Richard Bagnold

Very glad to have finally seen what this is all about. Having done it now, my verdict on Lobster and Burger is that it is a comfortable option to have with a quirky charm and a fun concept done well.

Points for the visitor regarding burger and lobster: 1) it is a restaruant but yes they now do a take away option; 2) there are three main choices: whole lobster butterflied, lobster roll or burger; 3) all three options are £20 each and come with shoe string chips and a well balanced side salad with balsamic glaze, croutons and parmesan; 4) bookings are not taken so it is turn up and wait at the bar if busy and 5) yes it is a chain, however with only 6 branches in London (soon to be 7 as at time of writing) and one branch in Cardiff.

Although options are limited, the lobster with Japanese mayonnaise in a toasted brioche with garlic butter I thought was the trump card as it was different, light and indulgent at the same time (the brioche is soaked in butter prior to cooking and the Japanese mayonnaise is a citrusy and lovely, light addition. I also congratulate B&L for being the first burger venue to substitute the bun on my burger for lettuce to reduce the carb value as this is the only place to have ever offered the choice, and actually it was rather refreshing.

I’m still struggling however to see how the burger option is worth £20, as even Goodman and other meat and grills venues don’t get that expensive for burgers, but the fact that the B&L burger contained brisket, chuck (from neck and front thigh of cow) and tri tip (end of the sirloin at the rear of the cow) means that there is no danger of you going hungry if going for this option as there is plenty of meat squeezed in to the burger which makes up for the price (slightly).

Pleased to have done this visit and will go back for the whole lobster option and sample the snickers mousse dessert when possible. Very down to earth and welcoming service here as well which was very pleasant to have as well.

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Swish, Mayfair comfort – no question. Since my last visit Maze has received a minor facelift of décor and there is now counter dining for sushi food with chefs crafting these in front of diners. Gordon Ramsay has maintained Maze being stylish but without forgetting the importance of hospitality as the service was very good. The food on this visit was stylish and technically very good with a very good pairing of the Spanish white (Louro Valdero) for the light meats and the Portugese red (Cedro do Noval) for the lamb. The highlight on this occasion was the mint and strawberry merignue mix with champagne gel and strawberry sorbet – extremely a lovely dish with all the right textures and balances and the pork with broth and lamb dishes were great.

Slightly dissapointing however was the dish I was most looking forward to trying(!) which was the foie gras mousse – I simply found this too bland with no real talking point / flavour as even the meat slices and pear sauce were completely over powered by the heavy, earthy foie gras mousse. There was no issue with the technical skill and the foie gras was delicately smooth but my palate simply didn’t understand why there was a lack of flavour; even more salt may have made this enhanced, but ultimately it was carefully prepared.

Slightly dissapointing however was the dish I was most looking forward to trying(!) which was the foie gras mousse – I simply found this too bland with no real talking point / flavour as even the meat slices and pear sauce were completely over powered by the heavy, earthy foie gras mousse. There was no issue with the technical skill and the foie gras was delicately smooth but my palate simply didn’t understand why there was a lack of flavour; even more salt may have made this enhanced, but ultimately it was carefully prepared.

Overall, a lovely meal on this occasion. I don’t have to come running back but it remains a lovely Mayfair option if nearby and the 4 courses for £33 (as at Apr 15) pre-theatre I believe is its trump card based on the dishes I have seen and experienced. You will be well looked after here and there are some very good cocktails at their open bar as well.

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What a charming place to stumble across! Whilst waiting for an appointment in the Apple store I needed to burn an hour in the morning and this was the perfect drop in place to trial. The hospitality was warm and the environment perfectly relaxed with calm service. Granted I only had two menu items on this visit however, there were some aspects that could have been a bit tighter food wise: the eggs with my eggs royale were only half runny (the remainder were hard) and I felt the hollondaise could have been more seasoned. There was also a 20 minute wait for the pastry selection as supplies had obviously run low and it was needed to be baked freshly. When the selection arrived it was evidently light and fresh (well prepared pastry) and the hot white chocolate was definitely a nice touch, therefore a mixed bag on the food. However, the negatives are easily rectifiable and it was all very nice to have regardless.

All in all this is a lovely option to have for traditional dishes in an all day dining context in a very comortable environment; just a little more execution required. However, I will definitely be popping in again when I can.

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I’ve been meaning to see the Savoy Grill for some time, and so now that it is done, my headlines for this pre-theatre meal was that the menu was reasonably priced at £24 for 2 courses (£28 for 3) and the service couldn’t have been more pleasant. Its traditional setting would suit any formal or pre-show occasion perfectly although I don’t think it is at a high enough tier to merit a special occasion. The food itself was definitely passable and it was great to have sirloin steak on the set menu however, if you have this option, expect the steak to be somewhat thinner as a result. The mackerel and bone marrow starters were fine and the duck and steak mains were definitely tasty but I probably got more return from the peppercorn and shallot sauces as well as the delicious creamed spinach, the latter being far better here than that served as Goodman.

A pleasure all round to have a dinner here, but I didn’t leave with a hige burning desire to get back as soon as possible and I do want to visit Maze Grill as well as the Hawksmoor again to compare, however this is a useful option to have in a West End context.

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This was a pleasant set lunch to have on a visit to The Cinnamon Club which I’ve been meaning to do for quite some time as it came highly recommended. I was generally pleased with the food which I would say had care in its presentation but it was also obvious to me why this venue has not attained its Michelin star (if that was its intention). Good points were that the aubergine starter was undeniably pleasant with the tamarind chutney, the fried seaweed on top of the chicken main and the tomato chutney on the side was a very good accompaniment.

But the bad points were the gristle on 3 pieces of chicken on my main course and the melon and hot garlic chutneys seemed to be too hot without flavour for the garlic and too sweet and sharp for the melon (I’m also unsure why the chutneys deserve a separate price of £4 for the three when they are given in abundance and with mini poppadoms in Quilon for example). Service ranged from the caring floor staff in suits to waiters who did not seem to be enjoying their role.

But the bad points were the gristle on 3 pieces of chicken on my main course and the melon and hot garlic chutneys seemed to be too hot without flavour for the garlic and too sweet and sharp for the melon (I’m also unsure why the chutneys deserve a separate price of £4 for the three when they are given in abundance and with mini poppadoms in Quilon for example). Service ranged from the caring floor staff in suits to waiters who did not seem to be enjoying their role.

Overall this was a reasonable menu and it was enjoyable, but the little errors and lack of real finesse in these dishes lead me to conclude I would rather spend the same ball park money in a 1 Michelin starred Indian restaurant in London where there is even greater handling. This is certainly a very comfortable venue though which would lend itself very well to a good atmosphere with friends in the evening and is certainly not show-stopper.

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What an absolute treat for an Easter bank holiday. The George & Dragon is set in the immaculate Kent countryside between the gems of Penshurst and Royal Tonbridge Wells. Dating back to 1212 it is believed to be the second oldest pub in the entire country and is worthy of a visit even just for a drink on that basis alone as the original design and décor is heritage to the max. Additionally, based on the food today, I’m pleased to say it is worth stopping in for a bite to eat as well, if one is looking for simple rustic food done to a pleasing standard.

I would recommend reading the conditions for the set menus carefully and the à la carte menu provided a selection of simple and classic British gastropub food. The salt-crusted bread was a great pleasure to open and the onion tart, mackerel and crab starters were all perfectly agreeable and honest starters. Although I felt the chips were slightly overdone and dry, the beer-battered cod was thankfully completely on the ball (very fresh cod). I was surprised that the peas were not as mushy as one would expect, but they had just enough flavour and I was very pleased that the tartare sauce was freshly made.

I would recommend reading the conditions for the set menus carefully and the à la carte menu provided a selection of simple and classic British gastropub food. The salt-crusted bread was a great pleasure to open and the onion tart, mackerel and crab starters were all perfectly agreeable and honest starters. Although I felt the chips were slightly overdone and dry, the beer-battered cod was thankfully completely on the ball (very fresh cod). I was surprised that the peas were not as mushy as one would expect, but they had just enough flavour and I was very pleased that the tartare sauce was freshly made.

The star of the show though, was the tonka bean panna cotta – not the first time I have had this clever formula as it was remarkably similar to that served on my last visit to the 2 Michelin Hand and Flowers (by Tom Kerridge), but I did enjoy the combination of the rhubarb and honey comb at the George & Dragon (I would say the Hand & Flowers version pips the post as is more creamy, softer and not as thick). Service was a little mixed (perhaps inevitable with some younger, members of staff that possibly need menu-refresher training whilst on their break from University) but in the main, the service here had good intentions all round.

Overall, this was a very nice visit to an absolutely charming pub in a lovely part of Kent, serving hearty food (via generous main-portions!) that was cleanly presented, was perfectly passable on the palate with a couple of heightened moments. Definitely worth a drop-in if passing nearby or wanting a very safe-bet country pub option in Kent.

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A very pleasing set of flavours and choices to have in a venue that provides warm service. The familiar Atherton themes of counter dining, comfortable dining booths (with a bar that was almost a mini-version of that in Berners Tavern), cheery and smiley hospitality with food that simply creates a smile is becoming all the more familiar to me – Mr Atherton’s track record of ensuring that the food never forgets to please the mouth and not just the eyes is proving to be very good now.

First things first, I have to say that the smoked salt butter was one of the nicest butters I have ever had. The glass of white that was recommended by the sommelier (Carignon Blanc) had an almost creamy, coconut quality and went down extremely well with the cod.

First things first, I have to say that the smoked salt butter was one of the nicest butters I have ever had. The glass of white that was recommended by the sommelier (Carignon Blanc) had an almost creamy, coconut quality and went down extremely well with the cod.

The cod brandade (like the texture of mashed potato) with crutons and ham was refreshing and light and the braised beef with cheese in a sandwich with was fun and the ghurkin ensured that the stickiness of the filling was balanced well. However the star of the show was the lightly coated doghnuts filled with port, with apple and cinnamon jam, crème Anglaise and cinnamon sugar dessert – without doubt the most enjoyable dessert I have ever had on any set menu in the world.

There’s always a downside to any equation or place, but thankfully in the case of Little Social it is a minor issue – the size of the interior does not lend itself to ever being a place suitable for a special occasion. The narrowness of the interior makes the design of the interior one dimensional and the tables for two are very close together as a result at the far end, so I recommend going in a minimum of three to gain a more separate or booth table.

However, the lasting impression I have from this visit is a very pleasing lunch at a reasonable price in a cosy and comfortable environment.

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The Brasserie is set just beside Lucknam Park Hotel’s Spa facilities which is why some guests coming here just for lunch may see some guests at the bar end in their white dressing gowns. The log fire, open kitchen, breezy feel and natural, conservatory light all produce a feeling that cannot fail to please and the all day dining menu has numerous value for money options including tapas style dishes (3 for £20), set lunches at 3 courses for £22, traditional roast specials on Sunday lunch and numerous other pleasant dishes. The venue is cosy and charming with some satisfying options done reasonably well.

As I was staying at Lucknam Park, breakfasts could either be taken in the main dining room (The Park) or the Brasserie and in a heart beat I would go for the latter every time for breaky. The breakfast eggs were delicious and deep orange on the Saturday am (but sadly a lighter yellow and even a little firm on the outer edge of the yolk on the Sunday) and the pastries were lovely. The jams were out of this world good as fresh and dreamily runny but in terms of smoothies I would avoid the banana one as this didn’t have much flavour at all and would recommend either the mixed berry or strawberry smoothies.

As I was staying at Lucknam Park, breakfasts could either be taken in the main dining room (The Park) or the Brasserie and in a heart beat I would go for the latter every time for breaky. The breakfast eggs were delicious and deep orange on the Saturday am (but sadly a lighter yellow and even a little firm on the outer edge of the yolk on the Sunday) and the pastries were lovely. The jams were out of this world good as fresh and dreamily runny but in terms of smoothies I would avoid the banana one as this didn’t have much flavour at all and would recommend either the mixed berry or strawberry smoothies.

Lunch and evening wise I thought the food in the brasserie had perfectly light and simple options and the home-made ketchup that went with the scotch eggs were both super. Homely is how I would describe the food from the brasserie and although the tapas dishes I had at lunch were slightly over cooked (the batter on the mushroom fritter and duck spring rolls was too dark and crisp), they were from a menu that hails simple, comfort food you would always like to see. A bit more care and attention to detail would make it even better.

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Although Lucknam Park sits in Wiltshire, the estate is just over 6 miles from Bath, set in the lovely landscape of Colerne. The Park is the main dining room of Lucknam Park Hotel and its elegant interior is as charming as the service. The restaurant and its food is stylish whilst not too OTT, making it a wonderful place to be for any treats or celebration contexts, particularly if one stayed over which, would frankly be a sin not to do if one was going to enjoy the food here. The stay would also facilitate a light lunch or snacks options in The Brasserie, which is also a no brainer on any visit.

Although I did not sample all the dishes shown, one could tell just from the delicately done foie gras parfait cigars, fried haddock spheres and parmesan and ham crisp canapés that you are in the hands of chefs who know how to please. A full, detailed review on the food is below the photos, but stand out moments of the meal were the honey comb on pan-fried foie gras, the truffle butter sauce accompanying the turbot and the salted caramel chocolate bar – all these were sublime. Overall, I thought the food here was precise, carefully prepared and most importantly, included some marvellous flavours – it was basically all good and lovely to not have to worry about a thing when the cooking is this reassuring.

Although I did not sample all the dishes shown, one could tell just from the delicately done foie gras parfait cigars, fried haddock spheres and parmesan and ham crisp canapés that you are in the hands of chefs who know how to please. A full, detailed review on the food is below the photos, but stand out moments of the meal were the honey comb on pan-fried foie gras, the truffle butter sauce accompanying the turbot and the salted caramel chocolate bar – all these were sublime. Overall, I thought the food here was precise, carefully prepared and most importantly, included some marvellous flavours – it was basically all good and lovely to not have to worry about a thing when the cooking is this reassuring.

For most, I believe the restaurant is the side-effect or bonus of the real purpose which is to stay at this stunning hotel, and for food lovers, apart from slightly small portion sizes and some low quantites of sauces, I do not believe they will be dissapointed with the impact of the dishes at The Park in any way. As a hotel, it is a truly lovely place to visit for a multitude of reasons and I look forward to any future excuse to do so again.

The canapés prior to dinner were small in quantity and size but packed a punch in flavour. The foie gras ‘cigars’ were never going to be in danger of not pleasing and the lightness of the crisp surrounding the foie gras parfait was just wonderful. The haddock spheres with potato were subtle and the parmesan crisps had a depth of ham and cheese that made one want more immediately. These were essentially hoovered up within 90 seconds and was a very good start.

After a very pleasant (albeit small) shot glass amuse bouche, the foie gras 2-ways starter was, on first glance tiny! No, my eyes weren’t deceiving me, they really were that sized, as opposed to the virtual side dish plate sized pan-fried foie gras at the Waterside Inn (which, I do happen to think is too big, but a little more here surely would have been ok?). However, the brioche was absolutely beautifully warmed and presented and as I managed to break the portions of foie gras and brioche in to approximately 10 mini-sized portions, I could see the chef’s point, in that a lot more might fill the diner up far too quickly and be a mistake. After a few negotiations with the sommelier, I was handed a dessert wine from Italy that was like a French sauternes in terms of its sweet-honey quality but slightly toned down which perfect, as even I, with a sweet tooth appreciated this change.

The turbot with hand-rolled macaroni was utterly fresh and tender and the truffled butter sauce was an absolute winner – not too pungent, but creamy and with the perfect hint of truffle. This was a sure, fire hit and after asking for some more sauce this was duly given in a large side-boat – perhaps the chef agreed with me(?). It was too good to be put that sparingly on the plate. The white chocolate coated lemon sorbet in a shot glass was a refreshing mouth cleanser after the savouries.

Finally, the caramalised pear and sauternes ice cream with supporting Stellenbosch dessert wine from South Africa was a marriage made on Mount Olympus. All aspects of the dessert were mouth-watering and I honestly could have had another. Maybe it was because I had gone to the gym in the afternoon or expended further energy with my heart racing over the England v France final 6 nations game, but I still can’t tell whether the portion sizes were really quite small as I was genuinely not full at the end. I give full credit to the chef for not making the dining experience leave one as per Mr Creosote in Monty Python’s Meaning of Life, but I did feel the portions sizes left a hint in the air of being short-changed slightly.

However, in terms of impact, the food was on the ball and frankly there wasn’t a thing I didn’t like and the sommelier’s choices of whites and reds were all bang on as well. This is a very good level of consistency, served in a stylish way and I left with the feeling of happy confidence that I could return here for supper at any time and have absolutely no concerns whatsoever – this is a good record to have and I will be more than happy to try many more in the future.

A final word is worthy of the Louis XIII cognac. There it was again, in that all too familiar, light-show glass presentation box, sat there like an unobtainable prize. I’m not actually a huge cognac or armagnac fan, however, it’s the best, and I have seen it numerous places (in Dubai, other nice places in the UK and Asia) and on this special occasion I thought, “No, I want to try this now” to find out the score. I can now confirm the following: the reason it is £50 per 10ml (barely a few sips) is that 80% of it is over 100 years old and has spent most of its life in a fresh oak barrel, never used for anything other than its own development. Viewed by many as ‘the king’ of cognacs, I could sense a deeper smell when sniffing and the hints of chocolate, caramel, coffee and marmalade all came at different times, rather like a Château d’Yquem does with its many layers of scents and tastes. The taste of the Louis XIII was potent and rich but in truth, if I was blind folded, I would not be able to tell the difference between that and other, old cognacs.

So there we go, the best cognac on planet earth is probably better on the nose than it is in the mouth, is very deep with numerous levels of smell and flavours, but all in all, you need to be in love with cognac to bother with this pursuit of luxury, even if the establishment barely breaks even on the bottle (and in some cases loses money on each serving). Still, splendid as always to get another box ticked in the ‘do the best in the world’ life bucket list as I now know and don’t need to worry anymore. Done… as was I, at the end of a long and splendid meal over a lovely and special occasion.

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One would think on entering The Delaunay that it is the sort of establishment that has been there for decades, however it has only been there for just under 4 years. The sister restaurant to The Wolseley and part of the Corbin & King Gp, it achieves a European café buzzing atmosphere. It has a lovely, traditional bistro design and feel about it and the green leathers, marble and wooden décor has a pleasant style and avoids being over the top as well which is a very nice aspect. The staff were accommodating to allow our late breakfast table spill in to lunch where all other tables had been transformed to the more formal look of white table clothes placed on for the afternoon service around us at 1130am. Overall, the food was mildly disappointing.

The food was, on the whole ok and the service mixed but I would prepare yourselves for some cheeky charges – the 2 x cover charges were applied again (seemingly for the table cloths) and the side of bearnaise sauce was provided…for an additional £7.50. I would therefore not put this venue in the reasonable or value of money category, but it was a pleasant place to visit with some good moments.

The food was, on the whole ok and the service mixed but I would prepare yourselves for some cheeky charges – the 2 x cover charges were applied again (seemingly for the table cloths) and the side of bearnaise sauce was provided…for an additional £7.50. I would therefore not put this venue in the reasonable or value of money category, but it was a pleasant place to visit with some good moments.

Foodwise, the dishes were on the comfort food level and certainly no complaints, but some mixed emotions. The banana smoothie was creamy and luxurious, the carrot and ginger juice was beautiful with just the right level of kick from the ginger at the end. The portion size of the schnitzel (which was from a choice of 4 kinds so schnitzel lovers note this lunchtime menu!) was very generous although for the perfect kind of veal schnitzel, frankly one would need to fly to Dusseldorf and dine at Bistro im Victorian.

The egg benedict was absolutely fine and I actually thought the Welsh Rarebit was far better here than at their elder sibling’s version at The Wolseley – Delaunay’s had a superior cheese flavour to the topping and on bread whose crusts were not extremely rigid. However, I was disappointed with the New York hot dog – for such a classic piece of comfort food, and served in this sort of establishment, I would have at least expected a better effort on the relish, onions or something other than just a tiny side of mustard. A poor show on this I thought unfortunately, but the steak tartare lifted my emotions owing to its perfect seasoning with quail egg. I have seen more adventurous presentations of the steak taratre, such as in Brasserie Chavot and Berner’s Tavern, however it really did taste good here.

Once again a cover charge of £2 per person was applied as part of the Corbin & King Gp; for a full explanation of this charge, see my review of The Wolseley. Going by this explanation, it was surprising to see that they had applied it to today’s bill as we were already seated in the ‘full table service’ area and as a result of having breakfast, we were not given a table cloth for lunch. Presumably this was because the staff did not wish to disturb the table, but it would therefore seem that the explanation of the cover charge does not apply to The Delaunay or they are inconsistent between the two. If it is for the table cloths, it would have been nice to have one before being charged… Once again we are talking about a minor addition, but the issue is of inconsistency, a lack of clarity and potential, complacent over-charging.

Overall, it was a pleasant venue, with simple, all day dining foods done to a comfortable level with service that was eventually warm, but I would also say with service that needed tightening (served an additional smoothie and hot dog dish when both were not asked for) and was a little mixed overall. However, a nice option to have if in the area and in need of an alluring venue.

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