On the lovely Chapel Market, which hosts a daily market as well as a Farmers’ market on Sundays, Chapel Market Kitchen sits on the corner. It describes itself as an oyster bar and grill, and they do indeed serve fresh oysters. Come on a Monday and you can get them for one pound each. Sadly, I was leaving on Monday, but at least I managed dinner here. Of course, the oysters on a Friday night were not quite such a bargain.
dining room and bar @Chapel Market Kitchen
Nonetheless, we started the meal with a dozen oysters from Pinney’s of Orford. They were so delicious and wonderfully fresh. I only squeezed a bit of lemon on top and was in heaven.
oysters for starter @Chapel Market Kitchen
Next came one scallop each, cooked over charcoal. I love scallops in all kinds of unusual combinations, but here I felt the Maldon smoky salt was a bit heavy handed. The delicate flavor of the scallop was drowned out by the seasoning.
a scallop each @Chapel Market Kitchen
We shared a bottle of Muscadet with the meal, which was perfect, especially with the oysters. If you enjoy dry white wine, this is an excellent choice. Instead of ordering a main dish, we shared another starter and opted for the Octopus “Tabbouleh”. Unfortunately, this was a disappointment. The couscous felt wet and mushy, and there was very little of the promised octopus. The few pieces I found disappeared beneath the soggy couscous.
Octopus Tabbouleh @Chapel Market Kitchen
We decided against another starter, although anchovies with vanilla butter would have been my next choice. Sometimes, if you wait a bit, the craving passes, and that is what happened. Instead, we ordered dessert, a crumble with lemon curd, and that dish was fantastic. The crumble was crunchy and buttery and, combined with the curd, cream, and blueberries, just about perfect. The curd could have been a bit more tart, but since the rest was not overly sweet, it worked well. The dollop of cream seemed richer than simple whipped cream, perhaps mascarpone? Whatever it was, it was delicious.
crumble with lemon curd @Chapel Market Kitchen
To finish, we ordered the three cheese selection, choosing from six available options. The plate came with crisp cracker bread, which worked well. I especially loved the soft cheese. The other two were goat cheeses, with the harder one being particularly intense. That one was a bit too strong for me.
three cheese variety @Chapel Market Kitchen
Overall, the meal at Chapel Market Kitchen was a great experience, and I would definitely come again to try more from the menu. Perhaps next time on a Monday, because let’s not forget those oysters. Yours, Pollybert
Chapel Market Kitchen
2 Chapel Market, London N1 9E
Email: reservations@chapelmarketkitchen.co.uk
Mon and Thu-Sat: 12:00-23:00, Wed: 17:00-23:00, Sun: 10:00-20:00
https://chapelmarketkitchen.com/
