White awning and cartons of fresh fruits and veg decorate the grocery’s shop front, making way for a sleek and contemporary interior design. Albion is one of Shoreditch’s most versatile dining locations, combining an all-day cafe, bar and grocery in one.
Head Chef Tommy Hicks has created a menu especially for this East London restaurant that uses the best seasonal produce and locally sourced ingredients from around the UK. We were invited in to try the new dinner menu, featuring a range of classic British dishes that have been given a modern touch.
Divided into four sections, the menu features Starters, Classics, Plant Based and Mains, ensuring there’s something for everyone. The Plant Based section definitely deserves a special mention, as here you’ll not find any soggy veggie patties or meat substitutes. Instead, these dishes take beautiful, fresh UK produce and turn them into filling dishes worthy of the most critical foodie. Our pick would be the Oven Baked Heritage Carrots, a beautifully colourful dish featuring pickled and pureed carrots and coconut granola.
We each got to pick three dishes from the menu to sample, which was no easy feat considering how amazing everything sounded. Kristen’s curiousity was piqued by the Gin-Cured Loch Duart Salmon, served with pickles and avocado puree, which was almost too beautiful to eat and a wonderfully light way to start the meal. The soft sweetness of the avocado and salmon was balanced out perfectly by the saltiness of the pickle brine. Next, she went with the comforting option of the Wixamtree Beef Rump, cooked perfectly medium rare and served with green beans, mashed potato and peppercorn sauce. The Chocolate Fondant finished everything off nicely, wonderfully rich with a soft and fluffy exterior and a warm and gooey melted centre, complemented by hazelnut ice cream.
Mel opted for the Devon Crab to start, a wonderfully refreshing and light picks that had a beautiful burst of colour in the presentation. Her main was the Loch Duart salmon steak which was very filling and hearty despite being a seafood dish. Paired with an ultra creamy Jersey Royal mashed potato that simply melted in her mouth, she could not get enough of that soft, velvety texture. The potato mash added a heavy density to contrast the lightness of the fish. The cheese board was an easy pick for dessert, coming with a range of locally sourced soft, hard and blue cheese with accompaniments.
Whether you’re looking for a quaint brunch spot, want to have dinner out with the girls or you simply want to pick up some local honey or granola from the store, Albion is a wonderful little hotspot just off Shoreditch High Street.
