Another Hoxton restaurant decked out in industrially-recovered fittings and fixtures will do little to raise the eyebrows, but fortunately for 100 Hoxton, the pan-Asian small plates on offer are more than enticing enough to draw a crowd.
The term “pan-Asian” can occasionally inspire trepidation, an unwillingness to commit to any one area of cuisine that might suggest a jack-of-all-trades approach to menu composition. Fortunately, such concerns are swiftly brushed aside by the quality of cooking on show here.
With five to six choices recommended for a party of two, we enjoyed a selection of dishes from the sharing plates on offer, with a perfectly cooked Duck Breast, served with mushroom, courgette kimchee and cashew beer butter the undisputed highlight of the evening.
Burnt Eggplant Salad was a riot of Indian-inspired flavours, while Fried Rice cooked with chilli pepper, Chinese sausage and fried egg made for a pleasingly fiery side dish.
Braised Octopus was cooked to perfection, although the garam masala celeriac puree wandered into overpowering territory, totally obliterating the taste of the seafood.
The emphasis on sharing extends to the dessert selection, with Spiced Plum Clafoutis arriving as six miniature versions of the classic French dessert. It might appear fussy, if each dainty pudding weren’t so well turned out.
With moderate portion sizes sitting alongside upper-mid-range prices, 100 Hoxton isn’t the cheapest option in Shoreditch, but with a buzzy atmosphere to lift some genuinely imaginative cooking, it’s certainly worth exploring.
If you liked this review of 100 Hoxton, read our other recent restaurant reviews including Rowley’s in St James’s and Galvin at Windows.
Read our guide to the best restaurants in Shoreditch.
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