Latest reviews for Restaurants in Knightsbridge, London, United Kingdom

Chicago Rib Shack - Skinny Ribs and Plastic Bibs by Litro_K

Litro_K — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:58:36 +0000

Review by Litro_K

Rating: 3.00

Website: http://www.thechicagoribshack.co.uk/

I came here with an international set of colleagues (two of us American-born) to sample their offer of a third off main courses if ordering before 7pm. We thought it was a good deal, and a good opportunity to see if we could find some ribs and sticky BBQ sauce that could live up to US standards.

I arrived first, around 6.30pm, and the restaurant was very quiet save a couple of groups by the bar. I ordered a root beer and waited for the others to arrive. There understandably wasn't much in the way of ambience at this time, so I looked around, deciding the red leather booths, quirky Americana posters and stained glass windows on the walls were cheery enough.

My friends arrived in just enough time to place our order before 7. With lots of experience between us of ordering ribs in America, we opted for half-racks and two of us also got wings as well. The plates arrived extremely quickly and the portions were disappointingly un-American. Each plate came with a side of coleslaw and corn on the cob - both perfectly tasty but again quite measly in size. By the end of the meal, two of four of us could have eaten more but as this was a credit-crunch inspired discount trip just before payday, didn't want to fork out Â£7 for dessert. At these prices you expect to go home stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey, not wanting more. And any self-respecting American style restaurant, if they're going for authenticity, should give you enough ribs for two to share and still take burnt ends home for the dog.

On the plus sides, the ribs were very tasty, the BBQ sauce excellent, our Irish waiter was really friendly and helpful, and the place had really livened up by the time we left! Come later on in the evening, and not on a budget, and Chicago Rib Shack should satisfy mosttastes.
I came here with an international set of colleagues (two of us American-born) to sample their offer of a third off main courses if ordering before 7pm. We thought it was a good deal, and a good opportunity to see if we could find some ribs and sticky BBQ sauce that could live up to US standards.

I arrived first, around 6.30pm, and the restaurant was very quiet save a couple of groups by the bar. I ordered a root beer and waited for the others to arrive. There understandably wasn't much in the way of ambience at this time, so I looked around, deciding the red leather booths, quirky Americana posters and stained glass windows on the walls were cheery enough.

My friends arrived in just enough time to place our order before 7. With lots of experience between us of ordering ribs in America, we opted for half-racks and two of us also got wings as well. The plates arrived extremely quickly and the portions were disappointingly un-American. Each plate came with a side of coleslaw and corn on the cob - both perfectly tasty but again quite measly in size. By the end of the meal, two of four of us could have eaten more but as this was a credit-crunch inspired discount trip just before payday, didn't want to fork out Â£7 for dessert. At these prices you expect to go home stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey, not wanting more. And any self-respecting American style restaurant, if they're going for authenticity, should give you enough ribs for two to share and still take burnt ends home for the dog.

On the plus sides, the ribs were very tasty, the BBQ sauce excellent, our Irish waiter was really friendly and helpful, and the place had really livened up by the time we left! Come later on in the evening, and not on a budget, and Chicago Rib Shack should satisfy mosttastes.

Kumo - fabulous! by rosey

rosey — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:09:22 +0000

Review by rosey

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7225 0944

Website: http://www.kumoknightsbridge.com/

Tags: japanese, romantic, vegetarian

I love this cool new bar. It's tucked away on Beachamp Place, the doorway is actually quite hard to find, which makes it like a little members club for those in the know. The cocktails are amazing and the warm mushroom salad is delicous and healthy. Great for a few cocktails and a bite after a bit of shopping in the fab boutiques nearby - srew the credit crunch!I love this cool new bar. It's tucked away on Beachamp Place, the doorway is actually quite hard to find, which makes it like a little members club for those in the know. The cocktails are amazing and the warm mushroom salad is delicous and healthy. Great for a few cocktails and a bite after a bit of shopping in the fab boutiques nearby - srew the credit crunch!

Awana - Delicious Durian Ice Cream To Die For by Angella

Angella — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:20:49 +0000

Review by Angella

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7584 8880

Website: http://www.awana.co.uk

Tags: malaysian, expensive, bar

The ice creams on a Malaysian stand at the World Travel Market at Excel in East London were fantastic. Everybody crowded around eating more and more and more. The ice creams were presented in crisp cones with chocolate around the top.

I tried four or five of their ice cream flavours. The alluring pinky-orangey-red turned out to be chili and when she said hot she meant spicey - but I was not deterred because I knew there was furian to come. Cinnamon was good and different. Lemon grass which was so-so - more lemony than lemon grass - a bit disappointing as lemon grass is one of my favourite flavours, but I was just ready to try another flavour.

The durian ice cream was an absolute dream. If you haven't tried durian before, you must try it. A cross between chestnut, banana and sugared egg yolk (like the Spanish egg dessert yemas de Cartalenas).

Oddly enough, I don't like durian fruit, which smells like bad eggs, and you are banned from carrying durians on the trains in Singapore. However, the first time I tried durian ice cream was in a Thai restaurant in Singapore. I knew at once that I'd grow to like it, and would have to try it three times.

To be able to get durian ice cream in London is just wonderful.

I've looked at the restaurant menu on line and it's extensive. Amazing. This place is definitely on my wish list. I agree with all the other commentators that the food is expensive and you would be well advised to opt for their lunchtime deals at Â£10, Â£12.50 and Â£15. You can also sign up to be sent notification of their special deals.

I suggest you go to the restaurant with other ice cream addicts and try a few flavours. If you are catering for any special event I recommend the ice creams.

The restaurant name Awana means in the clouds and I was definitely on cloud nine after eating their durian ice cream. Just the words 'durian ice cream' make me smile.The ice creams on a Malaysian stand at the World Travel Market at Excel in East London were fantastic. Everybody crowded around eating more and more and more. The ice creams were presented in crisp cones with chocolate around the top.

I tried four or five of their ice cream flavours. The alluring pinky-orangey-red turned out to be chili and when she said hot she meant spicey - but I was not deterred because I knew there was furian to come. Cinnamon was good and different. Lemon grass which was so-so - more lemony than lemon grass - a bit disappointing as lemon grass is one of my favourite flavours, but I was just ready to try another flavour.

The durian ice cream was an absolute dream. If you haven't tried durian before, you must try it. A cross between chestnut, banana and sugared egg yolk (like the Spanish egg dessert yemas de Cartalenas).

Oddly enough, I don't like durian fruit, which smells like bad eggs, and you are banned from carrying durians on the trains in Singapore. However, the first time I tried durian ice cream was in a Thai restaurant in Singapore. I knew at once that I'd grow to like it, and would have to try it three times.

To be able to get durian ice cream in London is just wonderful.

I've looked at the restaurant menu on line and it's extensive. Amazing. This place is definitely on my wish list. I agree with all the other commentators that the food is expensive and you would be well advised to opt for their lunchtime deals at Â£10, Â£12.50 and Â£15. You can also sign up to be sent notification of their special deals.

I suggest you go to the restaurant with other ice cream addicts and try a few flavours. If you are catering for any special event I recommend the ice creams.

The restaurant name Awana means in the clouds and I was definitely on cloud nine after eating their durian ice cream. Just the words 'durian ice cream' make me smile.

Bibendum - Well worth a visit by Hmm

Hmm — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:08:13 +0000

Review by Hmm

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7581 5817

Website: http://www.conran.co.uk

Tags: seafood, vegetarian dishes, romantic

The building itself is an experience and the food has been good, although it's been a while since my last visit.The building itself is an experience and the food has been good, although it's been a while since my last visit.

Foliage Restaurant - Foliage, 28 Oct 2008 by Food_Snob

Food_Snob — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:43:01 +0000

Review by Food_Snob

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7201 3723

Website: http://www.mandarinoriental.com/london

Tags: french, good value, good food

Illustrated Critique:

http://foodsnobblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/28/foliage-london/

Text-only Critique:

Foliage, enunciated [foh-lee-ahj] for the record darlings, is the Michelin-starred flagship restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Knightsbridge. The same hotel that was once home to the Restaurant Marco Pierre White, where this celebrated chief won his record-breaking three stars before moving on to the Oak Room (winning three there again, then giving them back). Today, London is littered with MPWâ¬"s former protÃ©gÃ©s - Ramsay, Chavot, Howard, Atherton, Tanaka and of course many more - therefore it is apt and almost inevitable that one old boy now runs his former residence.

Chris Staines, starting in Suffolk, moved first to Llangoed Hall (1*), Sir Bernard Ashleyâ¬"s Welsh country house hotel; then Lucknam Park (1*), Bath for two years; Chez Nico (3*) for another two; and next the Oak Room (3*). His two-and-a-half years there were interesting to say the least; just as he was joining, MPW was leaving and retiring from day-to-day cheffing, finally serving his last three Michelin star meal to a paying customer here in December 1999, before handing back his Ã©toiles. Under executive chef Robert Reid, Chris worked his way up to sous chef, then head chef, helping the restaurant regain a star in 2001. The next year however, MPW decided to close the Oak Room and in March 2002, Chris succeeded Hywel Jones as head chef at Foliage, which had just earned its own first star two months before. Many of the Oak Roomâ¬"s staff followed him to Foliage.

Chris brought with him respect for raw materials underlined with technical precision. The first nurtured in the British countryside and expressed by an emphasis on seasonality - â¬ÜI donâ¬"t like to mess around with food. Cooking at its best should be seasonalâ¬" - and simplicity through frequently changing menus. The latter skills were learned under two of Londonâ¬"s greats, Nico Landenis and more briefly, MPW, as well as Robert Reid, whom Chris credits with teaching him â¬Üa great deal about flavours, cooking process and how to treat ingredientsâ¬". Chrisâ¬" cuisine is certainly French-based with classical dishes delivered in modern style. He is fan of simple, natural flavours that should â¬"shine through and complimentâ¬" each other and for inspiration looks to fellow chefs Aikens, Osbourne and Gagnaire. Chris has also been commended on his attitude and applauded for his hard work, determination and good leadership. Furthermore, he is a genuine foodie himself and when holidaying, would take empty suitcases to fill with food and wine (this was before customs became so strict, I imagine). This passion is reinforced with a reputation for being first and last in the kitchen and a tendency to devote hours to the same dish before allowing it onto the menu. Having himself travelled and toiled in San Francisco, Hong Kong, Prague, Californiaâ¬"s Napa Valley - spending a month with Thomas Keller at The French Laundry - and domestically, The Vineyard at Stockcross with John Campbell and Heston Blumenthalâ¬"s Fat Duck, he clearly champions the â¬Ücross-pollinationâ¬" of chefs. Thus, this week he welcomed Relais Gourmand Norbert Niederkofler from the St. Hubertus Hotel to Foliage.

Chef Norbert, himself a double Michelin medallist, can normally be found in his native Northern Italian village of San Cassiano, 1,535m up in the Dolomites. After years spent in some of Europeâ¬"s and Americaâ¬"s top restaurants, he returned home in 1996 to run the pizzeria at St. Hubertus, but in 2000, with the award of his first star, the pizzeria was ditched for fine-dining. Norbert has since been honing his craft, combining the traditions of the Tyrol or Alto Adige - a mingling of Mediterranean and German flavours and ingredients - with the methods and ideas he collected abroad, whilst also mentoring Londonâ¬"s own Giorgio Locatelli. Chris describes his cooking as â¬Ürobust traditional northern Italian cuisine, with its unexpected accents absorbed from his travels - completely different from your classic Italian,â¬" while Gambero Rosso (Italyâ¬"s premier food publication) recommends it as â¬"simple, straight, lightâ¬¦it is essential and convincing, it hits with discretion and class, all the way to the tips of the toesâ¬". Others who have enjoyed his food include the Benetton and Agnelli families and Prince Albert of Monaco. He also hosts the Chefâ¬"s Cup, a competition attracting many Michelin-starred chefs, wine-makers and journalists, whose proceeds go to the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation, which raises funds to support spinal injury research. This is the bud from which Norbertâ¬"s relationship with Foliage bloomed; this charity was started by Mandarinâ¬"s executive chef, David Nicholls, whose son suffered a spinal injury in 2003. The mutual acquaintance means that Norbert is no foreigner in Foliageâ¬"s kitchen, having already visited last November. This year, he stayed from 21-31 October and offered a special tasting menu together with dishes dotting the ALC.

Foliage is hidden deep within the 150-year-old former Hyde Park Hotel - previously patronised by Edward VIII, Churchill, Valentino and Gandhi (for whom a goat was daily milked) - in part of what was once the Park Restaurant. To find it, one must climb the gilded staircase, traverse the marble lobby, negotiate the loud, trendy Mandarin Bar, navigate past opposing, open-glass, 5,000 bottle wine cupboards into the bright rotunda antechamber before finally reaching the calm, serene, cream and green dining room. The small, but spacious area - 46 covers - is set upon two tiers, allowing all diners a view through the floor-to-ceiling picture windows that look out onto the 350 acre Royal Park. Unfortunately the Candy, One Hyde Park, development next door currently obscures guestsâ¬" vision, though builders have considerately tried to camouflage the construction-site with green hoardings. The narrow top tier is fringed on all sides with blinds behind which large smoked-glass panels are filled with 24,000 white silk leaves that change colour in sync with the seasons. In its centre stands a short metal dais decked with dark vase holding bright orange, long-stem daylilies. Passing through a mirrored archway, one enters the wider, higher-ceilinged lower level. The theme is obviously rooted in verdure and designer, Adam Tihany, was indeed charged with â¬Übring[ing] the park into the restaurantâ¬". It seems he took this literally and each day the park is brought in with fresh beech leaves, collected by one of the staff, being placed beneath the bespoke clear-glass cover plates. Alan Titchmarsh would soil himself. Clean lines and geometric shapes dominate; cream walls are bordered with glossy rosewood; and chairs are light butterscotch leather and dark wood. Tables, set simply with plate, silver napkin ring and cube jardiniÃ¨re holding persimmon-coloured pincushion proteas, are doubly draped in thick golden linens embossed with white leaf embroidery. The frumpish chocolate-mauve carpet is the only reminder that one is still in a hotel.

I, of course, choose Chef Norbertâ¬"s Rosa Alpina Tasting Menu, plus an extra main and dessert from the regular ALC:

Amuse Bouche 1: Onion / Smoked Eel. White onion veloutÃ© with a sprig of Mizuna cress came with mustard crisp that concealed smoked eel tartare inset with capers and coarsely cut green apple. The white onion, with a naturally sweeter, milder flesh - offset by the peppery cress - had good density doubled with lovely flavour. The oiliness of the smoky eel was balanced by the sour capers and fruity-tart apple, whilst the pressed discus of fried mustard was sticky, sweet and then sharp.

Les Pains: Walnut; Sourdough; Brown Cereal Roll; White Roll; and French Baguette. Bread is brought in from boulangerie PoilÃ¢ne, in Victoria. Large slices of sourdough had yeasty tanginess and chewy crust; walnut loaf was chock-a-block with copious chunks of nut; and both varieties of roll were crunchy and moist. My favourite, unusually, was the brilliant baguette; crusty, soft, delicious. French bread works best with French butter, thus this beurre de baratte is from serious Norman supplier, Le Beurre Bordier (who can count Passard, Ducasse and Robuchon as customers).

EntrÃ©e 1: Calfâ¬"s Head and Lobster; Beetroot Cannelloni / Horseradish Cream. Warm pressed calfâ¬"s head arrived adorned with alternating arrangement of lobster and white beetroot cannelloni filled with horseradish cream. The head, cooked, the flesh removed and moulded into a flat square was rich, almost sweet and jelly-like. Bouncy lobster, tail and claw, was intensely aromatic and, together with the sweet beet feuilles, was countered by the mildly pungent horseradish; this curious recipe must draw on Eastern European and Jewish traditions where the seafood-beetroot-horseradish marriage is not unusual.

EntrÃ©e 2: Pumpkin Risotto; Lardo Di Colonnata / Black Truffle. Pumpkin risotto (normally overlain with Lardo di Colonnato), sowed with pistachios and trimmed with truffles, was served with scallop brochette. The rice was delightfully allâ¬"onda and the addition of nuts, nicely thought out; the slightly creamy bite and mild sweetness of the pistachio paired well with the pumpkin. The brace of scallops too were very good, each sweet, moist and oozing savoury relish. Unfortunately the Scorzone truffles (Umbrian summer truffles) were not strong enough to stand out.

EntrÃ©e 3: GerÃ¶stel of Sweetbreads / Potatoes / Artichokes / Truffle. GerÃ¶stel - traditional Tyrolean peasant provender made from pork, hash and other leftovers - was given a creative reworking. The hashed pork was replaced with deep-fried sweetbreads, sitting atop slices of braised, unpeeled potato and artichoke, in light truffle foam. This time the truffles delivered that longed-for potent punch, both in fragrance and flavour. The succulent sweetbreadsâ¬" battered shuck had dry, crunchy outside and moist inside. These contrasted with the sweetbreads at Roussillon, also battered, but very lightly, vainly; here, the fried frame had purpose and presence. The left-on skin of the potato was a rustic touch and the artichoke, pleasantly salty.

Plat Principal 1: Red Mullet; Langoustine and oyster / Spider Crab ConsommÃ©. Two fillets of red mullet swimming, with squid-ink-tapioca tuile, in spider crab consommÃ© were teamed with tartare of langoustine and oyster laced with lime. The fish, fully flavoured with the rougetâ¬"s remarkable shellfish-like savour, was prepared impeccably and innovatively: hot oil was poured upon the mullet slowly, the process being repeated thrice or so with the same oil to leave the fillets flaky and forming a thin film of bubbles from the skin that crackled and dissolved on the tongue like rice crispies - an excellent effect and one I have never seen before. The tangerine-coloured tarn of crab was clear, concentrated and distinct whilst the tartare, tasty and smooth; the sweeter langoustine and elemental oyster harmonised well and the limeâ¬"s citric zing perked up the pair.

Plat Principal 2: Breast of Guinea Fowl; Foie Gras / Black Venere Rice / Kumquats. Parsley sauce was spread below black Venere rice bedding upon which lay two thick tranches of guinea fowl; a slab of pan-fried foie gras, confit kumquat trio and (usually bacon-wrapped) guinea fowl leg confit came alongside. The bird, cooked sous vide and finished in the pan, was moist, meaty and mildly gamey with crispy skin; its legs were intense and deeply sapid. The wild, dark rice - originally a Chinese staple, but now widely grown in Piedmont - was delicious with unusually juicy, earthy grains; it also emitted a faint, but wholesome aroma. The bountifully buttered foie, close to raw and all but requiring a spoon to be eaten, though not necessarily undercooked, had good taste. At first sachharine, thanks to their thin rind, the kumquatsâ¬" soft orange inner flesh left a tart aftertaste that provided a decent counterpoint to the richness and sweetness of the foie and fowl confit. All told, a rather hearty dish.

Plat Principal 3: Beef / Tongue and Cheek / Salsify / Horseradish. The only Chris Staines creation that worked its way into my meal consisted of dense, dark chump of beef cheek atop a base of braised parsnips partnered with considerable cannelloni of tongue, mushrooms and chicken mousse. Roast salsify chips and pickled onions accompanied these with horseradish foam and red wine jus. The braised beef, infused with the wine, was mushy and fibrous and had a nice, sharp tickle from the horseradish. The pasta was delicate whilst its filling soft, saucy and earthy. Little pickled onions were especially pleasing and the parsnip, almost purÃ©ed, was delicately sweet and slightly nutty; the thick gravy was also good. Strong, robust flavours came together well and all the elements worked with each other nicely.

(Continued)Illustrated Critique:

http://foodsnobblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/28/foliage-london/

Text-only Critique:

Foliage, enunciated [foh-lee-ahj] for the record darlings, is the Michelin-starred flagship restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Knightsbridge. The same hotel that was once home to the Restaurant Marco Pierre White, where this celebrated chief won his record-breaking three stars before moving on to the Oak Room (winning three there again, then giving them back). Today, London is littered with MPWâ¬"s former protÃ©gÃ©s - Ramsay, Chavot, Howard, Atherton, Tanaka and of course many more - therefore it is apt and almost inevitable that one old boy now runs his former residence.

Chris Staines, starting in Suffolk, moved first to Llangoed Hall (1*), Sir Bernard Ashleyâ¬"s Welsh country house hotel; then Lucknam Park (1*), Bath for two years; Chez Nico (3*) for another two; and next the Oak Room (3*). His two-and-a-half years there were interesting to say the least; just as he was joining, MPW was leaving and retiring from day-to-day cheffing, finally serving his last three Michelin star meal to a paying customer here in December 1999, before handing back his Ã©toiles. Under executive chef Robert Reid, Chris worked his way up to sous chef, then head chef, helping the restaurant regain a star in 2001. The next year however, MPW decided to close the Oak Room and in March 2002, Chris succeeded Hywel Jones as head chef at Foliage, which had just earned its own first star two months before. Many of the Oak Roomâ¬"s staff followed him to Foliage.

Chris brought with him respect for raw materials underlined with technical precision. The first nurtured in the British countryside and expressed by an emphasis on seasonality - â¬ÜI donâ¬"t like to mess around with food. Cooking at its best should be seasonalâ¬" - and simplicity through frequently changing menus. The latter skills were learned under two of Londonâ¬"s greats, Nico Landenis and more briefly, MPW, as well as Robert Reid, whom Chris credits with teaching him â¬Üa great deal about flavours, cooking process and how to treat ingredientsâ¬". Chrisâ¬" cuisine is certainly French-based with classical dishes delivered in modern style. He is fan of simple, natural flavours that should â¬"shine through and complimentâ¬" each other and for inspiration looks to fellow chefs Aikens, Osbourne and Gagnaire. Chris has also been commended on his attitude and applauded for his hard work, determination and good leadership. Furthermore, he is a genuine foodie himself and when holidaying, would take empty suitcases to fill with food and wine (this was before customs became so strict, I imagine). This passion is reinforced with a reputation for being first and last in the kitchen and a tendency to devote hours to the same dish before allowing it onto the menu. Having himself travelled and toiled in San Francisco, Hong Kong, Prague, Californiaâ¬"s Napa Valley - spending a month with Thomas Keller at The French Laundry - and domestically, The Vineyard at Stockcross with John Campbell and Heston Blumenthalâ¬"s Fat Duck, he clearly champions the â¬Ücross-pollinationâ¬" of chefs. Thus, this week he welcomed Relais Gourmand Norbert Niederkofler from the St. Hubertus Hotel to Foliage.

Chef Norbert, himself a double Michelin medallist, can normally be found in his native Northern Italian village of San Cassiano, 1,535m up in the Dolomites. After years spent in some of Europeâ¬"s and Americaâ¬"s top restaurants, he returned home in 1996 to run the pizzeria at St. Hubertus, but in 2000, with the award of his first star, the pizzeria was ditched for fine-dining. Norbert has since been honing his craft, combining the traditions of the Tyrol or Alto Adige - a mingling of Mediterranean and German flavours and ingredients - with the methods and ideas he collected abroad, whilst also mentoring Londonâ¬"s own Giorgio Locatelli. Chris describes his cooking as â¬Ürobust traditional northern Italian cuisine, with its unexpected accents absorbed from his travels - completely different from your classic Italian,â¬" while Gambero Rosso (Italyâ¬"s premier food publication) recommends it as â¬"simple, straight, lightâ¬¦it is essential and convincing, it hits with discretion and class, all the way to the tips of the toesâ¬". Others who have enjoyed his food include the Benetton and Agnelli families and Prince Albert of Monaco. He also hosts the Chefâ¬"s Cup, a competition attracting many Michelin-starred chefs, wine-makers and journalists, whose proceeds go to the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation, which raises funds to support spinal injury research. This is the bud from which Norbertâ¬"s relationship with Foliage bloomed; this charity was started by Mandarinâ¬"s executive chef, David Nicholls, whose son suffered a spinal injury in 2003. The mutual acquaintance means that Norbert is no foreigner in Foliageâ¬"s kitchen, having already visited last November. This year, he stayed from 21-31 October and offered a special tasting menu together with dishes dotting the ALC.

Foliage is hidden deep within the 150-year-old former Hyde Park Hotel - previously patronised by Edward VIII, Churchill, Valentino and Gandhi (for whom a goat was daily milked) - in part of what was once the Park Restaurant. To find it, one must climb the gilded staircase, traverse the marble lobby, negotiate the loud, trendy Mandarin Bar, navigate past opposing, open-glass, 5,000 bottle wine cupboards into the bright rotunda antechamber before finally reaching the calm, serene, cream and green dining room. The small, but spacious area - 46 covers - is set upon two tiers, allowing all diners a view through the floor-to-ceiling picture windows that look out onto the 350 acre Royal Park. Unfortunately the Candy, One Hyde Park, development next door currently obscures guestsâ¬" vision, though builders have considerately tried to camouflage the construction-site with green hoardings. The narrow top tier is fringed on all sides with blinds behind which large smoked-glass panels are filled with 24,000 white silk leaves that change colour in sync with the seasons. In its centre stands a short metal dais decked with dark vase holding bright orange, long-stem daylilies. Passing through a mirrored archway, one enters the wider, higher-ceilinged lower level. The theme is obviously rooted in verdure and designer, Adam Tihany, was indeed charged with â¬Übring[ing] the park into the restaurantâ¬". It seems he took this literally and each day the park is brought in with fresh beech leaves, collected by one of the staff, being placed beneath the bespoke clear-glass cover plates. Alan Titchmarsh would soil himself. Clean lines and geometric shapes dominate; cream walls are bordered with glossy rosewood; and chairs are light butterscotch leather and dark wood. Tables, set simply with plate, silver napkin ring and cube jardiniÃ¨re holding persimmon-coloured pincushion proteas, are doubly draped in thick golden linens embossed with white leaf embroidery. The frumpish chocolate-mauve carpet is the only reminder that one is still in a hotel.

I, of course, choose Chef Norbertâ¬"s Rosa Alpina Tasting Menu, plus an extra main and dessert from the regular ALC:

Amuse Bouche 1: Onion / Smoked Eel. White onion veloutÃ© with a sprig of Mizuna cress came with mustard crisp that concealed smoked eel tartare inset with capers and coarsely cut green apple. The white onion, with a naturally sweeter, milder flesh - offset by the peppery cress - had good density doubled with lovely flavour. The oiliness of the smoky eel was balanced by the sour capers and fruity-tart apple, whilst the pressed discus of fried mustard was sticky, sweet and then sharp.

Les Pains: Walnut; Sourdough; Brown Cereal Roll; White Roll; and French Baguette. Bread is brought in from boulangerie PoilÃ¢ne, in Victoria. Large slices of sourdough had yeasty tanginess and chewy crust; walnut loaf was chock-a-block with copious chunks of nut; and both varieties of roll were crunchy and moist. My favourite, unusually, was the brilliant baguette; crusty, soft, delicious. French bread works best with French butter, thus this beurre de baratte is from serious Norman supplier, Le Beurre Bordier (who can count Passard, Ducasse and Robuchon as customers).

EntrÃ©e 1: Calfâ¬"s Head and Lobster; Beetroot Cannelloni / Horseradish Cream. Warm pressed calfâ¬"s head arrived adorned with alternating arrangement of lobster and white beetroot cannelloni filled with horseradish cream. The head, cooked, the flesh removed and moulded into a flat square was rich, almost sweet and jelly-like. Bouncy lobster, tail and claw, was intensely aromatic and, together with the sweet beet feuilles, was countered by the mildly pungent horseradish; this curious recipe must draw on Eastern European and Jewish traditions where the seafood-beetroot-horseradish marriage is not unusual.

EntrÃ©e 2: Pumpkin Risotto; Lardo Di Colonnata / Black Truffle. Pumpkin risotto (normally overlain with Lardo di Colonnato), sowed with pistachios and trimmed with truffles, was served with scallop brochette. The rice was delightfully allâ¬"onda and the addition of nuts, nicely thought out; the slightly creamy bite and mild sweetness of the pistachio paired well with the pumpkin. The brace of scallops too were very good, each sweet, moist and oozing savoury relish. Unfortunately the Scorzone truffles (Umbrian summer truffles) were not strong enough to stand out.

EntrÃ©e 3: GerÃ¶stel of Sweetbreads / Potatoes / Artichokes / Truffle. GerÃ¶stel - traditional Tyrolean peasant provender made from pork, hash and other leftovers - was given a creative reworking. The hashed pork was replaced with deep-fried sweetbreads, sitting atop slices of braised, unpeeled potato and artichoke, in light truffle foam. This time the truffles delivered that longed-for potent punch, both in fragrance and flavour. The succulent sweetbreadsâ¬" battered shuck had dry, crunchy outside and moist inside. These contrasted with the sweetbreads at Roussillon, also battered, but very lightly, vainly; here, the fried frame had purpose and presence. The left-on skin of the potato was a rustic touch and the artichoke, pleasantly salty.

Plat Principal 1: Red Mullet; Langoustine and oyster / Spider Crab ConsommÃ©. Two fillets of red mullet swimming, with squid-ink-tapioca tuile, in spider crab consommÃ© were teamed with tartare of langoustine and oyster laced with lime. The fish, fully flavoured with the rougetâ¬"s remarkable shellfish-like savour, was prepared impeccably and innovatively: hot oil was poured upon the mullet slowly, the process being repeated thrice or so with the same oil to leave the fillets flaky and forming a thin film of bubbles from the skin that crackled and dissolved on the tongue like rice crispies - an excellent effect and one I have never seen before. The tangerine-coloured tarn of crab was clear, concentrated and distinct whilst the tartare, tasty and smooth; the sweeter langoustine and elemental oyster harmonised well and the limeâ¬"s citric zing perked up the pair.

Plat Principal 2: Breast of Guinea Fowl; Foie Gras / Black Venere Rice / Kumquats. Parsley sauce was spread below black Venere rice bedding upon which lay two thick tranches of guinea fowl; a slab of pan-fried foie gras, confit kumquat trio and (usually bacon-wrapped) guinea fowl leg confit came alongside. The bird, cooked sous vide and finished in the pan, was moist, meaty and mildly gamey with crispy skin; its legs were intense and deeply sapid. The wild, dark rice - originally a Chinese staple, but now widely grown in Piedmont - was delicious with unusually juicy, earthy grains; it also emitted a faint, but wholesome aroma. The bountifully buttered foie, close to raw and all but requiring a spoon to be eaten, though not necessarily undercooked, had good taste. At first sachharine, thanks to their thin rind, the kumquatsâ¬" soft orange inner flesh left a tart aftertaste that provided a decent counterpoint to the richness and sweetness of the foie and fowl confit. All told, a rather hearty dish.

Plat Principal 3: Beef / Tongue and Cheek / Salsify / Horseradish. The only Chris Staines creation that worked its way into my meal consisted of dense, dark chump of beef cheek atop a base of braised parsnips partnered with considerable cannelloni of tongue, mushrooms and chicken mousse. Roast salsify chips and pickled onions accompanied these with horseradish foam and red wine jus. The braised beef, infused with the wine, was mushy and fibrous and had a nice, sharp tickle from the horseradish. The pasta was delicate whilst its filling soft, saucy and earthy. Little pickled onions were especially pleasing and the parsnip, almost purÃ©ed, was delicately sweet and slightly nutty; the thick gravy was also good. Strong, robust flavours came together well and all the elements worked with each other nicely.

(Continued)

The Grill Room at the Dorchester - The Grill at the Dorchester, 23 Oct 2008 by Food_Snob

Food_Snob — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 04:12:46 +0000

Review by Food_Snob

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7317 6336

Website: http://www.thedorchester.com/restaurants_bars/grill.html

Tags: british, vegetarian dishes

Illustrated Critique:

http://foodsnobblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/the-grill-at-the-dorchester-london/

Text-only Critique:

Another week, another trilogy realised: I have now eaten at all of the Dorchester Hotelâ¬"s three restaurants. China Tang was long ago now and, bar maybe the best egg-fried rice I have ever had, was rather forgettable. Widely derided Alain Ducasse was a disappointment; here, again only one dish - Filets de sole Ã la florentine, crevettes et champignons de Paris, sauce ChÃ¢teau Chalon - shone (very brightly), whilst desserts I thought terrible and I did try three.

Already, automatically almost, I am inclined to favour the Grill. This is solely because it is the common casualty of some uncalled-for criticism from celebrated critic, AA Gill. Together with a favourite of mine, lâ¬"Ambassade de lâ¬"Ile, the Grill was awarded a single star (out of five) by this aforesaid assessor. Do not misunderstand - I do not mind if my judgment differs from his, but I do think that, after describing dishes as â¬Üutterly brilliant, deliciously flavouredâ¬" and all the cooking as â¬Ücraftsmanlike, considered and thoughtful,â¬" giving it only one star essentially because he did not like the dÃ©cor, is just misrepresentative. I will describe the Grillâ¬"s design in more detail later, but for now, let us just say Mr. Gill liked it even less than lâ¬"Ambassadeâ¬"s.

Built surprisingly recently, as late as 1931, the darling Dorchester is the babe of Londonâ¬"s bunch of grand hotels, but maybe my favourite. The Ritz oozes opulence; the Connaught is celebrated; Claridgeâ¬"s, classy; the Savoyâ¬¦shut; but the Dorchester endears, delights and has je ne sais quoi. In addition to its illustrious history of hospitality, the hotel also carries an important culinary legacy, of which the Grill is the greatest epitome. From here, Anton Mosimann revolutionised hotel dining in London with the 1975 introduction of his cuisine naturelle - a lighter, healthier way of eating - making the Dorchesterâ¬"s the first hotel kitchen outside France to earn two Michelin stars. However, years past have seen such success stale and in an attempt to remedy this rot, 2006 saw the Dorchester Grill redubbed the Grill at the Dorchester and dramatically redesigned: from indulgently Iberian to scandalously Scottish. More significantly, a new chef was sought to replace the out-going (to Tomâ¬"s Kitchen) Ollie Couillard, who had struggled to stamp his mark on the restaurant. Indeed, the Grill is a tall order for any chef: first, there is its tradition as a bastion of Britishness to bear, but then there is the bad name gained for being the boring retreat of the blue-rinse mob.

Aiden Byrne was approached. Young, dynamic and English, Aiden - the youngest chef ever to win a Michelin star - was seen as the ideal man to inherit the helm. However, he was at first hesitant. Visiting the restaurant did not help: after watching â¬Üpeople falling asleep in their bowls of soupâ¬", his wife forbade him taking the job - â¬Üyouâ¬"re not coming here,â¬" she decided. Ultimately though, the lure of Londonâ¬"s bright lights proved too persuasive and he accepted the job in October 2006. Aiden, who had been running Danesfield House near Marlow, previously worked at Tom Aikens (1*) as head chef; Pied Ã Terre (2*) as sous chef; Adlards, Norwich (1*) as head chef also; and Roscoff, Peacock Alley and the Commons (all in Dublin), chronologically. Thus he had learned directly from the likes of David Adlard, Paul Rankin, Richard Neat and, his mentor, master emulsifier, Tom Aikens. Aiden also, aptly, brings with him a passion for British cooking and ingredients: â¬Ümy aim has always been to shatter the myth that British food has to be heavy and old-fashioned and to highlight the fact they we have some of the finest suppliers and produce in the world.â¬" Sounds like a marriage made in heavenâ¬¦

The Grillâ¬"s gilded gateway is found along the opulent promenade - which happens to stretch the same length as Nelsonâ¬"s Column - that runs through the hotelâ¬"s heart. That doorway may as well be a wormhole; entering the dining room, one is transported three hundred years into the past and three hundred miles north, to Bonnie Scotland. The dÃ©cor was the million pound masterpiece of Thierry Despont, the same man charged with restoring nothing less than the Statue of Liberty. I can imagine what had happened: as deadline day drew near, this Frenchman, wrestling to overcome some mammoth mental roadblock and desperate for inspiration, must have found it in one of two places. The first was at the breakfast table: deliberating his dilemma over a bowl of porridge, his attention was arrested by the box, of Scottâ¬"s Porridge Oats of course, and his theme was determined then. But, on second thoughts, this is unlikely - they do not really do breakfast across la Manche, petit dejeuner there consists of cigarettes et cafÃ©, nâ¬"est-ce pas? The second scenario saw his motivation come from the menu itself, opening it, reading the first item â¬ÜOak Smoked Scottish Salmonâ¬" - it must have been the Sunday lunch menu - he decided he had struck gold: reminiscences of the Auld Alliance, la Vieille Alliance, swelled in his breast and this witty Frenchman, in mocking, defiant stand against les Rosbifs built a shrine to all that is Scottish. Historical note: this accord between France and Scotland aimed specifically against England culminated in the 1421 Battle of Bauge when the â¬ÜArmy of Scotlandâ¬", part of the French royal service, defeated Albionâ¬"s army and earned themselves the appellation â¬Üantidote to the Englishâ¬".

Getting back on trackâ¬¦tartan dominates the room: green-and-thatched-red tartan carpets the floor; two types of it - green/navy/red-pinstripe and red/scarlet/green-pinstripe - upholster the high-backed armchairs; the same green/navy one wraps the wine shelves on either side of the dining area; whilst the red tartan lines dresser screens. The focal point is a large four-sided centre-couch complete with comfy cushions and crowned by a large bronze urn filled with several dozen roses. The glossy, golden-brown burnished walls are adorned in â¬ÜCarry on Ceilidhingâ¬Ü style with the Grillâ¬"s most controversial feature -10ft tall highlanders and highland-lassies, unsurprisingly, togged up in more tartan. Other minor talking points include bright red, velvet bedsteads on some of the seating. Four large chandeliers hang from the cream ceiling. The restaurant, fitting about eighty, is filled with square tables dressed with white linen and finely furnished with elegant J.L. Coquet crockery, silver salt-and-pepper shakers made by Peugeot and a pair of fresh-cut roses.

I could continue writing all day, but I best stop and cut to the chase: the food.

Amuse Bouche 1: Lemongrass and Carrot Soup. An attention-grabbing amuse of lemongrass and carrot complete with spherificated cylindrical of coriander awakened our taste-buds. Each spoonful surrendered short sweetness succeeded by a deep, almost sharp finish from the lemony, gingery grass. The bitter bubble burst with a warm, citric spiciness that complemented the lemongrass.

Les Pains: Five seed & cereal; Brown rye; Walnut, thyme & onion; and Stilton. A four-strong selection of homemade breads was offered. A soft, wholemeal brown rye came plain or filled with five seeds and cereal. Walnut, thyme and onion was well-seasoned with the strong aroma and flavour of minty, lemon-like thyme and had a nice, nutty coat. The most interesting of all, however, was the Stilton. This fluffy, white bread with well-baked crust had a mellow, earthy essence; the potentially overpowering quality of the blue cheese was kept comfortably under control. Lescure butter from Normandy, with its characteristic gentle tang, was served alongside.

EntrÃ©e 1: Braised Chicken with potato and truffle cannelloni. An Aiden signature dish of three braised, boned chicken wings came sandwiched between two cannelloni - one of crispy spud filled with soup of potato, warm milk and truffle oil and another of chicken and truffle mousse - with a tater tuile, buckler-leaf sorrel garnish and dressed in truffle oil, chive and chicken jus sabayon. The mouth-watering wings, from Jason Wise of Ark Chicken, with sticky, caramelised skin, were succulent and flavourful. The pipe of pommes purÃ©e was soft and smooth with earthy, fungi depth. The cylinder of chicken mousse, also containing crunchy, diced potato, was just as creamy. The buckler-leaf sorrel supplied a welcome acidic, clean note of lemon, whilst the gorgeous gravy had smoky intensity from the truffle and richness from the jus roti. of Pied Ã Terreâ¬"s Shane Osborne described this as â¬Üone of my best dishes of the year,â¬" whereas, for me, it brought back memories of mumsyâ¬"s mash.

EntrÃ©e 2: Peach and Tomato Salad with pine vinaigrette. A rather summery second starter followed the first: slices of peach, heirloom, ripe and unripe tomato, served with peach and tomato fondants, peach mousse and tomato foam, were presented peppered with pine nuts, drizzled in vinaigrette and bedecked with baby basil and dill. The juicy, fragrant peach and faintly tangy tomato made a refreshing pair that was balanced by the sweetly-acidic sherry vinaigrette. The herbs added subtle sweetness and faint pungency to the plate; toasted nuts, crunch and creaminess; whilst a little olive oil, vibrant fruity flavour. I particularly liked the use of uncommon green tomato, which sprinkled with salt, is a favourite summer snack of mine.

EntrÃ©e 3: Poached Scallops with autumn vegetables and lemon thyme butter. A plenteous portion of four poached scallops were produced accompanied by an assortment of autumnal vegetables and light lemon thyme butter sauce. Moist, soft, sweet shellfish, slow cooked in vegetable broth, had firm, fine texture, full flavour and fell effortlessly apart. The collection of carefully chopped, crunchy, al dente greens - carrot, celeriac, courgette, fennel and onion - had delicate sweetness; and lemon rind julienne were pleasingly sour without being harsh. The delightful dressing, brimming with citric buzz, brought together and enlivened all the elements on the dish. The minty thyme and trim of parsley added additional refreshing tang.

EntrÃ©e de Mon FrÃ¨re: Watercress Soup with poached cod and henâ¬"s egg. My brotherâ¬"s menu du jour commenced with classic British watercress soup, suitably coloured British racing green. Partnering the potage was poached pairing of henâ¬"s egg covering chunky cod. Good, gently grainy consistency was backed up with stimulating, peppery savour. The egg was well-cooked and agreeably gooey, whilst the cod, tender and flaky. The Stilton bread came into its own when called upon to clean up the remnants of the soup.

EntrÃ©e 4: Chilled Beetroot Gazpacho with avocado sorbet and vodka jelly. A Tyrian purple bloodbath of beetroot boasted two buoyant islands of cloudy vodka jelly and electric-chartreuse avocado sorbet quenelles. This second speciality of Aidenâ¬"s was pregnant with powerful and complicated flavours: the very unctuous concoction gushed with earthy, sour and sweet smokiness; the vodka shot was seriously strong and sharp, but just about kept in check by the creamy, cooling assistance of avocado. This was a witty reworking of traditional beet borsht, itself customarily complemented with vodka. The potent potion of cooked and uncooked beetroot, golden beet, vanilla, apple juice, vinegar and coriander leaf was striking both in presentation and on the palate. The enduring vision of le visage de mon petit frÃ¨re swollen with wide, surprised smile, showing off teeth sopping with bleeding beet juice just like a vampire, still amuses me.

Plat Principal: Roasted Turbot with lobster, apple and rosemary. A tripartite delight of three of my most favoured foods - turbot, lobster and sweetbread - saw the harvest of the soil, shoreline and shallower sea amassed upon a single plate. The roasted, golden-tanned turbot, with its delectable, distinguished taste, was excellently cooked and flawlessly flaky (it also came with Parma ham, which I removed); the fishy fillet sat atop apple julienne. Half-tail of bouncy, lissom lobster, roasted in rosemary, was warmed by the woody sweetness of the herb. The unannounced, but not unwelcome cannelloni of succulent sweetbread, moist lobster meat and diced roasted apple (within and atop) was seasoned with Calvados - that in true trou Normand fashion rewoke my appetite. The deeply delicious and creamy, enjoyably chewy roll was rich and intoxicating. Apple and more robust rosemary purÃ©e puddles mingled in the middle of the dish with concentrated, condensed sauce of veal jus, rosemary, roasted apple again and lobster oil. The successful application of apple, whose fruitiness underscored the subtly sweet savour of the shellfish, fish and meaty gland, was inspired. This intricate, intense dish was well-relished.

Plat Principal de Mon FrÃ¨re: Angus Beef with Yorkshire Pudding. Served elegantly and traditionally tableside from the trolley by Victor, this was the second piece of British culinary culture on todayâ¬"s carte. A plethora of porcelain ramekins and bronze bowls brimful of a variety of vegetables in light Hollandaise sauce; mustard, English and French (le meilleur, Victor nous a dit); horseradish; and Madeira gravy accompanied tender, pink carvings of medium-rare rib of Aberdeen Angus beef and jumbo crispy Yorkshire pudding. My brotherâ¬"s beef was juicy and good quality; the roast potatoes were better than textbook with great crumbly coat; the sautÃ©ed-in-orange-juice carrots struck a pleasing chord with him; but he ignored the steamed broccoli. Digressing, I must mention the lovely handcrafted Laguiole-en-Aubrac steak knife set for this course that caught my eye.
Illustrated Critique:

http://foodsnobblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/the-grill-at-the-dorchester-london/

Text-only Critique:

Another week, another trilogy realised: I have now eaten at all of the Dorchester Hotelâ¬"s three restaurants. China Tang was long ago now and, bar maybe the best egg-fried rice I have ever had, was rather forgettable. Widely derided Alain Ducasse was a disappointment; here, again only one dish - Filets de sole Ã la florentine, crevettes et champignons de Paris, sauce ChÃ¢teau Chalon - shone (very brightly), whilst desserts I thought terrible and I did try three.

Already, automatically almost, I am inclined to favour the Grill. This is solely because it is the common casualty of some uncalled-for criticism from celebrated critic, AA Gill. Together with a favourite of mine, lâ¬"Ambassade de lâ¬"Ile, the Grill was awarded a single star (out of five) by this aforesaid assessor. Do not misunderstand - I do not mind if my judgment differs from his, but I do think that, after describing dishes as â¬Üutterly brilliant, deliciously flavouredâ¬" and all the cooking as â¬Ücraftsmanlike, considered and thoughtful,â¬" giving it only one star essentially because he did not like the dÃ©cor, is just misrepresentative. I will describe the Grillâ¬"s design in more detail later, but for now, let us just say Mr. Gill liked it even less than lâ¬"Ambassadeâ¬"s.

Built surprisingly recently, as late as 1931, the darling Dorchester is the babe of Londonâ¬"s bunch of grand hotels, but maybe my favourite. The Ritz oozes opulence; the Connaught is celebrated; Claridgeâ¬"s, classy; the Savoyâ¬¦shut; but the Dorchester endears, delights and has je ne sais quoi. In addition to its illustrious history of hospitality, the hotel also carries an important culinary legacy, of which the Grill is the greatest epitome. From here, Anton Mosimann revolutionised hotel dining in London with the 1975 introduction of his cuisine naturelle - a lighter, healthier way of eating - making the Dorchesterâ¬"s the first hotel kitchen outside France to earn two Michelin stars. However, years past have seen such success stale and in an attempt to remedy this rot, 2006 saw the Dorchester Grill redubbed the Grill at the Dorchester and dramatically redesigned: from indulgently Iberian to scandalously Scottish. More significantly, a new chef was sought to replace the out-going (to Tomâ¬"s Kitchen) Ollie Couillard, who had struggled to stamp his mark on the restaurant. Indeed, the Grill is a tall order for any chef: first, there is its tradition as a bastion of Britishness to bear, but then there is the bad name gained for being the boring retreat of the blue-rinse mob.

Aiden Byrne was approached. Young, dynamic and English, Aiden - the youngest chef ever to win a Michelin star - was seen as the ideal man to inherit the helm. However, he was at first hesitant. Visiting the restaurant did not help: after watching â¬Üpeople falling asleep in their bowls of soupâ¬", his wife forbade him taking the job - â¬Üyouâ¬"re not coming here,â¬" she decided. Ultimately though, the lure of Londonâ¬"s bright lights proved too persuasive and he accepted the job in October 2006. Aiden, who had been running Danesfield House near Marlow, previously worked at Tom Aikens (1*) as head chef; Pied Ã Terre (2*) as sous chef; Adlards, Norwich (1*) as head chef also; and Roscoff, Peacock Alley and the Commons (all in Dublin), chronologically. Thus he had learned directly from the likes of David Adlard, Paul Rankin, Richard Neat and, his mentor, master emulsifier, Tom Aikens. Aiden also, aptly, brings with him a passion for British cooking and ingredients: â¬Ümy aim has always been to shatter the myth that British food has to be heavy and old-fashioned and to highlight the fact they we have some of the finest suppliers and produce in the world.â¬" Sounds like a marriage made in heavenâ¬¦

The Grillâ¬"s gilded gateway is found along the opulent promenade - which happens to stretch the same length as Nelsonâ¬"s Column - that runs through the hotelâ¬"s heart. That doorway may as well be a wormhole; entering the dining room, one is transported three hundred years into the past and three hundred miles north, to Bonnie Scotland. The dÃ©cor was the million pound masterpiece of Thierry Despont, the same man charged with restoring nothing less than the Statue of Liberty. I can imagine what had happened: as deadline day drew near, this Frenchman, wrestling to overcome some mammoth mental roadblock and desperate for inspiration, must have found it in one of two places. The first was at the breakfast table: deliberating his dilemma over a bowl of porridge, his attention was arrested by the box, of Scottâ¬"s Porridge Oats of course, and his theme was determined then. But, on second thoughts, this is unlikely - they do not really do breakfast across la Manche, petit dejeuner there consists of cigarettes et cafÃ©, nâ¬"est-ce pas? The second scenario saw his motivation come from the menu itself, opening it, reading the first item â¬ÜOak Smoked Scottish Salmonâ¬" - it must have been the Sunday lunch menu - he decided he had struck gold: reminiscences of the Auld Alliance, la Vieille Alliance, swelled in his breast and this witty Frenchman, in mocking, defiant stand against les Rosbifs built a shrine to all that is Scottish. Historical note: this accord between France and Scotland aimed specifically against England culminated in the 1421 Battle of Bauge when the â¬ÜArmy of Scotlandâ¬", part of the French royal service, defeated Albionâ¬"s army and earned themselves the appellation â¬Üantidote to the Englishâ¬".

Getting back on trackâ¬¦tartan dominates the room: green-and-thatched-red tartan carpets the floor; two types of it - green/navy/red-pinstripe and red/scarlet/green-pinstripe - upholster the high-backed armchairs; the same green/navy one wraps the wine shelves on either side of the dining area; whilst the red tartan lines dresser screens. The focal point is a large four-sided centre-couch complete with comfy cushions and crowned by a large bronze urn filled with several dozen roses. The glossy, golden-brown burnished walls are adorned in â¬ÜCarry on Ceilidhingâ¬Ü style with the Grillâ¬"s most controversial feature -10ft tall highlanders and highland-lassies, unsurprisingly, togged up in more tartan. Other minor talking points include bright red, velvet bedsteads on some of the seating. Four large chandeliers hang from the cream ceiling. The restaurant, fitting about eighty, is filled with square tables dressed with white linen and finely furnished with elegant J.L. Coquet crockery, silver salt-and-pepper shakers made by Peugeot and a pair of fresh-cut roses.

I could continue writing all day, but I best stop and cut to the chase: the food.

Amuse Bouche 1: Lemongrass and Carrot Soup. An attention-grabbing amuse of lemongrass and carrot complete with spherificated cylindrical of coriander awakened our taste-buds. Each spoonful surrendered short sweetness succeeded by a deep, almost sharp finish from the lemony, gingery grass. The bitter bubble burst with a warm, citric spiciness that complemented the lemongrass.

Les Pains: Five seed & cereal; Brown rye; Walnut, thyme & onion; and Stilton. A four-strong selection of homemade breads was offered. A soft, wholemeal brown rye came plain or filled with five seeds and cereal. Walnut, thyme and onion was well-seasoned with the strong aroma and flavour of minty, lemon-like thyme and had a nice, nutty coat. The most interesting of all, however, was the Stilton. This fluffy, white bread with well-baked crust had a mellow, earthy essence; the potentially overpowering quality of the blue cheese was kept comfortably under control. Lescure butter from Normandy, with its characteristic gentle tang, was served alongside.

EntrÃ©e 1: Braised Chicken with potato and truffle cannelloni. An Aiden signature dish of three braised, boned chicken wings came sandwiched between two cannelloni - one of crispy spud filled with soup of potato, warm milk and truffle oil and another of chicken and truffle mousse - with a tater tuile, buckler-leaf sorrel garnish and dressed in truffle oil, chive and chicken jus sabayon. The mouth-watering wings, from Jason Wise of Ark Chicken, with sticky, caramelised skin, were succulent and flavourful. The pipe of pommes purÃ©e was soft and smooth with earthy, fungi depth. The cylinder of chicken mousse, also containing crunchy, diced potato, was just as creamy. The buckler-leaf sorrel supplied a welcome acidic, clean note of lemon, whilst the gorgeous gravy had smoky intensity from the truffle and richness from the jus roti. of Pied Ã Terreâ¬"s Shane Osborne described this as â¬Üone of my best dishes of the year,â¬" whereas, for me, it brought back memories of mumsyâ¬"s mash.

EntrÃ©e 2: Peach and Tomato Salad with pine vinaigrette. A rather summery second starter followed the first: slices of peach, heirloom, ripe and unripe tomato, served with peach and tomato fondants, peach mousse and tomato foam, were presented peppered with pine nuts, drizzled in vinaigrette and bedecked with baby basil and dill. The juicy, fragrant peach and faintly tangy tomato made a refreshing pair that was balanced by the sweetly-acidic sherry vinaigrette. The herbs added subtle sweetness and faint pungency to the plate; toasted nuts, crunch and creaminess; whilst a little olive oil, vibrant fruity flavour. I particularly liked the use of uncommon green tomato, which sprinkled with salt, is a favourite summer snack of mine.

EntrÃ©e 3: Poached Scallops with autumn vegetables and lemon thyme butter. A plenteous portion of four poached scallops were produced accompanied by an assortment of autumnal vegetables and light lemon thyme butter sauce. Moist, soft, sweet shellfish, slow cooked in vegetable broth, had firm, fine texture, full flavour and fell effortlessly apart. The collection of carefully chopped, crunchy, al dente greens - carrot, celeriac, courgette, fennel and onion - had delicate sweetness; and lemon rind julienne were pleasingly sour without being harsh. The delightful dressing, brimming with citric buzz, brought together and enlivened all the elements on the dish. The minty thyme and trim of parsley added additional refreshing tang.

EntrÃ©e de Mon FrÃ¨re: Watercress Soup with poached cod and henâ¬"s egg. My brotherâ¬"s menu du jour commenced with classic British watercress soup, suitably coloured British racing green. Partnering the potage was poached pairing of henâ¬"s egg covering chunky cod. Good, gently grainy consistency was backed up with stimulating, peppery savour. The egg was well-cooked and agreeably gooey, whilst the cod, tender and flaky. The Stilton bread came into its own when called upon to clean up the remnants of the soup.

EntrÃ©e 4: Chilled Beetroot Gazpacho with avocado sorbet and vodka jelly. A Tyrian purple bloodbath of beetroot boasted two buoyant islands of cloudy vodka jelly and electric-chartreuse avocado sorbet quenelles. This second speciality of Aidenâ¬"s was pregnant with powerful and complicated flavours: the very unctuous concoction gushed with earthy, sour and sweet smokiness; the vodka shot was seriously strong and sharp, but just about kept in check by the creamy, cooling assistance of avocado. This was a witty reworking of traditional beet borsht, itself customarily complemented with vodka. The potent potion of cooked and uncooked beetroot, golden beet, vanilla, apple juice, vinegar and coriander leaf was striking both in presentation and on the palate. The enduring vision of le visage de mon petit frÃ¨re swollen with wide, surprised smile, showing off teeth sopping with bleeding beet juice just like a vampire, still amuses me.

Plat Principal: Roasted Turbot with lobster, apple and rosemary. A tripartite delight of three of my most favoured foods - turbot, lobster and sweetbread - saw the harvest of the soil, shoreline and shallower sea amassed upon a single plate. The roasted, golden-tanned turbot, with its delectable, distinguished taste, was excellently cooked and flawlessly flaky (it also came with Parma ham, which I removed); the fishy fillet sat atop apple julienne. Half-tail of bouncy, lissom lobster, roasted in rosemary, was warmed by the woody sweetness of the herb. The unannounced, but not unwelcome cannelloni of succulent sweetbread, moist lobster meat and diced roasted apple (within and atop) was seasoned with Calvados - that in true trou Normand fashion rewoke my appetite. The deeply delicious and creamy, enjoyably chewy roll was rich and intoxicating. Apple and more robust rosemary purÃ©e puddles mingled in the middle of the dish with concentrated, condensed sauce of veal jus, rosemary, roasted apple again and lobster oil. The successful application of apple, whose fruitiness underscored the subtly sweet savour of the shellfish, fish and meaty gland, was inspired. This intricate, intense dish was well-relished.

Plat Principal de Mon FrÃ¨re: Angus Beef with Yorkshire Pudding. Served elegantly and traditionally tableside from the trolley by Victor, this was the second piece of British culinary culture on todayâ¬"s carte. A plethora of porcelain ramekins and bronze bowls brimful of a variety of vegetables in light Hollandaise sauce; mustard, English and French (le meilleur, Victor nous a dit); horseradish; and Madeira gravy accompanied tender, pink carvings of medium-rare rib of Aberdeen Angus beef and jumbo crispy Yorkshire pudding. My brotherâ¬"s beef was juicy and good quality; the roast potatoes were better than textbook with great crumbly coat; the sautÃ©ed-in-orange-juice carrots struck a pleasing chord with him; but he ignored the steamed broccoli. Digressing, I must mention the lovely handcrafted Laguiole-en-Aubrac steak knife set for this course that caught my eye.

Boxwood Cafe - Another Over-Hyped Ramsay Experience by nip_and_nosh

nip_and_nosh — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 11:36:27 +0000

Review by nip_and_nosh

Rating: 2.00

Phone: 020 7235 1010

Website: http://www.gordonramsay.com

Tags: expensive, international, romantic

The Boxwood Cafe has Gordon Ramsay's name on it, so expectations are justifiably high. The service was outstanding - probably some of the best I've experienced in London. It was extremely professional and surprisingly unpretentious. the ambience is quite lovely as well.

I went with a friend on a TopTable deal, so my menu choices were limited. I had the salmon ceviche as a starter which was simply glorified lox with some lemon juice on top... And my main meal was seared tuna which was exactly that - there was nothig unusual or exceptional. In fact, I've cooked something similar at home.

For me, food is the most important part of the dining-out experience. Therefore, while service and ambience were well above par, the actual food was nothing stand-out - certainly not deserving of the prices. Given the menu prices, and the Ramsay name, I expected something more.. I expected to take my first bite and say, "Wow." Unfortunately, this was not the case.
The Boxwood Cafe has Gordon Ramsay's name on it, so expectations are justifiably high. The service was outstanding - probably some of the best I've experienced in London. It was extremely professional and surprisingly unpretentious. the ambience is quite lovely as well.

I went with a friend on a TopTable deal, so my menu choices were limited. I had the salmon ceviche as a starter which was simply glorified lox with some lemon juice on top... And my main meal was seared tuna which was exactly that - there was nothig unusual or exceptional. In fact, I've cooked something similar at home.

For me, food is the most important part of the dining-out experience. Therefore, while service and ambience were well above par, the actual food was nothing stand-out - certainly not deserving of the prices. Given the menu prices, and the Ramsay name, I expected something more.. I expected to take my first bite and say, "Wow." Unfortunately, this was not the case.

Signor Sassi - Taste of Italy by DanielW

DanielW — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 10:16:25 +0000

Review by DanielW

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7589 8772

Tags: italian, lively, good value

As I live in Birmingham, I am familiar with San Carlo but wasnâ¬"t aware that Signor Sassi was run by the same people! So when my boyfriend and I went down to London for the weekend, we thought weâ¬"d splash out and hit Signor Sassi. After a lovely afternoon shopping at Harrods, we strolled around the corner to the restaurant, It was already heaving at 7.30pm at the time of our reservation! The atmosphere was great, real buzz around the place. We shared some fresh oysters to start which were huge and needless to say, delicious. I had Baked Crab and Avocado for mains and my boyfriend ordered the Spaghetti Lobster. Both meals were cooked and prepared delightfully, I could have eaten mine all over again!

We skipped dessert and went straight for the coffee. It was as if we were in Rome, beautiful, aromatic and fresh coffee. Next time weâ¬"re in London weâ¬"ll definitely be going back!
As I live in Birmingham, I am familiar with San Carlo but wasnâ¬"t aware that Signor Sassi was run by the same people! So when my boyfriend and I went down to London for the weekend, we thought weâ¬"d splash out and hit Signor Sassi. After a lovely afternoon shopping at Harrods, we strolled around the corner to the restaurant, It was already heaving at 7.30pm at the time of our reservation! The atmosphere was great, real buzz around the place. We shared some fresh oysters to start which were huge and needless to say, delicious. I had Baked Crab and Avocado for mains and my boyfriend ordered the Spaghetti Lobster. Both meals were cooked and prepared delightfully, I could have eaten mine all over again!

We skipped dessert and went straight for the coffee. It was as if we were in Rome, beautiful, aromatic and fresh coffee. Next time weâ¬"re in London weâ¬"ll definitely be going back!

Brompton Quarter Cafe - dinner at brompton quarter restaurant by wissper32

wissper32 — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:32:25 +0000

Review by wissper32

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7225 2107

Website: http://www.bromptonquarter.com/directory/?no_cache=1&tx_bqdirectory_pi1%5Bcat%5D=16&tx_bqdir

Tags: romantic, mediterranean, good value

Had a dinner at Brompton Quarter restaurant last night with my wife.
Great food, we eat only organic food and it is really hard to find good food outside - not to mention how yummie it was, i really recommand the lamb and sea bass
service was really good, we been served by a nice gentleman who was making us smile all evening!
great romantic candle light ambiant - we were sitting downstairs where it was nice and quiet and really romantic.

amazing bread with fruits and nuts, which aperently was made in the kitchen an hour before we had it
price was good - it is organic food and you expect to pay more, but its not that much comparing that you are paying more then double at the supermarket.

i recommand to all, if you love food, and if you care about yourself - go eat there!

sorry for my bad english..

thanks.

baredHad a dinner at Brompton Quarter restaurant last night with my wife.
Great food, we eat only organic food and it is really hard to find good food outside - not to mention how yummie it was, i really recommand the lamb and sea bass
service was really good, we been served by a nice gentleman who was making us smile all evening!
great romantic candle light ambiant - we were sitting downstairs where it was nice and quiet and really romantic.

amazing bread with fruits and nuts, which aperently was made in the kitchen an hour before we had it
price was good - it is organic food and you expect to pay more, but its not that much comparing that you are paying more then double at the supermarket.

i recommand to all, if you love food, and if you care about yourself - go eat there!

sorry for my bad english..

thanks.

bared

Hard Rock Cafe - Hard rock cafe by sexyuklad

sexyuklad — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:03:45 +0000

Review by sexyuklad

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7629 0382

Website: http://www.hardrock.com

Tags: american, lively, expensive

I have only eaten here the once and probably wont eat there again as to me it is too expensive and the wait to be seated is unbelievable!

I will admit that the food portions were relatively big and tasted pretty good but the prices are just too much. I would only recommend going there as a treat or if you can afford their prices.

You definitely need to pre-book your table as when I went there they gave us this little control thing that beeps when it is your turn but we waited for nearly two hours!

Oh they also have a little shop/museum thing next door.
I have only eaten here the once and probably wont eat there again as to me it is too expensive and the wait to be seated is unbelievable!

I will admit that the food portions were relatively big and tasted pretty good but the prices are just too much. I would only recommend going there as a treat or if you can afford their prices.

You definitely need to pre-book your table as when I went there they gave us this little control thing that beeps when it is your turn but we waited for nearly two hours!

Oh they also have a little shop/museum thing next door.

Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley (Petrus) - Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley, 01 Oct 2008 by Food_Snob

Food_Snob — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:54:45 +0000

Review by Food_Snob

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7235 1200

Website: http://www.gordonramsay.com

Tags: french, expensive, lively

Illustrated Critique:

http://foodsnobblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/01/marcus-wareing-at-the-berkeley-london/

Text-only Critique:

I suppose most of you have already read that Waitrose Food Illustrated article for yourselves now. It is legendary and rightly so: I imagine James Steen must have soiled himself listening to Marcus Wareing (thatâ¬"s right - itâ¬"s Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley tonight! Can you feel the excitement?) launch into his sensationally blunt invective against that â¬Üsad b*st*rdâ¬", Gordon Ramsay - a reporterâ¬"s wet dream, indeed. Although grudgingly good entertainment, it is also a personal shame as I was secretly hoping to dispense with the now-expected, prolix preamble this post (or at least condense it somewhat) and get tucked straight into dinnerâ¬"s narrative; but how could I honestly ignore a feud that has rocked Londonâ¬"s dinnerland to its timbers or whose reverberations have, at the very least, shaken a few pristine pieces of cutlery out of their proper, precise places?

Here is the stereotypical tale of two teenage friends who grew up to become bitter enemies, conquering Londonâ¬"s restaurant scene along the way - did you know Team Ramsay-Wareing has amassed 15 Michelin stars? Thatâ¬"s within tasting distance of Robuchonâ¬"s 17! Impressive stuff. The story, and this is Marcusâ¬" story, starts in Lancashire, where a shy, quiet teenager decided to follow his brother, the chef, into a culinary career. Enrolling into catering college, under big brother Brianâ¬"s behest, turned young Wareingâ¬"s world upside down, suddenly he was brimful of confidence: â¬Üthe kitchen was my comfort zone and I felt good in whites.â¬" He was also the centre of attention and impressing peers, teachers and judges alike, enough so that one such referee referred him to a sous chef at the Savoy. Thus, aged 18, he had his foot in the door, becoming the Savoyâ¬"s new commis chef under the aegis of Anton Edelmann. Spending two years here, the galloping gastro then went through ten kitchens in ten years: he moved first to Le Gavroche, serving under another great, Albert Roux, and also where he first met Gordon; Marcus, 19, and Gordon, 22, hit it off instantly. Next came the Point, near NYC; the Grand Hotel, Amsterdam, joining Roux again; Gravetye Manor, West Sussex (where he met Jane, his wife); before arriving at Pierre Koffmannâ¬"s La Tante Claire. Here, he was reunited with Ramsay, but only for one week: the morning he arrived, Gordon (in an unrelated move) handed in his notice; he was opening Aubergine and wanted Marcus with him. The fortnight that followed, under the notoriously difficult Koffmann, was more than enough convincement to lead Marcus one night to Aubergineâ¬"s backdoor, where, almost on the spot, Marco Pierre White gave Marcus Wareing a job at Gordon Ramsayâ¬"s first restaurantâ¬¦starsâ¬¦dizzyâ¬¦The pair became inseparable, but after two years, side by side, sixteen hours a day, six days a week giving â¬Üthat guy everything [he] had,â¬" Marcus needed a break and returned to NYC, to Daniel Bouludâ¬"s Le Cirque (then Americaâ¬"s top restaurant). However, twelve months and visa problems later, he was back with Ramsay - via Guy Savoy, Paris - setting up lâ¬"Oranger. Within a year, he had won a Michelin star, within another, he had been sacked (the day after Ramsay quit) over internecine wrangling with owners, A-Z. Undaunted, Marcus recovered in style, becoming chef-patron of then St James Street sited PÃ©trus, named after his favourite wine, in 1999. It took him only seven months more to earn another Michelin star. Going from strength to strength now, in 2003 he also took over the Savoy Grill; opened Banquette, an American diner, above it; and moved PÃ©trus into La Tante Claireâ¬"s old spot at The Berkeley. In 2004, he also earned Savoy its first ever star.

Note the symmetrical circularity of Marcusâ¬" life: he begun at the Savoy, left, did a spell at Guy Savoy, then returned, thirteen years on, as head chef; also, after spending two weeks at La Tante Claire, ten years later he was back, replacing it with his own restaurant.

A year ago, everything looked grand: PÃ©trus had picked up star number two and Wareing was riding high, earning unanimous praise and plaudits aplenty -many touted PÃ©trus as Londonâ¬"s best restaurant - whilst Ramsay was opening restaurants across the world, recording TV shows and making his millions. What went wrong? Well, rumours of a rift had already begun surfacing in early 2007; apparently, Marcus had grown sick of the â¬Üshadowâ¬" sobriquet his relationship with Gordon had earned him, as well as the claustrophobic consequences of being another cog in the GRH machine - he was a man â¬Üconstrained, confined and trappedâ¬". In May, gossip had it that Gordon was about to fire Marcus, but Wareing must have sensed this himself and made a pre-emptive strike: GRHâ¬"s lease with The Berkeley was due to expire on 19 September, so he launched an independent bid for it. And got it. A summer of squabbling between the two super-chefs supervened. Eventually, an accord was reached: Gordon kept the name (supposedly on its way to La Noisetteâ¬"s old location), wine cellar and maÃ®tre dâ¬", Jean-Philippe Susilovic; Marcus kept his stars and won his freedom. After a one-week closure mid-September, Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley is now open.

The David Collins interior has remained intact. It is still sophisticated and dramatic yet warm and clubby; still very grown up. The belle Ã©poque theme is embodied by rich claret colouring, characteristic of PÃ©trus wine itself. The deep Burgundy walls and well-padded plum armchairs are contrasted against crisp white, double-layered tablecloths. Circles figure prominently too: ovular mirrors, round tables, white French blinds made of linking loops; and white, milk and dark chocolate-coloured boules upon two large abacuses that screen a wall of wine chillers. Well-spaced, large tables are dressed with a couple of calla lilies, white candleholder, Bernaudaud porcelain (Fat Duck, lâ¬"Atelier de JoÃ«l Robuchon in Paris and Jean Georges of New York are also fans) and thick, starched napkins. Fragrant bouquets of white hydrangeas and more calla lilies; opulent fittings; and dim lighting from glittering chandeliers and soft golden lamps adds to the sense of seduction and luxury.

Amuse Bouche 1: Confit of Foie Gras. First of the finger-foods were thin pastry feuille and foie gras sandwiches, crusted with cassis dust and atop a squiggle of golden quince purÃ©e. Creamy foie confit, flaky feuilles, biting blackcurrant and spur of sweet quince: these offered a very pleasant introduction to Monsieur Marcusâ¬" kitchen.

Amuse Bouche 2: Black Truffle Parmesan Risotto Croquettes. More nibbles to occupy my fingers followed: golden, crunchy spheres of hot, creamy, cheesy risotto and robust, tasty truffle were superb. The yielding grains of rice within the milky magma middles felt lovely on the tongue. The nutty parmesan squared up to the bold black truffle. The result: fireworks.

Les Pains: Country Bread; Swiss Brown; Sourdough; and Potato & Honey Bread. The country bread was rustic in taste and texture with a hard, thick crust; Swiss brown was lighter with a moist, porous filling and brittle coat; whilst the slightly nutty sourdough had a dense middle and chewy exterior. The best though was the potato and honey; the potato gave a delicate, open crumb and honey, a crunchy, caramelised, but not sweet, edge. Unfortunately, these were not made by the restaurant itself, being bought in from the Flour Station instead. This obviously meant they were served neither fresh nor hot out the oven. The butter was English, unsalted and frustratingly un-spreadable.

Amuse Bouche 3: Warm Pumpkin Soup with Parmesan Foam and Pumpkin Seed Grissini. The official amuse was a shot of thick pumpkin potage topped with parmesan mousse complete with parmesan-pumpkin seed breadsticks, The smooth, satisfying soup balanced salty, nutlike and earthy tang while the skinny, smoky grissini were crisp, rich and packed serious salty relish.

EntrÃ©e 1: Pan Fried Foie Gras - Glazed Black Figs, Espresso and Salted Caramel Popcorn. A thick, fat cut of foie gras, resting upon warm fig compote, was the centrepiece of the dish; whole popcorn pieces and a smear of espresso syrup strewn with salty, caramelised popcorn dust supported. The lush liver was indescribably delicious. Its auburn veneer, which submitted so readily to my fork that my knife was never touched, held within a juicy, almost runny core. The underlying fig, chopped and diced with skin still on, gave great textural variation to the overlaying liver: its skin was chewy, flesh smooth and seeds gritty and crunchy. The espresso was an excellent addition, with a strong, grounding flavour initially exciting the taste buds and contrasting well with the rich foie, then leaving behind a pleasing roasted residual finish.

EntrÃ©e 2: Scallops and Cod - Confit, Cauliflower, Macadamia Nuts, Fourme dâ¬"Ambert and White Chocolate. A sizeable seared scallop, sliced open, was sat atop cauliflower purÃ©e, sprinkled with chopped Macadamia nuts and sided by a smearing of Fourme dâ¬"Ambert blue cheese; flakes of cod confit, squares of warm white chocolate and orange and purple pansies garnished the dish. My first taste was of nut-topped scallop spread with cheese; the formidable Fourme took hold of the shellfish and delivered a powerful punch proceeded by a clean, nutty aftertaste that complemented the crunchy Macadamias. Normally, I would have suggested the scallop could have done with a little more time in the pan, for though just about cooked through, the skin was still soft, but in this scenario, this suppler surface suited the scallopâ¬"s role as a transport for the stronger savours surrounding it. The firm cod cuts were full of flavour and combined nicely with the melting milky chocolate; the flowers added colour and texture; an accompaniment of grilled Irish soda bread was yummy - thick, moist and juicy. The plate was full of curious combinations, which came off rather well; dominant elements and more obliging ones worked together to create a very balanced whole.

EntrÃ©e 3: Roasted and Marinated Quail - Hispi Cabbage, Pommery Mustard and Baked Potato. Meaty fillets of roast quail lay on a bed of crisp hispi cabbage alongside baked potato foam within which was veiled quail leg and trompette fricassee. The birdâ¬"s skin was disconcertingly soggy, but on tasting, infused with Pommery mustard and anise, it delivered such strong, sweetish, sharp bursts that this was fast forgiven. The hispi, a sweeter, softer cabbage, was warm and snappy and also suffused with the palatial Pommery. I was long interested how something as unrefined as baked potato would be incorporated, but its foamy form was lighter than air with the subtlest creaminess to it. Within was a scrumptious surprise of quail legs, cooked till almost confit, coupled with black chanterelles; the gamey dark meat and deep, robust mushrooms were deliciously intense.

EntrÃ©e 4: Pan Fried Veal Sweetbread - Swiss Chard, Roasted Ceps and Celeriac, Sauternes Jus. Two thin tranches of celeriac served as an impromptu pancake for diced Swiss chard stalk and leaf, on top of which was placed a seriously seductive sweetbread slab. Surrounding this were bundles of roast ceps upon cep mousse adorned with black truffle julienne and an amber jus of veal stock and sauternes that had been added tableside. The glistening gamboge gland was exquisite: its blazing hot jacket proved ineffectual, but palatable, protection for the pretty pink, creamy kernel. The mini mushroom mounds were explosive in taste: the sweet-acidity the rich gravy had been absorbed by the meaty, smoky ceps, which together with the redolent, pungent truffle, were absolutely intoxicating. The subjacent Swiss chard was slightly bitter and crunchy, whilst its celeriac capsule was smooth and nutty: together, they were a nice earthy anchor for the deep intensity of this dish. This was sensual, epicurean eating. Wow!

Plat Principal 1: Scottish Halibut - Charred Leeks, Coddled Quail Egg, English Watercress and Creamed Caviar. A hunky hunch of halibut, braised, came carrying char gilled baby leek, cloven coddled quail egg and watercress-almond tuile. Smatterings of purÃ©ed watercress, spoonful of creamed Oscietra caviar, parmesan twirl and dark pansies filled the plate. The fishy filletâ¬"s expert execution enabled me to devour the delicate flesh flake by firm flake. The watercress three ways - warm, thick paste; peppery, almost mustard-like, garniture; and slightly bitter tuile - were a pleasing terrene contrast to the sweeter halibut. I found the caviar cream, though silky smooth, lacking in impression. The lovely leek was mellow and tender, but I was supplied with just a single stalk to savour. The quail egg, traditional caviar complement, was warm and creamy, but again paltry in provision - maybe the kitchen was considering my health; one quail egg contains the same cholesterol as several hen eggs.

Plat Principal 2: Poached and Glazed Anjou Pigeon - Scottish Girolles, Almonds and Amaretti. A plump pigeon breast, poached and glazed with black olive, almond and cobnut crumble, rested on a busy base of broken amaretti biscuit bits, baby gem lettuce, girolle mushrooms and sliced spear of white asparagus. The list of ingredients was enticing; the presentation, mouth-watering. Crunchy asparagus, sweet and subtly nutlike; full-bodied, fruity girolles soaked in pigeon vinaigrette; crunchy cobnuts; crisp, sugary amaretti; bitter black olives; earthy lettuce dripping with pigeon jus: these mingled marvellously, matching and bouncing tastes and textures around my mouth. However, it was all in vain. The alluring cerise-coloured guise of the pigeon steak was a siren call; it wooed me in, only to dash my hopes on proverbial rocks. OK, I exaggerate, but the bird was seriously bereft of flavour. This alone was bad enough, but with such quality trimmings and as this was the mealâ¬"s climatic main course, it was criminal.
Illustrated Critique:

http://foodsnobblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/01/marcus-wareing-at-the-berkeley-london/

Text-only Critique:

I suppose most of you have already read that Waitrose Food Illustrated article for yourselves now. It is legendary and rightly so: I imagine James Steen must have soiled himself listening to Marcus Wareing (thatâ¬"s right - itâ¬"s Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley tonight! Can you feel the excitement?) launch into his sensationally blunt invective against that â¬Üsad b*st*rdâ¬", Gordon Ramsay - a reporterâ¬"s wet dream, indeed. Although grudgingly good entertainment, it is also a personal shame as I was secretly hoping to dispense with the now-expected, prolix preamble this post (or at least condense it somewhat) and get tucked straight into dinnerâ¬"s narrative; but how could I honestly ignore a feud that has rocked Londonâ¬"s dinnerland to its timbers or whose reverberations have, at the very least, shaken a few pristine pieces of cutlery out of their proper, precise places?

Here is the stereotypical tale of two teenage friends who grew up to become bitter enemies, conquering Londonâ¬"s restaurant scene along the way - did you know Team Ramsay-Wareing has amassed 15 Michelin stars? Thatâ¬"s within tasting distance of Robuchonâ¬"s 17! Impressive stuff. The story, and this is Marcusâ¬" story, starts in Lancashire, where a shy, quiet teenager decided to follow his brother, the chef, into a culinary career. Enrolling into catering college, under big brother Brianâ¬"s behest, turned young Wareingâ¬"s world upside down, suddenly he was brimful of confidence: â¬Üthe kitchen was my comfort zone and I felt good in whites.â¬" He was also the centre of attention and impressing peers, teachers and judges alike, enough so that one such referee referred him to a sous chef at the Savoy. Thus, aged 18, he had his foot in the door, becoming the Savoyâ¬"s new commis chef under the aegis of Anton Edelmann. Spending two years here, the galloping gastro then went through ten kitchens in ten years: he moved first to Le Gavroche, serving under another great, Albert Roux, and also where he first met Gordon; Marcus, 19, and Gordon, 22, hit it off instantly. Next came the Point, near NYC; the Grand Hotel, Amsterdam, joining Roux again; Gravetye Manor, West Sussex (where he met Jane, his wife); before arriving at Pierre Koffmannâ¬"s La Tante Claire. Here, he was reunited with Ramsay, but only for one week: the morning he arrived, Gordon (in an unrelated move) handed in his notice; he was opening Aubergine and wanted Marcus with him. The fortnight that followed, under the notoriously difficult Koffmann, was more than enough convincement to lead Marcus one night to Aubergineâ¬"s backdoor, where, almost on the spot, Marco Pierre White gave Marcus Wareing a job at Gordon Ramsayâ¬"s first restaurantâ¬¦starsâ¬¦dizzyâ¬¦The pair became inseparable, but after two years, side by side, sixteen hours a day, six days a week giving â¬Üthat guy everything [he] had,â¬" Marcus needed a break and returned to NYC, to Daniel Bouludâ¬"s Le Cirque (then Americaâ¬"s top restaurant). However, twelve months and visa problems later, he was back with Ramsay - via Guy Savoy, Paris - setting up lâ¬"Oranger. Within a year, he had won a Michelin star, within another, he had been sacked (the day after Ramsay quit) over internecine wrangling with owners, A-Z. Undaunted, Marcus recovered in style, becoming chef-patron of then St James Street sited PÃ©trus, named after his favourite wine, in 1999. It took him only seven months more to earn another Michelin star. Going from strength to strength now, in 2003 he also took over the Savoy Grill; opened Banquette, an American diner, above it; and moved PÃ©trus into La Tante Claireâ¬"s old spot at The Berkeley. In 2004, he also earned Savoy its first ever star.

Note the symmetrical circularity of Marcusâ¬" life: he begun at the Savoy, left, did a spell at Guy Savoy, then returned, thirteen years on, as head chef; also, after spending two weeks at La Tante Claire, ten years later he was back, replacing it with his own restaurant.

A year ago, everything looked grand: PÃ©trus had picked up star number two and Wareing was riding high, earning unanimous praise and plaudits aplenty -many touted PÃ©trus as Londonâ¬"s best restaurant - whilst Ramsay was opening restaurants across the world, recording TV shows and making his millions. What went wrong? Well, rumours of a rift had already begun surfacing in early 2007; apparently, Marcus had grown sick of the â¬Üshadowâ¬" sobriquet his relationship with Gordon had earned him, as well as the claustrophobic consequences of being another cog in the GRH machine - he was a man â¬Üconstrained, confined and trappedâ¬". In May, gossip had it that Gordon was about to fire Marcus, but Wareing must have sensed this himself and made a pre-emptive strike: GRHâ¬"s lease with The Berkeley was due to expire on 19 September, so he launched an independent bid for it. And got it. A summer of squabbling between the two super-chefs supervened. Eventually, an accord was reached: Gordon kept the name (supposedly on its way to La Noisetteâ¬"s old location), wine cellar and maÃ®tre dâ¬", Jean-Philippe Susilovic; Marcus kept his stars and won his freedom. After a one-week closure mid-September, Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley is now open.

The David Collins interior has remained intact. It is still sophisticated and dramatic yet warm and clubby; still very grown up. The belle Ã©poque theme is embodied by rich claret colouring, characteristic of PÃ©trus wine itself. The deep Burgundy walls and well-padded plum armchairs are contrasted against crisp white, double-layered tablecloths. Circles figure prominently too: ovular mirrors, round tables, white French blinds made of linking loops; and white, milk and dark chocolate-coloured boules upon two large abacuses that screen a wall of wine chillers. Well-spaced, large tables are dressed with a couple of calla lilies, white candleholder, Bernaudaud porcelain (Fat Duck, lâ¬"Atelier de JoÃ«l Robuchon in Paris and Jean Georges of New York are also fans) and thick, starched napkins. Fragrant bouquets of white hydrangeas and more calla lilies; opulent fittings; and dim lighting from glittering chandeliers and soft golden lamps adds to the sense of seduction and luxury.

Amuse Bouche 1: Confit of Foie Gras. First of the finger-foods were thin pastry feuille and foie gras sandwiches, crusted with cassis dust and atop a squiggle of golden quince purÃ©e. Creamy foie confit, flaky feuilles, biting blackcurrant and spur of sweet quince: these offered a very pleasant introduction to Monsieur Marcusâ¬" kitchen.

Amuse Bouche 2: Black Truffle Parmesan Risotto Croquettes. More nibbles to occupy my fingers followed: golden, crunchy spheres of hot, creamy, cheesy risotto and robust, tasty truffle were superb. The yielding grains of rice within the milky magma middles felt lovely on the tongue. The nutty parmesan squared up to the bold black truffle. The result: fireworks.

Les Pains: Country Bread; Swiss Brown; Sourdough; and Potato & Honey Bread. The country bread was rustic in taste and texture with a hard, thick crust; Swiss brown was lighter with a moist, porous filling and brittle coat; whilst the slightly nutty sourdough had a dense middle and chewy exterior. The best though was the potato and honey; the potato gave a delicate, open crumb and honey, a crunchy, caramelised, but not sweet, edge. Unfortunately, these were not made by the restaurant itself, being bought in from the Flour Station instead. This obviously meant they were served neither fresh nor hot out the oven. The butter was English, unsalted and frustratingly un-spreadable.

Amuse Bouche 3: Warm Pumpkin Soup with Parmesan Foam and Pumpkin Seed Grissini. The official amuse was a shot of thick pumpkin potage topped with parmesan mousse complete with parmesan-pumpkin seed breadsticks, The smooth, satisfying soup balanced salty, nutlike and earthy tang while the skinny, smoky grissini were crisp, rich and packed serious salty relish.

EntrÃ©e 1: Pan Fried Foie Gras - Glazed Black Figs, Espresso and Salted Caramel Popcorn. A thick, fat cut of foie gras, resting upon warm fig compote, was the centrepiece of the dish; whole popcorn pieces and a smear of espresso syrup strewn with salty, caramelised popcorn dust supported. The lush liver was indescribably delicious. Its auburn veneer, which submitted so readily to my fork that my knife was never touched, held within a juicy, almost runny core. The underlying fig, chopped and diced with skin still on, gave great textural variation to the overlaying liver: its skin was chewy, flesh smooth and seeds gritty and crunchy. The espresso was an excellent addition, with a strong, grounding flavour initially exciting the taste buds and contrasting well with the rich foie, then leaving behind a pleasing roasted residual finish.

EntrÃ©e 2: Scallops and Cod - Confit, Cauliflower, Macadamia Nuts, Fourme dâ¬"Ambert and White Chocolate. A sizeable seared scallop, sliced open, was sat atop cauliflower purÃ©e, sprinkled with chopped Macadamia nuts and sided by a smearing of Fourme dâ¬"Ambert blue cheese; flakes of cod confit, squares of warm white chocolate and orange and purple pansies garnished the dish. My first taste was of nut-topped scallop spread with cheese; the formidable Fourme took hold of the shellfish and delivered a powerful punch proceeded by a clean, nutty aftertaste that complemented the crunchy Macadamias. Normally, I would have suggested the scallop could have done with a little more time in the pan, for though just about cooked through, the skin was still soft, but in this scenario, this suppler surface suited the scallopâ¬"s role as a transport for the stronger savours surrounding it. The firm cod cuts were full of flavour and combined nicely with the melting milky chocolate; the flowers added colour and texture; an accompaniment of grilled Irish soda bread was yummy - thick, moist and juicy. The plate was full of curious combinations, which came off rather well; dominant elements and more obliging ones worked together to create a very balanced whole.

EntrÃ©e 3: Roasted and Marinated Quail - Hispi Cabbage, Pommery Mustard and Baked Potato. Meaty fillets of roast quail lay on a bed of crisp hispi cabbage alongside baked potato foam within which was veiled quail leg and trompette fricassee. The birdâ¬"s skin was disconcertingly soggy, but on tasting, infused with Pommery mustard and anise, it delivered such strong, sweetish, sharp bursts that this was fast forgiven. The hispi, a sweeter, softer cabbage, was warm and snappy and also suffused with the palatial Pommery. I was long interested how something as unrefined as baked potato would be incorporated, but its foamy form was lighter than air with the subtlest creaminess to it. Within was a scrumptious surprise of quail legs, cooked till almost confit, coupled with black chanterelles; the gamey dark meat and deep, robust mushrooms were deliciously intense.

EntrÃ©e 4: Pan Fried Veal Sweetbread - Swiss Chard, Roasted Ceps and Celeriac, Sauternes Jus. Two thin tranches of celeriac served as an impromptu pancake for diced Swiss chard stalk and leaf, on top of which was placed a seriously seductive sweetbread slab. Surrounding this were bundles of roast ceps upon cep mousse adorned with black truffle julienne and an amber jus of veal stock and sauternes that had been added tableside. The glistening gamboge gland was exquisite: its blazing hot jacket proved ineffectual, but palatable, protection for the pretty pink, creamy kernel. The mini mushroom mounds were explosive in taste: the sweet-acidity the rich gravy had been absorbed by the meaty, smoky ceps, which together with the redolent, pungent truffle, were absolutely intoxicating. The subjacent Swiss chard was slightly bitter and crunchy, whilst its celeriac capsule was smooth and nutty: together, they were a nice earthy anchor for the deep intensity of this dish. This was sensual, epicurean eating. Wow!

Plat Principal 1: Scottish Halibut - Charred Leeks, Coddled Quail Egg, English Watercress and Creamed Caviar. A hunky hunch of halibut, braised, came carrying char gilled baby leek, cloven coddled quail egg and watercress-almond tuile. Smatterings of purÃ©ed watercress, spoonful of creamed Oscietra caviar, parmesan twirl and dark pansies filled the plate. The fishy filletâ¬"s expert execution enabled me to devour the delicate flesh flake by firm flake. The watercress three ways - warm, thick paste; peppery, almost mustard-like, garniture; and slightly bitter tuile - were a pleasing terrene contrast to the sweeter halibut. I found the caviar cream, though silky smooth, lacking in impression. The lovely leek was mellow and tender, but I was supplied with just a single stalk to savour. The quail egg, traditional caviar complement, was warm and creamy, but again paltry in provision - maybe the kitchen was considering my health; one quail egg contains the same cholesterol as several hen eggs.

Plat Principal 2: Poached and Glazed Anjou Pigeon - Scottish Girolles, Almonds and Amaretti. A plump pigeon breast, poached and glazed with black olive, almond and cobnut crumble, rested on a busy base of broken amaretti biscuit bits, baby gem lettuce, girolle mushrooms and sliced spear of white asparagus. The list of ingredients was enticing; the presentation, mouth-watering. Crunchy asparagus, sweet and subtly nutlike; full-bodied, fruity girolles soaked in pigeon vinaigrette; crunchy cobnuts; crisp, sugary amaretti; bitter black olives; earthy lettuce dripping with pigeon jus: these mingled marvellously, matching and bouncing tastes and textures around my mouth. However, it was all in vain. The alluring cerise-coloured guise of the pigeon steak was a siren call; it wooed me in, only to dash my hopes on proverbial rocks. OK, I exaggerate, but the bird was seriously bereft of flavour. This alone was bad enough, but with such quality trimmings and as this was the mealâ¬"s climatic main course, it was criminal.

Aspleys - Disappointing by chrisp

chrisp — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:29:54 +0000

Review by chrisp

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7259 5599

Website: http://www.lanesborough.com/#culinary_experience/apsleys

Tags: international, italian, expensive

I have, I will admit, not been kind to the Lanesborough in the past. I had a very uncomfortable couple of hours one Saturday afternoon in the Library Bar, being ignored by waiters and being served overpriced mediocre martinis, and it was when I noticed that all the books in the "library" were fake that I decided that this probably wasn't the bar for me. But the fake books were almost a metaphor for the whole building - the Lanesborough is a brand-new London hotel masquerading as a grand-old London hotel (it only opened in 1990) and has created this atmosphere of stately longevity entirely out of nothing. Which is an achievement of sorts, I suppose.

There used to be a restaurant in the Lanesborough called The Conservatory, which many people thought was pretty nice even though it was a bit like eating in The Crystal Maze's Tropical Zone. The plants and flourishes have gone, replaced by cool beige carpets and chintzy sofas, and the new head chef is a chap called Nick Bell, who despite being as British as British can be is cooking "simple, regional, Italian food" (his words) amid the starched tablecloths and sommeliers.

First, the good. The room is grand and airy if only very slightly corporate-diner, and the staff are very, very good at what they do. We never had to ask for anything, they moved at just the right pace and our tapwaters were diligently refilled. My starter of "Lonza" ham (I had to ask) with onions and endive was perfectly good - the sharp endives balanced with the sweet pickled onions but allowing the smooth texture of the ham to show through. And a companion's "Cardoon" soup (a type of artichoke apparently) was declared "very nice", and came with a pesto made from thistle!

Mains were similarly tasty. I had a beautifully cooked piece of salmon with a lovely crispy skin, on top of a smooth, rich balsamic sauce. A great combination of textures and flavours that never overpowered the salmon. "Cotcechino" (it looked like a big meatball made from cured pork) was a robust plate of food and also disappeared without complaints. Desserts were less impressive - mine was a very simple orange sorbet and an iced chocolate sponge was only OK - but they didn't detract from what was in general an honest and flavoursome lunch. So, and I'm sure you've already noticed the score, why only 3 stars?

Well, I blame the chef. Not because he can't cook, but because he himself admitted he's serving "simple, regional, Italian food". And if I want "simple, regional, Italian food" I won't go to a 5-star London hotel with white tablecloths, fish knives and more staff than customers. If I want "simple, regional, Italian food" I won't want to pay through the nose for it the most expensive city on earth. In short, if I want "simple, regional, Italian food" I will go to Italy. A quick search on Ryanair brings up a return to Rome (Ciampino) for the grand total (including taxes) of Â£44.01, just about the price I paid for my lunch at Apsley's. Nick Bell's dishes were authentic and tasty and I could recommend them wholeheartedly if they were not lost amidst the columns and shirt-tails of the Lanesborough - it just didn't sit right.

If Apsley's had gone down the Zafferano route of serving a haute-cuisine Italian-influenced menu, still sourcing the finest Italian produce but making the dishes look like they're worth the china they're served on, then that would have made sense. But the food at Apsley's doesn't step up to the mark demanded of a top London hotel restaurant and ultimately that is what people are shelling out for. I've had people try to convince me that it's the atmosphere and style that your money gets you at hotel restaurants, and that food is secondary. Well, if you are impressed enough by superficialities that you can overlook average food then good luck to you, but if Claridge's (Gordon Ramsay), the Mandarian (Foliage) and the Dorchester (The Grill Room) can host world-class restaurants that feel like they belong in such fine surroundings then I don't see why the Lanesborough can't.I have, I will admit, not been kind to the Lanesborough in the past. I had a very uncomfortable couple of hours one Saturday afternoon in the Library Bar, being ignored by waiters and being served overpriced mediocre martinis, and it was when I noticed that all the books in the "library" were fake that I decided that this probably wasn't the bar for me. But the fake books were almost a metaphor for the whole building - the Lanesborough is a brand-new London hotel masquerading as a grand-old London hotel (it only opened in 1990) and has created this atmosphere of stately longevity entirely out of nothing. Which is an achievement of sorts, I suppose.

There used to be a restaurant in the Lanesborough called The Conservatory, which many people thought was pretty nice even though it was a bit like eating in The Crystal Maze's Tropical Zone. The plants and flourishes have gone, replaced by cool beige carpets and chintzy sofas, and the new head chef is a chap called Nick Bell, who despite being as British as British can be is cooking "simple, regional, Italian food" (his words) amid the starched tablecloths and sommeliers.

First, the good. The room is grand and airy if only very slightly corporate-diner, and the staff are very, very good at what they do. We never had to ask for anything, they moved at just the right pace and our tapwaters were diligently refilled. My starter of "Lonza" ham (I had to ask) with onions and endive was perfectly good - the sharp endives balanced with the sweet pickled onions but allowing the smooth texture of the ham to show through. And a companion's "Cardoon" soup (a type of artichoke apparently) was declared "very nice", and came with a pesto made from thistle!

Mains were similarly tasty. I had a beautifully cooked piece of salmon with a lovely crispy skin, on top of a smooth, rich balsamic sauce. A great combination of textures and flavours that never overpowered the salmon. "Cotcechino" (it looked like a big meatball made from cured pork) was a robust plate of food and also disappeared without complaints. Desserts were less impressive - mine was a very simple orange sorbet and an iced chocolate sponge was only OK - but they didn't detract from what was in general an honest and flavoursome lunch. So, and I'm sure you've already noticed the score, why only 3 stars?

Well, I blame the chef. Not because he can't cook, but because he himself admitted he's serving "simple, regional, Italian food". And if I want "simple, regional, Italian food" I won't go to a 5-star London hotel with white tablecloths, fish knives and more staff than customers. If I want "simple, regional, Italian food" I won't want to pay through the nose for it the most expensive city on earth. In short, if I want "simple, regional, Italian food" I will go to Italy. A quick search on Ryanair brings up a return to Rome (Ciampino) for the grand total (including taxes) of Â£44.01, just about the price I paid for my lunch at Apsley's. Nick Bell's dishes were authentic and tasty and I could recommend them wholeheartedly if they were not lost amidst the columns and shirt-tails of the Lanesborough - it just didn't sit right.

If Apsley's had gone down the Zafferano route of serving a haute-cuisine Italian-influenced menu, still sourcing the finest Italian produce but making the dishes look like they're worth the china they're served on, then that would have made sense. But the food at Apsley's doesn't step up to the mark demanded of a top London hotel restaurant and ultimately that is what people are shelling out for. I've had people try to convince me that it's the atmosphere and style that your money gets you at hotel restaurants, and that food is secondary. Well, if you are impressed enough by superficialities that you can overlook average food then good luck to you, but if Claridge's (Gordon Ramsay), the Mandarian (Foliage) and the Dorchester (The Grill Room) can host world-class restaurants that feel like they belong in such fine surroundings then I don't see why the Lanesborough can't.

Shezan - Tasty food but hit and miss service by ilovelucy

ilovelucy — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:43:42 +0000

Review by ilovelucy

Rating: 3.00

Phone: 020 7584 0052

Website: http://www.shezan.co.uk

Tags: indian, live music, lively

Atmosphere was buzzing when we arrived last Friday evening at this cavenous place. My colleagues and I were taking advantage of the toptable offer - 50% off the menu. For the price of Â£20 each we enjoyed a selection of curries, pilau, naan and a mixed tandoori grill plus beers and mineral water. Annoyingly they don't serve tap water. However, curries were fresh, zingy and were good sized portions. I ordered a Jalfreezi curry with extra chilli and it was perfect. One of my colleagues ordered the Keema - minced lamb with lentils but said he preferred the cheaper more authentic version in Tooting. Service was a bit hit-and-miss unfortunately. As we were at the back of the restaurants it took a bit of time for the waiters to see we wanted service. It may have been the fact that the restaurant was so dimly lit or perhaps poor eye sight. Maybe the latter as they took away my plate before I finished eating! Coupled with the fact that they don't serve tap water, this left a bad taste in my mouth. A pity as it was quite fine food.Atmosphere was buzzing when we arrived last Friday evening at this cavenous place. My colleagues and I were taking advantage of the toptable offer - 50% off the menu. For the price of Â£20 each we enjoyed a selection of curries, pilau, naan and a mixed tandoori grill plus beers and mineral water. Annoyingly they don't serve tap water. However, curries were fresh, zingy and were good sized portions. I ordered a Jalfreezi curry with extra chilli and it was perfect. One of my colleagues ordered the Keema - minced lamb with lentils but said he preferred the cheaper more authentic version in Tooting. Service was a bit hit-and-miss unfortunately. As we were at the back of the restaurants it took a bit of time for the waiters to see we wanted service. It may have been the fact that the restaurant was so dimly lit or perhaps poor eye sight. Maybe the latter as they took away my plate before I finished eating! Coupled with the fact that they don't serve tap water, this left a bad taste in my mouth. A pity as it was quite fine food.