Noble Rot Soho
A charming, cosy dining experience with dishes that delightfully halt conversation.
I had another first date last Friday.
Earlier in the week, in one swift, quite charming move, my date had asked me if I was free on Friday and told me he had already booked a table for us at Noble Rot Soho for 8:30. He had never been there before, but had heard good things. I had also heard similar things, and, slightly impressed with his initiative, I accepted.
We met at the restaurant and were quickly seated- me in the booth and he on the (less desirable) normal chair. It’s a small, snug restaurant located in the middle of Soho on the bustling Greek Street, the building being formerly the famous left-wing cave of Gay Hussar. No entrance area or other seating, just one small room lined with booth chairs and tables surrounding the circumference.
Our server offered our menu. The wine list was presented, intriguingly, on an iPad. I don’t think it was the most romantic way to peruse vintages. Our server, however, was an absolute delight, so I forgave.
We decided to start with a glass of white. I normally opt for a bottle to share, but my date insisted on ‘by the glass’ so we could have some red with the meat dishes (he’d been studying the menu on the wall outside before I arrived.) I’m always one to try out other people’s habits, and wine by the glass tastes just as good…
The menu was an array of dishes I hadn’t seen before, I was perplexed about what I wanted. I needn’t worry, my date quickly said about four or five different dishes he had already decided on for us. He graciously asked if I wanted to add anything else. How kind. I added some radishes and an interesting peach dish. He had decided on a lot of meat.
Giardiniera pickles and Choux Bun, Chicken Liver Parfait, Tokaji Jelly & Walnut (£5 each)
The first dishes arrived, and I tried my little choux. Enjoyable enough, but not exactly to my taste. Essentially, it was a choux pastry piped full of pâté.
I like pâté a lot, but here the ratio felt off— far too much filling for the amount of pastry. I’d much rather the inverse: give me a basket of crostini and a modest spoon of the stuff, and I’m perfectly content.
My date, however, was raving about it. Which is never a bad thing — it means your companion can happily snaffle up the things you’re less keen on, and vice versa. Although in this case, perhaps it was less a sign of complementary tastes, and more a subtle hint of our incompatibility… one I was a little too hopeful to notice at the time.
Crab and tomato salad (£16)
The crab and tomato were fantastic— ratios spot on this time. Silky crab, fresh, well-seasoned tomatoes cutting through, and a drizzle of olive oil, rounding off each bite with pops of cracked black pepper. One of my favourites— a must-order.
Yellow Peaches, Carosello Cucumber & Ajo Blanco £16
Surprisingly, this was my favourite dish of the evening. I initially had the throwaway thought of: ‘Oh, yes, these will be some nice peaches to balance the rest of the meal. A side, not the star.’
I was a fool.
I was not prepared for the taste and textural delight I experienced. These were no simple peaches. The fruit itself: fresh, juicy and not too sweet; the cucumber is a delightful cooling complement to the tartness of the star ingredient, with its own gentle complexity indicating its good quality. The ajo blanco (a white gazpacho-y, Spanish bread sauce) made for a delicious partner. Having not studied the menu intensely (unlike my companion), I had expected to be tucking into a yoghurt when I first gazed upon the dish, but was happily greeted with a wholly more savoury and grounded accompaniment. Sprinkled sparsely atop were toasted flaked almonds and ripped mint leaves that added a crunchy nuttiness and fresh, herby element.
I can’t recall the last time a side-dish, let alone a fruit one, has blown me away and become the most memorable part of the meal. Bravo.
Sardines & Nduja Butter (£16)
Funnily enough, the sardines that we ate alongside the peach dish almost had the opposite reaction from me. Still tasty in their own right, they came prepared with fruits (perhaps some sort of orange) that made them quite sweet. Still prepared well, just not to my taste. I’ve never been particularly partial to sweet main dishes. I haven’t the biggest sweet tooth (though, of course, there is a time and place for desserts. Cakes and pastries. I won’t say no.), and whilst I can eat without much fuss, they just don’t envigorate me like their savoury and umami-driven plates do.
My date, surprisingly, agreed with me. Maybe we were getting somewhere…
Bavette Steak (priced around £35)
I wasn’t lying about the low-lighting. Apologies for the blurry picture. I’ll blame the generous glass of Bordeaux that had arrived with this course
The steak itself was… fine. I would have preferred to go for one of the restaurant’s more interesting dishes, but, hey, my date needed his meat. Sauce was sublime, however. We ordered some simple roasted potatoes, and I thoroughly enjoyed soaking them in the dripping— maybe even more than the steak.
My date, on the other hand, was gleefully ripping into his steak with unreserved enthusiasm — a reaction I couldn’t share, and one that made our culinary divide feel a little more apparent.
Strawberry Semifreddo & Mascarpone £12
Can you guess who decided on dessert? I’d have gone for Noble Rot’s plum and pastry tart, but, once again, my date insisted. By that point I was growing a little weary of carrying the conversation (punctuated as it was by his… interesting views), so I gave in without much resistance.
Still, the dish was enjoyable — if you’re into that sort of thing. I did find the contrast of the cold, icy semifreddo with the warm, richer mascarpone cream rather lovely.
Noble Rot offered a surprising experience, full of playful dishes that managed to halt drab conversation and spark far more interesting avenues. (Unfortunately, I’m not sure even the most fantastical restaurant could have made my date and me more compatible — but Noble Rot certainly gave it a valiant try.)
With the most memorable dishes proving to be the most unassuming, if you’re after an intimate culinary adventure that keeps you on your toes, Noble Rot won’t disappoint.
Noble Rot Soho
2 Greek St, London W1D 4NB
https://noblerot.co.uk/
