The Manor, Clapham.

The end of December. That weird time of limbo between Christmas and NYE. I was working, not much else was happening, as we were all busy getting over Christmas and preparing for New Year. The Manor, sister restaurant to the Dairy opened at the beginning of December (if I remember correctly) and from the minute it opened, everyone was going crazy about it. And if the Dairy is anything to go by, I had no doubt the praise was well deserved.

Being bored around this time, I decided as this is the time for feasting and over indulgence, why not try booking a table. Unbelievably that night The Manor had tables free (may have changed now!). I booked without hesitation!! And trecked it down to Clapham.

We had a little amuse to start of of a cracker with nori.

Following swiftly with homemade sourdough and savoury chicken butter. Add this to the list of best bread and butter in London. I really do hate when bread tastes this good. You could have happily left me with this bread and butter for the whole night and I would be have been happy as larry.

Similar to the Dairy, the menu is divided into snacks, meat, fish and salad. From the snacks we took BBQ crispy chicken skins and kimchi. Crispy and barbecued, say no more.

Along with Cornish cod cheeks, sour cream, wakame, rice cracker. The textures in this were incredible, fish so soft it almost felt like a ceviche, yet still meaty in the mouth.

Cornish crab, charred celeriac, hazelnuts, buttermilk. This was one of my favourites. The buttermilk was a light as air foam and the crab was hidden underneath, and along with the hazelnuts it all came together so well.

Burnt kale, cavolo nero, toasted almonds. My boyfriend was sceptical about this "just being a salad" but it was one of the best salads I have ever had. The kale, so crispy and smokey, side by side with the hazelnuts was perfect. 

 Bad picture alert. Smoked cod, new potatoes, cultured cream and sorrel.

Suckling pig belly, braised head, morcilla and squash. Does anything need to be said?! Amazing.

Hangar steak tartare, bone marrow, egg yolk, roast onion. So different for a steak tartare, light almost. Delicious.

Sea bass, roast salsify, chanterelles. Incredibly earthy flavours matched with seabass was beautiful.

Then for dessert, you can stay seated but where's the fun in that?! What you really should do is go to the dessert bar, where two pastry chefs will make you your desserts right in front of you. I love that The Manor loves dessert.

We couldn't decide so got 3. 

Here is the granny smith apple parfait, meringue and bitter sorrel….

This is the dark chocolate mousse…she actually stuck her hand into liquid nitrogen to pull out the suddenly-frozen chocolate.

Light as air and so smooth chocolate mousse, which hardly melted due to the way is was made with caramel and chocolate soil.

This was butternut squash with some other sciency made things which was also fresh and delightful.

Oh god yes AND petit fours!!

Late coming, but best restaurant of 2014.