The Chef Recommends series sees the best cooks in the country reveal where they love to eat out. The Harwood Arms head chef Sally Abé’s list of go-to restaurants include Gareth Ward’s highly acclaimed Ynyshir in Wales, a great local bistro in Battersea and finally a Sri Lankan restaurant in Soho where the dosas are a favourite.
Favourite Blowout Meal: Ynyshir
“It’s like going on a mini holiday whenever we take a trip here. It’s an unassuming place on the surface, but Gareth Ward’s cooking is so different and imaginative. He uses Japanese techniques, getting the most of the great local produce to deliver punchy mouthfuls. The breakfast is as good as the dinner”
Address: Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms, Eglwys Fach, Machynlleth, Powys, SY20 8TA
Phone: 01654 781209
Website: www.ynyshir.co.uk
Favourite Local: Soif
“Great little local place, serving simple French Mediterranean food. I tend to order the pork rillettes, and cured meats and pickles. It has a great neighbourhood feel, with lots of Parisian style and charm”
Address: 27 Battersea Rise, London, SW11 1HG
Phone: 020 7223 1112
Website: www.soif.co
Image Credit: provided by Soif
Favourite Cheap Eat: Hoppers
“Hoppers serves quality food and the value for money is incredible. The Sri Lankan food is packed with flavour, spicy, as it should be, and it’s such a nice place to eat. We go for the hoppers and dosas, but quite frankly, everything is so good I’d be pushed to name my favourite”
Address: 49 Frith St, Soho, London, W1D 4SG
Website: www.hopperslondon.com
About Sally Abé
Head chef Sally Abe began her cooking career at top London hotel The Savoy before moving on to Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s. Since then she has worked alongside two other great chefs in the UK, with Brett Graham at two-Michelin-starred The Ledbury and Phil Howard at The Square, which also held two stars. She was enticed back by Graham to work at his gastropub The Harwood Arms, where she has put her own stamp on the restaurant menu, retained its Michelin star and being responsible for it recently being named the top gastropub in the country.
