Richard Bagnold

My first time here and I simply wasn’t expecting it to be as huge as it was. All in all this was a pleasant experience in a very fun and cosmopolitan environment with some simple dishes done to a pleasing level. I would say the service ranged from aloof to chirpy but a little unpredictable and you may wish a table near the thoroughfare so you can grab a staff member more easily when you need them. Hopefully I’ll get to try the bread next time and have enough room for dessert as well. Mixed service and just above average food for this visit.

The vast open plan with quirky design was fun and added to the atmosphere that was abundant by 12:30pm. I arrived before the masses and after asking permission to take a photo of the interior (with no other diners in the shot) I was asked to call their Head Office which I thought was pretty suprising. After I asked what I should be specifically asking Bread St Kitchen’s Head Office to avoid taking pictures of, I was allowed to proceed so that was a first but all amiccable.

The vast open plan with quirky design was fun and added to the atmosphere that was abundant by 12:30pm. I arrived before the masses and after asking permission to take a photo of the interior (with no other diners in the shot) I was asked to call their Head Office which I thought was pretty suprising. After I asked what I should be specifically asking Bread St Kitchen’s Head Office to avoid taking pictures of, I was allowed to proceed so that was a first but all amiccable.

The ambience and food were both comfortable and the potato bread burger with spicey sauce was very good once I could actually fit it in the mouth. I should have obeyed my instincts and gone with the duck salad with my two sides of chips and macaroni with garlic breadcrumbs as I was almost full on these alone.

However, at £12, the burger seemed to be the no brainer option as the salad was £10 and I wanted to see what Gordon Ramsay’s take on a burger was like. Apart from being surpised at how simple and massive it was, it actually tasted pretty good. The beef was well cooked and the potato bread (made off site) had a very good texture with the tomatoes calming down the spicy sauce.

The chips were very crunchy and the tiptree ketchup and brown sauces, are basically up there with the best you can get I believe so why not(!). The macaroni was ok and I liked the garlic crumbs but ultimately I didn’t find any particualar wow factor in this. What was a huge surprise though was the fact that I wasn’t offered any bread at Bread St Kitchen! A bit of oversight here I think as I was early and I did not see the bread being brought out until 12:15pm for the first time and I think they just forgot me. I’m also not really a fan of “thank yous” from diners being greeted with “you’re welcome” or “that’s ok” from staff and I think a simple smile and “can I get you anything else” or “please enjoy” I think is more preferrable.

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Some places simply tick every box and make you feel completely at home and this is one of those places. It’s a difficult thing to pull off – luxury whilst also making one feel entirely comfortable and only three places I have ever been to spring to my mind in being able to truly achieve this. These are: Lucknam Park, The Connaught and here at The Goring. I find it very difficult to see how this will change much in the future and the short version for this visit is that apart from one hitch, this was a delightful and sumptuous experience with quality ingredients and design of dishes. My full review is beneath the photos.

Now that The Goring is fait accompli with a brand new Michelin star, it was especially nice for three of us to drop in for the pre-theatre menu following a tour of Buckingham Palace. At £55 for 3 courses and two glasses of wine, it is a reasonable menu but I do think it would benefit from having the option of not having the wine as mandatory as well and just being the 3 courses of food for around the £30-£35 mark (for the quality of this menu) which would make the set option easier on the eye. The food itself on this menu was however, easily in the upper bracket of set menus I have experienced. Most pre/post-theatre menus or set lunches traditionally have smaller portions and less expensive / sizeable cuts of meat, but this pre-theatre menu really didn’t actually feel like this with a wonderfully smooth foie gras terrine with superb brioche mini bun with slivers of ham and shavings of truffle on top – this was not your average set menu starter.

Now that The Goring is fait accompli with a brand new Michelin star, it was especially nice for three of us to drop in for the pre-theatre menu following a tour of Buckingham Palace. At £55 for 3 courses and two glasses of wine, it is a reasonable menu but I do think it would benefit from having the option of not having the wine as mandatory as well and just being the 3 courses of food for around the £30-£35 mark (for the quality of this menu) which would make the set option easier on the eye. The food itself on this menu was however, easily in the upper bracket of set menus I have experienced. Most pre/post-theatre menus or set lunches traditionally have smaller portions and less expensive / sizeable cuts of meat, but this pre-theatre menu really didn’t actually feel like this with a wonderfully smooth foie gras terrine with superb brioche mini bun with slivers of ham and shavings of truffle on top – this was not your average set menu starter.

The fish broth was very clean in its flavour and I would also like to make a special mention that the children’s menu was a lovely touch – all the right options for kids and cleverly done and this is another example of how well the establishment gives that extra bit to look after its guests which I think goes a long way.

I thought the mains looked as if they had come from the a la carte as a first impression with beautiful cuts of lamb and sweetbreads in breadcrumbs. The pork main was elegantly presented, but rather unfortunately there was still netting left in the slices of meat that were served which was not the best to bite in to or see after removing. Although this is not the end of the world, it was genuinely quite a surprise (and have hence had to adjust my overall grade), so I asked if the dish could simply be replaced by the lamb as it seemed a safer bet and this was done as quickly as possible with apologies.

A selection of British cheeses was offered to the table with the restaurant’s compliments for the inconvenience which was warmly received. The wines that were selected as the two choices worked well as well – a subtle Sauvignon Blanc for my starter and a rather smooth Cotes du Rhône to go with my main and both were perfectly pleasant as the choices for the set menu. The desserts were light, interesting and pleasant to finish the experience off – the kid’s banana split being pretty splendid as well!

The things I loved about this was the warmth and the unobtrusive nature of the service combined with the lovely dining room (and yes I do like the modern chandeliers) with very elegant food which, all in all was lovely to experience. I’ve had to reduce my food grade based on the little episode on this visit, but overall, if the set menu is anything to go on, then I very much look forward to trying the a la carte as this experience has confirmed that the latter will have some superb elements and design. It’s a lovely option to have for Michelin dining and I look forward to mark another occasion with a lovely meal here in the future.

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I found the food here beautifully done and had a refined quality in all courses. I would attribute the a la carte prices to its location and I do appreciate that it is not trying to be a mainstream restaurant for people coming specifically there to dine (except people like myself). Tom Kemble has moved away from Hedone to strike gold on his first bespoke restaurant that he is in charge of so no doubt learned a great deal from Mikael Jonsson which has paid off hugely. It is the perfect addition to the auction house, but conversley I do not see myself going back frequently owing to the lack of accessibilty in general. However, based on what I had today, something tells me that in spite of the acoustics and compact feel of the dining room, that the tasting menu here will be absolutely superb. Therefore, if I can I will and will greatly look forward to it.

A lucky passing by of New Bond St allowed me to try the newly promoted, Michelin starred Bonhams for a very quick lunch today. I knew Bonhams lay within an auction house, but you do need to follow a series of corridors, going down and up stairs to get to the very cosy 26 cover only dining room. If you take the unalluring side street route to get there, this will lead you straight to the cafe beneath the restaurant at the rear entrance.

A lucky passing by of New Bond St allowed me to try the newly promoted, Michelin starred Bonhams for a very quick lunch today. I knew Bonhams lay within an auction house, but you do need to follow a series of corridors, going down and up stairs to get to the very cosy 26 cover only dining room. If you take the unalluring side street route to get there, this will lead you straight to the cafe beneath the restaurant at the rear entrance.

The food here was very good. The amuse bouche of smoked eal with sour cream, dill on buckwheat was, whilst not hugely intricate, very pleasant as was the home made sour dough with its warm, moist stickyness. The butter was also superb and wonderfully salty. The steak tartare I thought had a well executed and precise feel to it but I thought there was a lack of herbal punch as my mouth could only detect diced gherkin within the meat; the thin slices of shallot on the top complimented very well naturally and the shaved egg yolk sprinkled over the top was a clever touch but ultimately I thought it was ever so slightly bland as I could not really taste the egg yolk shavings much (i.e. did not seem to add very much to the dish apart from cosmetics).

The quail main with creamy mash, parasol mushrooms and foie gras was brilliantly held together with the sweet and sharpened pickled endive and I thought this dish was a knock out. My only gripe of this dish was it seemed to be a little small for a main as this was finished very quickly. I finished it thinking that it was a little steep at £25 for its size but then I reminded myself of the pan fried foie gras (which had a lovely crispy and not too salty exterior). When I saw the dessert my immediate thought was how dissapointingly simple it looked, but this became a completely redundant thought after I had my first bite. Put simply, this was the lightest, eggiest and nicest egg custard tart I have ever had and I could have had two more of these even if they probably would have used up the rest of the week’s calorie allowance. It was absolutely delicious. Definitely a revisit due when possible.

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I am on a mission to find the best Peking duck known to man and was referred to Novikov by a realiable source and thought I would try for myself. I’ve also passed here countless times on my rounds up and down Berkeley St, so it was very good to see for myself how this venue was inside.

I was acommodated very well at the reception and it was obvious how well this venue would cater for an international crowd, particularly ones after a glamorous, nocturnal setting. Immediately to the right is the waiting bar, the left is the Asian restaurant and downstairs leading to the Italian dining room with an evening bar in between (in the basement) which serves a mixture of selections from the two menus.

Opting for the Peking duck, I was first provided with some vegetables to dip in to chilli oil, Chinese vinegar, tomato & garlic chutney and shiso leaf mayonnaise (very pleasant) as well as a watermelon shot as a refresher. A whole duck is used for the Peking duck and the trump card here is that the chefs seem to surgically remove the majority of the fat between the skin and the meat of the duck and then replace the skin back on to the meat in handy bite size rectangles. There were enough of these to create at least 10 pancakes and I also thought the hoi sin sauce was very well done.

The skin itself was beautifully crisp having had multiple bastings in the duck fat produced and the meat was perfectly succulent, so the quality of this duck was very good indeed. My only reservation being, that as the duck was not coated in any additional spices, it held a fairly generic flavour. The bonus ball which I wasn’t aware of was the fact that the rest of the duck was used to create a subsequent noodle dish, which was nicely done which made the £48 price tag a little easier to understand.

All in all, this was a very well executed Peking duck with evident technical skill and I did enjoy that the fat had been removed as this can sometimes be far too much for the mouth when a thick layer of fat remains. I would like to go back and try the Peking duck with foie gras and the Italian restaurant when possible as this also had an alluring feel with welcoming service. I would say this was a stylish place first with good cooking second with a desire to be fine dining third (in that order). My sincere thanks to the staff for showing me around after. This was great to see another option in Mayfair and seems perfectly designed for evening glamour with some very good food having had this brief look.

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I’ve been meaning to drop in to The Gilbert Scott for many moons now as recommended by Marcus Wareing’s team at Tredwell’s, and a chance pass by on Saturday early evening allowed me to drop in quickly. The bar was impressive, the staff with beaming smiles which is always a good sign and I was accommodated for the brief visit. First impressions of the dining room were grand, resembling that of The Wolseley but only smaller. If you enter the hotel’s front doors you are on a bit of a hike to get to the bar so my advice is to enter from the west (bar entrance) and pass the front of the hotel as you will be able to go straight in from the street.

As I was in a rush I couldn’t stay for dessert, but opted for two starters and two sides with a glass of red. The tiger prawn dish was certainly light with a clear sauce and pleasant pasta but only raised a half smile. The side of paprika chips were extremely good as these were far more interesting than the norm and not too heavily spiced, unlike the mash which I did think was under seasoned – I had to put four grinds of the salt dispenser to make it less bland. However, the star of the show was the pig’s head, fried and coated in breadcrumbs with gribiche sauce (similar to that of remoulade sauce) on the side with an even sweeter, viscious salad dressing on the endive leaves. All of these on the pig’s head dish were utterly wonderful and certainly gave the pig’s head at Arbutus and pig’s trotter at Social Eating House a run for their money! In fact, if pressed, I would actually say The Gilbert Scott version would be top of the class on these pig’s head dishes. I will be happy to rectify not having enough time for dessert whenever I visit next.

As I was in a rush I couldn’t stay for dessert, but opted for two starters and two sides with a glass of red. The tiger prawn dish was certainly light with a clear sauce and pleasant pasta but only raised a half smile. The side of paprika chips were extremely good as these were far more interesting than the norm and not too heavily spiced, unlike the mash which I did think was under seasoned – I had to put four grinds of the salt dispenser to make it less bland. However, the star of the show was the pig’s head, fried and coated in breadcrumbs with gribiche sauce (similar to that of remoulade sauce) on the side with an even sweeter, viscious salad dressing on the endive leaves. All of these on the pig’s head dish were utterly wonderful and certainly gave the pig’s head at Arbutus and pig’s trotter at Social Eating House a run for their money! In fact, if pressed, I would actually say The Gilbert Scott version would be top of the class on these pig’s head dishes. I will be happy to rectify not having enough time for dessert whenever I visit next.

All in all a lovely place to drop in to with a unique look and certainly elegant design. My only reservation being that in spite of it wishing a relaxed feel, I don’t think it can be classed as truly casual as it seemed to befit formality and possibly business occasions, in or on the way out of St Pancras, rather than making a special journey for (you will still need to walk well outside the station to get to it). That said, I thought it was a beautifully done venue with some very decent moments of food in an oppulent setting served by staff who clearly knew their business. A rather echoey, but refined setting and if I’m ever getting the train to Paris, this will be perfect to meet at prior to the journey.

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My second visit to Nathan Outlaw’s London establishment and again proved what a charming venue it is with very fresh cooking. The amuse bouche was the same as it was from last year but as these fried fish bites with herb mayonnaise are lovely, that was not a problem at all. Two different menus were sampled on this occasion with the set menu and the a la carte. The set menu on this occasion included the steak tartare and gunard with a lovely paprika creamed sauce; the a la carte menu choices I had were the seaweed & cider cured salmon (from Scotland) with horseraddish yoghurt and then the mullet with red peppers & olives, saffron and shellfish sauce.

I tried all dishes and both wines that were chosen and the short version is that it was all refined and well done with sauces that were beautifully done on the mains. If there was a top prize, I honestly thought that it would need to go to the steak tartare on pure flavour with the decorative dijon mustard add ons and attention to detail to the herbs. The salmon starter was as tender and succulent as you can get, but I did feel that there could have been more chutney to assist the rather large swirl of horseraddish yoghurt which I found quite bland; I honestly did not get much of the horseraddish coming through. The fish main were both lovingly done, that was obvious and I did enjoy the sauces very much with both fish being beautifully fresh.

I tried all dishes and both wines that were chosen and the short version is that it was all refined and well done with sauces that were beautifully done on the mains. If there was a top prize, I honestly thought that it would need to go to the steak tartare on pure flavour with the decorative dijon mustard add ons and attention to detail to the herbs. The salmon starter was as tender and succulent as you can get, but I did feel that there could have been more chutney to assist the rather large swirl of horseraddish yoghurt which I found quite bland; I honestly did not get much of the horseraddish coming through. The fish main were both lovingly done, that was obvious and I did enjoy the sauces very much with both fish being beautifully fresh.

These were lovely dishes no question, but my main observation is that the difference in flavours, enjoyment and quality were basically the same for the set menu and a la carte, but the latter was over twice the price (at time of writing set menu was £22 for 2 / £27 for 3 courses and the a la carte was £55 for 3 courses). Therefore at double the price there was only a very marginal uplift in overall return with the size of the meat portions on the a la carte being the most noticeable difference and hence this visit proved that the venue’s main strength is still in the set menu and it is a gem for that reason, being so flavoursome. I will therefore be opting for the set menu whenever I go here unless anything looks outstanding on the a la carte and has to be done.

A lovely meal in summary, and the occasion itself being the most memorable and charming had in a very long time, coated in attentive service.

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As we walked up from the car park I saw one round table right by the window and thought to myself, “Some lucky *ods will be having a nice view as they dine with that table…” – as we were taken through I was wonderfully suprised as it was actually us that it was being held for – very lucky indeed.

On to the show then and the cured monkfish, ginger and fennel was utterly sublime; so light and fresh as was the mackerel and cucumber starter as well. The latter had a beautifully creamy texture and was presented in the form of a delightful paste, covered with a lime gel. The lobster was beautifully fresh and the lovely touch being that we could see the spot where the lobster was actually caught from our table – the background is out of focus on this photo (as the table needs the focus), but you might just be able to see an orange bouy in the near distance of the sea and that is where the loster for this dish is actually sourced – marvellous stuff.

As we walked up from the car park I saw one round table right by the window and thought to myself, “Some lucky *ods will be having a nice view as they dine with that table…” – as we were taken through I was wonderfully suprised as it was actually us that it was being held for – very lucky indeed.

On to the show then and the cured monkfish, ginger and fennel was utterly sublime; so light and fresh as was the mackerel and cucumber starter as well. The latter had a beautifully creamy texture and was presented in the form of a delightful paste, covered with a lime gel. The lobster was beautifully fresh and the lovely touch being that we could see the spot where the lobster was actually caught from our table – the background is out of focus on this photo (as the table needs the focus), but you might just be able to see an orange bouy in the near distance of the sea and that is where the loster for this dish is actually sourced – marvellous stuff.

The gurnard and porthilly sauce (tomato and oil based) was frankly outstanding – this was one of the nicest sauces I have ever tasted with such a smooth and perfectly balanced flavour on perfectly grilled fish and this was the knock out dish for me without question. The turbot with cabbage and seaweed hollondaise was also superbly done – such immaculate fish with a delicate glaze of butter, we all thought it really didn’t need anything else when the quality of the fish is that good – that did not stop me however from utterly drowning the potato in the seaweed hollandaise regardless and the remainder that my friend did not eat as well to give the welcome moisture.

The supporting wines that were had by the glass sat very well with the dishes and the sommelier did a cracking job at advising and looking after us without being obtrusive or over enthusiastic which I always find offputting – the sommelier and our head waitress were both superb and my thanks to them for looking after us so well yesterday.

I’m horrified to see that I failed to take a photo of the goats cheese course which came with crackling crisp layers and beetroot gel and this was a delightful course. And then finally the trio of desserts at the end. I loved the yoghurt ice cream and strawberry but was only luke warm about the supporting ‘snow’ as I felt this cut through a little too much, but the beautiful mini crème brulée was utterly gorgeous as was the pistachio tart which was light, perfectly eggy and freshly made to as near as perfect as you can get for a tart. The supporting strawberry dessert wine that was bubbly and the closest option to an Italian Muscato D’Asti (which I was in the mood for) was a superb new drink and recommondation from the sommelier.

All in all, this was wonderful meal but I have some an overiding observation: the tasting menu appears to be eight courses but as they are served, you are actually receiving six courses and although beautiful, I was suprised that for a 2 Michelin starred venue on the plainness of the bread options and that there was no additional effort or provision for either canapés, amuse bouche or additional pre-dessert to boost the content – £99 for essentially 6 courses (and working out at £144 all in pp) I simply thought was too steep for the package, dare I say made us leave feeling a little short changed.

However, the above factor does not affect the food grade as always, and I thought the food itself was delectable and a lovely experience in a very pleasant venue with charming and unpretentious service. I’m definitely glad to have done it, as is undeniably elegant cooking and has made me feel complete to have now covered the whole two star family in the UK, where I put Restaurant Nathan Outlaw somewhere comfortably in the middle of the group on pure food grounds.

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This was definitely a lovely supper. Set in the little hamlet of Sparkwell you will definitely wheels and a designated driver. Looking at the exterior you would not think of anything in particular, but these are actually the sorts of places I like the most as, with the The Sportsman, usually the most understated have the most to offer underneath the surface. The interior was cosy and it was a very comfortable environment to dine in with only a handful of tables and very homely service. Hearty and overall decent food here.

The blackpudding scotch egg was a delight and on seeing was practically a given before even looking at the rest of the menu. I have found this take on scotch egg to be quite heavy on occasion, but I was pleased how this one turned out as it was actually much lighter and with the lower size using a quail egg was far more doable and frankly it was the perfect self-made amuse bouche. The bread as well was utterly lovely – perfectly warmed and the brie and blackcurrent focaccia in particular was superb along with the pleasing lemon and cajun butter.

The blackpudding scotch egg was a delight and on seeing was practically a given before even looking at the rest of the menu. I have found this take on scotch egg to be quite heavy on occasion, but I was pleased how this one turned out as it was actually much lighter and with the lower size using a quail egg was far more doable and frankly it was the perfect self-made amuse bouche. The bread as well was utterly lovely – perfectly warmed and the brie and blackcurrent focaccia in particular was superb along with the pleasing lemon and cajun butter.

As I had heard quite a bit from my friend about Treby Arms and I am not sure when I will be able to hit it again we decided to go for it large with two starters each and frankly, sometimes I actually prefer starters in general to the mains. All of them were great – the crab with cucumber consommé was very fresh, the ham hock with pineapple was a fun take on a classic combination, the mackerel was beautifully done but I was aching for more of the wonderful dill mayonnaise and at the top of the tree was the glazed pork cheek. The latter was beautifully succulent, the cider foam delightful and the celeriac fondou was sumptuous and brought the whole dish together – really gorgeous.

We were steered to try the venison as Anton’s winning Masterchef dish and this certainly was very well done and pleasing. I opted for the pork crackling coated turbot and again this was a well done dish – maybe it was own fault as I had in my head supreme expectations as I adore pork crackling and had such excitement in waiting but probably over hyped it as the flavour gave me a luke warm feeling of happiness but not being bowled over. The tripple cooked chips on the side were superbly done and the home made mayonnaise was a treat to have. The condensed milk ice cream, banana foam, chocolate and peanut dessert as well, was utterly superb. A novel and pleasant presentation in an old M & S container afforded the petit fours which were, on the whole fine.

I was very pleased to have gone to The Treby Arms and is certainly a cosy and warm option to have travelling through Devon. Although I can’t say I had any real firework moments, the craftsmanship was definitely refined and there was obvious care and attention that went in to all the dishes. A very satisfying visit.

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This is my second meal at Le Champignon Sauvage and the supper here on Friday night last now makes me firmly believe this is one of the most special places in the whole of the UK. For all reasons. I will keep this paragraph short so that those who just want the headlines can read and look at the photos and those with more interest in the finite rationale can read the details beneath. Suffice to say that this is the best value for money combined with high end cooking I think is available in the entire country.

One only has to look at the menus to get an idea why, but even if it didn’t have 2 Michelin stars (an extremely prestigious club to be in), my mouth has rarely been this touched with so many taste pleasures that hit every sensor. It was a sheer delight to meet David Everitt Matthias after the meal and have a quick chat and I was frankly close to tears at how this meal was at certain moments. As usual, my overall grade is the average of all visits had to date. Thank you David and Helen again for an outstanding memory and for everyone’s hospitality during our meal.

Ode to joy – that’s the first thing that comes to my mind when I remind myself of this meal. So beginning with the canapés that began this parade, these were delightful – the parmesan mousse and chorizo powder being soft, light and with just the right kick (i.e. not too much), the fried ham hock was never going to fail and with the blob of horseradish cream on top was even nicer. The brioche biscuit to go with the goat’s cheese and lovage dip was again toned beautifully (normally I can’t do anything that is related to celery but this was a very subtle and smooth version and was lovely to use as a dip).

So after the opening canapés the engine was already on and revving very much at the lights. What I wasn’t expecting was an even nicer form of amuse bouche which was the cabbage blancmange with bacon foam (made with milk and double cream) and black pudding powder. For a pig lover, this was a stratospherically nice and light amuse bouche and I was close to sensory overload – the sort that makes you unable to control how quickly you eat when it is that enjoyable.

The bread selection was a talking point itself and the brioche was light, superbly fragranced (with an infusion of shallot and bacon) and a wonderful bread to have. Similarly, the tomato and olive focaccia was also lovely with its perfect moistness and strength at the same time. These were truly good and the only regret being that I couldn’t try more as I would have risked being too full.

On to the starters and I am happy to go on record in saying that this was the nicest lobster I have ever had. It was the most succulent, well balanced and sumptuous lobster one could have and was not over complicated – just the glaze of butter actually made me really appreciate the meat for what it was (for once) which was warmed and cooked to perfection and its supporting apple flakes and light vegetables gave it the texture it needed without being obtrusive. I didn’t feel the need to include the supporting powder with my mouthfuls of lobster, but the remainder was as close to perfect for lobster as I have ever had.

My steak tartare was beautifully done and the supporting corned beef was frankly one of the nicest things I have ever tasted and this was one of the moments where I was virtually overcome with emotion. Perhaps it was the fact that it was a childhood favourite that Dad used to try and make, or maybe it was because I hadn’t had it in such a long time or possibly nostalgia from only really having via numerous ration packs in slightly rougher surroundings, or quite possibly all and the fact that it was done to heights that have never been experienced – I honestly don’t see how it could have been bettered in flavour by anyone in the world in anyway and it brought the highest levels of gastronomic happiness that I very rarely have.

I should of course mention the fabulous wine options – the half a bottle of Burgandy was soft and fresh for both courses and superb value at £15. This complimented the starters and the intermediary scallops very well, the latter being beautifully done – again, with fresh and balanced peas and purées but carefully given to not interfere too much with the main event which, was cooked perfectly. Utterly gorgeous and delicate. The second half a bottle of wine was a one of the more reasonable options as well and for £14 for the half bottle of lovely Côte du Rhône it was again sensational value for money.

On to what the red went with and these were the main courses that were outstanding. The lamb with lamb sweetbreads, pistachio and supporting sauces certainly in the top two best lamb dishes I have also ever had. I can’t think how this dish could have been bettered and everything about it came together beautifully with the supporting jus giving an exquisite punch to the already perfectly succulent and juicy lamb. The duck was also incredible and again, the perfection of the crisp skin whilst not being too fatty, the tenderness of the duck and the sweet sauce reduction to accompany the meat were all out of this world.

The mascarpone panna cotta pre-dessert was fluffy and light and as we were reaching max capacity it was lovely that the restaurant gave one to share so we weren’t overloaded. It was also extremely kind of them to cater for sizing down the desserts in order to accommodate more flavours, which continued the roller coaster ride when I thought it was going to slow down. The duck egg custard was beautifully rich and creamy and the supporting rhubarb sorbet cut through and gave the perfect balance without being too ‘stingy’ as sorbets so often can be. This was actually toned down which I loved and on the other plate the Thai green sorbet with mango tart was another ‘stop everything’ moment – so fresh, crisp, original and powerful as a new flavour for dessert but without attacking the mouth at the same time, this was another talking point in its own right.

The meal was finished with lovely and delicate chocolates with luxurious fillings and a very pleasant chance chat with the Exec chef David who was enjoying his post-service coffee. A sheer pleasure to meet the man behind the creations and I can’t think of a nicer way to have finished off a very hospitably British affair it was, with wonderful, modern French dishes. There are many food bloggers out there, but it is simply experiences like this that drive my desire to do this and to sing about where compartments of the heart are opened so others can also experience – and here, components of my heart have been opened with a crowbar.

As I sit by the hydrotherpay pool at Lucknam Park on a Monday leave day, I have enjoyed every second of writing this as I can legitimately unleash all happy and positive compliments of what I had, as the dishes were simply that good and is a pleasure to be able to do so. This was a life-time memory of a meal and few places in the world have made my dining experience this much of a pleasure.

The restaurant itself is a homely afair and I was immediately made to feel welcome. The bar area is more a holding area of two sofas rather than full bar but comfortable nonetheless; as I did not need this on this occasion I went straight to the very nicely decorated table. The home-made unsalted butter in the shape of a perfectly sculpted pie simply sat there on the table, seducing me with its wares… The blue cheese cream biscuit had just the right potency for cheese which was pleasing but the rye bread, pickled pear cubes with horseradish cream was an instantaneous hit. I would describe this latter canapé itself as explosive and from that moment on I knew I was in the hands of an complete expert.

The bacon and broccoli mousse with bacon powder was fluffy and light but with enough richness as well – this was a superb amuse bouche. The haddock with parmesan foam was beautifully fresh and light, and again, not too heavy on the haddock essence which can very often be the case. Neither was this too salty or overpowering but just right and the flakes of flesh simply fell off the main body of the meat when the fork pressed in – beautifully succulent.

The outstanding moment of the meal however was the main. The duck had been marinaded in salt and garlic for 24 hours and this caused the meat to have almost the same shredded consistency to that of a Peking duck (in the Chinese style). Duck can sometimes be a slab of rubbery protein if not done well, but this had chunks of wonderfully succulent duck pieces, with the remainder flaking off with ease, all covered in a blissfully crisp and (not too) fatty skin. The chutney jus, spiced carrot and liver parfait were simply a marriage all together and I amazed at how good this dish on the set menu was.

The coffee tart was perfectly ‘eggy’ with a subtle coffee flavouring with very nice coffee jelly and white chocolate sorbet with coffee sugar crip. Who doesn’t like jelly and ice cream(?!) and this was a wonderful take on that unloseable formula. The dessert was light and smooth at the same time and the breadth of the petits fours was impressive meaning that one could almost go for the two course option and opt for the petits fours as a mock-dessert quite comfortably if full, such is the wonderful value of this venue.

I left Le Champignon with one of the biggest smiles I have had in a long time om completion of a meal and with a conviction to return as soon as possible. I will be coming back with vengence for the a’la carte on the next visit and I am very glad to have finally seen for myself what a wonderful place this is. David Everitt-Matthias, the head chef and his wife Helen have run this venue together for 27 years and the passion and pride in their products was obvious. The food from David was sublime and the hospitality of Helen on the front of house were both a gem to finally experience and I look forward to returning at the soonest opportunity. Vive La Wild Mushroom!

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The second London Yauatcha installment from the Hakkasan Group and set in the entire upper level of Broadgate Circle replacing the series of bars that formerly occupied the space. I was actually struck by how massive the new Yauatcha (named after the original owner Alan Yau and the notion Yau-at-cha translates to ‘Mr Yau at Tea’) was, and with the open air play that was being performed beneath us during the meal, it was a pretty catching location.

Opting for the set menu for two (£40 pp min 2 people), the food itself was definitely nicely done and had some very fresh moments such as the crab with peanut sauce, delicate soy sauce with Cheong Fun and the wonderful squid with fried oats and chill. The only low moment for me was the aromatic duck as the skin was almost demolished by the cooking process and was quite dry. A minor mis-communication led the management to generously offer a couple of desserts which, on eating were lighter than expected and presented well and we were looked after very well throughout the meal; I would actually say the attentive service and hospitality in general was very strong here.

Opting for the set menu for two (£40 pp min 2 people), the food itself was definitely nicely done and had some very fresh moments such as the crab with peanut sauce, delicate soy sauce with Cheong Fun and the wonderful squid with fried oats and chill. The only low moment for me was the aromatic duck as the skin was almost demolished by the cooking process and was quite dry. A minor mis-communication led the management to generously offer a couple of desserts which, on eating were lighter than expected and presented well and we were looked after very well throughout the meal; I would actually say the attentive service and hospitality in general was very strong here.

All in, I can see this being a popular spot when it gets going (having only been up and running for a few months at time of writing) and next time I will need to try the Peking duck to compare with the flagship in Soho. Very good to have finally checked out and finally seen.

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