We had only one night in London again this trip before boarding our cruise to Iceland and we were looking for something that offered vegetarian options as Samuel was with us. I remembered our wonderful dinner last year at the oh-so-casual CAFE DECO and booked it again for a return visit. This time was just as nice as we settled in to the very small space not far from the British Museum and only a 20-minute walk from our hotel. We were dining early at 6pm (jet lag for Sam coming from DC) and the place was pretty quiet. Tables filled up, but this place is so laid back it never gets noisy. It was also a very warm London evening and many folks were dining outside.
Vodka martinis were on the order made with a local UK vodka with an odd name that escapes me and Sam enjoyed a Melon Shrub, but later said the Cucumber & Lime Cordial was better. The menu is simple and we wanted to share some of the yummy starters and chose Fried Shishito & Goat Horn Peppers which were okay and Sam loved his rich creamy Celery Soup. The Green Bean Fritters with Mushroom Ketchup were a huge hit and are basically deep-fried battered green beans with an Asian style mushroom dipping sauce.
Marinated Summer Beetroots with Mustard Leaves in Herb Vinaigrette was a superb, refreshing salad. We ordered a fab bottle of Austrian rose called Revolution Pink Solera from Johannes Zillinger in Weinviertel made from Rosler, Syrah & Sankt Laurent grapes, and while UK prices for wines are sometimes a tad high, this was a great rare find.
The Braised Chicken with Girolles (Chanterelles), Sweetcorn and Bacon sounds so simple but was a wonderfully moist and juicy breast cooked to perfection.
Dessert was a Damson Curd Tart with Creme Fraiche which was really tasty and fresh as well with a very nice pastry crust to boot. We walked back home knowing we had a long day boarding our ship in Southampton coming, but felt our return to Cafe Deco was a delicious delight.
