Did I ever tell you about the first time I had lunch at Ottolenghi in Notting Hill?

Probably not, it’s one of those “I’ve been meaning to blog about…” moments I never seem to get around to, but with these too-tempting-not-to-share photos, I guess it’s better late than never.

It does feel like a lifetime ago, but it’s a good memory to have – it’s the kind you think back on fondly when you’re stuck eating a boring lunch at your desk.

While in Paris on vacation, we caught the first train into London and spent a day traipsing London; we went from exploring Bankside to joining little friends for playtime at Regent’s Park.

We wound up in Notting Hill later on and it just felt like kismet that we’d have a late lunch at Ottolenghi.

I love the Plenty and Jerusalem cookbooks, all the recipes I’ve cooked from them have been excellent!
It’s my kind of food – fresh, simple and comforting plant-based foods that uses exciting ingredients and techniques.

Needless to say, I’m enamoured with ‘Ottelenghi food’ and the little restaurant in Notting Hill did not disappoint.
The food is just like the recipes in the cookbooks, exceptional and enticing.

The space is beautiful, with resplendent displays of mounds of cakes, tarts, pies, salads, grilled vegetables and other appetizers. It’s a heavenly colourful spread, and the food is truly delicious.

We ate a small memorable feast, a roasted fennel salad with dill, a few ladles of that pictured heaped basmati and wild rice salad and some grilled wild Scottish salmon. The space is small with limited communal table at the back of the restaurant, it manages to be cozy and welcoming.

We got dessert to go and walked down to a little park nearby and enjoyed our sinfully delicious slices of moist chocolate cake with coffee and good conversation – of course, we chided our Europe-residing friends for not hopping trains every weekend to do this sort of thing.

We walked some more afterwards, perused the shops on Portobello Road and Westbourne Grove, picked up more cookbooks and fell in love with the neighbourhood’s row of colourful houses.

Ottolenghi – Notting Hill
63 Ledbury Road
London W11 2AD
http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/locations/