2 December 2024 - The Good Life Chef
New restaurant The Yellow Bittern offers something unique in London
By Stuart Bateup
I discovered this for myself after cycling past new restaurant The Yellow Bittern near King’s Cross, which offers a charming, cultured, lunch-only service. The frontage immediately drew my curiosity, with its vintage books in the window and an inviting hand-drawn message: ‘Please ring the bell for lunch and books!’ Gingerly, I rang and the door was answered by the chef himself, Hugh Corcoran. I discovered that I was early, the restaurant was opening the following week, but I could book a reservation. The house rules: reservations by phone or in person, no website bookings. Tables Monday to Friday for lunch only, with two sittings: 12pm and 2pm, cash only and no service charge. There’s only 18 seats, so I jumped at a 2pm slot for me and my chum Adam. A slightly later luncheon appeals, with wine of course. It always seems the better option, with no fixed end imposed.
Just by booking, you start to understand what the folk behind The Yellow Bittern – Hugh, Frances (editor of Luncheon magazine) and Oisín, who curates the books and rustles up the soda bread daily, are aiming to achieve: a cultured experience with honest food and good craic. I chatted to Hugh about work/life balance and why they only provide lunch. “If we can just work five days a week and do the things we love doing – cooking food, opening bottles of wine, selling books, reading books, talking about books, talking about food, talking to people, meeting people, all these things – that’s what we want to do, and not destroy ourselves doing it.” It all seems so obvious, so sensible – why not? This is neither ‘living to work’ nor ‘working to live’: this is ‘loving to work’ on your own terms.
The day of our booking arrives. The menu is freshly chalked up and includes leeks with vinaigrette, radishes and butter, broth and vegetables, roast guinea fowl and cabbage, beef and kidney stew and mash, green salad, Irish farmhouse cheeses, rice pudding, apple pie. Belfast-born Hugh tells me about the food:
“It’s just a reflection of where I’m from and where I’ve lived. It’s Irish and French with an English influence. I’ve lived in France, the Basque Country – it’s a simple reflection of what I know and where I’ve been.”
The small cooking space almost defines the menu: apparently just two hobs and an oven, domestic in proportion. As Hugh says, it’s good for a few chickens or numerous guinea fowl, with him often leaning towards the fowl as they’re smaller and he can cook more. There’s no smoke and mirrors here – the honesty of the cooking is in the menu and the chef’s vision.
Eyeing up the menu, as usual I want to eat everything. I plough into the leeks which are soft and dashed with vinaigrette, chilled, light to start. Restraint kicks in, so rather than ordering another starter, I crunch on radishes and butter, and settle for nicking spoons of Adam’s vegetable broth – he’s polite and pretends not to mind. When it comes to mains, sadly the last guinea fowl has jumped to the table next to us, so we both dive into our own beef and kidney stew. We’re not disappointed – clear, hearty flavours win out. I spy the apple pie, generous in size. I can’t resist a slice. As Adam disappears below to admire vintage books, I promise to save him some, but the pastry (heavens, the pastry!) and full fruity centre get the better of me and it’s gone.
On questioning the pie’s crust, Hugh happily shares the recipe. It’s made with equal parts butter to flour, but the magic is that for each pound of butter and flour, you bind it with a pint of double cream. Together with apples and quince from their Sussex garden, it’s truly proof that the concept here is in the pudding.
Wine is offered by the glass, at £10, with an emphasis on natural and artisanal. Just a white and a red are usually opened by Hugh, who notes, “These wines are quite delicate” (once opened, they need a customer). “I want to serve something nice. I also want to serve something we like to drink. If we don’t sell it, we can drink it at the end of the day.” Eminently sensible. Don’t be shy, though. If you’re in for a bottle, check the stock, £45-£250.
As for exactly how the menu might evolve and blossom, Hugh says that it changes with the seasons. “And with my humour and my mood,” he adds, “and our capacity to do things.” I envision Hugh, Frances and Oisín together, knocking back the leftover wine by the glass, contemplating the weather and their moods deciding what delicious fare to treat us to. Whatever the season, whatever the forecast, I’ll be back for the honest, delicious food that’s served up with relaxed good spirit and excellent wines.
Our lunch for two cost £98 and included two courses, a glass of wine each, an extra starter, and one apple pie. The Yellow Bittern, 20 Caledonian Rd, London N1 9DU; tel 020-3342 2162
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