Richard Bagnold

Barstool and counter dining within customary 'Robuchon' dimly lit and stylish design serving food from the kitchen within the bar area in front of diners

Whilst walking through West Street in order to get last orders by Embankment we passed L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon and the idea of walking passed and not going inside for anything as the opportunity was there just seemed ridiculous(!). To that end, we entered in the name of food research to see what the current amuse bouche was and purely for a portion of the equally fabled truffle mash. The staff were very understanding to this snap requirement, particularly in our spirited state and the bar upstairs was the perfect holding area for two, lone idiots with this insatiable need.

My two previous write ups to here will be a far better indication of the variety of food from numerous visits including a bespoke tasting menu and this visit was purely to buy the truffle mash and try their amuse bouche over glasses of wine. The fact that entry was asked for purely for those two items alone I think speaks for itself and the revised iberico croquette amuse bouche was a totally smooth thing of beauty (such delicate casing), as was the truffled mash….then again, I knew this was going to be the case with the latter. Still the best mash I have ever had and the revised amuse bouche is absolutely on the money which was good to see in lieu of the iconic shot glass of creamed foie gras with ruby port gel and parmesan foam now being replaced by a worthy contestant.

The dishes here have always been incredibly stylish and there is no question that they are sumptuous and clever at the same time. The only draw back being that each dish is practically like a starter and smaller in some cases so although the prices look relatively doable (anywhere between £8 and £20 each roughly) you actually need a minimum of four dishes to be truly full for the average person especially over a longer period of time, and with wines the bill will, I guarantee, start to toot up.

I have found the best way to maximise the value for money is go at lunch, get the set menu with tap water and do not be seduced by their wares on wine (as one would be working that’s easy anyway as not really the done thing to drink during work time unless on a ‘smoker’ occasion) and sticking to that will produce a wonderful menu for a very reasonable amount in terms of London. Self-discipline is required at this venue in order to keep it thus!

Overall, this place is a wonderful option for set menu lunch, pre-theatre set menus and also works with the optional restaurant area in the upper level for a full blown tasting menu but there is nothing stopping you having this at the bar or at one of the surrounding bar tables. It is always fun to feel so intimately close with the chefs at this place as you can see everything they do to prepare your lovely dish; the highlights of which remain for me the mini foie gras burgers and the quail with truffle mash (perhaps the creamiest and loveliest mashed potato in the world).

Just a shame they have lost a star demoting them to one and I have absolutely no idea of the logic with Michelin as it appears to be exactly the same as it was but it will not deter me in going at anytime remains a very fun option for people to do. I have placed this in the ‘view’ category as well, not because of the outside (it could not be more away from natural light and outside views if it tried) but becuase of the unique view of the chefs in the kitchen preparing all your dishes for you in front of your eyes – a fun and original concept.

5 of my 10 courses had foie gras (a rather hefty sur-charge came with this) and I also gave enough notice for them to do a steak with sauce béarnaise and sauce choron (béarnaise but with tomato puree and other little extra spices) which was probably one of the biggest food highlights of all time – those two sauces at 2 Michelin starred level, PURELY for me and one of my death-row meals to celebrate my Birthday. And it did not disappoint! Among the best versions of that dish I have ever had and all other dishes were sublime. My only criticism was the portion sizes were not catered for the menu and were far too big resulting in nearly exploding at the half way point and an actual ressess needed to make the meal medically tenable. A wonderful meal and one I will not forget.

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Pied a Terre is a cosy, 1 Michelin starred option (2017) in the lovely area of Charlotte Street, London W1. It is very much a French experience in food and from the staff and for the products gave a set lunch at £54 for 3 courses (turning out to be 6) including half a bottle of wine, water and coffee per person which is, for this level of products a good package. One or two minor down sides of this experience dented what was otherwise a good meal and the venue is ideal for quieter and perhaps snug occasions.

The meal started with snacks of taramasalata with cuttlefish mousse and vine leaves which were essentially complete opposites – the former being light and pleasurable and the latter being very dry and bland. The bread was home made and whilst it was very nice to experience the focaccia, it is exceedingly difficult for anywhere to beat the focaccia of Noble Rot and The Sportsman.

The meal started with snacks of taramasalata with cuttlefish mousse and vine leaves which were essentially complete opposites – the former being light and pleasurable and the latter being very dry and bland. The bread was home made and whilst it was very nice to experience the focaccia, it is exceedingly difficult for anywhere to beat the focaccia of Noble Rot and The Sportsman.

The braised goat shoulder with fennel and tomato was actually packed with flavour, had decent crunch and balance and the buratta and salad starter was a simple, refreshing and visually appealing starter. An interlude of very pleasing mushroom foam and ham was brought to the table and it was not clear if this was given to the table on account of this site or whether this was the norm – my gut says it may have been the former and whilst this certainly was an extremely good interlude, I will assume this is not the norm as I did not see other tables receive this and therefore discount from the overall value for money.

The mains were lamb and cod. The lamb with aubergine purée, lamb jus, cucumber and orange had good return on the deep jus but it was overdone to the request which was rare – medium rare which was a shame to get this basic wrong. The cod with seaweed butter sauce was an absolute delight, but for the price it was a little bare of vegetables which I think could have easily been included more to upscale the size and balance of the dish. The cod itself was beautifully done.

A yoghurt mousse with walnut purée and honey was a pleasant, little pre-dessert although the walnut purée was set quite hard at the bottom so getting all of the components at the same time (as intended) meant having to dig quite substantially as the minor negative. The desserts then came in the form of banana, chocolate, vanilla mousse and cherry which was a simple and effective dessert, followed by three cheeses (Pave d’Auge, Monbien and stilton), all of which were nicely chosen and a good mix without over doing the portions. Petit fours were particularly good with the classic French canelés, soft and juicy orange gels and prunes that were soaked to a very good level. Interesting to see the similarirties and simplification since 6 years ago having the same.

Overall, this was a fully competent meal and the only food negatives were the one snack, the lamb and perhaps downsize of the dishes, but the flavours and presentation were good to experience again. Two other things stand out: 1) I came to learn that the L’Autre Pied (Pied a Terre’s sister restaurant) is now closed and all eggs have been placed in to the former 2 Michelin starred basket of Pied a Terre, and 2) one of the waiters at this lunch towards the end was almost argumentative with our table on receiving a request to identify the cheeses which soured the experience somewhat and was very surprising to have this at this Michelin starred restaurant. I accept that the star is officially given for the food alone (although this is hugely debated), but it was surprising to have an abrasive finish after being looked after so well by the bulk of the staff including a particularly hospitable Sommeiler. The observation with the waiter was explained to the management at the end in order to raise awareness and this was gracefully received as far as it could be.

A good meal showing general authority with one or two aspects to improve for the overall experience.

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I only had to be told that Steve Harris (owner of my hallowed Sportsman pub in Kent) had teamed up with the Noble Rot founders (Dan Keeling and Mark Andrew) to create a restaurant in London, to make me throw down the tea I was drinking immediately and start looking at reservation dates for my first visit. A year later and a quick drop in for a great glass of red and the undeniably superb breads (focaccia and soda) at Noble Rot is still one of the nicest things that can be done in the whole of London in my view. This was a very brief visit in comparison to the previous one in 2016 which will have more detail on the menu for here. Suffice to say we left with heads bowed and questioning whether we should cancel the main lunch booked at different venue (Pied a Terre) where myself and my associate Mr Bainbridge had the actual appointment for this day. Although the cold meats were better on our first visit, the £18 each for superb breads, wine and good charcuterie is a no brainer and a delightful option and I am glad we have this in the UK.

Food Review: 75%

The service was very good from the off with a waiter and sommelier in one, who ended up marrying us up with some wonderful glasses of white and red with our small plate dishes (another lunch was being done after this one). But first came the bread. I am not over-egging this when I say the focaccia made here is among the best, if not the best on this blue-green planet of ours. The memory of the salted-herbed crust, the perfect squidgyness and with the fact that a delightful amount of oil is left on the fingers from just picking it up, actually makes me salivate just writing this. I’d be in danger of overdosing on carbs if I had a longer time in here as I could happily munch on this for about an hour with the right, supporting drinks.

The other bread is also worth mentioning as the sour dough is the same as that served at Hedone (widely considered to to be among the best available in that league) and the soda bread has treacle within it giving it have a chocolaty quality. These don’t really need butter but the unfortunate thing is that the butter here is also very good, so that’s any hope of taking things ‘easy’ here, immediately shot.

The starters were all simple and very good at the same time. The lomo (cured loin of ham) was a pleasure with its supporting new potatoes and capers and the iberico bellota paleta (bellota = purely acorn fed, paleta = shoulder of the iberico pig) was extremely good to eat. Better still was placing one of the slices on the focaccia for utter decadence!

Then of course, the signature slip sole was clearly going to be tried, especially as it is served not with seaweed butter as it is at The Sportsman, but with a twist using smoked paprika. In the main I thought that the Noble Rot version slip sole just pipped it to the post for me on flavor as I did quite like the interesting zing that came with this version. That said, I have always loved the way the seaweed butter version is used to ‘paint’ the fish and make it look close to how a slip sole actually is.

There is understandably a superb wine list at this venue with options by the glass you simply will not find in many other places. As we had to stay relatively modest on this occasion that was fine too as the Occhipinti Rosa 2105 and Envinate Taganan Blanco 2014 were both lovely glasses of wine to have and came across very well with their dishes. In general, this is a gem of a place, particularly for wine lovers and those that want to come in for a quick top up of sheer quality at reasonable prices. There is no doubt for me now – this is a down to earth, impressive and lovely venue.

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I’ve got fond memories of Victoria, mainly owing to spending childhood school days in Ecclestone Square. But it was a surprise to me that along a non-salubrious high street off Victoria station sat this reportedly up market Chinese restaurant and one which had escaped my radar until it was recommended by a friend. As you enter you can only think, “Of course it’s a great place” with its almost stylish cafe feel complete with snazzy counter bar to eat at, overlooking the kitchen. Barely a few weeks after this visit and before the ink had dried at the press of the Michelin Guide 2018 publication, A Wong picked up its first star since opening 5 years ago. And I find that rather fitting, as the quail egg croquettes, clever rabbit dumplings, pork with foie gras and custard buns were very much above the norm for Chinese cuisine. A lovely terrace garden in front and the great service added to a superb meal that was £75 pp for the array of items and drinks making this a stand out venue for eating Asian food in London. Highly recommended.

Right from the off, there was a casual feel to this restaurant, but combined with the fact that those serving were professional and knew their products and format. The large, obligatory prawn crackers were light and spiced well to nibble on over a couple of Tsing Tao beers to begin with, but I began to realise what my associate, Mr Bainbridge was talking about when the prawn dumplings with citrus foam arrived.

Right from the off, there was a casual feel to this restaurant, but combined with the fact that those serving were professional and knew their products and format. The large, obligatory prawn crackers were light and spiced well to nibble on over a couple of Tsing Tao beers to begin with, but I began to realise what my associate, Mr Bainbridge was talking about when the prawn dumplings with citrus foam arrived.

Steamed dumplings with a Shanghai soup vinaigrette and tapioca pearls were soft and very well executed, not to mention lovely parcels to literally drink the insides through little incisions of the casing. The wontons with prawns with garlic and bean curd sauce to dip in were equally pleasant, but the stakes were raised by the wonderful quail eggs encased with extremely light, almost flakey to the touch croquette exterior served with a lovely ginger oil and crispy seaweed sauce. The latter here is why aromatic and Asian dining is so wonderful as it is significantly lower in calories than thick, cream or egg based sauces, but also packs a huge punch at the same time…which these did. Frankly, I would go back for these alone.

I liked the way that the honey baked pork pasties had a tinge of caramelisation on the outside crust and the filling was good but it felt as if it was far too little for the quantity of pastry that encased it. A sound flavour but perhaps more filling or less pastry would have raised this. The deep fried prawn balls with chilli were another very doable course as were the char sui buns with venison – again, perhaps a slightly bigger filling to up the moisture compared to the surrounding walls of dried

Aromatic duck with ginger oil and home made plum sauce was very good. Aromatic crispy duck is inherently more dry than Peking as the former is deep fried as opposed to oven-roasted and I find aromatic can easily become too horrendously dry as a result. Not so in this case, the duck was as succulent as they come and whilst the sauces were good but not to the level of HKK (now sadly closed down), it was still very good with unbelievably light pancakes. This was followed by the signature rabbit in carrot dumplings which was obviously a novel and clever way to present them, with a refreshingly different form of dumpling (ironically, I had to forage for the rabbit inside a little bit).

I was however, eternally grateful for being shown the char sui pork with caramelised sausages and frozen foie gras shavings. Probably not the sort of dish to have every day from a calorific point of view, but was superb in flavour – the sweet, sticky sauce, with succulent pork and wonderful compliment of ‘light’ foie gras shavings that melted to the touch was a lovely mesh and did not last long on the plate.

The track record with Asian / Chinese restaurants is that the forté is not with desserts and that’s even at 3 Michelin starred level had thus far. However, these custard buns were frankly mesmorising and one of the nicest desserts had this year full stop. The idea was creative, but when the light and fluffy bun exterior ‘bled’ with wonderfully sweet and warm custard made from duck eggs (not too sickly sweet), this really was gorgeous and worked on every level, no question. The white and milk, crunchy petit fours were also pretty good and a drink in the terrace afterwards with something different from the sommelier finished a meal that was basically one of the stand out meals had this year. The price was great and this is one of my new, favourite ‘pinned’ places in my mind for Chinese food and I am already plotting when to go back for the full Peking duck menu which you need to book 48hrs in advance.

I would recommend this restaurant for a Dim Sum lunch for a breezy drop in at the counter just as much as I would an entire feast within the evening as the products (on first experience) are first class, as is the hospitality and overall experience. I’m going back as soon as I have got a window in place after visiting the newly promoted restaurants of 2018 in the next few weeks. A great place.

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Tucked away within Marylebone village, an undeniably lovely part of London, is Trishna, one of a handful of Michelin starred Indian restaurants in the UK (they are all currently in London according to the 2017 guide). The trump card with this option are the very reasonable set menus extending to not only lunch but also pre-theatre and the early evening. The dishes reflect South and South Western Indian cooking (and are therefore a little more spicy than those from Eastern and Northern India). The venue is small and cosy and candle lit in the evening with charming service. Unfortunately attention to detail in the preparation one dish in particular for this visit reduced the impact of the food, but this was dealt with well by the management. As usual, the score is for the food alone, hence the reduced grade on this visit.

The popadoms came in a variety of roasted (hard), shallow fried (beautifully soft) and in an unusual form more akin to crackers which were light and very good. The sweet mango chutney and brown tomato chutneys were of course made on site and I found the sweet mango chutney certainly living up to its name as was almost jam-like, but it’s hard not to enjoy hand made popadoms with hand made mango chutney before an Indian meal, irrespective of the different takes on them.

The popadoms came in a variety of roasted (hard), shallow fried (beautifully soft) and in an unusual form more akin to crackers which were light and very good. The sweet mango chutney and brown tomato chutneys were of course made on site and I found the sweet mango chutney certainly living up to its name as was almost jam-like, but it’s hard not to enjoy hand made popadoms with hand made mango chutney before an Indian meal, irrespective of the different takes on them.

Opting for the set evening menu, my starter of Ajwaini Salmon Tikka I thought was a delightful starter. The spices were an interesting mix of carom seed and dill, the salmon itself with juicy texture and the soothing side of the yoghurt on the side. Uncomplicated and satisfying. One thing that was absolutely note-worthy was the wonderfully judged naan bread (perfect softness and flavour) and I would say more of these with a slightly less3 viscous version of their sweet mango chutney would be reason enough to request a table for that alone, a few drinks and then settle up.

The Nilgiri chicken kurma (kurma is slightly more heated than a korma) came with boneless chicken thighs, coriander, curry leaf and coconut. For the price of the £28 for the three courses, the main was not only the kurma but came with basmati rice (nice and fluffy), spiced new potatoes (average flavour) and dahl which is puts the value for money even further ahead than it already is compared to other Michelin starred set menus. However, my excitement at having a chicken thigh kurma (the best part of chicken meat with one of the best curry flavours) was stifled on the discovery of part of an elastic band in the food. The chicken itself was definitely under cooked as parts of red were exposed even if the rest of the dish could be eaten. After asking for things to be confirmed, the management came to ask where the ‘foreign object’ was discovered so that all other parts could be checked, gave sincere apologies and offered a glass of something to make up. As pleasant a gesture as this is I couldn’t actually eat the rest of the dish as I was put off from the rest of it so I had to refrain from eating the main any further.

Finally, the fig and cardamom kheer (cardamom, pistachio, fig khulfi) was clearly a set menu offering and as creamy as the rice pudding-like kheer was, the fig kulfi ice cream in the centre was almost like ice and I just didn’t find that the combination of cold rice pudding and cardamom worked for me at all, with or without the crunch of the pistachio pieces on top. Petit fours came in the form of orange jelly with a hint of chilli and an Indian shortcake which, unfortunately were not the best as well; the jelly was very tough and the shortcake had a nice texture but ultimately a bit flat.

So, overall the meal represented very good value for money, although in hindsight I would have preferred the price of the kurma to be removed as I did not want to eat the rest of it on discovery of the foreign object rather than a courtesy drink, but the management dealt with it in an entirely graceful manner. Charm and hospitality can cover most sins, but ultimately, for a Michelin starred venue, this was a disappointing meal.

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As a meat eater I wish to increase the vegetarian repertoire of options on this site and will be adding to this category kicking off with Mildreds in addition to Vanilla Black. Mildreds is a bustling and evidently popular option, with aspects that I did enjoy such as the sauces (basil mayonnaise and chipotle ketchup) made on site and the tofu burger made with focaccia bread. However, it was nearly deafening inside owing to the confines of the restaurant and the general menu is functional rather than gourmet. If you are vegetarian, then there are a varied number of dishes to choose from either inside or to take away as another bonus of the establishment. Good efforts were made by the front of house to accommodate all walk-ins as much as possible and the staff were generally busy bees to all the customers’ needs throughout service.

The tomato, melon and chilli salad was served with a yuzu and shiso leaf dressing. Unfortunately the latter was rather overshadowed by the power of the chilli and I couldn’t detect too much of either the yuzu or the shiso which was a shame. However, the melon did its job of calming down the effects of the chilli and offset this nicely. The tomatoes were fresh but simply lacking in true tomato flavour.

The tomato, melon and chilli salad was served with a yuzu and shiso leaf dressing. Unfortunately the latter was rather overshadowed by the power of the chilli and I couldn’t detect too much of either the yuzu or the shiso which was a shame. However, the melon did its job of calming down the effects of the chilli and offset this nicely. The tomatoes were fresh but simply lacking in true tomato flavour.

The gyoza dumplings were a better option with a very well done and home made sweet chilli and soy dip and were it not for the latter this may have otherwise been a little bland with a dumpling casing that was a little more chewy than the norm.

There were a selection of burgers to choose from and I chose the classic which had a lentil paste interior in focaccia bread with sweet potato fries. To the restaurant’s credit I liked the way in amongst the bottles of ready made sauces, the basil mayonnaise and chipotle ketchup (with a deep BBQ flavour) were made on site. It was great having the burger inside focaccia bread as a change from the norm but the lentil and tofu burger itself fell somewhat flat in flavour and I didn’t get a sense of the piquillo pepper or smoked nature of the tofu in amongst the lentils and paste. Because it could not hold itself together, it proved impossible to eat it without it breaking and crumbling away with every mouthful making it quite a messy affair. The red onion relish and

Service was on the whole very accommodating with one waiter who clearly did not wish to be working on the afternoon of my visit. It was good that walk ins were accommodated for but the bar area in extremely confined if you wish to wait during busy periods. Overall, the £27 for two starters and a main was reasonable value for the quantity of dishes, but the meal highlighted that it is is a cafe style level of cooking rather than one of notable gastronomy. My search for a higher level vegetarian venue continues, but if you are restricted in only being able to eat vegetarian or vegan food, this is a fair option to try.

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A return visit to this very Mayfair establishment. The service was superb throughout and the early evening menu of three courses for £35 (served between 1730-1830) is a more expensive option for Michelin starred set menus, but still very good value to have in the evening. Generally the food is spicier than average and the dishes well done. Although this set menu was lower in the overall stakes of set menus there were some good moments including the mini popadoms with three chutneys, the prawn main and the staff were very accommodating to bring some raita to the table to cool down when they noticed the heat from the dishes being felt a bit. Very slick, upmarket Indian restaurant in general and the bar snack menu looks even more appealing (see at the expansion button).

The mini popadoms appeared roasted as they were harder than the norm and the chutneys were a good spread: tomato, apricot and gooseberry (the latter being the best). The amuse bouche sweet corn and onion fritter on bed of sweet yoghurt was pleasant but the sweet yoghurt was not sweet, more a minimum of medium spiced. This was only ok, as it came across as basically fried batter with crunchy vegetable pieces with very scant flavour.

The bhatti spiced lamb pasanda, stewed ginger plums with star anise was hotter than normal for a pasanda. This was medium as opposed to mild but it was a lovely touch of the management to provide separate raita with cucumber to cool down with. The plums gave a pleasant sweet dimension to the spices and the lamb was only just detectable through the surrounding spices. Personally, I would have preferred more of the sauce on the lamb.

The Goan prawn caldine curry with pickled vegetable slaw was a lovely curry. The prawns were coated with ground spices including coconut and green chilli and this was absolutely great. The basmanti rice was light and fluffy and the pickled slaw gave a good edge to lift the other components. The yellow lentils were a little watery in finish and although a clean flavour, it was one I only got so much pleasure from. However, the curry itself was extremely good.

Slightly disappointing was the chai (Masala) tea which had strong aromas and kick from the cardamom, cinnamon and ginger but within a watery base. This may be personal preference, but the milkier versions served at the Dishooms and especially Darbaar I would say are infinitely better.

All in all this was a relatively good package, but the return for the buck was a little bit lacking on this occasion. The 5 course sharing of bar snack courses with a free cocktail in the bar for £30 may have been the better option. Again, it was very good of the team to box up additional petit fours for the ones not had in order to share with others later. The hospitality here was wonderful and I believe bar snack menu will be my next target for Benares.

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A long overdue revisit to Murano by Angela Hartnett. Head chef Pip Lacey moved just prior to this visit (to open a solo venture named Hicce) and the new head chef is now Oscar Holgado. It was very good to have this lunch and see the similarities and changes since nearly 7 years ago. The cured meats and olives as amuse bouche and interior are very much the same as is the value for money set lunch option (3 courses for £33). Ultimately, this was a pleasing set menu in a swish, Mayfair restaurant serving simple Italian dishes with good return for the price.

The start of the meal provided coppa ham, onion bread and rosemary bread which was a good opener. The smell from the cured meats hit me before it was on the table and the onion bread was quality (rosemary bread was a bit hard to detect). The olives were simple and explosive in simple quality and resembled extremely good produce. It was also lovely that the butter was so malleable and good to taste and all these painted a good picture to begin.

The start of the meal provided coppa ham, onion bread and rosemary bread which was a good opener. The smell from the cured meats hit me before it was on the table and the onion bread was quality (rosemary bread was a bit hard to detect). The olives were simple and explosive in simple quality and resembled extremely good produce. It was also lovely that the butter was so malleable and good to taste and all these painted a good picture to begin.

The charred mackerel and tartare, avocado, coriander and pine nuts was light, tangy and simple. The tartare gave the charred mackerel the added moisture it needed and overall, was a simple and good dish. Next up was the carnaroli risotto, tomato, anchovy and salsa verde. Carnaroli is slightly smaller to regular risotto and as it is more starchy, it is able to retain moisture better than the more common arborio. For all its simplicity, it packed a huge punch and was basically a commanding risotto. Appropriate for the set menu, I doubt others would be able to improve on this very much unless you go to La Calandre in Padua.

Pre-dessert came in the form of elderflower granita, cucumber and mint which was a very pleasant combination – the onslaught of sweet was subdued by the moist, savouryness of the cucumber and was a simple, refreshing mouth cleanser. The main dessert was Amalfi lemon semifreddo, with black sesame, limoncello and cucumber. I found this a wonderful combination of the sesame toast with the semifreddo lemon with a beautifully soft and sweet amalfi lemon. There was a need for the cucumber sauce but, the latter was too great and the lemon was in danger of being under attack by too much cucumber as the overriding flavour which detracted it from being the very good dish it would have been. Cherries then arrived at the table to my surprise, and whilst these were nice to have, some were a little old and had marks on them which, was a shame as it knocked the experience down a peg or two. My own thought is that if simple fruit or produce are being served on their own, they need to be perfect, especially at 1 Michelin starred level, so this was a slight shot in the foot with this.

It was very good to speak with the head chef after the meal and convey the above. Oscar is formerly of the Marcus, Pittcue, Fera and previously Murano as well in his early days as a pleasant return. The slick restaurant that it is was comforting and the service throughout was very good. Most of the stiffen the floor are actually from Italy as a bonus for a more authentic feel, and ultimately I walked away from here in to the street of glorious Mayfair with the thoughts of barring one or two minor detractions, as a ‘thumbs up’ meal.

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A long overdue revisit to this pleasing suburban Michelin starred venue. The lunch menu showed good value as this turned out to be £35 for three courses and with the home made sour dough, canapés and the satisfaction that the food was, this was overall a pleasant package. Whilst the dishes themselves were not overly elaborate, it was a comforting collection with some good moments and a couple of parts that could have been tightened. Definitely good to get back after quite a long absence and especially in the company of none other than Andy Hayler as the ultimate icing to the occasion.

Snacks arrived at the table in the form of seaweed crisp crackers with nasturtium leaves, taramasalata and dried bottarga (form of roe from grey mullet). The crisps themselves were quite plain but thankfully the toppings made up for this as was clearly their purpose. The starter of suckling pig agnolotti, sweetcorn, kohlrabi, pancetta and roasting juices was very good – a deep sense of the pig encased in little parcels of soft agnolotti with a bit of crunch from the kohlrabi and sweetcorn made a very pleasant starter with a supportingly rich sauce.

Snacks arrived at the table in the form of seaweed crisp crackers with nasturtium leaves, taramasalata and dried bottarga (form of roe from grey mullet). The crisps themselves were quite plain but thankfully the toppings made up for this as was clearly their purpose. The starter of suckling pig agnolotti, sweetcorn, kohlrabi, pancetta and roasting juices was very good – a deep sense of the pig encased in little parcels of soft agnolotti with a bit of crunch from the kohlrabi and sweetcorn made a very pleasant starter with a supportingly rich sauce.

It was actually the creamed mash that made me opt for the chicken as I am continuing my search for a creamed mash that can rival that of Mr Robuchon’s. The chicken was gratifying and came close to peak level from the thigh and skin pieces at times. The herbed stuffing between the two was great to see but needed something perhaps to lift it. I particularly enjoyed the light and crunchy nature of the Italian yellow beans (that appear light green), similar to that of salty fingers, packed with moisture, but the presence of a hair in the dish was an unfortunate presentation for a venue of this standard. I had a brief taste of the roasted and braised Berkshire deer with its black lentils, turnips, beetroot and blackberries which had a fulsome flavour with perhaps an even deeper and more powerful jus to accompany.

I should mention that the half bottle of German Riesling (Mosel) was a very pleasant choice as Riesling is not usually my pick of the bunch (I can find too aggressive), but this variant was refreshingly sweet and light at the same time (10% alcohol) which was just what was needed. This also went quite well with the moscovado custard tart which was beautifully eggy, wobbly and rich with well portioned crème fraîche and sweet, roasted cherries – a very good combination for the senses. In contrast, I found the strawberry soufflé far too sweet and the salted caramel petit fours a touch too salty.

Overall this was a pleasing 3 course lunch with various additives, representing good value for the food alone. I was actually expecting the same a la carte prices for the food as my first visit but was delighted after ordering to see that the set lunch menu was actually far more competitive to its 1 Michelin starred family and therefore have nothing but pleasure in putting this in the value for money category. Service was conscientious throughout and whilst my first visit had more memorable food moments and there were actually a couple of misses on this occasion (hence the lowered score), this is still a notable neighbourhood restaurant which was good to see again.

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A due return visit to this Michelin starred French restaurant in London’s Mayfair. Embedded within an ex-council estate block of flats that are now clearly more difficult to come by, the walkway to the entrance resembles a greenhouse and inside is a swish, white table-clothed interior with formal service. In terms of a set lunch menu this was most definitely in the upper echelon on Michelin starred lunches which, ultimately should be the case as this restaurant has two Michelin stars. £40 gave a three course lunch, 5 courses when considering the canapés and amuse bouche without wine and this represents very good value when the food is at this standard and very much worth the journey. With wine and at dinner here for two, the bill would be considerably different.

Nibbles were brought to the pristine table in the form of an Iberica ham panna cotta with melon gel on thin crisp and prawn cocktail encased in soft rice paper along with a mini, crunchy cigar of mushroom paste with ginger all of which were of a good standard but the latter, with its pleasant kick being the more notable. The bread selection was good and even though these were not made on site, the feuilleté bread was absolutely superb; the pastry on this was entirely brittle with a very soft inside and far more interesting than most breads had recently. Seaweed butter isn’t normally my favourite, but this was balanced very well.

Nibbles were brought to the pristine table in the form of an Iberica ham panna cotta with melon gel on thin crisp and prawn cocktail encased in soft rice paper along with a mini, crunchy cigar of mushroom paste with ginger all of which were of a good standard but the latter, with its pleasant kick being the more notable. The bread selection was good and even though these were not made on site, the feuilleté bread was absolutely superb; the pastry on this was entirely brittle with a very soft inside and far more interesting than most breads had recently. Seaweed butter isn’t normally my favourite, but this was balanced very well.

Then came the amuse bouche which is one of the restaurant’s proud, signature dishes which the chef (Arnaud Bignon) had created at his previous 2 Michelin starred restaurant in Greece. This was white crab, slightly curried, with a ginger cauliflower puree, mint gel apple foam, curry oil and diced apple on top. You would think that those components would destroy the crab, but somehow the crab was able to be noticed enough and it was a very light and carefully balanced dish.

The starter of girolle mushrooms with cobnut, amontillado (a form of fortified wine) and spinach was an unsubstantial dish and a little small as a starter and simple, but the sherry of amontillado worked well with the mushrooms and one cannot expect lobster laced with caviar on a set lunch menu at the same time. The Jacobs Ladder (flank steak) with celeriac and bone marrow purée, plums and soy was elegantly prepared and again, very much a set menu dish. The very lightly pickled plums worked well and the celeriac and marrow puree was probably the most enjoyable aspect along with the superb bavette of bone marrow, flank and the same puree as a side serving.

Dessert was Equatorial chocolate with tarragon mousse, tarragon sorbet and gel with chocolate biscuit base and chocolate ganache which had an utterly light base and the combination with the tarragon was a great. Petit fours came in the shape of crunchy peanut butter, yuzu and coconut, and mint meringue and apple gel, all of which registered well.

Overall this was a confident meal with a very well presented polish, clearly in keeping with how a set menu can be done. It was also a pleasant uplift when comparing with some 1 Michelin star set menu lunches of late that have exposed a price tag of being slightly lower (in £35-40) but significantly lower in effort and execution in comparison to this meal. Service was sincere and focussed throughout and the only things that let this meal down slightly were an audible reprimand of a staff member which is not what the customer wants to hear and the fact that when I opted for no coffee, this was still charged with an over-confident chuckle in that, this should have been obvious as it was the all in price. I disagree – this may be the case, but it would have been better for the paying customer to be alerted that the option of not going for coffee would still be charged for it. Not the end of the world, but it signalled a tinge of arrogance from the staff to do so. Ultimately, this was good value for money and I would rather have this at the slightly higher premium as a set menu for the skill and pleasantness that came with it, than a slightly lower price and badly done dishes. A very good set menu lunch and good to be back.

It has since this review gained its second Michelin star and as a result they have, unfortunately sent the price tag of their menu rocketing upwards because they will obviously be able to get away with it and on my second visit with a second star I saw absolutely no mirrored increase in the dishes (sadly photos missing from this second visit). It has made me actually wish to avoid here now as it is good cooking and it was definitely in the upper echelons of 1 stars when I went to it on the first outing but simply feels like an expensive let down with its second star and the prices given suggest it takes itself far too seriously. More concentration should be given on producing frankly better tasting dishes.

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