Sophie Farrah steps inside Adam Handling’s Michelin-starred FROG — a polished yet playful celebration of British produce, creativity, and charm.
JustinDeSouza
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Having cooked for world leaders, created a pudding fit for the King, and built a culinary empire along the way, it’s safe to say that Adam Handling has reached ‘celebrity chef’ status.
With a reputation built on his distinctive approach to modern British cuisine — inventive, sustainable, and always delivered with a touch of theatrical yet elegant flair — Handling has established himself as one of the UK’s most exciting culinary talents.
His flagship, FROG by Adam Handling, in Covent Garden earned a Michelin star in 2022, while his wider group — which includes The Loch & The Tyne in Old Windsor — now spans stylish venues stretching from central London to Cornwall.
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For all his achievements, the Scottish-born chef remains unafraid to take a step back and empower others. At FROG, he has recently promoted chef Cleverson Cordeiro to Chef Proprietor — and so, naturally, I hopped along (sorry…) to sample his debut menu.
FROG sits bang in the centre of London’s busy theatreland, just off the Strand on Southampton Street, but as soon as you cross the threshold, you leave the hustle and bustle behind.
The intimate, softly lit space feels immediately welcoming and warm, an atmosphere amplified by an incredibly friendly, cheerful team. A handful of tables and a sleek counter face the theatre of the open kitchen.
It’s smart, but it doesn’t take itself too seriously; graffitied London landmarks by artist Jason Adams splash the walls with personality. It could so easily feel touristy — but as a born-and-bred Londoner, I appreciated its instant sense of place, with just a pinch of punk.
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Our lovely waitress, Monica, made us feel immediately at home, bringing water and a tartan stool (a nod to Handling’s heritage) for my handbag before introducing us to the eight(ish)-course tasting affair — a gastronomic journey across the British Isles using strictly seasonal ingredients, 80% of which are British and neatly pinpointed on a map provided.
Head Sommelier Nadia Khan led us through an exquisite wine pairing that began with a crisp, fruity glass of Handling’s own English sparkling rosé, produced in Hampshire by Exton Park Vineyard. And then the show began…
The opener was a selection of exquisitely presented ‘snacks’ — quite possibly the most beautiful I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing (and then eating).
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Five miniature masterpieces arrived all at once, smoking and overspilling with greenery, shells, and delicate petals. A pair of ceramic hands offered up two crisp cups of butter-soft Cornish tuna, delicately spiced with a kimchi emulsion.
A ceramic egg, nestled in a hen’s basket, held an egg and Parmesan foam — light as a cloud yet decadently rich and perfectly salty. Two ‘cigars’ came tightly packed with sweet Devon crab and green chili, topped with tiny crab-shaped biscuits.
Most magical of all, a glass box — a tiny seascape that shimmered with mermaid magic — cradling two iridescent mussel shells piped with a flavour-packed mussel, curry and white wine mousse, glistening with nori oil. Imaginative, playful, exquisitely executed — and above all, utterly delicious. If I could eat food like this every night, I would. What a joy.
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Already my cheeks hurt from smiling — and watching the delighted faces of fellow diners as their whimsical snacks arrived provided its own form of entertainment, a joyful sideshow that peppered the evening and reminded me that food this good should make you smile, not sit up straight.
I cannot fault the multitude of dishes that followed. Much like the opening snacks, each one was a masterclass in fun, flavour and creative presentation.
Highlights included a giant Parker House roll, warm and fluffy, served with a walnut-whip of outrageous umami butter laced with soy, miso, and top-secret spices, with a red onion mousse at its core. ‘Moreish’ is an understatement.
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Slices of butter-soft seabream came intertwined with ribbons of earthy celeriac and two different types of seaweed — soft and salty — the entire lot dotted with tiny nasturtium leaves and punchy little cubes of jelly made from bonito flakes.
A sensational pasta dish brought together sticky, buttery caramelised onion with extraordinary depth of flavour and a creamy cheese sauce made using leftover rinds (Handling is hot on waste), its richness lifted by a light-as-air spring onion foam and a zingy chive oil.
And I won’t forget the utter decadence of the (Scottish) lobster course in a hurry: a beautiful tail and claw, generously doused in caviar and silky wagyu beef fat. Need I say more?
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Further excess followed in the form of the ‘cheese course’: a crumbly little Bakewell tart topped with a chunk of oozing Eastwood (a brie-style cheese) and slathered with truffle honey (I’m salivating as I type). Then came a heaven-sent dessert of 70% dark chocolate and lacto-fermented cherry.
I love an open kitchen. It’s a thrill to watch the laser precision of Michelin-starred cooking unfold — and it also means that when you inevitably run out of conversation by course number seven, there’s still plenty to talk about.
Chef proprietor Cleverson Cordeiro watched over the restaurant like a hawk, ensuring that not one plate or petal was out of place. Dinner and a show? At FROG, they’re one and the same.
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There was only one course that I didn’t fall head over heels for: a beautiful piece of red mullet in a sauce that, for me, leaned too heavily on saffron. That said, the woman at the next table declared it her favourite course — so perhaps this says more about my feelings toward saffron than the dish itself.
The meal ended just as deliciously as it began — with warm, freshly baked Madeleines served with plum jam and woodruff cream and — at Nadia’s insistence — an excellent cocktail from Handling’s basement bar, Eve, tucked beneath the restaurant. I had the Cherry — a strong, sublime twist on a Manhattan, and the perfect full stop to an unforgettably good meal.
The entire team were charming from start to finish — five glorious, perfectly paced hours later, when I re-emerged into Covent Garden, back in the real world.
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If, like me, you enjoy the skill and spectacle of Michelin-starred cooking but prefer a relaxed, friendly setting, then FROG is for you. It offers all the precision of fine dining, minus the pretension.
But it’s more than that, really. It’s escapism and joy via outstanding food — a truly delicious theatrical experience filled with wonder, crafted with palpable care, and delivered by an expert team who want you to have a wonderful time. And I did. I really, really did.
FROG offers a shorter lunch tasting menu (£100 Tue-Sat) and an 8-course tasting menu at dinner (£199 Mon-Sat). Book online at frogbyadamhandling.com
