‘Tis the season! It seems to come earlier each year, you’re walking through the supermarket and suddenly you hear those familiar jingles over the tannoy. Walk down the street and peer through the windows as families gather for the annual delight of decorating the asparagus tree; the shops are chock-a-block with asparagus themed gifts and trinkets and every TV show seems to be an asparagus season special. You put the telly on at 3pm and there’s Queen: ‘My husband and I, have funny smelling piss’. Yes, merry asparagus season each and every one of you.
Here’s where to celebrate asparagus season…
34 Mayfair
Amid all the excitement of Easter, Head Chef Harvey Ayliffe has still found time to put together a couple of asparagussy dishes for asparagus season. Head down to the Mayfair restaurant just off Grosvenor Square for a bite of charred white asparagus morrel and wild garlic risotto barba di frate. Or try the asparagus soup and Taleggio flatbread or treat yourself to fried duck egg with grilled asparagus served with Iberico ham and summer truffle.
Where: 34, Grosvenor Square, London, W1K 2HD, United Kingdom
Nearest station: Bond Street (0.5 miles)
Website: www.34-restaurant.co.uk
Bocca di Lupo
Asparagus plays centre stage at Bocca di Lupo where their white asparagus, walnuts and Vezzeno dish makes the perfect starter to any meal. They’ve also got a wild asparagus risotto on the go, as well as plenty of breaded and deep-fried white asparagus. You’re guaranteed good luck when you step into the mouth of the wolf this asparagus season.
Where: 12 Archer Street, Soho, W1D 7BB
Website: www.boccadilupo.com
Hutong
If you squint a little you could claim that the Shard is faintly reminiscent of a sprig of asparagus, tall and tapered and a bit of a messy top. If not green. But you’ll be green with envy at anyone eating at the 33rd floor Shard restaurant Hutong this Asparagus Season as they’ll be serving Chinese asparagus heart with a hula dressing.
Where: Level 33, The Shard, 31 St Thomas Street, London, SE1 9RY, United Kingdom
Nearest station: London Bridge (0.1 miles)
Website: www.hutong.co.uk
Sexy Fish
You may not find fish particularly sexy, but you’ll be greasing yourself up for a bowl of green asparagus, smokey creamy ponzu, believe me. The dish is the Asparagus Season offering from Sexy Fish and promises to be just as delicious as you’d expect from this Berkeley Square restaurant.
Where: Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, London W1J 6BR, UK
Nearest station: Green Park (0.3 miles)
Website: www.sexyfish.com
J Sheekey
There’s nothing cheeky about asparagus at J. Sheekey Atlantic Bar. Especially when its steamed Provence green Asparagus morels and wild garlic, best enjoyed on the terrace in the almost-summer-or-is-it-still-winter? sunlight of a bank holiday weekend.
Where: 33-35 St Martin's Ct, London WC2N 4AL, UK
Nearest station: Leicester Square (0.1 miles)
Website: www.jsheekeyatlanticbar.co.uk
45 Jermyn St
The sweet smell of asparagus is wafting down Jermyn Street thanks to sprig-upon-sprig that’s being offloaded at 45 Jermyn St. There are five main asparagus dishes on the go, with soldiers and eggs as you dip stems into Burford Brown Eggs from Clarence Court, or a main course of lightly blanched asparagus, served with hollandaise sauce or as part of a dish of smoked haddock and berkswell tart, paired with a rich béchamel and hollandaise sauce.
Where: 45 Jermyn St., St. James's, SW1Y 6DN
Website: www.45jermynst.com
