8 Places to Celebrate Game Season
Apart from our huge population of pigeons being in London means we don’t tend to see many birds let alone grouse or pheasants. Whilst our country counterparts might laugh at our lack of nature, it doesn’t mean we can’t join them to celebrate the start of the game season. As we move into autumn it’s time to ditch the salads and get stuck into pheasant stews, grouse pie and believe it or not squirrel. It’s time to bring your A game to these 8 places:
The Jugged Hare
More game than you can shoot
The Jugged Hare is the place to be this game season. Things kick off with their Glorious Grouse Race to begin serving grouse at the pub before moving on to festivities such as Clay Pigeon shooting days, a Pheastival in November to celebrate pheasants and even changing name to The Jugged Squirrel during National Red Squirrel week which runs 28th September – 4th October. They’ll be serving up their not so cute brethren, grey squirrels.
Where: 49 Chiswell St, London EC1Y 4SA
Website: http://www.thejuggedhare.com
Bluebird Chelsea
Grouse on the Kings Road
So you’ve lived in London all your life, you’ve never actually seen a grouse but hey ho does that really matter? No it does not so, head to your usual hunting ground, Bluebird on the Kings Road to celebrate the launch of the Glorious 12th with a brace of grouse served with traditional accompaniments. You can get your game fix until the 30th August but it’s subject to availability because it’s so early on in the game season, so check in advance, no one wants to be disappointed.
Where: 350 Kings Road, Chelsea, London, SW3 5UU, United Kingdom
Website: www.bluebird-restaurant.co.uk
M Threadneedle Street
Exotic Game
So we might be celebrating the start of the British game season, but maybe you don’t want grouse, maybe your tastes are slightly on the more wild side. M Restaurants are asking if you’re really game enough with their menu which features the likes of crocodile with quails eggs and bone marrow, python steak and kangaroo tartar.
Where: 2-3 Threadneedle Walk, 60 Threadneedle Street, London EC2R 8HP
Website: www.mrestaurants.co.uk
Nobu
Japanese style grouse
Problem: you want to get involved in the game season, but you also really want some Japanese food. It perhaps isn’t a dilemma you commonly face, but if you do find yourself in this position then we have the answer. Yep because Nobu have answered all your game season/Japanese needs by putting a Japanese spin on grouse. Dishes include pan seared grouse with wasabi salasa and roast grouse with Goma truffle sauce. Problem solved.
Where: 19 Old Park Ln Mayfair, W1K 1LB
Website: http://www.noburestaurants.com/london
Voltaire Cocktail Bar & Vaults
Whisky and grouse pairings
From now until the end of October, Voltaire are joining forces with Glenfiddich whisky to serve up grouse and whisky pairings. They go together like fish and chips, Romeo and Juliet, British summer and rain you get our drift! Pairings including grouse rillet, star anise and fig on bacon mash paired with Glenfiddich 12 and grouse satay with peanut plum sauce served with Glenfiddich 21.
Where: 19 New Bridge St, London EC4V 6DB, UK
Website: www.voltairebar.com
Paradise By Way Of Kensal Green
Game Supper Club and Menu
Paradise aren’t just limiting themselves to grouse, oh no their game menu features the likes of wild boar and gruyere cheeseburgers, pot roast black pepper and honey partridge with autumnal root vegetable, pear, prosciutto and sage butter. They’ll also be leaner options too if you’re more health conscious and when it comes to October they’ll have a special game supper club ‘Cat’s got game’ to celebrate their new head chef Cat Ashton’s first game season, the menu will include Venison Wellington, and Mallard bresaola and tickets are available online.
Where: 19 Kilburn Lane, Kensal Green, London, W10 4AE, United Kingdom
Website: www.theparadise.co.uk
Bibendum
Pigeon pie and pheasant sausages
Bibendum are starting off their game season with grouse brought down from Yorkshire and dishes such as pigeon pie and pigeon bolognaise served with pappardelle. Come October when the game season really is in full swing, they’ll be dishes such as pheasant boudin sausages with winter coleslaw as well as venison, muntjac, teal, goose, widgeon and woodcock.
Where: Michelin House, 81 Fulham Road, SW3 6RD
Website: http://www.bibendum.co.uk/
Boisdale of Belgravia
Classic Grouse
You can’t go through the game season without a visit to Boisdales the Scottish restaurant, it would be like going through summer without ice cream, winter without Christmas and from next Tuesday they’ll be serving up grouse right through until October. Choose from roast Red Grouse from the Rutherford Estate on the Scottish borders with bread sauce, game chips, redcurrant jelly and watercress, gravy or young Red Grouse prepared 3 ways: roast crown, pithivier with confit leg, stuffed cabbage & smoked bacon served with wild mushrooms, barley and elderberries. It also doesn’t matter where in London you are because it is available at all three restaurants: Canary Wharf, Bishopsgate and Belgravia.
Where: 15 Eccleston Street, London, SW1W 9LX, United Kingdom
Website: www.boisdale.co.uk
