Charity Dinners at Pidgin restaurant, London Fields

The Secret Larder: new London restaurant
London’s restaurant scene lost one of its shiniest stars when The Secret Larder, from food writer James Ramsden and former Indie rocker Sam Herlihy closed its doors last summer. But now the pair are back with Pidgin, their first bricks and mortar establishment, opening in Hackney on 7 July.
Pidgin restaurant London: James Ramsden
The restaurant is small at just 30 covers and it stays true to its take it-or-leave-it roots. The pair have placed Elizabeth Allen, former head chef of The Smokehouse in Islington, in charge and together they’ll mastermind a four course set menu (£35) that changes every week.
On the menu
Bag a table on week one and you’ll be sitting down to whipped lardo with English peas and sourdough; octopus with green apple and nasturtium; beef picanha, koji-pickled carrots, coal-roast beetroot, and bull's blood lettuce; and strawberries served with fennel brioche and olive oil ice cream.
Drinks change with the menu and feature old world wines and a selection cocktails. Notable among them is the London Fields, a blend of vodka, sorrel and lime blossom syrup, celery bitters and rosemary – seasonal pairings at their best.
So if you're wondering where to eat in London Fields, we doubt you can do much better than Pidgin this summer, which boasts some of the best food Hackney has seen in recent months.
New charity dinners announced:
Pidgin have, excitingly, just announced a series of charity dinners at their new restaurant in London Fields. The tickets will cost £55 and include the meal and wine throughout.
The first, taking place on 7 September, will be in aid of Action Against Hunger, and sounds like they will be reminiscent of a chefs table experience, with the kitchen team acting as the waiters to talk you through all Pidgin's delicious offerings. Click here to buy tickets via Grubclub and find out more. They're keeping the menu close to their chests for the time being.