WLC Eats: Taku
Douglas Blyde makes his way to Mayfair to visit Taku to sample a sake list that could well “contend with the top establishments of Tokyo”, and discovers why examples of the beverage from Japan’s northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido are strangely absent.
WLC Eats: Lympstone Manor
Douglas Blyde spends a day among the vines of Michael Caines’ Lympstone Manor in Devon. While there, he enjoys lunch with a number of English wines, including the restaurant’s own “impressively dark, rich and savoury” Triassic Pinot Noir.
Wine List Confidential: Savoy Grill
Douglas Blyde takes a trip to Gordon Ramsay’s newly-reopened Savoy Grill. Beginning with Champagne, he works his way through the Old World-led wine list and a plethora of dishes, including “one of London’s most enjoyable tartares”.
Unfiltered: Saki Takase
Ahead of the 1 July opening of the £420pp Sushi Kanesaka, its sake master, Saki Takase, shares how anthropological studies have influenced her daily life, and the importance of sustainability with Douglas Blyde.
Wine List Confidential: The Palmerston, Edinburgh
Douglas Blyde heads to the Scottish capital to put Haymarket brasserie The Palmerston, from Edinburgh native James Snowden and Australian-born Lloyd Morse, to the test.
Wine List Confidential: The Clunie Dining Room at The Fife Arms
Douglas Blyde heads to the Scottish Highlands to pay a visit to The Fife Arms, sampling a wine list developed to be “as eclectic as possible”, with a menu to match.
WLC Eats: Scott’s, Richmond
Douglas Blyde makes his way to the Richmond outpost of Mayfair icon Scott’s. While there, he samples head sommelier Ian Wharton’s recommendation of Domaine Lebreuil Savigny-Les-Beaune with monkfish, and sees if there’s any truth to the “old adage that fish restaurants fail in the pudding department”.
WLC recommends: Heliot at The Hippodrome Casino
Douglas Blyde gets lucky at The Hippodrome Casino’s Heliot steakhouse. While there, he gives general manager Salvo Russo’s international wine list a spin, and samples the menu devised by executive chef and “meatologist” Ioannis Grammenos.
WLC recommends: Ely Wine Bar, Dublin
Douglas Blyde heads across the Irish Sea to visit Ely Wine Bar, located on Dublin’s Ely Place. While there, he hears how the Covid-19 pandemic forced wine manager Ian Brosnan to “drastically change the format” of the wine list, and discovers why the bar refuses to offer Torrontés. Taken from the 2022 Wine List Confidential guide, available to buy now.
WLC recommends: The Counter
Douglas Blyde heads to The Counter on Golborne Road to explore what former Turkish windsurfing champion and TV presenter-turned-chef Kemal Demirasal is rustling up on the charcoal grill. While there, he samples some of the wines selected for the restaurant by Trivet sommelier Isa Bal MS, and finds “finesse and elicit joy” in the dishes.
WLC recommends: The NoMad Restaurant
Douglas Blyde returns to the restaurant of Covent Garden’s NoMad Hotel to further explore wine director Bella Babbit’s almost 100 strong Nebbiolo selection alongside some of “wine savvy” chef Michael Yates’ signature dishes, including chicken served over two courses and grilled deep sea carabinero prawns.
WLC recommends: La Dame de Pic London
Douglas Blyde visits the London outpost of Rhône Valley restaurant La Dame de Pic. Alongside a selection of “beautifully nerdy and artisanal handmade wines showing the slightly wilder side of winemaking”, he samples “enfant terrible” chef Marc Mantovani’s menu. Taken from the 2022 Wine List Confidential guide, available for purchase.