the Ottolenghi franchise

Restaurant: Ottolenghi Islington
Cuisine: Mediterranean/Israeli (with some Asian influences)
Phone: +44 (0)20 7288 1454
Location: London, UK (Islington)
Address: 287 Upper Street
Price Range: 15-25 pounds

So Ottolenghi has become a famous name not only in London, but worldwide. With four Ottolenghi branches in London, I knew I had to go visit at least one of them if not more (I ended up going to Islington + NOPI in Soho). From his original first delicatessen in Notting Hill in 2002, Yotam Ottolenghi now has four outlets as aforementioned and at the Islington branch, the restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner and is a complete full-fledged establishment. 

Yotam Ottolenghi himself was born in Israel and his pastry chef background from his days at Michelin-starred restaurant, The Capital, really shines through in his own delicious creations. His food and menu is primarily influenced by the Mediterranean and Israeli cuisine, but definitely has some Asian elements :) (woot!)

You can expect to queue at the Islington location regardless of the time you arrive though, with many other hungry patrons and diners trying to get a seat in the restaurant. The food is all based around fresh produce and is made fresh on site. The breathtakingly stunning array of desserts in the window display must also attract many pedestrians passing by to join the queue for the restaurant. Seating is primarily communal, but there are some standalone tables. I feel like it all lends to the light atmosphere of the Islington branch. 

Finally, I enjoy how their menu changes daily (slightly - no major changes), so every experience is truly unique :) The menu itself is quite eclectic with very bizarre strange flavour combinations, but with Ottolenghi's amazing palette, they somehow work...? (a mystery to us all)

ON OUR TABLE:

chargrilled salmon with red pepper, black olives, herb salsa
(1) roasted aubergine with
parsley yoghurt, parsley oil, mixed seeds
(2) chinese cabbage and daikon slaw with
 bean sprouts, mange tout, ginger, sesame seeds, thai basil
(3) butterbean hummus with
roasted red pepper. pine nut, lemon, parsley salsa

• 3.5/5
• I was expected the salmon to be warm, but it was served chilled like everything else, which was initially surprising, but still delicious nonetheless (and actually more ideal for the hot summer weather)
• the aubergine for me was the weakest salad, even though it is one of their most popular selections - I just feel like aubergine is so much better warm
• personally, I'm not much of a hummus fan (I feel like too many people are obsessed with it and it's just... alright), but this was amazing - creamy, smooth, I would buy a container full

 my longgggg time buddy
one of my best friends =)
chatted over lunch for 2 hours

 wild elderflower bubbly :) yum!
reminds me of a café in Vancouver, Thierry

 my friend's plate on another visit
similar to my first visit except
the salmon this time had different garnishes
and he ordered the red quinoa salad

smoked bacon quiche with sautéed leeks, Parmesan, thyme
(1) roasted sweet potato and onion withras el hanout yoghurt, coriander, pumpkin seeds
(2) roasted cauliflower with
tumeric tahini, hazelnuts, Urfa chilli, pomegranate seeds
(3) butterbean hummus with
roasted red pepper. pine nut, lemon, parsley salsa

• 4/5
• the first time I came to Ottolenghi, the quiches were all sold out, so this time I managed to snatch a slice (there are always two available quiches for lunch) - it was delicious and fragrant
• the cauliflower was the winner - I loved it so much, it was brilliant :)

vanilla apple spiced cake with maple cream cheese frosting

• 5/5
• ermygawd, the cake was fluffy; the frosting wasn't overly sweet; I just have no words - I could eat an entire cake #fatassitup 

plum and hazelnut frangipane with crumble topping (back)

• 3.5/5
• to be fair, I'm not the biggest fan of plums, so while the frangipane was well constructed, I just was not that into it - my friend throughly enjoyed it though

apricot and strawberry financier with vanilla
and sweet mascarpone - 4.80

• 4/5
• I don't really have a huge sweet tooth, I swear - but this financier was great: I was debating between this and a chiffon cake
• I feel like this dessert was a feast for the camera, my eyes, and my tastebuds
• I enjoyed the exterior of the financier the most, because you really get a very subtle hint of vanilla with each chew, while the spongy interior was moist with a hidden apricot slice
• the apricots were sweet, but not sugary, very fresh

Final Ranking (/5):

I enjoy how the restaurant is very clean with pristine white tables and colourful seating. The desserts and fresh salads on display will seriously entice any individual. The food is amazing and the desserts... will be the death of me. Amazing.

Food: 4

Service: 3.5  (my server on the second visit seemed a bit confused with everything, but the service was impeccable on my first visit)
Ambiance: 3.5 (just slightly loud for my tastes)

Overall: 4

Additional Comments: get dessert.