Food for thought | Trends | Page 85

Rainer Becker, the creator and founding force of Zuma and Roka restaurants, opens OBLIX in The Shard, today...

Food aside (we’ll come on to that), The Pearson Room has some good credentials. Firstly it’s located in Canary Wharf – captive audience, tick. Secondly it’s designed by the people behind Bubbledogs and Le Gavroche’s bar – style, tick. Now for the food, after all, that’s what you go there for!

Head Chef is Vagner Matos (previously at The Swan, Shoreditch and Cecconi’s) who creates a menu focusing on sharing platters with dishes such as fish tacos with chipotle aioli, queenies and a buttermilk fried chicken burger all featuring. There's a Pearson Burger too, which offers tobacco onions, pulled pork or wild boar bacon as optional extras.  Gourmet twists on everyday dishes such as lobster mac'n cheese, steaks, pies and a meat board also put in an appearance...

As of Tuesday 30th April, today, Pizza Express are joining the numerous other Italian chain restaurants in serving gluten free options. Most of their pizza's on the classic menu can now be made using their gluten free classic pizza bases which has been certified by Ceoliac UK as 'No Gluten Containing Ingredients' (NGCI). You will even be able to finish off your meal with a gluten free brownie and wash the whole lot down with gluten free Pilsner beer! ...