To some, rhubarb is just sour celery, redeemed only after it’s cooked with sugar. To others – including a raft of London chefs – it’s an opportunity to add seasonal flair to their cooking, balancing out dishes with a tartness that mellows sharp and sweet when cooked with sugar. As we come into spring after the long, bare winter months, it’s a welcome addition to the chefs’ repertoire before summer brings an abundance of fruit. And at the moment we’re in the throes of a double rhubarb whammy: at the tail end of forced rhubarb (rhubarb grown in the dark and warmth to force early growth) season and entering rhubarb season proper, so there’s no excuse not to root for rhubarb.
Right now, rhubarb is all around – here are the restaurants and bakeries unleashing its full potential in London.
10 Greek Street, Soho
10 Greek Street can always be counted on to spin seasonal produce into something special. At the moment, rhubarb is the blushing pink accompaniment to a frangipane tart. The tart – which is served with a quenelle of mascarpone and a scattering of pistachio – is the ideal closer to a meal of its wholesome dishes of meat and vegetables.
10greekstreet.com
Rhubarb, vanilla and ginger pastry at Layla, Notting Hill and Acton
You can count on Layla for distinctive seasonal specials – and that includes its celebration of rhubarb. Its new pastry doubles up on the stalks: rhubarb compote and poached rhubarb are paired with ginger cake and vanilla cream for a queue-worthy treat.
laylabakery.com
Rhubarb jammie dodgers, Hideaway, Mayfair
Hideaway, the sleek cafe counterpart to Hide on Piccadilly, is marking the season with a nostalgic throwback: a jammie dodger made with forced rhubarb. It’s part of a rhubarb celebration that also includes an enticing rhubarb, lavender and custard croissant; a rhubarb and custard float; and a yoghurt pot with Yorkshire rhubarb.
hideawaylondon.co.uk
The Palomar, Soho
The Palomar is proving rhubarb shouldn’t just be confined to sweets. It’s serving a starter of stracciatella with honey sumac, a handful of basil and matchsticks of rhubarb, which brings a slight tart acidity to the creamy cheese.
thepalomar.co.uk
Pork chop with pickled rhubarb at The Camberwell Arms, Camberwell
This south-east boozer is also proving rhubarb’s power in savoury dishes. It’s doing a whey-fed pork chop from Farmer Tom Jones with a side of pickled rhubarb to cut through the richness of the meat.
thecamberwellarms.co.uk
Matcha with rhubarb and vanilla syrup at Bunhead Bakery, Herne Hill
Rhubarb needn’t be served as a solid. The team at beloved Herne Hill bakery Bunhead has turned rhubarb into a syrup with vanilla, which it’s using to zhoosh up an iced matcha with salted vanilla foam that’s scattered with lavender. It’s the perfect foil to one of its glorious sourdough buns.
Rhubarb trifle at Nessa, Soho
Elegant bistro Nessa brings its signature flair to rhubarb season with a pretty trifle. It incorporates layers of forced Yorkshire rhubarb with a slosh of Ramsbury gin, custard and sponge, and topped with oats and puffs of cream.
nessasoho.com
Rhubarb, toasted coconut and meringue danish at Don’t Tell Dad, Queen’s Park
Don’t Tell Dad’s always-excellent parade of pastries encourages return visits. Particularly when a seasonal special – like its golden danish filled with rhubarb jam, topped with meringue and sprinkled with toasted coconut – is beckoning from its glass case.
donttelldad.co.uk
Forced rhubarb and rice pudding danish at Fink’s, various locations
The more danishes the better in our eyes – so we can also recommend hopping along to Fink’s for its rhubarb extravaganza. Head baker Adriann Ramirez has slowly roasted rhubarb with blood orange, vanilla and orange, which is layered atop a pool of rice pudding made with Estate Dairy milk and spooned onto a flaky danish.
finks.co.uk
