jun, 25th - chelsea fringe at the dock kitchen....

day 868:

i mentioned the Chelsea Fringe awhile back {see day 850}, an alternative festival to the annual Chelsea Flower Show. on the last weekend of the fringe (10th/11th June), we managed to squeeze in one final event at the Portobello Dock. this installation was called the Floating Forest - 600 suspended, wooden disks arranged in a precise pattern on the Grand Union Canal. you can read more about it here.

we have visited the Portobello Dock before, to eat at the Dock Kitchen. initially this small restaurant was started as a pop-up in collaboration with Tom Dixon's showroom but it's just stayed up and the showroom is now a full shop. i'm sad that it's taken us so long to get back here as it really is a special spot and very close to home.

on the weekend that we visited, there were also Meet the Makers events around the dock. Urban allotments were there to advise you on growing plants in small spaces, Nic Webb had us mesmerised whittling beautiful, handcrafted spoons and Jonathan Garratt won us and especially Limi over with his pottery skills, presenting her with a clay seal. 

we decided to stay for lunch and so glad that we did. we ordered the mutton biryani for the three of us to share. while we were waiting, they served us some delicious, fragrant, tandoor bread that we all fought over (even Limi). the biryani is an impressive dish, cooked in a clay pot and sealed with dough which releases an impressive steam when punctured. a pretty, copper plate of rose petals, fried onions, coriander and pomegranate seeds was presented on the side. Limi had lots of fun decorating our plates and eating the seeds.

it's a small restaurant and was heaving for a Saturday lunch but i'm not surprised that it has a loyal (if not secretive) group of fans. the menu changes daily and you can also book a table for their 'supper club' set menus. we'll definitely not wait as long to come back again.

after lunch we had a wander through the shop downstairs, feeling completely inspired by our visit. we both said that these are the best kinds of days, interesting events on our doorstep, an unexpectedly, delicious meal and having a chance to appreciate beautiful objects made with obvious care.