The Square

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The Square: Generous, Rich, Golden 9th October 2009

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[Non-Photo Review]

For full review go to: http://wp.me/pwXBH-nE

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The Square: Generous, Rich, Golden

Meeting the older sister

Having had a pleasant (though not perfect) time at The Sqaure’s little sister in Westbourne Grove a few months ago – for full review of that dinner see here – we were very excited to try out what is one of the most established stalwarts on the London fine dining scene. From what I know about The Square, it is undoubtedly one of the most consistently well regarded high-end restaurants in London, both by mainstream media food critics and food bloggers alike.

Chef Philip Howard has certainly garnered a lot of respect and praise from his fellow chefs and food commentators of all sorts. This would appear to be partly because he is to some extent self-taught (though according to their website he did have a stint in the Dordogne, a year with Roux Restaurants Ltd. and a year at the now (in)famous Harveys where he had the opportunity to work with Marco Pierre White and no doubt learned that “mother nature is the true artist” – that chef’s favorite modern day refrain – in-between having frying pans thrown at him), and partly because he is one of the few head chefs performing at this level to actually be present and cooking in his own kitchen pretty much day in and day out. As a short aside, I recently saw quite an interesting video interview with him on Caterersearch, but generally speaking he eschews the media and tries to keep to himself to the extent possible.

So, an interesting character in the driving seat and certainly a serious contender for a very promising meal. My taste buds were certainly on high alert.

Business or pleasure?

Occupying the ground floor of a Mayfair office block, the entrance to The Square is rather nondescript, with a subtle sign somewhat camouflaged in the slightly curved burnt orange wall to the left of the front door. The line of windows facing the street is frosted to just above eye level, so you have to jump up to see into the restaurant, unless you’re really tall. Once inside, this is an effective shield to the outside world, as when you are seated you can mainly see from the first floor upward of the buildings across the street, and not the street and pedestrian traffic.

We were efficiently welcomed and shown to our table, which was at the back left corner of the… well…square room, right next to where all of the food was being brought out from the kitchen. Not usually the best spot as it can be quite busy, but it turned out to be fine and afforded us a commanding view of the room and also enabled us to overhear the chit-chat of the staff.

Compared to The Ledbury, whose interior Mrs. LF and I both found really appealing, The Square’s ambience was a bit of a letdown. The tables are very well spread out, which provides you with good privacy and it isn’t too noisy. But it is quite a plain room that for me lacks an engaging identity or design theme. It seems much more a business lunch on the company’s expense place than somewhere you’d want to come for a romantic evening or a celebratory gathering.

At first impression, the waiting staff were also all business. There seemed to be a small army of them coming and going from our little corner. They all conveyed a very professional air but, at the same time, they all felt quite distant and reserved in their interactions with us. It wasn’t really a warm, inviting beginning. Not that this is a disaster, but quite the opposite of what we had experienced at The Ledbury.

These factors were compounded by the fact that, as we were perusing the menu and trying to make our choices, our first amuse bouche was brought out. Then, shortly thereafter, a second round of amuses (of which there were three elements) followed. The Square’s menu is quite a large affair, and it was rather awkward to find a place for them amongst all the little nibbles and bread which looked so appetizing. I got a bit flustered by the whole episode, and would have much rather preferred having them take our orders first and then properly beginning the meal. It just meant that we felt rushed and weren’t able to concentrate on the food as much as we would have wanted to. While this is a small thing, and I probably wouldn’t comment on it if the restaurant did not hold two heavy Michelin stars, it wasn’t an impressive start. Since there was no time limitation on the table that I was aware of, I just didn’t get why they were in such a hurry.

Are you gonna finish that?

But enough of my quibbles and onto the food. And boy was there a lot of it.

Even though we had opted for the standard à la carte 3-course menu, we quickly found out that it was to be more of a 7-course evening when taking into account all of the little extras that The Square very generously includes in all of its dinners. It also turned out that the portions at The Square are much larger than you get at any other restaurant of a similar ilk (at least the ones I’ve been to) and that the food was in general extremely rich. In this way, it was truly an old school approach that was full-on right through the end. This was again something neither of us was quite prepared for, and was barely able to stomach in the end. However, with 20/20 hindsight, I would know that when coming to The Square for dinner, or lunch for that matter, to show up with an empty stomach and to be in the mood for some rich and decadent food. With these conditions, I am certain I would enjoy the hell out of a meal at here.

You can find a blow-by-blow account of the meal below.

Amuse Bouche: Gelée of Girolles & Roast Chicken Consommé with Corn Smoke Foam and Cheese Frazzle

It came in a little glass cup which clearly displayed the distinct layers of colors and textures, with the cheese frazzle stuck into the glass vertically like a flagpole sans flag. It was very rich and the deep mushroom flavor came through clearly, curbed nicely by the layer of sweetcorn foam (which took up nearly half the glass), with notes of roasted fowl hovering in the background. It was pretty heavenly dipping the cheese stick all the way into the concoction and eating it all together. 8/10.
I almost forgot to mention the bread, which was good. It is all baked on-site and the best of the bunch was the white mini-baguette (crispy at the tips, crunchy crust and soft inside), followed closely by the walnut and raisin roll (lots of deep, almost sour nutty flavor balanced by the sweetness of sultanas). The brown rolls were okay. 7/10.

Further Amusement for our Bouches

First up in the second course of amuses was a cornet of foie gras mousse, which was stuck into the center of a little brown wooden square. It was really rich and scrumptious and had a lovely smooth and silky texture. The anchovy ice cream cone offered some saltiness, and the combination definitely provided my palate with some serious amusement. (8/10). The black ink puff pastry, which had a salty core, was interesting and left a sharp, intriguing and pleasant taste in my mouth. Points for inventiveness, but I’m not sure it was a completely finished pastry conceptually. (6/10). The prawn crackers were nothing that special in and of themselves, but were crispy and flaky. They were enlivened a bit by the mild curry dipping sauce, which again had a great creamy consistency and a little hint of spice. (7/10).

Starter 1: Potted Grouse with Terrine of Foie Gras, Pink Gooseberry Chutney and Sour Dough Toast" (Sorry - No Photo)

Given that we were in the full swing of grouse season at the time of our meal, I really wanted to try some as we hadn’t yet had any this year. I didn’t have to work too hard in persuading Mrs. LF to order the grouse starter special for the evening, which did sound very appetizing.
It is a shame that this dish managed to pretty much kill both of our appetites for the rest of the evening. The potted grouse came in a large old fashioned self-sealing glass jar with a metal hinge (the kind you find homemade country jam in), and was full up to the brim of grouse paste. I unfortunately forgot to snap a photo (possibly due to shock), but it was a huge-bordering-on-ginormous portion for a main course, let alone a starter! It had a pretty singular flavor and didn’t really do that much for me personally. Even though it wasn’t my dish, Mrs. LF couldn’t even eat half of it, so I was brought in to dust it off, which I couldn’t do given the richness of my own starter (see below). The foie gras terrine itself was very good and I loved the gooseberry chutney with it. 6/10.

Starter 2: Lasagne of Dorset Crab with a Cappuccino of Shellfish and Champagne Foam

This dish was very beautifully presented, and was not exactly what I had expected when I thought of ‘lasagne’, which I typically associate with square or rectangular alternately stacked layers of pasta and sauce. The dainty little circular tower of crab lasagne was bathing in a luxurious bath of cream that was topped off with champagne bubbles. You could just tell this was going to be a satisfying plate of food. The lasagne itself was excellent, and the sweetness of the crab really shone through. The plentiful sauce was extremely rich and unctuous (lots of butter, lots of cream) and married well with crab, with the ‘lasagne’ layers providing some good chewy texture in order to ground the dish. The layer of shellfish cream on top lent different and slightly more sharp notes from the sea and again proved a worthy and subtle partner. It is a testament to the quality of the execution that I finished this starter, which was again huge and insanely rich, but I did wonder how well I would digest that sauce. 8/10.

Main Course 1: Slow Cooked Turbot with a Warm Potato Salad, Leek Hearts, Vichyssoise and Smoked Eel

Mrs. LF ordered the turbot for her main course. She said that it was a refined and light dish which she thoroughly enjoyed. The turbot itself had a great texture and the vichyssoise was clever because although it looked like a heavy, cream-based sauce, in reality it was mainly made up of puréed leeks, potatoes, onions and stock (with what seemed to be just a little bit of cream) and therefore had more of a vegetable essence. It worked beautifully with the delicateness of the turbot. The pretty black hive of caviar nestled on top of the fish gave it that little punch of salt needed to elevate the dish to something just more than a well prepared fish and sauce. 8/10.

Main Course 2: Roast Calves Sweetbreads with Beurre Noisette, Sweetcorn, Girolles and Almonds

I had heard that The Square’s sweetbreads ranked right up there with the best of them, so in my mind I had ordered this main as my ‘rich course’, thinking that the earlier starter of crab lasagne would be a rather ‘small and light’ start to the meal – well, we all know what happens when we assume.

There was a massive amount of sweetbreads on this plate, certainly more than I’ve ever seen before, even for a main course. They had all been huddled together in the middle, and in the back of my mind I thought they sort of formed the shape of a little brain…fancy that. They were served on a base of perfectly made beurre noisette and were surrounded by a plate of crisps, which I thought was novel, and they actually worked very well as instruments to dip into that lovely butter sauce. The sliced almonds on top worked a treat with the sweetbreads, as did the sweet accent of corn and the earthy and woody flavors of the girolles. The various bits of meat themselves were exactly the right texture for me, having been well seared and firm (they held their shape well) yet with just enough softness and bounce. It was a very good dish, but I felt that again there was just an enormous amount of everything. 8/10.

Pre-Dessert: Peach & Vanilla Yogurt Topped with a Beignet

This little pre-dessert was a welcome respite to the carnage that had preceded it. The peach was refreshing and was of course a perfect foil for the vanilla yogurt. The beignet was crisp but I didn’t think it sat naturally on top of what was essentially a posh pot of yogurt. Maybe this is just an oddity of mine, or of this pair of restaurants, as I recall a similar thing happened at The Ledbury with churros and a strawberry gariguette and I had a similar reaction. 6/10.

Dessert 1: Peach Melba Soufflé

Mrs. LF had the soufflé for her dessert. It was, in our experience, as good a soufflé as we’ve had, and was certainly a notch higher than the pistachio soufflé we had at Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons earlier this year. The textures were spot on, with the exterior of the crown being nicely hardened and the insides being soft, light and fluffy. The peach flavor came through very strongly – so much so that Mrs. LF felt that it may have been a bit too strong, to the extent it almost smacked of artificial flavouring (though it was certainly genuine peach flavor). A scoop of ice cream was plopped into the center, where it sunk to its gooey death, and a bit of raspberry coulis was then poured into the crevasse it had created, which gave some good freshness and bite to the dessert. While we agreed it was the best we’ve had, I think we also came to the realization that sweet soufflés just really aren’t our favorite desserts; for some reason they just never seem to wholly satisfy either of us. 8/10.

Dessert 2: Mousseline of Raspberry with Lemon Verbena Jelly, Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream and Nectarines

I loved, loved, loved this dessert. There’s not all that much more to say about it. The three little parcels of raspberry mousse had been neatly wrapped with a ‘skin’ of raspberry which was slightly more sharp than the sweet creaminess of the mousse (although it did also have a nice pang of tartness). The nectarines were ripe and if memory serves me right they were a little syrupy too, and I really enjoyed the little kick up the butt that the lemon verbena jelly gave to any forkful you happened to include it with. In some sense, the raspberry ripple ice cream almost stole the show; it was just perfect in every way. It was such a nice ending to the meal, but of course, it wasn’t really the ending was it….9/10.

Petit Fours

The petit fours were arranged in what I assume to be The Square’s classic presentation of ‘lollipops’ sticking out of a semi-circular shaped brown wooden block. It looked very pretty, and most of them were good. Memory fails me now, so I can’t tell you which ones I loved and which ones I could have done without.

Just to make sure that they had filled and coated every inch of our greatly expanded stomachs, there was also a bowl of around eight or nine truffles for the two of us! I absolutely adored them, but could only eat a couple at this point.

Because we liked them so much, we asked if we could have a little box to place the remaining truffles in to take them home with us. In a baffling and logic-defying move, one of the waiters decided that they should instead give us a full box of ‘new’ truffles from the kitchen and insisted that we leave the ‘old’ ones on the table, which defeated the whole point of not wanting to waste such good sweets. Maybe it is just not the done thing in such fine dining establishments? I really don’t know, but was sort of mystified by it all. Whatever the case, we did take home the box of truffles and scoffed them down pretty quickly the next evening

Yquemical bonding

I have thus far neglected to mention the wines for the evening. As I was the only one drinking, I ordered a half-bottle of the Condrieu that they had available from their very extensive and interesting wine list. It was a 2005 Christophe Pichon (Rhône Valley, France) that came in at £33/half bottle, and unfortunately it was a real let down after my sublim

ProfMagellan

Perhaps the best restaurant in London 23rd January 2009

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I became a fan soon after the Square opened (1991) at its original location in King Street, off St Jame's Square.

Ensconced now (since 1997) in Bruton Street, off Berkeley Square,the Square is perhaps the best restaurant in London.

The chef is Philip Howard, a genius, and the proprietor is Nigel Platt-Martin whose efforts over the years have helped to turn the capital city into one of the world's gastronomic centres (it was not like that when I was growing up in London).

In my view, only the Gavroche can compete.

I should add that I do not have much time for ego-driven TV celebrity chefs who appear on quiz shows and in "Hello" magazine - I happily leave all their restaurants to tourists, footballers and C list celebrities.

The thing about the Square is that it is not flashy; and if there are Russian oligarchs and BBC chat show hosts,
there they are at least in a minority. Fellow diners
are quiet and well behaved.

The service is impeccable and always has been. Friendly, professional and discrete. At lunchtime, dishes are served promptly. Arriving at 12.45, I was out by 2.30
having consumed three courses, an amuse-bouche and coffee.

Tables are well spaced and the recent redecoration is modern - but not in some sort of Damian Hirsty over the top way.

The food is fantastic. I am not very fish inclined; so my only criticism is that there is a heavy emphasis on fish.

Still, I have always found something I like; and this lunch was no exception.

The amuse-bouche was a cream of onion soup with a cheesy profiterole on the side. Huge success.

Starter: the tagliarini with truffle source was sensational.

Main: the beef daube with winter vegetables and a wine sauce was perfect to combat a chilly London day.

A nice glass of Burgundy complemented the beef.

And the pudding of Warm Roasted Pear with Tiramisu, 'Dulce de Leche' Ice Cream and Salted Caramel Nougatine was exquisite. Puddings have always been a strong point of the Square. Thec Square does good souffles. Sadly, this time the option was date souffle and I am not partial to dates.


How will the economic collapse affect this London institution? It is located in Mayfair and employs a vast and well-trained equipe; so necessarily prices are high.

I suspect that a wider choice in the fixed price set lunch menu might be the way forward. It was perhaps three quarters full, not bad for January. The few empty tables might previously have been occupied by hedge fund managers, now broke, and scurrying back to whatever part of world they came from.

Fine food is one of life's great pleasures (along with travel); so hopefully the Square will make it through until the green shoots of recovery begin to sprout.

And of course for those lucky enough to have dollars or euros, rather than New Labour Pounds, it is a complete bargain.

Food_Snob

The Square - 25 August 2008 5th September 2008

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Illustrated Critique:

http://foodsnobblog.wordpress.com/2008/08/25/the-square-london/

Text-only Critique:

It is Bank Holiday Monday, but W and I forgot that. We had a couple of ideas where we she wanted to dine, but they were all closed. Then inspiration hit - The Square. It has been on my list for some time and I had already made a couple of abortive reservations over the last few months, never managing to actually enjoy a meal there. I was excited.

A welcoming smile greeted us at the front door and our coats and bags were taken swift stewardship of before we were escorted over the black-and-white mosaic floor, past the wooden bar, fresh bouquets of orchids and pussy willows and large comfy couches, into the surprisingly large, very aptly square-shapen main dining area.

It is a modern space, quite stylish and cool, but discrete and sophisticated too. The back wall is burgundy and features three full length mirrors; the opposite wall faces onto the street outside, but large polished glass grills in front of each window limit outsiders view in. Both vellum-coloured flanks of the room are decorated with the most singular, arresting aspect of the décor: large, striking modern works of art in assertive colours by English artist Deborah Lanyon that enables The Square, if emptied, to easily impersonate a gallery. The room itself is sparsely filled with well-spaced and well-sized alternating square and circle tables, decked in pristine white starched tablecloths and taupe grey under-cloths and teamed with woollen dark russet and dark chestnut terracotta-patterned chairs. Tables are adorned with charger plates bearing Kandinsky-style Russian prints, originally from Marco Pierre White’s Hyde Park Hotel; sleek slim vases of blossoming pink rosebuds; and beautiful Christofle silverware. The colour theme is dominated by fine vanillas and creams contrasted against rich, warm browns: an immaculate white ceiling and light walls are framed by a dark wood, herringbone-parquet floor. Lighting, from recessed spotlights, randomly dotted lamps and almost-Oriental mini pendant lanterns, is quite bright. The minimalist almost functional interior educes an elegant and refined atmosphere, typified by the smart black formal attire of the staff.

The first question I asked upon our prompt receipt of the menus was whether Chef Howard was cooking tonight. He was not. Just my luck - the chef who is never away from his stove, happens to be away tonight. It turns out another chef is in charge and though his name eludes me, I know it is not Robert Weston, Howard’s number two. So, a mysterious number three is at the helm? Sounds ominous, but I am more disappointed at the current AA Chef’s Chef of the Year’s absence than at having monsieur trois cooking my dinner.

You see, Philip Howard, a softly spoken, self-effacing man who eschews the media spotlight in favour of actually running his kitchen and helping nurture young culinary talent, is acknowledged as one of the country’s best cooks - some achievement considering he is an Englishman cooking French cuisine and thus ‘competing’ against French chefs in their own jardin gastronomique.

An original path to Michelin stardom makes Howard’s story an engrossing one. First discovering cookery whilst studying microbiology at Kent University, upon graduating he almost went into pharmaceuticals, but decided instead to spend a year travelling, which culminated in a summer spent cooking in the Dordogne. Returning to London, he apprenticed with Roux Restaurants, catering in the City, but six months making sandwiches left him doubting his choices until an opportune move into directors’ dining. Here he relished the leadership, fast pace and fast learning but, ambitious by nature, nine months later, he was ready to move on. So one night, after dinner at Harvey’s (Marco Pierre White’s first fine dining restaurant), having asked to meet Marco vis-à-vis, Howard asked for a job. He got one. Aged 23, he became Harvey’s newest chef de partie. Only nine months more and he had verbally agreed to become MPW’s sous chef, when an unforgivable service cost Howard his job on the spot. Undeterred, he joined another great British chef of the time, Simon Hopkinson at Bibenbdum, spending a year under him. During this time, he and Marco made up and when MPW’s business partner, Nigel Platts-Martin, decided to open a new restaurant, he put Howard’s name forward for head chef. Thus, in 1991, with no formal training, cooking professionally for only three years and never having even been a sous chef, Howard had his own restaurant.

Though inexperienced, he was certainly not unknowledgeable: as a scientist, he understood the chemical make-up of food; his Dordogne experience had fostered a love for the hearty, lavish cuisine of south-west France; MPW taught him to appreciate elegant, sophisticated French cooking; whilst under Hopkinson, he learnt to impress with flavour and simplicity, instead of simply presentation. It took him just three years to win a Michelin star and this was with an “out of control” kitchen and menus featuring a “bizarre mismatch of things, many which [he'd] never cooked before”; he would decide each morning what to cook for dinner that evening. By 1998, finally finding his rhythm, he was awarded a second star and in 2001 moved The Square to its larger, current residence, where this story unfolds.

Sophia, our serveuse ecossaise, guided us through the menu. And what a beautifully written menu it always is. I am impressed and frustrated; impressed by the delicious dish descriptions Howard constantly composes, but frustrated by how difficult he has made it to order. The food is distinctively modern and seriously French, boasting classical ingredients and combinations of flavour and employing techniques he has refined over time to fashion his own brand of imaginative, stylish and cultured cuisine bourgeoise. The menu is also markedly seasonal; Howard divides the year into five seasons, making a sincere effort to source the choicest produce, locally whenever possible. Eventually, with Sophia’s advice on board and her making more than one trip to the kitchen to enquire whether some of our little demands could be tolerated, we were decided. Starters are the strongest part of the menu (Howard himself confesses), but being our first time here, we immediately plumped for the two signature entrées, followed by three mains and two desserts.

Amuse Bouche 1: Parmesan Sablé; Cornetto of Foie Gras; Beetroot Flag Stuffed with Goat’s Cheese; Dill & Smoked Salmon Roulade; Herb Risotto Beignet; and Anchovy Frazzle. A custom-made wooden block was presented loaded with an assortment of five different dainties. First off was a cheesy, creamy, crumbly parmesan sablé; then a crisp cornet containing a rich foie gras mousse. Next, an amusing soft beet ‘flag’ held strong goat’s cheese balanced with balsamic vinegar. A smooth, fresh roll of smoky salmon and almost-aniseed-flavoured dill followed. A warm, crunchy rice ball fritter was greaseless and molten in the middle and a crisp straw, mildly infused with anchovy, completed the canapés.

Amuse Bouche 2: Sweet Corn Bavarois with Duck Jelly Consommé. A second amuse of thick, creamed sweet corn, topped with an intense duck jelly, light tarragon foam and girolle crème and decorated with a fine pastry tuile, succeeded the first. The idea of matching the sugary corn, rich duck, bittersweet herb and earthy mushroom was decent, but the individual flavours were not clear and distinct enough, making this rather forgettable.

Les Pains: French Baguette; Walnut-Raisin; and Brown Bread. The three varieties offered were each beautifully baked and delightfully detailed. The baguette was firm and very crunchy with nicely toasted tips. The nutty-fruit bread was even better with a good crust, moist middle and excellent, not too sweet taste. I also enjoyed the dense, wholesome brown. Most appealingly, throughout dinner the bread was consistently served warm; a simple, but significant touch. Both salted and unsalted butter arrived, intricately moulded, on flat whale-shaped frosted glass tiles.

Entrée 1: Lasagne of Cornish Crab with a Cappuccino of Shellfish and Champagne Foam. Alternating layers of circular cuts of crab and pasta came immersed in a thick, basil-infused langoustine and scallop mousseline and surrounded by a foam bath of champagne. The crab was fresh and sweet; the pasta, al dente. A serious, herby bisque-like shellfish sauce lay over the lasagne whilst an ethereally light and refreshing, coral-coloured champagne froth filled the bowl. This was delicate and airy, but buttery-rich and bursting with deep flavours; it was liquid luxury.

Entrée 2: Sauté of Scottish Langoustine Tails with parmesan Gnocchi and an Emulsion of Potato and Truffle. Three totem poles, each constructed with its own lush langoustine showpiece topped with crispy onion ringlets, were set on individual parmesan pasta dumpling plinths doused in a plashet of potato-truffle emulsion; a liberal garnish of girolle purée accompanied the shellfish spires. The juicy langoustines tails were firm and bouncy, contrasting nicely with the creamy, soft gnocchi and crunchy onions. The already well-balanced, classic combination of salty-sweet shellfish and earthy mushroom was further enhanced with robust, musty truffle and subtly sweet onion. Another excellent dish.

Plat Principal 1: “Bouillabaisse” with Sardine Chantilly. Bouillabaisse is something both W and I find irresistible so, after our starters, we snuck in one order to share between us. Superb servings of a selection of fish - sea bass, gurnard and monkfish - together with a scallop, a squid ink ravioli and spoonful of scampi mousseline sat on a warm pepperade of capsicum with a tuile cracker of anchovy paste. Tableside, a broth of more fish - sea bass, red mullet and John Dory - and aioli was poured over the seafood medley. The thick fillets of fish were tasty and well cooked, bar the slightly overdone sea bass. The scallop was good, pasta correct and anchovy pleasantly powerful. However, the pepperade was much too salty and almost inedible; the sauce was seasoned distinctly with garlic, but struggled to offer anything more; and there was not a trace of one essential bouillabaisse ingredient, saffron, whose spicy sharpness was surely missed. The speech marks within this dish’s title ought to have been a clue not to expect a “traditional” version of this classic and later we were told the objective here was to use a simple sauce to showcase quality fish; it showed.

Plat Principal 2: Fish of the Day - Roast Fillet of Turbot with Parmesan Gnocchi, Cep Mushroom, Golden Beetroot, Jerusalem Artichoke and Baby Spring Onion. A pleasing piece of roasted turbot, on a bed of parmesan gnocchi, porcini and artichoke slices, small golden beets and their wilted leaves and whole bulbs of baby spring onion, was lightly bathed in a golden yellow beurre blanc bath. The flaky fish, cooked until its pristine white flesh had tanned lovely ochre, had retained all its deliciously mild taste. It was complemented by smooth pasta, crunchy beetroot, spinach-like beet leaves and nutty artichoke. Earthy, creamy ceps, mushroom royalty, matched the meaty, refined turbot. Of special note were the sweet little onions, which dissembled in the mouth delightfully.

Plat Principal 3: Breast of Gressingham Duck with a Tarte Fine of Caramelised Endive and Glazed Figs. The perfectly pink duck, resting in a reduction of its own juices, was dished with a warm tarte fine of endive, fig quenelle and orange purée. The tender, juicy duck had a good sticky, sweet skin and rich sauce. The short pastry crumbled nicely and countered the bitter, peppery leaves, whilst the opposingly saccharine fig confit and bitter orange balanced agreeably. Textures also played their part with the soft duck, flaky tarte and grainy jam working well together. These bold flavours and beautiful breast of duck were impressive.

Pre-dessert: Sweet Tomato & Vanilla. Preceding desserts was a shot glass, filled with a base of vanilla and sweet tomato yoghurt below a thin layer of apple coulis and rounded off with blackcurrant mousse, coupled with a warm sugar beignet. The concentrated fruity berry and apple cut through the thick, homemade sour yoghurt. The fluffy dough nugget was excellent; super light, sweet and handy for dipping into the shot glass.

Dessert 1: Warm Roasted Pears with Tiramisu, ‘Dulce de Leche’ Ice Cream and Salted Caramel Nougatine. Warm roast pear halves were dotted around a circular tiramisu sponge and accompanied by a feuille-wrapped cappuccino crème, dollop of dulce de leche ice cream and dense dash of coffee jelly. The dish was also sprinkled with biscuit crumbs and splashes of salty caramel nougatine. The tiramisu, though of decent consistency, was rather too full with rum for my liking and the ice cream and caramel forgettable. That said, the pears, soft, sweet and moist, were nice, as was the inclusion of cappuccino and strong coffee. Excepting these little highlights, the flavours were weak, indistinct and disconcerted.

Dessert 2: Fondant of Chocolate with Almond Milk Purée and Caramelised Almond and Orange Ice Cream. A dark cocoa fondant covered in thick, warm chocolate sauce was served with an almond-orange ice cream sitting upon burnt crumble chips; splurges of almond milk purée and a white chocolate tuile adorned the plate. The cake was light and moist with a molten liquid middle, with the chocolate itself delightfully intense and rich, but again, the rest of the dish failed to make an impact.

Petit Fours 1: Dairy-free Caramel Truffles and Orangettes. We forwent coffee, but welcomed these after-dinner treats, which took the form of dusty, well-formed truffles filled with mild caramel centres and chewy, chocolate-dipped matchsticks of orange rind; both of which had been made without dairy (probably more as a proof of skill, rather than to improve the taste).

Petit Fours 2: Assortment of Jellies - Apple Cider & Vanilla Jelly; Pineapple & Blueberry Jelly; Confit of Grapefruit; Turkish Delight; and Raspberry Summer Roll. In true haute-cuisine mode, the gifts kept coming. A spray of small jelly lollipops in five flavours finished off dinner. These tangy treats included a particularly memorable sweet, subtle grapefruit; sour, creamy Turkish delight; and sugary Swiss roll - although, all tasted fresh, fruity and distinct.

Service throughout the meal was good enough to convince me all the FOH problems I recently read about have been successfully resolved. The staff were polite, inquisitive, on the spot when required, but discreet at all other times; we were always accommodated and never rushed. Sophia, in particular, proved able, attentive and charming.

Without a doubt, the cooking is considered and there is talent in the kitchen - members of Howard’s brigade took all the podium places at the last Young Chef Awards - but I cannot help but have mixed feelings. Entrées were excellent and mains generally good, but desserts disappointed and this gradual diminuendo of enjoyment has no doubt prejudiced my final thoughts against the meal; I am sure that had we finished on a high, having started unimpressively, I would now feel very differently. After all, there were plenty of positive points: produce throughout was first rate, seasonal and fresh; if I ignore the bouillabaisse, technique tonight was faultless; if I also disregard desserts, then the dishes were all well-crafted and satisfying.

Therefore, I shall not be writing The Square off just yet. I will return, but with some simple caveats: first, I will have to confirm that Chef Howard will be behind the stove; and secondly, I will stick to fruity or pastry puddings (I have read somewhere these are more the kitchen’s forte). After all, in spite of everything, I know that sumptuous, innovative dishes, rich raw materials, serious flavours and precision cooking are all th

chrisp

Pure Excellence 13th August 2008

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This was supposed to be a review of Hibiscus. I'd had it booked for weeks, my interest aroused by some incredibly favourable reviews and the memory of a very good meal when it was in Shropshire a few years ago. But then this happened :

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7232911.stm

So just as I was changing into my nice shoes towards the end of a day in the office, I got a call from a rather harassed sounding woman from the restaurant to say that there'd been a power cut in Mayfair and she'd have to cancel our table! A couple of frantic phonecalls later I managed to find a table at The Square, that other Michelin-starred Mayfair stalwart, and fortunately our evening was saved. On the way to the new venue from Oxford Circus tube I peered into the darkened reception of Hibiscus to find a few miserable looking couples sitting with their bags and coats while the a receptionist tried presumably to find them other suitable accommodation. So I suppose it could have been a lot worse. Just ask the man caught in that explosion.

The Square has always held a very special place in my heart - anyone who knows me could tell you that one of the best things I've ever eaten was their signature crab lasagne - yet it had been a good four years since I'd paid a visit. Claude Bosi, who runs Hibiscus with his wife Claire, is very much a "chef's chef", always in the restaurant during service (unlike certain other sweary craggy-faced megalomaniacs I can think of) and devoted to his craft, and Philip Howard of The Square is very much in the same vein, so it seemed a logical swap. Very little seemed to have changed in the restaurant; the staff were still as friendly and professional as they were numerous, the spacious if functional room buzzed with the great and good of Mayfair high society (Philip Green was there last night) and the food... words cannot describe. But I'll do my best.

Amuse-bouches were presented on a bizarre wooden contraption into which were inserted items such as anchovy bread, cauliflower mousse (in a dainty little pastry cup), a folded slice of what looked like beetroot but I think was some other root vegetable, and a couple of other items which I couldn't even begin to describe but tasted, without exception, very nice. Our bouches were very definitely amused.

Next a pre-starter of cauliflower mousse on some sort of vegetable jelly was, again, brilliant. This restaurant does things with cauliflower that boggle the mind - it was a similar amuse of cauliflower mousse that formed one of the highlights of my first visit all those years ago, and this brought the memories flooding back.

My starter proper was the "Velouté of field mushrooms with a soft poached egg and a truffled brioche roulade". Like my favourite courses at Foliage, this was superficially a straightforward mushroom soup, but rich and fluffy and served with fresh truffles shaved on top by the waiter thus transforming it into something truly memorable. I think you could have served my bowl again without washing, I scraped it so clean. Delicious. Oh, and in case you're wondering why I didn't have the crab, I thought I'd leave that particular memory without danger of being tarnished, although two other diners on our table did have it and from what I can gather it was as good as ever.

But better was yet to come. "Roast calves sweetbreads with feuillantine of onions and tongue and a sauté of kidneys and mustard" was so good I never wanted it to end. The feuillantine were dainty onion chips sandwiched between the most phenomenal cabbage and truffle mixture which was so astonishing I had to pass it around the table to share my joy. The generous serving of sweetbread was as good as any I've tried, perfectly cooked, soft and succulent, and the two little kidneys were firm and tasty pieces of meat perched on top of a rich purée. So much going on it seems reading this description that the flavours may have become slightly confused, but it all worked together perfectly.

The pre-dessert was a glass of heaven's own rhubarb and cream concoction served with a fluffy nugget of doughnut. It was also fantastic.

By this point everyone was so bowled over by the standard of dishes that anything less than the greatest dessert of our lives would have been a comedown, and I'm afraid the general consensus was that the desserts were the weakest of the courses at The Square. Some were better than others - a soufflé was particularly good - but my "cocoa crème brûlée with griottine cherries and kirsch ice cream" suffered from hugely overpowering (and dangerously alcoholic) cherries which meant the crème brûlée was slightly lost. Good alright, but not perfect, and the other dishes had been pretty damn close to perfect.

There were yet two more courses to round off the evening. Innocuous-looking chocolate truffles burst in the mouth to reveal a wonderful fruity liquid center, and were served with matchsticks shot through with fruit jelly. Finally, a spectacular spray of teeny homemade sweets were generally also excellent apart from a couple of pieces of grapefruit rind which were so bitter I can still taste them 12 hours later. But they were nothing if not a talking point.

This meal came only a couple of weeks too late to be my favourite of the last 12 months, but believe me it's very much in the running to be top of the list for 2008. I've used so many superlatives in this writeup I've exhausted the list in my thesaurus, so all I can suggest is you book yourselves in and see how good it is for yourself. It's not the cheapest of places - we paid £86 a head and didn't have a huge amount of wine - but for your money you get faultless service, a luxurious situation and eight courses of pretty much the best food you're likely to eat in London. Philip Howard at The Square, I salute you.

gastro1

The Best in London ? 14th June 2008

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Having eaten here several times I always leave asking myself if this is the best restaurant of its type in London and wondering why it remains stuck on two Michelin Stars.

It is easily an equal to Gordon Ramsey at Royal Hospital Road and in my view ahead of the tiered Le Gavroche and the hard sell of Petrus. Therefore i feel that along with Pied a Terre The Square is overdue for elevation to 3 stars.

On my most recent meal the Lasagne of Crab with Langoustine cappucino and basil followed by Ayreshire Aged Beef Fillet wit croustiliant of x tongue , bone marrow , foie gras and girolles were stunng and beautifully executed.

The amuse "guelle" was an insense gaspacho with two miniscule fried kalamari on the side - certainly woke up my taste buds.

A half bottle of St Aubin followed by a 2002 Henri Boilott Volnay 1er Cru Les Cervets accompaied what was one of the best meals I have enjoyed in London for a long while.

The service was what you would expect of such a professional establishment.

My congratulations to Philip Howard and his front of house team - I hope they receive their just rewards in January.

amandajf

Reliable excellent value 29th March 2008

1 found this helpful

Over and above the other comments
The food is superb;I consider some of the best in London.
At lunch the set lunch is not hugely expensive and so excellent value,particularly for the quality . Also like all decent restaurants the cheapest wines are still very good. Whilst you can spend a fortune here you certainly could do a 3 course lunch and a modest amount of wine for £ 50 a head last year. We have been several times and never had anything to criticize.
Weekday lunch does have a predominance of suited business types but that goes with the territory. I disagree with the reviewer as I don't find it 'flash' more 'discrete modern'in style.

Hugo

Swish food and modern style 12th March 2008

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I was fortunate to be taken here a few years ago. The food is certainly quite exquisite and you feel utterly pampered. I was impressed (and horrified at the bill, so be prepared).

The style is modern and a little flash. I think I am slightly more of a Gavroche person (more traditional and slightly less modern/ cool) but don't want to kick off an inter-restaurant battle. Undoubtedly this restaurant gets top banana status...

wyahaw

18th May 2007

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With 2 Michelin stars this one of the top 5 restaurants in London. It is costly but impressive. See www.andyhayler.com for a detailed review.

chefbarham

One of the Best!!! 18th May 2007

5 found this helpful

If perfection is your cup of tea, then The Square is definately for you!!

Stylish decor, slick service, precision cooking, lively atmosphere and tempting wines are all on offer in abundance here.

Our booking was for monday lunch and we were lucky enough to arrive 15mins early and be offered apperitifs in the lounge. We ordered two glasses of vintage rose champange, which was one of the finest i've ever tasted. A few minutes later we were shown to our table amonst a sea of suited business types, and although all the talk must have been about profit margins, corporate take-overs, and share holder buy-outs, it gave the full dinning room a good 'buzzy' atmosphere.
The menus arrived, and a bread basket was offered. Now.....in my eyes this is the biggest test for any restaurant, if the chefs take the time to make sure the bread is good (and remember, the customer doesn't pay for the bread), then the rest of the food (which the customer is parting with thier hard earned for) should be even better. This bread was fantastic, well seasoned and beautifully presented.
We were able to choose from four available menus, a la carte, tasting, daily and christmas. I think i would have been happy to order every dish, on every menu, but after much deliberation we plumped for the a la carte, and choose our three courses. however, before our chosen meals arrived we were treated to two delicate 'amuse bouche' to get our juices flowing.
I won't go into too much detail of the meals we ordered, although i do feel compelled to try and convey the skill with wich they were cooked. Every item on every dish was cooked exquisitely. Pasta was al dente, jus was rich yet light, cuissons were spot-on, foie gras was silky and soft and froths held their airyness. Every section in the kitchen was cooking to the highest standard, Philip Howard has definately found the right formula for his brigade of chefs.

Some may say this is one of the most expensive places to eat in town, but our bill, for two with wine, water and the vintage champers came to £200. But when you consider the sheer quality of the experience, i felt like i was ripping them off by only paying my 200 quid!

It is very rare that i leave a restaurant with a feeling of COMPLETE satisfaction, but The Square effortlessly filled me with that feeling, as i'm sure they do to 99.9% of the people who eat there.

sue at 18/05/07

Wow - this sounds fabulous! It is now definitely on my list of places to try

walid at 18/05/07

Wow, great review, will have to start saving so that I can afford it.

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freddie5540

14th May 2007

7 found this helpful

What a restaurant. Get a bank loan, sell a lung, do whatever it takes but go to the Square!!!!

I have had the pleasure of going twice, both times exceptional. The lasagna of crab with langoustine cappucino and basil was a revelation. So delicate, with so much flavour and yet not overly rich. A beautiful asparagus risotto with quails eggs had everything asked for. Prune souffle with mascarpone ice-cream another lesson in fine cookery.

The service is slick. Wine served at its prime. Phil Howard, the chef, is man who knows what he is doing!! This is not a restaurant for great surprise but a restaurant that executes its cuisine to an unprecendented standard. If i could i would be there everyday.

Save up ang go or you have missed out!!!