Wild Honey

Reviews for Wild Honey

• 5

  Wild Honey

  12 St George Street London W1S 2FB uk
  

  More reviews by DanWilkinson
  DanWilkinson

  26th August 2008

  Brilliant from start to finish

  Current

  I'm not normally one to tempt fate. After my review of Arbutus on this site, Wild Honey had a lot to live up to. Add to this the fact that the missus and I dined here an hour or so after I'd asked her to marry me, and the recipe for potential distaster was complete. Knowing my luck with this sort of thing, I probably should've known better.
  
  Turns out we were in safe hands though, as from the moment we were greeted at the door to the moment we wandered back out of it, the experience was totally faultless, possibly even slightly superior to Arbutus in some ways.
  
  I've got to get wordy about the food, I'm afraid, so make sure you're sitting comfortably. I kicked off with the smoked eel, presented as a chunky fillet, alongside some preserved turnip (I know!) and a splodge of citrussy apricot puree, the three working unusually but brilliantly on the palate.
  
  The main event was a simple enough dish to get right - roast lamb - but by god was it ever a good piece of meat, cooked just enough to give its tenderness a bit of bite whilst retaining every bit of sweetness and depth of flavour. Following this were a selection of La Fromagerie cheeses, introduced to us by a well-informed (or very well-rehearsed?) waitress, and for me a light, delicate wild honey ice cream studded with crisp nuggets of honeycomb.
  
  On the wine front, the 250ml carafe option in force there meant we could drink precisely the wines we wanted; those which went with our food throughout. So we went from Albarino to New Zealand Pinot, to red Burgundy and finally some massive Rhone beast or other with the cheese. The missus was even persuaded to try a dessert wine with her dessert, a major triumph (as I've never been able to convince her) and one that went down really well.
  
  The service was just on the good side of frenetic. They were obviously busy, but although there was a fair bit of running about and so on, we never felt ignored or waited too long for anything. That said, I do have a tendency to actually get up and ask for something if I want it NOW, rather than sitting quietly and moaning about it later. In general I felt they were more than accommodating, with the restaurant manager coming over at the end of the meal to check everything had been ok.
  
  And the bill. The one time I've treated the missus and not wanted to show her the bill because it was so much cheaper than expected. For world-class food, friendly, professional service, and a wine list that's as varied as it is accessible, and all of this not just in central London but in MAYFAIR of all places, I'd happily have paid more. Don't tell Anthony that though...

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• 1

  Wild Honey

  12 St George Street London W1S 2FB uk
  

  More reviews by nick644
  nick644

  1st July 2008

  A bad experience!

  Current

  Its taken us a while to get round to writing this review. I don't often put 'pen to paper' as it were, but two months on I still find myself getting angry by a terrible inexplicable experience at this restaurant. I made the unfortunate mistake of booking this restaurant for our anniversary on the Wednesday evening of the 30th April this year. We arrived and were promptly shown to our table. The woman leading us being rather neutral, perhaps a little tired looking, as can happen in a busy restaurant. The restaurant is long and narrow with wood pannelling and quite attractive. Mostly people sit rather cheek by jowel, as is often the case in central London restaurants, though we noted some tables for 4 and more which were more private. Apperitifs and water and bread were ordered...two glasses of house Champagne and menus given.
  
  After 25 minutes of waiting, the evening started to turn sour. I guess our faces didn't fit as my wife and I were totally ignored and the waiters well trained in averting their eyes when we tried to attract their attention! I have always wondered what school they attend to learn this skill so well! Not what you would expect from a One Michelin star restaurant!
  
  Eventually, as we became more irritated, I had to stand up to be noticed and managed to stop someone walking at high speed through the busy restaurant! A charming French gentleman who explained that he was the bar man! However, quite obviously embarrassed by his colleagues lack of attentiveness, took our order efficiently and explained the menu to us! My wife had a rather delicious crab filled ravioli. I guess my starter wasn't that memorable as I can't recall it now, two months on! We didn't order a bottle of wine as we had had a cocktail already around the corner at Browns and just ordered a further two glasses of champagne. (we are not heavy drinkers). I assume, to the manager of this type of restuarant, this was considered a major faux pas. He must have thought this because the couple next door to us were being lavished attention by him that would normally be reserved for royalty! In fact at no time did a waiter or the manager even speak to us other than when serving our starters and main course.
  
  After the starter we waited more than 40 minutes for the main course to arrive without word. We had assumed that there had been a mistake in the kitchen. Of course it was impossible, without making a scene, to atract a waiter.
  
  When it arrived, it was a little disappointing for a restaurant of this nature. My wife had a bouillabaisse, which she had to serve herself onto her plate, (I guess the waiter was just too tired), and I had an extremely salty cod dish. The bouillabaisse was very plain with a very weak tast. Again not what you would expect from a Michelin Star restaurant. Of course no one came to ask if everything was alright, though the manager stood with his rear end at me for a good 10 minutes talking wine to the couple next door to us in the most animated of ways while I was eating...nice touch.
  
  Eventually, our plates were taken away and we were again ignored for the next 10 minutes, by which time we had had enough. We managed to attract a waiter for the bill. I recall telling my wife what a shocking experience it was at the only time the manager came to our attention giving us the bill. To this day, we have no idea whether he even cared what we thought.
  
  We live in the West End, I have my business in the vicinity. I regularly have business meeetings over lunch and my wife and I eat out at least 3 or 4 times a week. We like to make a point of supporting our local restaurants in Marylebone and Mayfair and have to date been to most of the well noted ones. Were we just exceptionally unlucky? Was it just a case that our faces didn't fit? Whatever the reason, we've not had a problem like this before at this level of restaurant. We will never set foot here again or its sister restaurant Arbutus which I assume will also have a similarly arrogant attitude to people the manager deems unsuitable. Very strange! My wife, being the wonderful positive person she is insisted that we just walk out quietly, not make a fuss and not let this experience ruin what was a lovely anniversary day. We ended up going out to Bar Italia in Soho for coffee and dessert which put a smile back on our faces! Sometimes simple down to earth behaviour without all the airs and graces are best after all!

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• 3

  Wild Honey

  12 St George Street London W1S 2FB uk
  

  More reviews by Dharminder
  Dharminder

  27th March 2008

  Dinner @ wild honey

  Current

  The food was fine (i went for the pigs head as mentioned by other reviewers which was good), there was a good selection of wine and it had a nice interior. The staff i found to be very good and friendly.

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• 4

  Wild Honey

  12 St George Street London W1S 2FB uk
  

  More reviews by freddie5540
  freddie5540

  23rd February 2008

  The sequel is every bit as good

  Current

  Another Arbutus in London, what fantastic news. Its almost a carbon copy. The room is a bit more mayfair than soho but thats where it is, so perfect. Located in the building that formely housed Drones, its a breath of fresh air.
  
  Smoked eel with sweet & sour turnip and pear puree was delicious and salt beef pot au feu was fantastic and simple. cheese was in good condition and delicious. The wines by carafe are all well picked and the Chateau Batailly was delicious.
  
  We need more of these please Anthony & Will.

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• 4

  Wild Honey

  12 St George Street London W1S 2FB uk
  

  More reviews by Browners
  Browners

  17th November 2007

  Beautifully Wild Honey

  Current

  Cowie, her sister Vicoria and I visited Wild Honey this week with Mary, Cowie's Granny for a special meal. We'd heard great things in reviews in the Metro and Sunday supplements. Top class seasonal food in a charming setting seemed to be the prevailing opinion. It's the sequel to Arbutus which we've not been to but is supposed to be brilliant.
  
  I arrived via Maddox Street where I spent a moment or two having a look at Hibiscus's menu and slick interior. Very Mayfair... although a little stark. Menu looked great too.
  
  Things didn't start well when we arrived at Wild Honey. The girl on the front desk dramatically opened the door into Cowie's face! Some entrance... luckily this was just an amusing aberation. Everything from then on was perfect.
  
  We negotiated a move away from a quiet backwater of the restaurant into a booth next to the cheese board... right into the heart of the action. The menu was well thought out with ample choice of fish, meat or veggie stuff...
  
  My eye was immediately caught by the braised pig's head for starter and saddle of venison for main whilst the girls opted for a combination of red mullet, wild duck, halibut and snails... but just not mixed together!
  
  Before our starters arrived we decided on a couple of carafe's of white and red wine... both from Chile which were excellent. I can heartily recommend numbers 11 and 52! I just can't quite remember what they were called! A robust but soft Chilean Malbec for my pigs head and venison and a Chilean Viognier for the girls' snails, and fish.
  
  My pig's head was exceptional. I have never eaten anything that tasted more "piggy". It was a combination of slow cooked chunks of head meat, cheeks, jowls etc. pressed into a terrine and then sliced and served warm. Stunning. It came with a sweet and soft onion compote and a slick of potato puree. I can't wait to make it myself... maybe for Christmas!
  
  Feeling quite proud of myself for my bold choice of starter I was offered nibbles at Cowie's red mullet and Victoria's cold English snail. Bot were really tasty but it was quite hard for me to judge after such a gutsy and powerful starter myself. Victoria was a bit disappointed by the size of her portion, which was only to be confounded further by the slender portion of halibut she received for her main course.
  
  Because Cowie and Mary both opted for wild duck I decided to switch to venison which arrived in a the shape of a fat sausage covered in a juniper crust with what I thought were uber tasty potatoes but turned out to be roasted beets. As a combination it worked brilliantly. The meat was tender, moist and tasty and was enhanced by the well chosen selection of vegetables. My only wish would be for a touch more sauce. With the Malbec it was a delicious deep red autumnal marriage.
  
  The girls' duck was lean and tasty with a hint of pinkness. Satisfied mmms and arghs are the main memory I've got of their dish. And also a big debate about what the vegetable that looked like an asparagus was that tasted more like a root vegetable. At the time we thought it was salsify and have since checked on google and it seems we were right!
  
  Victoria's halibut had been gently poached and was served with a mushroom and parsley risotto and greens. All very tasty and very delicate in comparison to the duck and venison. The flesh flaked away perfectly but we couldn't help thinking the whole thing was a bit grey.
  
  Granny had spotted that creme brulee was on the menu for dessert so had held back on the starters. As the waitress arrived to take away our plates from the main course the order for creme brulee was eagerly given. Cowie and I opted to share a bowl of wild honey ice cream and crushed honey comb, whislt Victoria opted for a slice of treacle tart... feeling a bit greedy we also asked for some cheese... afterall we were sat right next to them!
  
  All of the cheese comes from the aladin's cave of the cheese world... La Fromagerie which is just down the road from my office. When we pop off to Waitrose for lunch we often stop off to pick up some obscure and perfectly ripe cheese before nipping into the Ginger Pig for a pork pie or mamouth Scotch egg! I've got a serious soft spot for their cheese... hence the title of this blog!
  
  We had a selection of goat, cow and blue cheeses with some quince and wild honey on the side whilst we waited for our pudding. All were delicious and acted as a perfect segue to our gorgeously sweet desserts.
  
  Our ice cream was first class as were the treacle tart and the enormous creme brule. We loved the way that each one of the sugar rich desserts wasn't overpoweringly sweet. Maybe they use honey instead of sugar...
  
  We had a very memorable evening and are dying to return when we can afford to. It's a great place to spend an evening with friends and family and I can imagine a good place for a business lunch too.
  

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• 4

  Wild Honey

  12 St George Street London W1S 2FB uk
  

  More reviews by harryairborne
  harryairborne

  26th September 2007

  Wild Honey

  Current

  A friend of mine and I have decided to visit a new restaurant every other month. Wild Honey chosen as the Time Out new restaurant of the year was September's selection.
  We both selected 2 starters -mine a tomato tartlet with white flageolet beans and seared pig .Both were rich and filling and left enough room for the wild honey ice cream. We went for the carefe of wine ( Ausralian Pinot Noir)about one and a half glasses which resulted in a bill of just under £40 oer head. The food is French brasserie with some Moroccan input. We gave the restaurant 7. 5 out of 10 as the service was good, the helpings generous and the flavours tantalising.My only criticism was the decor was baronial wood panelling which gave it a rather austere college hall ambience and I could have done without the soft Victorian porny lithographs in the loo.

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• 4

  Wild Honey

  12 St George Street London W1S 2FB uk
  

  More reviews by simong
  simong

  18th July 2007

  WIld Honey July 2007

  Current

  You know that irritating TV advert for an American airline that claims it keeps New Yorkers and members of the mafia happy. Well I went with a New Yorker who has lived, eaten and drunk in the South of France for the last ten years, has worked as a sommelier in some flash restaurants and she was happy. Trust me, I know, that's not always the case.
  A starter of a sausage of rabbit and foie gras was well executed, and had that particular light texture that good boudin blanc has. Like foam in a tube, which I personally like; but more importantly, so did she. My terrine of pigs head was moist, rich and luscious. That pig was not just happy, but well-educated and probably pampered . The main course of a piece of halibut was cooked to perfection and served with simple summer vegetables It contained nothing that could have even threatened to be a bone, much to it's consumers delight and the staffs relief. (It's a long story).My bouillabaisse was just what you want, great fish, croutons and aioli to play with; although if there is a criticism then the soup could have been a little lighter to allow the fish to shine through. Minor I know.
  
  The wine list includes wines from the parts of France that so many restaurants have either never heard of or simply ignore, much to our loss. And while I like the idea of serving it all in 25cl carafes, the carafes seem to be to big for the job, the wine seems lost in the bottom. We solved that issue by ordering a bottle.
  
  Eat three excellent courses here,don't stint on the wine,and you'll spend about 100. Which I think is fair value.
  
  We'll be back.
  

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• 3

  Wild Honey

  12 St George Street London W1S 2FB uk
  

  More reviews by sue
  sue

  7th July 2007

  Wild Honey - aka Arbutus II

  Current

  One of my favourite restaurants in 2006 was Arbutus, in Soho. When I heard that the owners were opening a new restaurant in Mayfair I was very keen to try it out. The new venture is Wild Honey, and dcor wise, it is very different to Arbutus. The wood-panelled room is small-ish yet grand, and beautifully renovated, though I thought some of the modern art looked a bit out of place.
  
  The menu at Wild Honey is very similar to Arbutus - with some dishes closely replicated. We dined on the 3rd night they were open (taking advantage of the soft-opening 50% off the food price), and the service wasn't quite there yet - plenty of staff walking about, seemingly without purpose, and we had to ask to order drinks, instead of being asked. There seemed to be confusion over who our waiter was, and I just felt a little ignored. But it was only very early days, so I am sure they will smooth out the creases very soon.
  
  We were happy to see that they had continued the Arbutus method of making all the wines available in a 250ml carafe - genius.
  
  To start we tried the Fresh goats curd with watermelon, peas and pancetta, the Wild rabbit and foie gras boudin blanc with broad beans, peas and summer savory, and the Soupe au pistou with Baux de provence olive oil. The dishes were well presented and enjoyable.
  
  Main courses were the Blade of beef with roast bone marrow, crushed Lyonnaise potatoes , and the Elwy valley lamb with stuffed courgette Greek style. While the food was good quality, we weren't blown away by it. I found one part of the lamb dish way too garlicky, and the rest a bit bland.
  
  We had to try some desserts - choosing the Wild honey ice cream with crushed honeycomb, and the Fresh vanilla waffles with crushed warm strawberries. Both desserts were fine, but nothing to rave about.
  
  Wild Honey is a great looking place, with a very reasonable priced menu for Mayfair. The food looks good and tastes fine, though we did walk away feeling a little disappointed.

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