Dinner at Amber Restaurant, Aldgate

                 

Wondering why Amy and I both look so happy ^^^ ? Cause we just demolished this EPIC feast, that's why!!!


Introducing the new must visit for any foodie, ''Amber' - because all epic places like this need to prepare you for the delights that are about to come.... 

An all day restaurant and café located in the heart of East London, Amber is for sure one of those 'hidden gems'. You might not have heard of it yet, but trust me, as soon as you enter the bright, ambient restaurant, clock site of the spectacular displays on entry, and receive a huge warm welcome from the staff, you immediately know this is a place you're gonna return! Casual but not scruffy, impressive yet not pretentious, indulgent but acceptably so, this is somewhere you need to get on your radar....

Sitting down with Amy one Friday evening, an espresso martini in one hand and a menu in the other, we pondered over all the delicious choices on offer. Designed perfectly to fit any occasion/taste/hunger level (!), the menu features tapas style dishes with everything from cheese and meat boards, to crispy chicken thighs and cumin chicken liver, to salmon tartare and seabass with caramelized onions.

Equally, for those on the marmite side of tapas (I totally get it, sometimes you just don't want to share a tiny plate!!), the menu also offers an array of bigger 'feasts' - glazed lamb shoulder with smoked aubergine, labneh, chilli butter and pita croutons, or whole trout with leek, potato, onions, tomato & Raki butter sauce & fresh herbs.

Munching on some pitta and fresh hummus brought, as he spotted our slightly bewildered faces (there was just too much choice!!) the lovely head chef came over to talk us through the range of dishes, recommending a few his favourites. Sensing his passion for the delicious dishes he'd created, Amy and I decided we'd leave our fate in his hands - he was going to bring us a selection of his finest!!! Which is when THIS is what happened....

Basil labneh, beetroot, pistachio

Chorizo pide with caramelised onions, rocket, cherry tomato, goats cheese

Burnt truffle goats cheese mousse, roasted & pickled beetroot, toasted chilli peanuts, zatar cracker


House fried potato with truffle oil and harissa mayo

Seabass, spinach, pomegranate caramelised shallots puree

Pork Belly, pickled chillies, polenta cube and kimchi

Grilled aubergine, chilli maple labneh, chimi churi

Crispy fried squids, harissa mayo 

Enough food for two people?!

Now, you know what it's like with mini sharing dishes, you're usually almost guaranteed that there will be one or two winners that everyone dives in for, and the duds that get pushed around the table until eventually they get cleared away. Well, not at Amber! Despite having taste buds at completely opposite ends of the spectrum (the unapologetic main love of fitness blogger Amy is a chicken nugget, and that is precisely why I love her!), there was absolutely no dish that didn't get a good dent made into it!!

(The issue being that, as two relatively small people, we had at least twelve or so relatively large plates brought out to us. Honestly, you should of seen the look on the faces of the table next to us as MORE food just kept coming. The waiter had to pull up an extra table just to fit it all beside us)

  

When it comes to the 'favourite' dish, I would honestly have SUCH a hard time trying to pick! The chorizo pide - a Turkish bread freshly baked in the inhouse hot clay ovens, topped with caramelized onions, goats cheese and crispy chorizo - was quite literally heaven on earth, whilst the beetroot vegetable dish - roasted and pickled beetroot on top of truffle goats cheese mouse with chilli nuts and zatar crackers - convinced me maybe being vegi is do-able after all! But then there was the salmon tartar and the cooked to perfection seabass.... and you DEFINITELY don't want to miss out on them. What made it such a lovely experience was the unusual mix of ingredients and flavours put into one dish - I mean, who would have ever thought lebneh - a Turkish strained yoghurt - combined with basil, mint and beetroot could actually work, and work SO well?!

Whilst Amy purposefully left a little room for dessert, me - going all out on the delicious mains - felt absolutely stuffed therefore, when the waiter popped over to clear our (impressively relatively empty!) plates, I politely said no to any dessert for me.

"No, everybody has dessert in my kitchen!" was the reply I got. "No arguing. I bring you both the two best options on the menu".

I mean, as if I didn't love this place already, I get FORCED to eat dessert. It's just such a tough life. 


Panna cotta, Coconut , rose jam

Cheese cake, marcarpone and blueberry reduction with brownie base

Yes, you read that right. Cheesecake with a BROWNIE base. Let's just repeat this - BROWNIE base. I have no other words. INCREDIBLE.

Amber, you absolutely killed it!!

The Need To Know

Location: 21 Piazza Walk O (Next to Curzon cinema), Aldgate East E1 8QH
Price: Small plates range from £6 - £10 each, expect to pay approx £30 per person excluding drinks
Highlights: It's hard to pick just one, but I think the Chorizo Pide has to take the winning dish!
Lowlights: I genuinely am really struggling trying to find one! I guess you COULD say the lighting wasn't the best for photographs..... really clutching at straws here!!!
Would I go back: So, Amber also does brunch. A bottomless brunch. Therefore need I even answer this question?!!?

*This meal was complimentary from Amber however all opinions are my own