If you’re the kind of person who spends ages staring indecisively at menus whilst the waiter hovers or if you’re the kind of person who’s always reaching across the table to sample what your friends are eating, then Taste may be just for you.
The concept is simple: 40 of the capital’s top restaurants with reduced menus for a fraction of the cost, allowing you to browse around and sample whatever takes your fancy. There’s a huge range to choose from. Here are three examples of menus available. You can get a three-course meal for £12.
The Grill At The Dorchester
Ballotine of ham hock, apricot chutney and country toast
6 Crowns
Seared scallop with sardine pie and cauliflower puree
8 Crowns
Chocolate crumble with cocoa bean custard
10 Crowns
Tamarind
Papdi Channa Chaat—Spiced chickpeas with tamarind chutney and sweetened yoghurt sprinkled with gram flour crisps
8 Crowns
Lasooni Pasliyan—Grilled lamb cutlet marinated with garlic, chilli, lime and black cumin seeds, served on mixed salad
10 Crowns
Pepper Chicken & Coconut Rice—Chicken curry finished with crushed peppercorns and curry leaves; basmati rice with mustard, coconut and peas
10 Crowns
Rhodes Twenty Four
White tomato soup
6 Crowns
Braised beef with caramelised onion gravy
10 Crowns
Lemon tart with English strawberries
8 Crowns
Ticket prices vary: entry price is £22.50 (or £25 at the door). Or you can opt for the pricier, Crowns-included tickets. The most expensive Laurent-Perrier tickets are £80 at the door, but this includes £20 of Crowns and comes with a whole bunch of extras, such as a seafood-paring session and entry to the VIP lounge. Crowns are the Taste currency;1 Crown = 50p.
In the last six years Taste has rapidly grown to become one of the most exciting events of the food calendar. So if you’re in the mood for a bit of al fresco fine dining with your friends, bring a blanket so you can relax, it’s not always easy to find somewhere to sit.
This year, there’s a dedicated Thai section. There are lots of demos and master classes to see, by chefs such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Gary Rhodes. If wine-tasting is your thing, there are classes in that too.
Taste Festival is on at London’s Regent’s Park, June 18th–21st. Just like a restaurant, there are lunch time and evening sessions.
