For some respite from the daily grind in Canary wharf, head over to the Vinothec Compass, where you can swing away the stress of the day with champagne and Basque pintxo bites, before settling down for Spanish casual fine-dining at the adjoining restaurant.
'TERROIR & TURF'
On a summer's evening, I was invited to a 'Terroir & Turf' wine-paired dinner by co-founders Arnaud Compas (a geographer and geologist by training) and Keith Lyon (ex Waitrose's Wine Bar, Canary Wharf) to celebrate the establishment's one month anniversary.
Head Chef, Jordi Rovira Segovia, born in a small town in Tarragona, Catalonia and Daniel Rodriguez Navas, have orchestrated a menu inspired by London international cuisine as well as their native lands, Extremadura & Catalonia.
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| Smoked trout salad (sampler size) |
From the kitchen counter, patrons can enjoy a drink whilst observing the bustling activity of the open kitchen.
We watched as Head chef Jordi and his crew grilled, then plated up tender bites of juicy baby squid, tomato and coriander, which was presented with a Chardonnay from Bulgaria, the Château Burgozone 2012.
Finally, seated for dinner, an intricate salad of smoked trout, labneh, salmon roe, asparagus, dried black olives was served. This was paired with the Volubilia 2013 Moroccan Mourvèdre, Tempranillo, Vin Gris rosé. Then, two fish courses, delicate cod served with a rugged romesco sauce and seared tuna steak with tomato confit were paired pleasantly with Dido 2013 from Montsant vineyards.
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'TERROIR & TURF' MENU
A snippet of the taster menu from the night (sampler size, not actual portions were served):
Château Burgozone 2012, Bulgaria (Chardonnay)
Smoked trout salad
Volubilia 2013, Morocco (Mourvèdre, Tempranillo, Vin Gris)
Cod confit, Romesco sauce
Dido 2013, Montsant (Macabeu, Grenache Blanc)
Tuna steak, Tomato confit
Dido 2013, Montsant (Macabeu, Grenache Blanc)
THE WINE
On offer at Vinothec Compass are 600 bottles of wines from across the globe. You can also book for wine tasting experiences, food and wine pairing evenings or simply buy by the bottle or case. | “We aim to promote the pretty, unusual and iconic - from indigenous grapes nurtured by small independent growers, underlining the importance of sustainable, organic viticulture." - Vinotech |
The Golf Range
The Greenwich Peninsular Golf Range is set over two tiers overlooking the river with spectacular views out to Canary wharf. Each of the 60 bays comes with a seating area from which food and drinks can be ordered, making it an ideal venue for small corporate events.
Our party was served Pol Roger 2004 with Basque pintxo bites, and were offered a mini lesson with N1Golf instructors, Gary & Mark.
Don't know how to play? Book yourself into individual or group lessons run by N1Golf.
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Vinothec Compass and the Greenwich Peninsula Driving Range
Tunnel Avenue
SE10 0QX
@vinotheccompass
The organiser of the event was Douglas Blyde @douglasblyde
Follow me on Twitter: @fusianliving
