Nest
Shoreditch, London
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After a six-year stint in Hackney, Johnnie Crowe and his two sidekicks have flown their original nest and moved on to bigger and better premises within an impressive Victorian building next door to Shoreditch Town Hall. Nest 2.0 (as they like to call it) is a 24-seater space with an open kitchen run along the same lines as before. The owners’ smart solution to waste and sustainability is to divide the year into ‘seasons’, with one core ingredient taking centre stage for the duration. It’s not only a neat way of managing consumption but also gives regulars even more reasons for return visits. Nest’s opening season focuses on ‘game’ (‘beef’ and ‘seafood’ will be making an appearance in due course), so expect a tasting menu in the evening (still priced at £65) with a dedicated ‘one-region’ wine pairing (£55) – in this case from Austria. As for the food, three little dishes open the show: grouse tea, a game liver parfait with beetroot meringue, and a game terrine with pickled walnut tart. Soda bread with cultured butter comes next, before a fish-themed detour (BBQ trout with English white wine sauce, say); after that, proceedings move towards the centrepiece clincher – roast grouse with pressed potato and watercress. To conclude? Something simple, such as Bakewell tart. In the spirit of keeping things fresh and new, the taster now gives way to a short carte at lunchtime (think Rockefeller oysters followed by fried partridge with fermented chilli mayo). One final adjunct to the package is the Nest Cellar – a cosy, walk-in only bar offering low-intervention wines, cocktails, UK craft beers and ‘natural’ ciders alongside snacky small plates and nibbles.
