Paradise Garage, Bethnal Green
I’ve heard great things about The Dairy and The Manor in Clapham. But I’ve been too lazy to make the journey. Luckily for me, owner Robin Gill opened Paradise Garage in East London, along the ever popular Paradise Row in Bethnal Green. I booked a table and headed over for lunch.
I love the space. Light floods in through the full length windows, making it bright and airy. Industrial touches like bare lightbulbs and metal cage panels, contrast perfectly with bright turquoise banquettes and bar chairs. A great place to grab some food or a drink in the sunshine without feeling stuck indoors.
There’s a tasting menu available for £45, or a main menu which is split up into five sections: snacks, garden, land, sea, and dessert. They also offer a four course mid-week lunch for £25 which I think is great value.
As soon as we’re seated, we’re given a beetroot amuse-bouche (a French term for a complimentary appetizer/hors d’oeuvre) and some delicious sourdough bread with smoked whiskey butter.
Snack
I instantly chose the cornish crab, brown crab biscuit, fennel, ginger & borage for my snack. I love shellfish. So if it’s on the menu, I’m probably going to order it. A really light and refreshing dish.
Garden
It’s hard to choose just one when it all sounds delicious and you want to try everything. In the end I had asparagus, peas, charred gem lettuce & confit lemon. A nice vibrant plate.
I rarely have food envy, but Will’s garden choice of egg, hispi cabbage, kale & preserved lemon just blew mine out of the water. Instant food envy. I’d go back just to have a plate of my own. And so should you.
Sea
I chose from the sea section for my main, picking the Lady Hamilton cod, confit salsify, hazelnut ketchup, mussels & spinach. The spinach was slightly tough for my liking, but otherwise great flavours with a perfectly cooked piece of fish.
Dessert
I never know if I like rhubarb. I remember it in crumble form at junior school and assumed it was always mushy. And sour. Turns out rhubarb is delicious when cooked well. And I love it, especially put together with melilot brûlée, amaranth granola and fennel. Definitely something I’d order again.
Petit four
I didn’t quite catch the description of the petit four. One of our servers was on her trial shift and half mumbled something, apologised for forgetting, and scarpered off. So my unsophisticated description would be — raw jelly cube, coated in sugar.
I really enjoyed my meal at Paradise Garage and I’m glad Robin Gill decided to branch out into my neck of the woods. The four course lunch for £25 is great value for the quality of food. Add the laid back atmosphere and friendly service, it’s another gem to visit in East London.