Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Mountain Restaurant in Soho: Basque-Style Cuisine

 




It’s all about delicious natural flavours at this lively culinary hotspot, which comes courtesy of Tomos Parry, the chef-owner of ‘Brat’ in Shoreditch that has taken London by storm. Located on Soho’s Beak Street, Anglesey-born chef Tomos Parry has drawn on his Welsh heritage as well as a love for cooking over open fire with a menu that showcases top class ingredients. The menu is inspired by Spanish cuisine and the concept of ‘mar y montaña’  — sea and mountains — with a lot of the ingredients sourced from Wales and the rest of the UK. A buzzy, delicious, dining destination in the middle of Soho, Mountain is split over two levels - the basement booths can offer intimacy but the ground floor has the buzz around the open kitchen and is definitely the place to be. The lengthy menu includes dishes which are ideal for sharing and vary in size, from snacks like sweet raw red prawns with house-made stracciatella to whole lobster caldereta, an ideal entrée for up to five people. 

Arriving for a late dinner, we waited in the bar with a glass of champagne until our table was ready, which was ideally located beside the restaurant's open kitchen. Mountain’s approach to service is as meticulous as its cuisine. The staff, attentive and knowledgeable, play a crucial role in navigating the extensive menu. Their guidance is invaluable, especially when it comes to selecting a balanced array of dishes that cater to the table’s preferences, from starters through to the mains and sides. This personalized touch, along with swift attention to any hiccups, like the forgotten starter and cocktail, underscores Mountain’s dedication to guest satisfaction.

We started with Seabass Crudo with Almond Soup, and divine Raw Scallops and Monkfish dressed in gorgeous olive oil, and luscious Raw Red Prawns with house-made Stracciatella. Our server Dominique suggested that we definitely try the Spider Crab Omelette, one of chef Parry's signature dishes, which was cooked to perfection with kelp seaweed butter and Welsh spider crab meat. There was a sous chef in the kitchen whose sole job was to whisk the eggs, which certainly added to the culinary theatre! We followed with the Jersey Beef Sirloin and Smoked Potatoes that were all cooked over the open flame, as well as enjoying lovely grilled spring vegetables and a tangy lettuce, chicory and anchovy salad. 

From its signature dishes to the luxurious dining atmosphere and impeccable service, Mountain is more than just a dining destination — it’s a culinary journey that reflects the best of Soho’s vibrant dining scene. Whether you’re a local food enthusiast or a tourist exploring London, Mountain is a must for anyone seeking an exceptional meal in the heart of the city.



Chef Tomos Parry serving Anglesey lobster caldereta, one of Mountain's signature dishes

Chef Parry's kitchen throw a bit of smoke and char on to everything thanks 
to the wood-fired ovens and grills

Mountain menu

Dinner menu

Walking into the busy interior of Mountain as we arrived for a late dinner

Bread and Butter

Red Bourgogne

Seabass Crudo with Almond Soup

Raw Scallop and Monkfish

Raw Red Prawns with house-made Stracciatella

Spider Crab Omelette is one of Mountain's signature dishes, speckled with seaweed

With a table next to the open kitchen, we were able to watch Head chef of Mountain
and the sous chefs work their culinary magic

Lettuce and Anchovy Salad

Laguiole steak knives for our entrée

Jersey Beef Sirloin for two was grilled on Mountains open fire grill,
imparting smoky flavours and intense textures that are otherwise hard to achieve

Parry’s famous fire-smoked potatoes

Grilled Spring Vegetables

The exterior of Mountain on Beak Street in Soho





Asparagus with wild garlic and fresh cheese
Serves 2
Recipe courtesy of Chef Tomas Parry

A bunch green asparagus, about eight or nine pieces
1 1/2 oz wild garlic
8 oz burrata
Sprigs of fresh mint and oregano
A lemon
Breadcrumbs
8 oz butter

 
Lie the wild garlic leaves flat, scattering with mint and oregano. Top with a bundle of pre-blanched asparagus stems and wrap tight in the leaves, binding with wild garlic brown butter. Cook in a very hot oven at 465°F for 7 minutes, or until the roll has blistered. To serve, coat in the remaining brown butter and a squeeze of lemon. Split open the burrata, season with salt, pepper and olive oil. Scatter with homemade breadcrumbs for texture.






Whole Roast Turbot with Clams, Fennel and Potatoes
Serves 4
Recipe courtesy Chef Tomas Parry

3 small fennel bulbs, thinly cut using a mandolin  
1 1/3 lb waxy potatoes, thinly cut using a mandolin 
1 onion, sliced
Pinch chilli flakes
Pinch fennel seeds
Olive oil to drizzle
1 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1 small bunch fresh tarragon, finely chopped
2.6 lb whole sustainable turbot 
2 1/4 lb sustainable live clams
1 bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, finely chopped

 
Heat the oven to 355°F. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Blanch the fennel and potato slices in the water for 3 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a shallow roasting tin large enough to hold the fish comfortably. Add the onion, chilli flakes, fennel seeds and a generous drizzle of oil, then toss everything together to coat. Roast for 10 minutes, turning halfway, until lightly golden.

Remove the tray from the oven, pour over a cup of white wine, then add most of the lemon wedges and half the tarragon. Season well and toss together.

Rinse the turbot and pat dry with kitchen paper, then set on top of the vegetables and drizzle with some more olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper and roast for 20 minutes. Add the clams and the remaining white wine to the tin, then cook for a further 10 minutes until the flesh of the fish is just cooked through and starts to come away from the bone, and the clams are open and cooked — discard any that remain unopened. Scatter over the chopped parsley and remaining tarragon, then squeeze over the juice from the remaining lemon wedges to serve.







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