The Salt Yard

Mum and Dad are staying for a few days, so we decided to go for a girlie lunch while Pa was busy working (well technically I was working too). We landed on a table for three at the lovely Salt Yard on Goodge Street, which is conveniently close to the agency where I work. It's a fabulous little gem (but also pretty expensive, but Mum was paying so we splurged, guilt free). I so miss being a child...

We shared a couple of bottles of a crisp rosé wine with a couple of ciggies while we waited for our meal. Service was great today, but I think because we went late (half 2ish) it wasn't so busy. Pick your time of day wisely, my friends.

The Salt Yard is a tapas restaurant, so everything comes out in little nibbly plates, which I love. You can have a sneaky peak of their menu here, but let me show you the sensational delights we sampled... 

To begin was chargrilled country style bread with buttery ailioli and olive oil (sublime) and Jamon Iberico de Bellota, which is slices of cured ham, made from the black Iberian pig of southern Spain. It's sweet and nutty with a deep flavour and beautiful marbling of fat throughout. 

These gorgeous things are courgette flowers, stuffed with goat's cheese and drizzled with honey. Kate thought these were a little sickly, but the saltiness of the cheese is what balances this out perfectly, so use your cheese sparingly!

Now this dish was a favourite. Seared baby squid, spring onions, red pepper (Piquillo) and a red smear of Romesco sauce (this is a nut and red pepper-based sauce from Spain), all timed spot on so there was nothing rubbery about it. It was also presented beautifully - on a slab of blue slate and artfully placed. 

So, getting a little full by now, but who cares? Not when there's a baked aubergine and spinach gratin coming up... molten cheese, squidgy aubergine and crispy breadcrumbs. Honestly, it was just magical.

The seven hour shoulder of lamb, crushed peas and sweet broad beans in a mint vinagrette was a highlight of the lunch, followed by grilled underblade fillet of beef, artichokes, black olive and Piquillo Salsa. The beef was nowhere near as tasty and succulent as the lamb, but hey it was still damn good. 

Now here's the hairy bit, lunch for three came to £160. Eek! So definitely a blow out, and not somewhere I would come on my budget. But that's what mums are for, right?