Hithe + Seek is hidden away in The Westin, a big, glassy hotel on a patch of London’s Bankside found between the River Thames and St Paul’s Cathedral. If you work in the City then it’s likely you’ve walked past it but never had a reason to go inside. Now you do.
The restaurant could benefit from better signposting at street level, but this slick tapas bar has one thing in mind and executes it impressively – and that’s wine and food pairings.
Pairing is hardly a new concept but Hithe + Seek’s commitment to exploring all corners of the globe for wines which elevate its eccentric small dishes makes this relatively new opening imaginative, fun and – true to its name – worth seeking out.
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The glittering view of the Thames from the restaurant is a big draw
The space
In many ways, the interior of Hithe + Seek brings to mind that of a classic city hotel bar, with matte gold, black and teal dominating the colour scheme.
This may be a touch too clinical for some tastes, but the glittering view of the Thames from our table (the restaurant is across the water from the Tate Modern) is the real attraction here. At the height of a London summer, a waterfront spot is always a prized one.
Eating and drinking
There’s plenty to get excited about on the menu, which prices dishes in the £9-£15 bracket. This feels quite reasonable for a part of town where pockets are deep, but it’s the quirkiness of the combinations that catch my attention, rather than the relatively low cost.
“Cured and tartare mackerel, rhubarb, black garlic ketchup” gets me childishly excited, although some dishes, like the “Westholme steak sandwich, mature Cheddar, bacon jam”, sound curiously run-of-the-mill. Then again, perhaps not every member of Hithe + Seek’s clientele shares my sense of culinary adventure.
Homemade Parker House rolls with whipped and salted tomato butter, olive oil and house-fermented Hithe + Seek vinegar
A bronzed crown of salted brioche keeps me busy while I wait for the Galacian octopus starter, which comes with an intriguingly named portion of “forbidden rice”. It’s bold to use an adjective like “forbidden” on a menu; while the dish is elegant and the octopus tasty and tender, the rice doesn’t quite live up to the notoriety of its title. This dish is accompanied by a bright and delicate organic Macedonian white wine, the first pairing of the meal.
Grilled Galatian octopus, forbidden rice and saffron aioli
The line between imaginative and over-complicated is a fine one, and the only dish that perhaps traipses over that boundary is the scallop crudo small plate, which comes with passion fruit, avocado and crispy corn kernels. I love the sharp, clean flavours of Peru’s ceviche, a clear reference point for this dish, but passion fruit doesn’t let much else into the party.
Scallop crudo with passion fruit, avocado and crispy corn kernels
Highlights include the pairing of the aforementioned mackerel-rhubarb combination with an orange Bacchus from Surrey, which hits all the right citrusy notes. Mackerel flourishes when cast alongside acidic co-stars, and here there was pleasing alchemy between fish and fruit on the plate and in the glass.
Cured and tartare mackerel with rhubarb and black garlic ketchup
Lobster royale served with tarragon and crispy noodles provides another interesting mouthful (or five), injecting a Vietnamese accent into a classic European dish. This is excellently balanced with a crisp Aurora from Italy. At £31, it’s the priciest of the pairings but certainly leaves me feeling well-travelled.
And my globetrotting certainly doesn’t end there. Next stop is Algeria, for a chickpea, polenta-like panisse, accompanied by grilled aubergine, and courgette with apricot harissa. This dish comes late in the night but leaves the greatest impression on me thanks to its sun-kissed seasonal flavours and textures. The only tragedy is that I can’t quite finish it.
Dessert
However, I do have room for dessert, of course, and try two. The “Rum Baba”, which comes with Chantilly cream and compressed peaches, could be a little boozier… but that might say more about me than the dish.
Rum Baba, Chantilly cream and compressed peaches
The £9 “dulce de lece custard” – a shallow dish containing a set, caramel-coloured concoction topped with a lightly whipped cream – is an intense hit of sweetened dairy that every meal should end with (who needs a post-dinner espresso shot when you have this?). This cream-centric course is paired with a dessert wine from Chile which is excellent – even if it takes me to the edge of my sugar tolerance. But that’s also on me.
Verdict
Clearly a lot of thought has gone into the combinations of flavours, ingredients and cuisines at Hithe + Seek. I admire the sense of adventure in the food and the open-mindedness of the wine list – and it’s worth pointing out that the waiting staff project a sense of pride and enthusiasm that’s all too rare in London these days. Perhaps with some better signage, more people will get to experience this hidden gem.
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