A slice of eco-heaven

Munch munch.... I've just been treated to a fabulously satisfying and ethically correct dinner - nowhere else than the hyped Konstam restaurant in King's Cross, made famous by the BBC series, Urban Chef. The place s modern, stylish and yet feels incredibly cosy - the jars of homemade jams and preserves stacked on the sheves give the place a homely touch. So what about the food? I'm not a restaurant critic or expert, but the dishes were delightfully presented, so seasonal, and very satisfying. A simple starter of leek, potato and dill soup was so creamy I could have easily slurped a second bowlful. Having spent ages to make my mind up, I then opted for seabass with cauliflower puree and greens. Seabass from the Thames perhaps? That's where I get confused... In theory -according to the TV series and PR blurb- all the food served in the restaurant should be sourced locally - and when you're based in Kings Cross, this means withing the M25. So I slyly interrogated our charming waiter on whether my seabass had been lingering near the Houses of Parliament for long: "well, not quite" he answered. "It comes from further east, close to the Thames estuary, and I can assure you it was caught last night". So not quite from London, but close enough. Besides, how would I know - it was delicious, melted in the mouth and was probably fresher than fish from Borough market.
The owner, Ollie Rowe's ethos is to source all (or at least a majority) of his produce locally. Sounds like a crazy idea, but it's definitely the way forward for ethical, seasonal and healthy food. Why bother eating anything out of season? Food will inevitably taste far better when it's fresh, seasonal and local (less food miles also means pollution and encourages more sustainable farming). The 'made in London' etiquette may seem to be a bit of a crazy idea -and a clever pr stunt- but it works well, fronts a real trend for good, seasonal produce, which just makes sense. Throw in some creative recipes, top chefs, cool interior design and you're got a winning combination. Yum, my stomach's rumbling again...
http://www.konstam.co.uk