and meticulous attention to detail – no wonder there are queues outside the door.
