Native

Wild sensation

Wood pigeon kebab

Native is a brand new restaurant in Covent Garden operated by the duo Ivan & Imogen, 
The reason that their restaurant caught my attention and made me decide to make a booking is because of the interesting unique concept they have came up with: Game meat in combination of wild fish and foraged vegetable? This concept made me extremely excited. I can't think of any other restaurants are doing anything similar right now and the price seem really reasonable, with most mains costing under £15. Without being made aware, I have booked at its soft launch period so I was given a discount for my bill. The restaurant is tiny and can hold about 20 people max at a time so booking is highly advisable.

Palourde clams, smoked pork broth, wild garlic

Pan fried hake, lentil, cauliflower leaf pakora

Starter of pigeon kebab is definition of a 5 star kebab, the beetroot and spiced harissa offered a gentled touch of earthiness and coolness to the tender wood pigeon, fresh in flavour but bold in taste. My main of Venison steak, cut like butter, super moist and finely seasoned, the salsa verde added a hint of freshness, which offered contrast to the game meat whilst also maintaining a good balance to the overall dish. Clean and eye catching presentation, lovely flavours with a touch of creative touch, it was truly magnificent. Even the cheese course was exciting. Thinly sliced poacher on a layer of quinoa crispy bread combined with the nutty profile, a hint of spices and crunch texture, making it a less filling dish in comparison to a typical traditional cheese course.

Venison haunch steak, crispy onion, salsa verde

Lincolnshire poacher, chutney, quinoa crispy bread

Caramelised pear, chocolate creme anglaise

Native was indeed special, in fact, it was so good that I rebooked for another visit after finishing my dessert. In my four years of blogging, this is only the third time I have done so, after Launceston Place and The Ledbury. Simply put: Native has a wonderful concept and philosophy in its cooking approach, with top notch execution to match. It is still early days and it will only get better once the team has gather more experience and feedback. I don't see any reason why this place won't score a Michelin star in the near future if it keeps on producing cooking at such level. And in terms of cost vs quality, Native is perhaps the very best what London can offer at this moment.

Food 4/5

What I paid: 
£22 per head

Average cost without drinks and services:
£30 

3 Neal’s Yard, WC2H 9DP

http://www.eatnative.co.uk/