Where to eat truffles in London
Did you know that white truffles cannot be cultivated? They're only found in the wild by specially trained pigs between October and early December, mostly in Piedmont. No wonder they're known as 'white diamonds'.
As such, they are of course strikingly expensive, but the taste is like nothing else. For white truffle virgins, think earthy and pungent with sensual, almost musky aroma. Many even claim they have aphrodisiacal qualities. Black truffles have a deeper, more bosky taste and make better partners to more boldly flavoured dishes.
We've scouted out some of the best restaurants and most creative ways to enjoy truffles black and white this season.
Orrery's Chef/Patron Igor Tymchyshyn likes truffles so much that he has created a bespoke five-course menu using both classic French cooking and British produce, with each savoury dish incorporating fragrant truffle.
The truffle ode commences with roasted cauliflower floret, celeriac, and shavings of northern Italian white truffle, before moving onto a dish making the most of truffle’s autumnal, earthy notes, combining potato ravioli with white truffle and a butter emulsion. Next, Igor’s take on a traditional French main course of Tournedos Rossini: filet mignon pan-fried in butter and finished with a slice of foie gras and a rich périgourdine sauce, using paper-thin slices of pungent black truffle. To balance, there's a zesty dessert of lemon posset, plums, and spiced granola.
Guests taking their pick from Orrery’s a la carte menu can also make the most of the season, as fresh truffle can be ordered by weight. Truffles will be brought to the table, and shaved tableside onto each dish, with the chef recommending the pairing.
Orrery truffle tasting menu: £85
