From Oysters to Cuttlefish Bolognese, A Gastronomic Adventure
Indulge in the culinary brilliance of Faber Wine & Seafood Restaurant, a hidden gem near Hammersmith station. Led by Chef Ollie Bass, the menu dazzles with inventive seafood dishes, each bursting with freshness and flavor. An exceptional dining experience awaits, promising culinary bliss with every bite.
Nestled just a stone’s throw away from Hammersmith station, Faber Wine & Seafood Restaurant is a hidden gem awaiting discovery. Despite its elegant decor, don’t be misled into thinking this is a place exclusively for the elite; it’s a welcoming haven for anyone seeking an exceptional dining experience. From the moment you step inside, the ambiance envelops you, setting the stage for a culinary journey that celebrates the bounties of the British Isles.
Led by the talented chef Ollie Bass, the menu boasts an array of seafood delicacies that are as exquisite as they are inventive. Each dish showcases the freshness and quality of the ingredients, leaving a lasting impression on even the most discerning palate. From the delicate Maldon oysters to the indulgent cuttlefish Bolognese, every bite is a revelation.
You might think from the elegant decor that the light-flooded restaurant caters for elites, and the menu is out of your reach, or even too complex for a simple afternoon of good eating. You’d be sadly misguided to pass this place by. Focusing on the gifts of the sea, and celebrating the coasts of these generous British Isles, the team at Faber have you in mind, whoever you are. Meanwhile, when you’re ready for a piece of fish that’s a reason to eat fish, Ollie Bass is here to show you just how beautiful a perfectly cooked piece of fish can be.
This review might become a bit repetitive, as we were gob smacked by the clarity of the flavours and the freshness of the ingredients.
We started with Maldon oysters, which were light, lush, clean seawater delicacies. The chalk stream trout tartare was a revelation. I’ve had some very expensive sushi in my life, and never tasted trout this… fresh. There’s a richness in the dish that is accessed via the astounding clarity in the taste of the fish and the caviar. The chef’s light horseradish cream simply presents the fish in its best light, without overwhelming it as some such sauces might. The generous burrata was absolutely silky, accompanied by samphire dressed with salty crunchy dulse crumbs. It’s the kind of thing you’ve order just to see how wacky the chef is, and you might not expect it to work. But it does, dear reader. The only thing I’d suggest is a bit of bread to go with it, as the burrata is such a generous portion you want something to spread it on.
But then, if there were bread, you might not have room to really enjoy the rest. Asparagus tender and to-the-teeth with a spend wood cheese sauce topped with shaved cobnut, balanced in the varieties of subtle and gently weird palates – aspargus being a somehow stinky vegetable and the cheese’s tang complimenting it perfectly.
Then we were delighted by a cuttlefish Bolognese on Coombes head farm sourdough. To think of making the most comforting of comfort foods – a Bolognese – with the most down to earth of seafoods – cuttlefish. Who is this mad genius? The smokiness and the headiness of the cuttlefish rested nicely on the dark spongy sourdough. This with a beer is the perfect lunch break.
For mains we had the seabass – Cornish, with wild garlic dressed Dorset clams, and mackerel with parsley-anchovy sauce.
If you like mackerel, you mustn’t have theirs, because you will never be able to eat it anywhere else again. The combination of crispy skin and mouth melting flesh, the sauce that supports the glorious oily fish without argument, and the presentation. Well, we learned from our theatrically gifts server Tomas that Ollie went to art school. Of course, he did. The seabass as firm and fresh (there’s that word again) and the clams were well-loved. In fact, we said to each other more than once, you can taste the love in these dishes.
Photo by Genevieve Grant, Newyox Media
The wine list is well curated, and they keep a close eye on good British wines to show off.
One last exuberant moment was had when we tasted the honey tart. It’s like a creme brulee in a biscuit base, with the extraordinary flavour of local honey lifting the custard to the status of a dream. Faber has only been open for 6 months. It’s a 3-minute walk from Hammersmith station and I will be returning from my home in East London. Get in when you can – I suspect once the word gets out about this place it’ll be hard to get a table.
