Fifteen

15 Westland Place,
London
N1 7LP
020 3375 1515
http://www.jamieoliver.com/fifteen-london/

 As promised, I FINALLY made it over to Jamie’s ‘Fifteen’ on Westland Place. It’s around the corner don’t you know? We’re practically neighbours. Sick.
To tell you the truth, I’m actually finding this a difficult one to write about. There’s been almost one whole week of mental procrastination and no small amount of ‘what’s my angle’.
We all know Jamie Oliver can cook. This is an objective statement. When you venture into the bosom of a place like Fifteen (not unique but certainly ranking higher than the McItalian chain) you start to wonder if this matters. More pertinent a pondering might be; can he successfully employ a Head Chef and Restaurant Manager, set in train an ethos, and then stick his nose into the menus often enough to ensure the place is worthy of him. All whilst SIMULTANESOULY CONQUERING THE FOOD WORLD AND APPARANTLY TAKING ON HALF OF THE USA AS CHIEF OF THE FOOD POLICE. Come on, he’s practically beaten Jean-Paul to beatification.

I took the olds – it was Pops’s birthday so to eat we did go.
Fifteen is split in two. Above ground the Trattoria is open for breakfast, lunch & dinner. The open kitchen – probably the height of ‘scene’ back in 2002 – looks good. The sight of chefs scurrying, heads down, filling diners with pre-antipasti confidence. We’ve already eaten with our eyes and it looks good. It’s Spinach & Wild Garlic Risotto, Beef Ragu Tortellini, and whole baked Fish of the Day. And oh joy, bench seating for a drink at the bar, because yes of course we’re eating downstairs but now you’ve taken our coats, we’ll gladly take a drink first.
I knocked back a delicious Fennel Sour – grappa, home made fennel liquor with a nice piquancy. A refreshing Elderflower number also received noises of approval. The olives provided to stave off hunger were some of the largest, greenest I have personally ever seen and provided a flavour which I’m still not sure I can Identify. Could this have been my first un-salted, un-manicured, un-adulterated Olive?

Below decks in the Restaurant, things have a more intimate feeling. Shown to our table we were knowledgably recommended menu highlights and took the advice like the medicine it was. Following the Sea Salt Focaccia, starters were a double portion of Beef Carpaccio with dressed beets, rocket & parmesan shavings and Fresh dressed Dorsetcrab with fennel and pea. The Carpaccio was perfectly succulent and the dressed beets cut through the thick flavour of the raw meat perfectly. Flavours were most perfectly balanced with the Crab, where its dainty flavour was still present, even against the fennel and the pea.
An excellent 2010 Valpolicella Classico arrived and after a decent pause so did the main course. We dined on Fillet of Pollock wrapped with courgettes served with a pea puree, Fifteen’s Sicilian Fisherman’s stew with Pollock, Langoustine, Squid, Mussels & Clams and Pot Roast Rabbit with lentils. The Rabbit was filling and hearty but not overly ‘gamey’ and the Fisherman’s stew – as well as being feast for the eyes – delivered on flavour thanks to the perfectly seasoned broth (must have taken them hours…) Favourite of mine was the Pollock, the slick of pea puree being the most delicious and delectable ‘posh mushy peas’ I have ever eaten – this is no small compliment. The atmosphere worked, the bouquet of flavours worked, the conversation worked. Hell, the waiters worked double time!

It’s at this point in a review that you realise you’ve moved from general thought statements on whether you ‘liked something’ to wider emotional statements on the nature on the enjoyment of an evening and personally, I think JO would take that as the greatest possible compliment. It’s not the wine; it’s not necessarily the flavours, the well sourced ingredients or the knowledgeable waiters. It’s that when you finally weigh all these elements together and get them right, they disappear and are replaced with enjoyment. Well done Jamie and well done Head Chef Andrew Parkinson. Bravo.
Having actively avoided many of the overdone stereotypes of Italian cuisine for some time I’m planning a little renaissance. If it’s good enough for Mussolini and Berlusconi… 

Anything which wasn’t up to scratch?
The delightful Sommelier never called – I’d passed her my number on the way out.

You can’t win them all.

BoF.