The Dead Dolls House in Islington hosts a series of decadent themed feasts in its three-storey townhouse on Upper Street.
For the summer, that theme was based on the ancient Roman feasts of the god, Bacchus. Executive Chef Joe Hill, (formerly of Soho House and Gordon Ramsay Group), created a menu to bring to life the lavish Roman banquets with a modern twist.
Venture to the very top floor and you are greeted with a room perfect for parties with a pitched roof, giant disco ball, its own bar and a view over Islington Town Hall. It’s in here the feasts are served, all dishes are shared among guests and served on two long banquet tables to make a cosy, friendly atmosphere.
On arrival we were offered a Dead Dolls House Spritz to start the evening. A mix of amaro, cynar and frizzante it was a refreshing way to start the meal. To begin the meal there was burrata with nori pesto. Always a fan of a good burrata, the nori pesto added extra flavour to the creamy cheese.
Nduja and vongole squid ink spaghetti came next. This was definitely our favourite dish of the evening, the spicy ‘nduja mixed perfectly with the delicate flavour of clams and was complemented by the squid ink spaghetti.
The third course consisted of braised lamb ravioli with dulse and roast onion. Served with a buttery sauce, the richness of the lamb came through but the other flavours were slightly lost.
To finish, ricotta dumplings were served with elderflower syrup and summer berries. Wrapped in pastry and fried, the dumplings were best slathered in the tart berries and dipped in the syrup for a hint of sweetness.
With each course paired with a glass of wine and a cocktail to finish the night off, we certainly felt like we had feasted the night away!
For information about future feasts, keep your eyes on the Dead Dolls House website: http://thedeaddollshouse.co.uk/
