"One bit of great is better than a whole lot of average."
Had an art teacher say that to us once... admittedly, our work was being used to illustrate what a whole lot of average looks like... but still, it's always nice to be noticed.
And so it is with this selection of restaurants... if you do one thing so darned well, what's the point of diluting it with mediocrity?
From pork to hotdogs, pancakes to cheeses, take a look at these restaurants celebrated for one outstanding item...
Comforting bowls of ramen, strong liquor and rock’n’roll are the order of the day at this hip no-bookings eatery. Chef Ross Shonhan, who has worked at high end restaurants Zuma and Roka, tops his noodles with things like kimchi, pork mince and scrambled egg, while the broth simmers for hours for maximum flavour, like the 20-hour pork broth.
To some mozzarella is the blandest of all cheeses, to others it’s the most versatile. Obika’s founders are clearly of the latter persuasion, as here they present the Italian buffalo cheese in all its glory: smoked, fried in breadcrumbs, wrapped in ham and grilled, and of course on pizza. There’s charcuterie, pasta and meat dishes for non-fans too.
People with gluten sensitivity are the food world’s Anne Hathaway (the subject of vitriol for no apparent reason), but at La Polenteria they can find a safe haven away from the haters and well, gluten. Polenta is used as a substitute and accompanies things like black ink cuttlefish, Tuscan sausages and veal goulash.
There was much hype surrounding this novel restaurant that serves hotdogs and grower champagnes around the time of opening, but fast forward a few years and they’re still one of London’s most talked about restaurants. And it’s easy to see why – who would have thought a Sloppy Joe hot dog could be matched to a 2002 Pierre Peters Cuvée Spéciale?
This Exmouth Market eatery specialises in all things porcine. Leon co-founder and food writer Allegra McEvedy has really used her imagination here, so as well as ribs, pork belly and Blackfoot pork burgers there are more inventive dishes like lardo on toast, pulled pork tacos and pork shoulder stuffed with herbs. Unmissable for pig-lovers.