#FtLionAwards 2020 Starter of the Year shortlist
After the #FtLionAwards 2020 Best Beverage of the Year (proudly sponsored by the UK’s original Karak Chai brand and award-winning restaurant Chaiiwala®), we continue with Best Starter of the Year.
Of course, not only do you have the chance of voting for your favourite on our Instagram and Facebook pages, but you’ll also be entered into a prize draw, with three people chosen at random on 1st January 2021 to win x4 BREAKFAST VOUCHERS (sent via post) redeemable at any Chaiiwala® branch across the UK (T&C’s apply).
So we want you to either: 1) vote for the following nominees, or 2) let us know both your favourite dish and the place you had it, all on our Facebook and/or Instagram pages.
ETLES
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This intriguing Spiced Beef Tongue by Uyghur restaurant Etles turned out to be one of the dishes of the review. The fact that this was served cold too made it all the more memorable. With the papillae (A-level biology, people!) entirely visible on the surface of the tongue, these stunningly tender slices of soft and chewy meat were enveloped in a tangy-chilli sauce, and went wonderfully with the fresh crispiness of the cucumber and green peppers. This is one dish we’d happily travel back for.
FLESH & BUNS
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Well, what did we have here? Only the best Korean Fried Wings by Flesh & Buns we’d had this year or, dare we say, any other year! Absolutely delightful these large crispy finger food items, which were smothered in a gorgeously rich and tangy semi-caramelised sauce, with a generous sprinkling of sesame seeds to finish off proceedings. They also have a beverage that’s been shortlisted.
THE LEBANESE BAKERY
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Possibly the best one we’ve ever had.
There was no doubting the quality and execution of The Lebanese Bakery’s luxuriously creamy Baba Ghanouj, whose deep smoky aroma was interspersed by subtle notes of the sweet and sour. In fact, we concluded: “Possibly the best one we’ve ever had.”
MAISON BAB
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Probably the best cheese fondue sauce we’ve ever had!
This was known as Iskender Fondue Fries when we last reviewed Maison Bab. This time they’d dispensed with the Iskender sauce and improved on their bowl of warm cheese fondue. So good was this gooey cheese sauce that we honestly couldn’t get enough of it. Had with the perfectly adjudged, double cooked, skin-on fries, this had just the right level of piquancy which, even after returning to it 15 minutes later, we still enjoyed! Probably the best cheese fondue sauce we’ve ever had! What’s more, Maison Bab don’t have one, but two drinks up for an award.
RAMO RAMEN
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Ramo Ramen’s Miso Baked Shrimp Gyozas was cleverly presented in a black bowl to help show off the vibrant orange and yellow hues of the various cheeses used therein. The warm and comforting nature of the combination of cheeses made this a thoroughly enjoyable eat, with the shrimp gyozas offering that hint of the sea in the background.
