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Ottolenghi Spitalfields (London)

  • Writer: Avi Sen
    Avi Sen
  • Jul 5, 2018
  • 3 min read

Updated: Feb 12, 2024

Yotam Ottolenghi is a much-revered chef and great gastronome. I was anticipating the Mediterranean cuisine he is famed for to be of the highest quality. Was it any good? Time to find out...

Twice cooked pork belly with salted cod potato and fermented rainbow chard

Ideal for:

  • City workers picking up lunch on the go from the deli counter

  • Trying new and fresh dishes from the Mediterranean

  • When the Islington branch is packed to the rafters

 

Ambience & Décor


The plain exterior is inscribed with the Ottolenghi name, making it distinct. Front of house is the deli counter; full of vibrant, colouful Mediterranean dishes for those eating in and on the go. The expansive restaurant has a simple, refined décor with a decorative back wall to jazz it up. The packed restaurant created a lovely buzz for a weekend lunch.


Service


I reserved a private table, but on arrival, we had to settle for the communal tables, much to my annoyance. Table service was fine, but my lasting memory is the rude nature of how we were told to pay and leave promptly.


Food


Despite being labelled as ‘Tapas style’ eating, the large portions and pricing suggested otherwise. The pricing is an issue for me at Ottolenghi Spitalfields. Paying £9.50 for salad with no discernible exotic ingredient was ludicrous. From the sparse listing, we selected:

Pan fried Pollock with cauliflower purée, Chana dal, carrot and radish pickle

The Pan fried Pollock with cauliflower purée, Chana dal, carrot and radish pickle (left) was well constructed and each bit was cooked well, especially the Pollock. However, together these flavours did not work for me and the dish was a bit boring. I was expecting some heat or spice from somewhere to liven it up, but it never came.


Pan fried sea bass with tomato salsa, fennel and kohlrabi salad, basil labneh

The Pan fried sea bass with tomato salsa, fennel and kohlrabi salad, basil labneh (right) had a decent portion size, making it better value than the Pollock. The accompaniments tasted fresh and had discernible flavours and textures. However, the sea bass was overcooked, and ruined the dish. Such a shame given this dish had potential.


The Confit duck leg, Asian slaw, watermelon and tamarind sauce was confusing. Whilst the duck was cooked well, the watermelon and tamarind was erratic medley of flavour. The Asian slaw should have packed more punch, and texture wise it was too bizarre to be palatable.

Twice cooked pork belly with salted cod potato and fermented rainbow chard

The Twice cooked pork belly with salted cod potato and fermented rainbow chard (bottom left) was appealing with its cacophony of colours, flavours and textures. Whilst the pork belly was well marinated some pieces were tougher than others. The salted cod potato had good texture, but a tad salty for some, but still better than the surprisingly bland chard.


Ottolenghi Spitalfields was designed to celebrate the Mediterranean and be a shining beacon for its namesake, world-famous gastronome. Sadly, it missed the mark massively. All the mains eminently flawed due to bonkers flavour pairings and poor cooking. Given each dish averaged £13, it is overpriced for the "Tapas" concept. This restaurant is confused as to what it is trying to be, and that shows. Despite its popularity, it is a D rating. I hear the menu has been revamped since my visit, so may be a reason to go back


Photos of Ottolenghi Spitalfields and more can be found on Instagram here.

 

Final grade: D

Final comment: Has the tools to be a Mediterranean great, but falters on many levels.


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