August 12 is not just any old date – for British game lovers, it’s basically Christmas.
Known as the Glorious Twelfth, the date marks the start of the shooting season in the UK every year. Most crucially, it’s the first day of the year that foodies can tuck into the country’s world-class stock of grouse.
The petite bird – known for its unctuous, deeply flavoured meat – will be making its way onto restaurant tables throughout the country from today, with many racing to deliver the first grouse from morning shoots to diners by the evening.
Despite most of the UK’s grouse stock coming from the moorlands of northern England and Scotland, London restaurants are as keen as any to get their hands on the meat straight away.
From traditional roasted whole birds to luxuriously layered pies, here’s where you can enjoy grouse in London, from this week and throughout the season. Game on.
The Harwood Arms
Michelin-starred pub The Harwood Arms is calling in a pie maestro to help it kick off the grouse season. Chef Sally Abé will team up with Holborn Dining Room’s Calum Franklin for a special one-off, five-course dinner, taking place on the Glorious Twelfth itself. Focusing on British produce and wild game, the menu will feature Abé’s signature Scotch eggs and a pie made with the first grouse, truffle and wild mushroom.
August 12, Walham Grove, SW6 1QP, harwoodarms.com
The Game Bird
Surely there is no restaurant quite so aptly named for the season as The Game Bird at The Stafford. Coming into its element, this traditional British restaurant is keeping things as classic as you may expect. Here, grouse will be served roasted with game chips – the latticed potato crisps that are a traditional accompaniment with the meat – bread sauce and watercress.
From August 13, The Stafford London, 16-18 St James's Place, SW1A 1NJ, thestaffordlondon.com
The Cinnamon Club
It may be the start of the British shooting season, but chef Vivek Singh has looked towards Indian hunting traditions to inspire his grouse dish. At his flagship Westminster restaurant The Cinnamon Club, Singh will serve tandoori-style grouse breast, served with stir-fried mince of the leg and a spiced pumpkin chutney made with dried red chillies and turmeric.
From August 14, The Old Westminster Library, Great Smith Street, SW1P 3BU, cinnamonclub.com
45 Jermyn St.
Variety is the spice of life: 45 Jermyn St. is serving the coveted bird in not one, but three different dishes. Sourced from the Lammermuir Hills, the grouse at the St James’s favourite will be served in its traditional roasted guise, as well as in a grouse broth with liver parfait en bric. The heartiest offering comes, however, in the form of a grouse and foie gras pie, served with blackberry and shallot chutney.
From August 15, 45 Jermyn Street, SW1Y 6JD, 45jermynst.com
Boisdale
Scottish-leaning restaurant group Boisdale has its sights set more firmly on the north than ever this week. A young roasted Berwickshire red grouse is served here with game chips and grouse liver pate, along with redcurrant jelly, bread sauce and red wine gravy. A glass of Vacqueyras Grenat Noble 2011 Domaine Le Clos des Cazaux is also included in the £34.50 price tag. All Boisdale locations will offer the dish but, as availability for the bird is limited, it is strongly recommended that you book in advance.
From August 14, E14, EC2, W1, SW1, boisdale.co.uk
Mac and Wild
There’s more inspiration from north of the border to be found at Mac and Wild. The Scottish restaurant will not only be celebrating the prized meat, but also the tradition of shooting it. On August 12, diners can take part in free sessions in the virtual shooting range at Mac and Wild’s Devonshire Square location. On Friday and Saturday of this week, guests can also tuck into a dish of Wild Highland grouse, served on a bed of smouldering wild heather.
August 16 and 17, W1, EC2, macandwild.com
Baluchi
At London Indian restaurant Baluchi, executive chef Santosh Shah has created a whole six-course tasting menu dedicated to the new game season. Dishes include a puff pastry pie filled with masala-spiced game mince and a mint and tamarind chutney, while grouse is served with tandoori turnip, black cabbage poriyal and a blackberry and moilee sauce.
From August 12, 181 Tooley Street, SE1 2JR, thebaluchi.com/london
L’Escargot
L’Escargot may have about as French a name as it gets, but the Soho stalwart is fully embracing this British tradition. Grouse is roasted on the bone, served under a crest of streaky bacon, and accompanied by game chips, parfait crouton, bread sauce and a jus. If you want to incorporate a little French into your dinner, choosing from its France-heavy wine list is a winning way to do so.
From August 13, 48 Greek Street, W1D 4EF, lescargot.co.uk
Quo Vadis
Quo Vadis knows what to do with a classic. Its smoked eel sandwich is one of the most famed sarnies in the capital and fish pie is a tried and tested favourite. This game season, chef Jeremy Lee will serve a “Grouse & Co.” dish at the Soho restaurant and members club, consisting of a traditional whole roasted grouse, game chips, redcurrant jelly and bread sauce.
From August 15, 26-29 Dean Street, W1D 3LL, quovadissoho.co.uk
The Ivy in the Park
The Ivy in the Park, the Canary Wharf edition of the group, is celebrating grouse season in typical Ivy style. Served in the form of the restaurant’s most famous dish, diners can tuck into a shepherd’s pie made with roasted grouse and topped with carrot mash, served alongside game chips and both juniper berry and brioche bread sauces.
From August 12, 50 Canada Square Park, E14 5FW, theivycanarywharf.com
10 Greek Street
Cameron Emirali of Soho spot 10 Greek Street reckons good things come to those who wait – especially with grouse. The chef will be waiting until September when the birds are matured to serve the meat. The menu isn’t yet confirmed, but grouse is expected to be served whole at the restaurant, alongside parsley root, cavolo nero and plum.
From September, 10 Greek Street, W1D 4DH, 10greekstreet.com
Wiltons
When it comes to British food traditions, Wiltons is one in and of itself. The 275-year-old restaurant will aim to have the first grouse of the season on the table by 7pm on August 12, having been shot in the morning, delivered straight away from North Yorkshire, plucked en route by Wiltons’s personal butcher and prepared by the restaurant’s head chef Daniel Kent.
55 Jermyn Street, SW1Y 6LX, wiltons.co.uk
Rex Whistler restaurant at Tate Britain
This gallery restaurant is getting typically creative with its grouse. The breast will be marinated in goose fat, juniper, bay leaf and thyme before roasting, while the leg is to be confit for six hours in the same mixture. The meat will then be served with game chips, redcurrants, bread sauce, cabbage and poivrade sauce. You’ll have to be quick to get your hands on this one – the restaurant will only be serving 10 portions a day.
From August 13, Tate Britain, Millbank, SW1P 4RG, tate.org.uk
Darby’s
Robin Gill’s latest restaurant in Nine Elms is so keen on its meat, it even boasts its own on-site butchery. Darby’s is understandably pretty excited about the start of the game season, and will be serving a dish of North Yorkshire red grouse, doused with a juniper sauce and presented alongside game liver pate on toast.
From August 12, 3 Viaduct Gardens, SW11 7AY, darbys-london.com
