Richard Bagnold

The Fordwich Arms is a riverside pub just outside Canterbury headed by Dan and Natasha Smith. The couple took over the Fordwich Arms in 2017 after leaving London and the kitchens of Jason Atherton and Isaac McHale’s Clove Club and received its first Michelin star in the 2019 guide. This is a charmingly cosy pub with attentive and charming staff. Lunch on my first visit was £45 for myself and the dishes showed skilful designs and some pleasing impacts causing a definite feeling for me to return for the full menu at a later stage. A very good first visit and well deserved of its shiny, new star.

The average 3 course a la carte meal will cost around £55 pp, the full 8-course tasting menu £95 and if you go at lunch on the w/e there is a set 3-course meal at £35 for best value for money. I chose to do none of those(!) and actually liked the look of three of the starters so I did that instead which worked out at £45 with no drink but included service, canapés, homemade breads, coffee and petit fours – this is quite fair with food at this level.

The average 3 course a la carte meal will cost around £55 pp, the full 8-course tasting menu £95 and if you go at lunch on the w/e there is a set 3-course meal at £35 for best value for money. I chose to do none of those(!) and actually liked the look of three of the starters so I did that instead which worked out at £45 with no drink but included service, canapés, homemade breads, coffee and petit fours – this is quite fair with food at this level.

Sat opposite a log fire on a chilly afternoon was a very pleasant way to start the canapes which consisted of three snacks. Black pudding beignet with sherry vinegar, apple and mustard was delicate and pleasing. Smoked cod’s roe, seaweed and oscietra caviar had a lovely addition of pickled gherkin for the onslaught of smooth roe and a tartlet of Canterbury cobble (cheese) with pickled walnut had a beautiful punch of cheese in extremely thin pastry. A very good start.

Homemade breads were malt sourdough & treacle soda breads, home churned butter, with an onion dip made from reduced onions and with local ale (very nice). The final spread was pork fat with marmite and shreds of maple bacon. Normally I don’t enjoy marmite but this was beautifully sweetened, subtle and offset by the maple cured bacon bits in a great way. So far, so great!

Duck liver parfait was the first starter served with clementine, Sauternes and warm doughnuts. This was well done and the pickled onions and clementine gave a very good balance in lieu of a chutney whilst parfait was not lost. The doughnuts themselves were a novel replacement for the usual brioche – beautifully soft and releasing a lovely aroma through the steam when torn open.

Local white crab with pickled cucumber, Kentish cider jelly and hollandaise was a clear choice to be asked for in the Spring. Not mentioned on the menu were buckwheat seeds which have a particularly gritty crunch which was a surprise, but even more was a piece that felt even harder. This, sadly turned out to be a piece of crab shell instead. Another piece of crab shell put me off eating the remaining half of the dish. Aside from this, the dish was clearly impressive to the eye, but the hollandaise could have had more impact through the cider gel as could the crab, so this was the lower end of the meal.

Finally, seven score asparagus, brown butter, lardo layer, wild garlic, wild garlic leaves, puffed rice and cooking juices of the asparagus was thankfully a triumph. Interesting to have green and white asparagus on the same plate to get the difference between them (white asparagus is slightly more fibrous and unsurprisingly, with a less grassy flavour) and these were both pleasant. The wild garlic was super and not overpowering at the same time and all elements tied up together nicely.

As I was in a rush at the end, I forwent dessert and took a chance that petit fours would come with the coffee, which, indeed they did and this, therefore, became my dessert as hoped. Coffee was lost sheep coffee, a local brand from Canterbury.

Although I could only manage three small dishes (starters) on this occasion and one of the three turned out to be not great, you would think this was grounds for the score being barely above 60%. But, the technical ability in the breads, spreads and canapes go a long way to the whole and measure of the venue when all other components are skillfully done as indeed these were. The crab shell was unfortunate but this can happen. Having said that I was a little surprised that after I pointed this out and clearly stopped eating the dish halfway through as a result it was still charged at the end. But then again, here is a good lesson to ask the staff’s views on what to do when this happens or a dish can only be half eaten at the time.

I was generally very happy with this visit and it is well on my radar to return to do the whole treatment next time and in the summer. If you find yourself driving here which will be the case for most visitors I assume given its rather tucked away location, give yourself an extra 20 minutes to try and find a parking space somewhere near.

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Ikoyi opened in mid-2017 and gained a Michelin star in the 2019 Michelin guide. The cuisine uses African ingredients and puts a modern twist on them with British produce through its ‘blind’ menus (no menus provided, just the option of how many courses and allergens /intolerances checked). My lunch here was a set 3-course menu of savouries for £35 with an additional dessert course offered at the end for £8.50, meaning £43.50 for four courses; therefore a set lunch with dessert and coffee plus service charge will cost in the region of £53. This is quite expensive bearing in mind I thought the portion sizes were small and I left hungry, however, the skill and handling of spices I thought was very good here. A cosy restaurant in St James’s market and well worth a drop in.

The meal started with smoked plantain with raspberry powder and scotch bonnet (chilli peppers). This packed a fair punch but the cooked down bananas of the plantain and other parts worked nicely together. Next up was malted barley bread with mushroom stuffing, turnip tops pumpkin seeds and egusi sauce (made from egusi seeds). This was another lovely collection of flavours and a pleasant change from the norm.

The meal started with smoked plantain with raspberry powder and scotch bonnet (chilli peppers). This packed a fair punch but the cooked down bananas of the plantain and other parts worked nicely together. Next up was malted barley bread with mushroom stuffing, turnip tops pumpkin seeds and egusi sauce (made from egusi seeds). This was another lovely collection of flavours and a pleasant change from the norm.

Lamb saddle came with hibiscus, miso coffee and fried shiso. The lamb was tender and with reasonably good flavour and again, the combination of fermented parts and shiso had no real negatives. A side of the signature smoked ‘jollof’ rice with a crab custard. There are a huge number of spices that go into this (along with the other dishes) but the overarching flavour of the jollof rice is of spiced tomato and garlic. This rice was actually very good on its own as a dish and another well-done dish. Roasted walnut ice cream with coffee oil with white chocolate with crumbs was a pleasant way to finish off the meal.

Jeremy Chan, who has worked formerly at Noma is the mastermind behind this unique and innovative restaurant, in league with his African business partner. The result is definitely a pleasing one here and there is much effort that has gone in to design of each dish. This was good on the eye and the flavours were all hitting the right valves, but the main negative here is that I left still hungry. This is the cardinal sin of some restaurants, especially expensive ones which I would class this as. It’s also the main reason that prevents people wanting to take the plunge into fine dining in my opinion. That said, I would happily come back here; I think the thing to do is put a long session in the books, save up a bit more and accept more money is needed to be thrown at it.

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Sorrel restaurant is the latest home of gastronomy from Steven Drake who formerly owned Drakes in Ripley (holding a Michelin star there for 14 years). Sorrel opened at the beginning of 2018 and gained its new, Michelin star at the end of that year for the 2019 guide – essentially, at the earliest opportunity from opening. A set lunch here (and cheapest menu option) costs £45 per person at time of writing and the total bill for this lunch was £131 for two with a glass of wine and food supplement. The cooking style is creative, using multiple elements for each dish which, thankfully does work in overall flavour. It is a beautifully designed interior, has its own car park and is probably best saved for quieter occasions as a restaurant. Overall, a very worthy addition to the Michelin starred family of 2019.

Opening canapes were delicate. The first being beetroot & tapioca crisp, with freeze-dried raspberries, raspberry vinegar, horseradish and pickle (this was great) followed by a mini pork bite, with pineapple and rocket dust (adding a slightly peppery touch) as a take on Hawaiian pizza – no issues with this at all. An amuse bouche of savoury crab custard, smoked tomato, watercress mousse & fresh lime zest was silky, light and served with brioche that was very nicely done.

Opening canapes were delicate. The first being beetroot & tapioca crisp, with freeze-dried raspberries, raspberry vinegar, horseradish and pickle (this was great) followed by a mini pork bite, with pineapple and rocket dust (adding a slightly peppery touch) as a take on Hawaiian pizza – no issues with this at all. An amuse bouche of savoury crab custard, smoked tomato, watercress mousse & fresh lime zest was silky, light and served with brioche that was very nicely done.

Next came white asparagus, toasted buckwheat, one-side cooked scallop with dehydrated raw scallop, Bosworth Ash (goats cheese) and parsley oil which was well balanced albeit with one of the scallops being noticeably firmer than the other. Split pea, broad bean, lamb, grapefruit, morel mushroom, black garlic mayo with split pea mousse was a very nice starter, the grapefruit working well with the fat from the fried potato nest and egg with enjoyable lamb.

Cod came with hen or the woods (Japanese mushroom), potato sea vegetables, samphire, sea fennel and roasted chicken juices. This was a knock out dish with succulent cod (among the best I have had in a long time) with wonderfully deep cooking juices. John Dory (line caught near Devon) came with Jerusalem artichoke purée, lollo rosso, seaweed, turnip, Oyster and lemon thyme, chive oil & caviar. This was another busily constructed dish, light at the same time and whilst the Dory was not unpleasant, I have definitely had Dory that has been even more plump and juicy.

Rhubarb custard and mille-feuille, earl grey, ginger, powdered rhubarb was subtle and nicely done with good pastry. The pear hibiscus, goats yoghurt, cardamom ice cream had strong flavours and these worked very well as well.

I enjoyed this meal and the skilled design was visible from the word go. The staff were attentive and knowledgable on all dishes served. It’s a beautifully designed restaurant with its wood beams contrasting the table cloths but there was a slightly serious atmosphere during service somehow and I couldn’t help think that the staff could maybe afford to relax a little – then again, it was a quiet(ish) lunch. I will come back for dinner next time and make sure someone else is driving as opposed to me in order to enjoy the wine list. It is a professional delivery here which I can see they are well drilled. Steve Drake has clearly recruited carefully for this new venue and is providing well-crafted dishes.

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In my opinion, Browns hotel is practically an institution in London, with its classic, black railing Mayfair exterior on Albermarle Street, charming 5-star boutique nature and beautiful afternoon tea setting. Heinz Beck is the master behind the scenes here, hence its title, with himself owning 3 Michelin starred La Pergola in Rome. After spending several years at La Pergola, amongst other venues, Heros De Agostinis was deployed in early 2018 from La Pergola to carry the Beck flame at Browns hotel for Italian cuisine. I have now been there four times such is the appeal from my first visit and based on this thorough examination, not only is it clear as daylight to me that this is operating in the 1 Michelin starred tier, but I have yet to have better Mediterranean food anywhere else in the UK at time of writing. Set lunch is a cracking deal at £29 for three courses including extras and the acoustics and spacing of the tables within the restaurant combined with the honest service make this a winner of a place all round. I was delighted to see on this last visit that the wine list has been altered to be more inclusive. Although it may look overly grand, it has never been stuffy on any of my visits. I highly recommend this restaurant.

A selection of crudités in ice started the proceedings to munch on and were, as usual, vibrant and pleasant to dip in the olive oil, balsamic and creme fraiche. Other snacks included Gillardeau oysters with matcha tea jelly & yuzu, smoked salmon, potato cream & horseradish tarteletts (my favourite among the snacks) and mini tacos with buffalo mozzarella & tomato. Nicely done and a pleasant way to start.

A selection of crudités in ice started the proceedings to munch on and were, as usual, vibrant and pleasant to dip in the olive oil, balsamic and creme fraiche. Other snacks included Gillardeau oysters with matcha tea jelly & yuzu, smoked salmon, potato cream & horseradish tarteletts (my favourite among the snacks) and mini tacos with buffalo mozzarella & tomato. Nicely done and a pleasant way to start.

Roasted octopus, pecorino romano cheese & infusion of green pea was a first starter with the peas doing a lot of the talking in being such good quality (actually more of a talking point than the octopus). An absolute favourite of mine here is the Fagottelli alla carbonara – delicate pasta parcels with pecorino, parmesan, egg yolk and (shhh!) a tiny dash of cream. Although some protest at cream in a carbonara, I do not care, this makes it sheer savoury liquid heaven (as its purpose) and with the dried crispy bacon shavings on top, frankly it is worth coming here just for this dish (now on the tasting menu only). It’s also important that I mention that this is one of the stand out dishes of the 3 Michelin starred La Pergola and as far as I can tell, there are only minuscule differences between how this Fogattelli compares in the two restaurants – that’s not bad!

Roast leg of milk-fed lamb, coastal vegetables, yoghurt & spices was very nicely done, the lamb having good flavour and perfectly cooked. The combination with the spiced yoghurt, already well balanced, with pleasing veg and finely presented Hasselback, or potato fan. Risotto with Robiola cheese, spiced pork salumi & courgette flowers was nicely moist, had a good stock and with well-chosen textures to add a welcome crunch. The cheese board covered most of Europe and came with pleasant chutney additives and additional rye bread.

Usually this would be it in terms of the write-up, but the raspberry gel petit fours are so good here that they are worth their own mention. It’s very rare you find these at the right softness and taste – I find they are either the right flavour but with the texture of a squash ball, or squidgy enough but with levels of sweetness that feel like they could dissolve your teeth in a matter of minutes. These however, are the absolute best of both worlds, so soft and lightly sweet, with just enough fine, caster sugar, it is actually a talking point. The salted caramel truffles and raspberry macarons are also notably good here as petit fours.

All in, this was approximately £100 per person which, with some very upgraded wine by the glass, is not that bad at all for the quality and setting. If you are a member of the Luxury Restaurant Guide, you also get a free glass of champagne at your meal if you order from the a la carte menu and this is a superb offering as well. For all the above reasons, I think this is a truly great spot in London, serving some carefully chosen and well-executed Mediterranean and Italian food that I have yet to find being trumped anywhere in the UK for this cuisine. In conclusion, frankly I have no idea what the Michelin Guide GB & Ireland are holding out for here. 2020….?

Snacks were had in the bar which consisted of oysters with tarragon and tomato gels, mini tacos with beetroot and avocado cream and crostinis served with butter and anchovy, lemon cream and caviar. These were certainly a very strong first impression just to nibble on. I have had snacks and canapes in Michelin starred restaurants that these would put entirely to shame.

Sea bass carpaccio was served with cannellini beans, vegetable crudités and white truffle of Alba and lime. All the supporting parts went well with the fish which was not too marinated as a carpaccio which was good to see (some can be doused too much, making them more as they should be as a ceviche). Dressed crab, grilled cabbage, carrot and lemon dressing was another beautifully fresh starter. The carrot sauce was sweet and worked very well with the crab which was also 100% shell free which seems to be a rarity these days and a considerable bonus for this visit(!). Scallops came from Scotland and came with potato crisps and pickled Tropea onions (red, long and sweeter onions from Tropea, Southen-tip of Italy).

Veal tartare was served with parmesan cream truffle, rosemary bruschetta and sandwiched in between two thinly sliced pieces of sourdough that were shallow fried. Yes, this was as sumptuous as it sounds and the veal tartare itself perhaps gaining a significant hand from its accompaniments, but boy were they a welcome hand! You could probably hoover this dish in a matter of seconds if there were no restrictions.

However, the absolute crown of the meal went to the Risotto. By the time this came, we were actually getting a little full, and I vividly remember thinking that it was going to be too much when I saw it. These thoughts utterly disappeared and were replaced with the thought there might not be enough of it as it was genuinely that marvellous. Aside from the superb veal stock that had clearly gone into it, the delightful textures from the stock and the light crunch of the artichoke crisps were complimented by one of the greatest truffle balancing acts I have ever had. In terms of a risotto the only that could compare from memory was that served in La Calandre, a 3 Michelin starred restaurant in Padua, 20 minutes south of Venice where their liquorice and saffron risotto is well known in the food explorer’s world. I actually think as a risotto, this was perhaps even better and left me smiling for the rest of the day.

The finale to the meal was trying what could clearly be the only thing to try for an Italian meal and with only a tiny amount of space left, which was the tiramisu. The modern take on this was nicely done in serving it affogato (traditionally espresso poured over vanilla ice cream) and this was an espresso and chocolate sauce over the tiramisu which was as light as a cloud and a genuine pleasure.

This meal was not the cheapest (see receipt for why) and in terms of either having a sensational glass of the Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia at £75 each, or something average, the answer in our heads was, “Well, it’s Christmas!”. Overall this made for a pretty hefty £250 each, but in the surroundings, service and offerings that were had, I am far more happy paying this for these sorts of pleasures than an average meal at even a third of this price which, can very often be the case.

A brilliant first visit, revealing a confirmed little gem.

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Having been established since 2003, Made in China, by all accounts, was the principal recommendation for having great Peking duck from numerous, trustworthy sources. The headline from my visit is to confirm that the quality of the duck here, is second to none. The service was somewhat erratic with multiple wrong deliveries to the table but were all rectified with charm. The signature menu as a whole was a little off in parts but with total gems in other ways. However, the Peking duck here truly was a marvel to have and I have yet to have any better anywhere in the world. Push the below button to find out why and the full rundown.

The signature menu here is priced at CNY 796 for two (about £45 per person) which, for 7 courses each is absolutely cracking value considering it includes half a Peking duck to share. Although not first on the advertised menu, first to arrive was braised Bejing cabbage with chestnut served in a deep chicken stock and pot sticker dumplings (similar to fried gyozas) with minced pork, prawn and mushroom which were enjoyable.

The signature menu here is priced at CNY 796 for two (about £45 per person) which, for 7 courses each is absolutely cracking value considering it includes half a Peking duck to share. Although not first on the advertised menu, first to arrive was braised Bejing cabbage with chestnut served in a deep chicken stock and pot sticker dumplings (similar to fried gyozas) with minced pork, prawn and mushroom which were enjoyable.

Next came the courses intended for the start of the meal starting with spinach leaves with sesame sauce and Chinese rice vinegar. The sesame sauce for this dish proved to be a little too acidic and harsh for the spinach leaves. Right alongside came poached chicken with crushed peanut, sesame and spicy sauce served cold. Whilst a surprise to be cold, it was a decent dish although it seemed a little like sesame-based sauce overkill bearing in mind the spinach leaf starter immediately before.

Braised blue cod was extremely good as if someone had turned up the cod volume three times over for normal cod found within the UK shores. The homemade chilli and crispy shallot sauce was also an absolute belter to go with this cod and was clearly well made – a cracking dish. In contrast, the stir-fried lamb with leek and black bean was a pleasant enough flavour but the lamb was quite tough and dry making it only so-so to eat.

However, then came the duck, which I would like to focus on briefly, as I seem to be emotionally connected to this dish. Restaurants in China are now banned to have a woodfired oven installed and only those restaurants that had them built into their kitchens prior to this ban (reportedly 2008) are allowed to keep them. This is the traditional Peking duck (not aromatic which is deep fried) and the dish that it is partly responsible for birthing my love of food from childhood following numerous celebrations at The Laughing Budha restaurant in Blackheath. The wood used for burning to cook the duck is important – HKK, when it was open, used cherry wood, whilst Made in China use date wood. The aroma from these sweet woods (there are others that are used) obviously boost the flavour of the duck and help to sweeten the skin.

Made in China were happy to give me their 7-step process for making Peking duck:

The result was the pinnacle of duck skin that was carved as close to perfect as one can do – there was hardly any grease on the underside and where there was fat left on, it was micro-fibre thin. The skin was presented first to simply dip in sugar or this was the greatest duck skin I have ever experienced – it’s just a bit of a shame you have to fly 5,050 miles to get it.

The rest of the duck was sliced beautifully thin separately to give the choice to the diner how much duck to skin slices are placed in the pancakes with an intensely deep (and umami rather than sweet) duck sauce. Spring onion, cucumber slices and garlic puree was also provided (the garlic puree being surprisingly good to go with the pancake mix). The duck itself was very good quality (tender enough and with amplified flavour) however, the only aspect I thought was a fraction of a miss were the pancakes. It was great attention to detail that there was a layer of rice paper in between each pancake (to make sure they did not stick together) however, they were thicker than most duck pancakes had and too doughy as a result, which slightly interfered with my duck heaven. It was a very minor setback however and this is clearly a very fine, nip pick thought, but overall, this Beijing duck was the best I have been privileged to have in my life so far.

The signature menu came with an assortment of desserts which were actually all quite pleasant (desserts are not really the forte on the whole with Chinese cuisine). The array included coconut yam sago (similar in texture to fine rice pudding), Jasmin tea and chocolate ice creams, honey and rose muffin and sea buckthorn cheesecake with cranberry. A selection of fruit included jackfruit (akin to a mix of pineapple and plum) and some other fresh fruits which were actually below average in ripeness and quality.

All in all, this visit proved to me that if you want the best Peking duck on the planet, you simply have to go to the city where it was conceived – Peking and have it a la Beijing duck. A milestone visit for me and one I would certainly recommend having if you travel to the country’s capital.

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The Grand Hyatt in Hangzou sits literally by the East side of the huge lake that is one of the main attractions to this city. 28 Hubin Road is its primary fine dining restaurant and this visit certainly showed why with its wonderful and intricate selection. The cuisine is principally from Hangzhou as well as from Suzhou to the north and Huaiyang to the west. Tradition is carefully restored and the food is reasonable here considering the efforts provided: the overall bill for two with wine came to just over CNY 1,440 which equates to roughly £82 per person and is a fair total based on all had including wine.

The technical prize from the whole of this China visit went to the braised ‘Dongpo pork’ which was served with mini chestnut pancakes (akin to mini pita bread). Imagine the longest streak of beautifully soft bacon but nowhere near as salty yet with wonderful fat content throughout, wrapped into a pyramid shape, layer after layer – this is that. The idea of eating is to literally unwrap it layer by layer, going around the base at first and the pyramid disappearing the more you unwrap towards the top.

The technical prize from the whole of this China visit went to the braised ‘Dongpo pork’ which was served with mini chestnut pancakes (akin to mini pita bread). Imagine the longest streak of beautifully soft bacon but nowhere near as salty yet with wonderful fat content throughout, wrapped into a pyramid shape, layer after layer – this is that. The idea of eating is to literally unwrap it layer by layer, going around the base at first and the pyramid disappearing the more you unwrap towards the top.

Small pieces of pork, cured bamboo shoots and small pok choi are placed in each pancake almost as a mini sandwich and is particularly lovely to have (the succulent pork, the juices from the pork soaked by the pancake, supported by the crunch of the pok choi and acidity of the cured bamboo shoot. A great combination and flavour all round – bravo.

This ‘Dongpo’ pork is named after the poet and gastronome Su Dongpo who is said to have forgotten about his pork belly braising on the stove while playing a game of chess 900 years ago when the dish was conceived, resulting in a far more tender finish than expecting. The dish is served ‘Hangzhou’ style, meaning braised in soy sauce and huangjui (wine). Boiled noodle soup came with sliced pork, bamboo shoots and preserved vegetables. This was an earthy and satisfying dish, the noodles being well done.

Two chicken dishes were tried. One of these was a signature favourite called ‘beggar’s chicken’ worthy of its own attention. The dish comes from the neighbouring Province of Jiangsu and is said to have originated in the Qing dynasty when a starving beggar stole a chicken and after slaughtering, hid his loot buried in the ground until he could safely cook. On returning to his prize, the mud had set all around and in order to get rid of this he set light to it until the mud cracked open – this revealed a beautifully tender chicken which reached the Emperor’s attention and declared it so delicious that it was ordered to be included in the Imperial court.

A nice story and whatever the truth of its origin, the tradition of cooking chicken in clay remains a prominent part of Chinese specialities and in this case, the chicken is marinated in spices, stuffed with mushrooms, wrapped in lotus leaves and then roasted in a (non-toxic) clay pot. This dish has a fun additive in that guests are invited to volunteer to smash through the clay with a huge, wooden hammer. I probably should have whacked it harder but didn’t want to demolish the chicken inside. This was indeed a really succulent piece of chicken with the skin satisfying all the way through. The second chicken dish (also cooked in clay) was served with pork knuckle and was as beautifully succulent as the beggar’s chicken and perhaps with an even more fantastic mix of stock, soy, spices and chicken juices in the bowl. I thought both of these dishes showcased chicken to levels of succulence and flavour that are surely impossible to improve.

The dessert chosen was chocolate durian cake with caramelised pineapple and chocolate ice cream. This was pleasantly done, the durian (a very pungent fruit) being mercifully soft but with its aroma and taste pronounced enough. The chocolate ice cream had a stretchy sponge-like texture in the centre and was fine.

If you see the receipts, you will find this in two parts; this is purely due to the fact that we only just made it in time for lunch with the taxi queue at Hangzhou station being approximately 300m long and thick traffic en route and by the time we arrived, the beggar’s chicken had sold out. Thankfully it was available for dinner and as we were swinging by again in the early evening, we popped in to have this as an early supper along with the dessert – a meal essentially spread over a very late lunch and early evening with a very expensive tea at a nearby venue further down the lake’s edge in between (beware of the price of certain teas is China).

Wine choices were reasonable with glasses of verve champagne at 19 and a decent enough Chardonnay at 11 which sit perfectly within London prices. All in all, this is great option as a venue and justifiably popular.

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Quality Chop House is a quirky, 150 year old London restaurant (at time of writing) with its Victorian, booth decor very much in tact. The food is unpretentious just as the feel of the restaurant itself is and is a very good option for value food done well. The chef, Sean Searley has been at the helm since 2012 and his menus will cater for most occasions: a value 2-course set menu for £22 or 3 courses for £26 or the a la carte which, on average will cost £45 for three courses. There are also a number of decent snack options to choose from, and I would certainly not miss the potato croquettes as one and on a miscellaneous note, it would be a crime to not have a side of the confit potatoes (see full review). A very good option for something different, decent and refreshingly unformal.

Our meal started with snacks of cod’s roe with cured egg yolk shavings and a duck liver parfait served on a crumpet with truffle shavings on top. These were pleasant options to have in the beginning, especially the cod’s roe which is made from Monkfish liver and diced eel and mixed with apple gel and produced a luxurious and vibrant flavour. Although the quantity of the crumpet was a little more than I would have preferred for the duck liver in relation to the quantity of liver parfait, the flavour of the latter was smooth and decent. The butter was homemade (and good quality) using milk from Ivy Park Farm.

Our meal started with snacks of cod’s roe with cured egg yolk shavings and a duck liver parfait served on a crumpet with truffle shavings on top. These were pleasant options to have in the beginning, especially the cod’s roe which is made from Monkfish liver and diced eel and mixed with apple gel and produced a luxurious and vibrant flavour. Although the quantity of the crumpet was a little more than I would have preferred for the duck liver in relation to the quantity of liver parfait, the flavour of the latter was smooth and decent. The butter was homemade (and good quality) using milk from Ivy Park Farm.

We opted for the set menu and after the snacks actually only needed 2 courses each opting first for both versions of the Belted Galloway beef – one as a mince on taost made with beef dripping which was every bit as good as it sounds and the other being an onglet which was equally simple and pleasant on its own having good flavour. The side of confit potatoes are worth a mention in themselves as these are slices of potato, sealed together using duck fat and then served with a drizzle of mustard to cut through the fat of the deep fried potato. Not only is the texture of these potato gems superb owing to the mutliple thing slices that fall apart as you eat, they are delicate enough to feel sauteed and fall apart as you bite in to them whilst having the perfect tang of the mustard to make more interesting. I would commend anyone getting this side irespective of what main course was had, but for our it was the perfect companion.

Boozy prune ice cream was a pleasurable change and nicely done – again, simple and pleasing when done well. Fudge made with white chocolate were the finishing touches via a petit four and this settled the meal well. All in, with wine for my dining companion, this meal came to £171 for two but this is with a degree of indulgence. You could easily get away with having a three course lunch here for under £30 including service charge (with water only) and I can think of a hundred things immediately that would more expensive that and be worse as an option. This is great option to try which I recommend.

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Bulrush is Bristol’s fourth Michelin starred restaurant to join its ranks following its award in the 2019 guide. It has an unconventional layout and non-stuffy at the same time. The menu options range from a la carte at an average of approx £40 for 3 courses or two tasting menus: 8 courses for £55 and 9 courses for £60 which, is very good value comparatively. The style of the food was certainly creative but sadly this did not always triumph as much as it could have as dishes. The design of the dishes will certainly please the eyes and whilst the hospitality was caring, the service could have done with a bit more polish. Not a wasted journey at all, but of the four Michelin starred restaurants in Bristol, I’m more tempted to go back to Paco Tapas and sit at the counter for nibbles for all-round return when reflecting on all of them.

We opted for the tasting menu, mainly influenced by the value for money and allowing to experience more dishes on this occasion. An array of interesting canapes arrived first in a different order from the menu but, no matter, you just need to listen carefully to what is actually being described. In a box was pig’s trotter cake with walnut ketchup and yolk shavings which, have been placed in 50/50 salt and sugar, rinsed and then dehydrated to leave a rubbery feel. Duck liver parfait with pink peppercorns were lovely and the hollandaise tarts with carrot ‘tartare’ were melt in the mouth and over in literally two seconds (very good contrast of sweet and richness). Off menu were tapioca crackers with butternut squash jam and pecorino cheese as well as golden beetroot mouse port gels with mushroom powder with pumpkin seeds; extremely enjoyable as canapes very often are.

We opted for the tasting menu, mainly influenced by the value for money and allowing to experience more dishes on this occasion. An array of interesting canapes arrived first in a different order from the menu but, no matter, you just need to listen carefully to what is actually being described. In a box was pig’s trotter cake with walnut ketchup and yolk shavings which, have been placed in 50/50 salt and sugar, rinsed and then dehydrated to leave a rubbery feel. Duck liver parfait with pink peppercorns were lovely and the hollandaise tarts with carrot ‘tartare’ were melt in the mouth and over in literally two seconds (very good contrast of sweet and richness). Off menu were tapioca crackers with butternut squash jam and pecorino cheese as well as golden beetroot mouse port gels with mushroom powder with pumpkin seeds; extremely enjoyable as canapes very often are.

Purple sprouting broccoli with roasted garlic flakes and hibiscus was a good contrast of colours and textures but the hibiscus doing far more for the eyes than the palate meaning not as advanced as a dish for what it appeared as was essentially garlic influenced broccoli as the main walk away.

Next up, a colourful bowl of cured seabream, salt-baked mooli (white radish), rhubarb dashi and kohlrabi was an unusual mix of tartness and I was beginning to see at this stage why the tasting menu was such good value, owing to the portion size of this course being almost a morsel. BBQ stone bass, king oyster mushroom puree and monkfish liver brought things back to good level with the bass being cooked well and the accompanying elements working nicely. Again, this was over in a matter of seconds.

Badger Farce lamb, sweetbread, whey and Roscoff onions formed the meat course. This came with wild rocket puree and whilst the lamb was cooked beautifully, it was surprisingly flat in flavour and with a huge amount of fat that was simply too much for the meat. The pre-dessert was a carefully presented ice cream made out of gooseberries with Jerusalem artichoke custard, little brioche croutons and apple marigold (leaves that have a potent taste of apple and citrus). Whilst I really enjoyed the light but naughty brioche bits which would probably enhance almost any dessert, I have to say the artichoke custard really did not work for me with the rest of the parts. I understand the concept of the crossover to have savoury and sweet and would certainly not be the first time I have had this equation, but this just wasn’t a very pleasant combination for me and I felt would have been significantly better with the artichoke custard removed.

Caramel chocolate, bay leaf ice cream and earl grey shards was another new type of dessert for me alas, with the non-sweet components being a little too powerful for a dessert which should have a dominant theme of sweetness. So sadly, this did not work hugely for me either. What was very good however, was off menu and a trial dessert offered to the table of apple with croissant cream and broken brandy snap bits. These were classic flavour combinations with superb textures and a first for me having croissant cream which was a total success. If only that were the actual dessert replacing all others, it would have completely changed the meal.

Overall, this definitely gets a prize for pushing boundaries and being innovative, but when this doesn’t all come together, it deflates the experience. Service was a little forgetful on occasion albeit friendly, but it was also a long meal for lunch taking nearly 3 hours which, in all fairness, we probably checked on at the beginning more. On a separate note, I wouldn’t say the chairs, acoustics and loo are the most comfortable (rickety chairs and tables with a loo you can only close the door after moving in into yoga position as it is that tight a squeeze).

On the food front (which, as a refresher, my grade is purely based on) I gather that the menu changes regularly (a good thing) and I can only keep fingers crossed that other variants of the menu are more successful based on this visit. I can also only deduce that the Michelin inspectors clearly though they caught it at brilliant on every one of their visits when deciding whether or not to award the star.

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The move of Michael Wignall away from Gidleigh Park only just after two years from taking over was a huge surprise. Barely enough time had passed for the immediate re-awarding of two stars and Mr Wignall departed to follow in Michael Caines’ footsteps to having full ownership of another location. I look forward to visiting him at The Angel Inn at Hetton when I get the chance. For now, Chris Simpson has taken over Gidleigh park and earned it a Michelin star in his first year of taking over. This a la carte was £125 which is very expensive so with this comes quite a reasonable amount of expectation. I am familiar with Gideligh Park now, but this was the first time I had been able to have a thorough look by staying over and having a dinner t’boot. The results of this visit are mixed and like I have never had in some ways as you will see…

Gidleigh Park is an impressive 5-star hotel with wonderful grounds to walk around and a decent amount of facilities for the guests. I have made a list of miscellaneous good and bad points for the hotel stay in general at the end of this review, but for now, dinner. This was a slightly odd opening as I found myself in one of the three dining rooms with just one senior couple, the gentleman of which protested at me taking pictures of the dining room, thinking I had included him and his guest, which I had not. After reassuring him of this, he then took it upon himself to order me not to take any pictures of my meal at all which was interesting as presumably, I could have told him to not wear the tie he was wearing as I didn’t approve of this. I mention this purely because it became obvious to me that Gidleigh Park has a number of guests visiting in their senior years and those that are regular are most probably used to getting their way and this is the sort of clientele I was not fully prepared for.

Gidleigh Park is an impressive 5-star hotel with wonderful grounds to walk around and a decent amount of facilities for the guests. I have made a list of miscellaneous good and bad points for the hotel stay in general at the end of this review, but for now, dinner. This was a slightly odd opening as I found myself in one of the three dining rooms with just one senior couple, the gentleman of which protested at me taking pictures of the dining room, thinking I had included him and his guest, which I had not. After reassuring him of this, he then took it upon himself to order me not to take any pictures of my meal at all which was interesting as presumably, I could have told him to not wear the tie he was wearing as I didn’t approve of this. I mention this purely because it became obvious to me that Gidleigh Park has a number of guests visiting in their senior years and those that are regular are most probably used to getting their way and this is the sort of clientele I was not fully prepared for.

Anyway, after airing my thoughts and then removing myself from the ridiculousness of this situation (it is not the restaurant policy to forbid photos, so until it is, I will do this discretely for my own table as I wish), the staff dealt with the seating change request as quickly as can be and I thought were professional in dealing with this so quickly and smoothly.

Chris Simpson was away on sick leave on my visit and the stand in head chef was Gareth Howarth for this occasion (and possibly for the longer term). Initial canapés were celeriac espuma with eel which was a very good combination and tartare with smoked mayonnaise, back olive, houmus with red pepper marmalade which was pleasing enough. The amuse bouche consisted of pickled apple, crispy rice, radish and buttermilk sauce included a fair flavour of mackerel, with good design of the cream being offset by the pickle but overall was a little flat.

The starter had was veal sweetbread and came with pickled mushrooms, sourdough bread croutons on a mushroom mousse base. This was an exquisite mousse however the pickling could have been a little stronger. The sweetbread was well cooked and generally, this was a very pleasing dish.

Halibut came from a 4kg fish and with roasted baby lettuce, smoked king oyster mushroom, Jerusalem artichoke purée and Jerusalem artichoke crisps. The handling of the mushrooms was grand and was seen through the sauce and the smoked king oyster mushrooms. The halibut was cooked as well as could be but I have had halibut with more flavour; this was essentially elevated by the flora. It was good on the simplicity, good on the crisp with lovely mushroom handling but only just entered Michelin starred cooking to me at this point of the meal.

The pre-dessert was a mandarin mouse with clementine, hazelnuts and apple sorbet. This had pleasant citrus and was a classic combination but again, was difficult to be blown away by the dish. Dessert consisted of spiced red wine panna cotta, pear, gingerbread & yoghurt sorbet. There was a really good chocolate tuille here with skilful pannacotta and all harmonised well enough with the poached pears good and the subtle ginger bread crumb.

Service was pleasant throughout but seemed a little less in true command from midpoint to the later stages as other 5* hotels can be at their very best and not what I was expecting for £125 for an a la carte menu (£145 for the tasting menu). There was a little bit of rushing from the staff and one waiter didn’t wish to stop for me after seeing me trying to get his attention and it’s never brilliant to feel like an inconvenience as a guest. There was also quite a long wait for being given the dessert above the norm, cutlery wasn’t placed on the table very well as was quite rushed and topping up for water felt stretched. So, all in all, after what was looking promising at the beginning in terms of hospitality, became evident that this was not in the same league as other 5* hotels at the top of their game. Still, the meal on this occasion had some good moments to enjoy.

I mentioned the hotel stay and thought I would offer some quick thoughts on this as it is not every day one stays over at grand and luxury Manor Houses. I can summarise this by saying that for staying over at Gidleigh Park:

Lovely touches:

Bad points:

To conclude, I think the quality of the food at Gidleigh Park is obviously not at the heights of when either of the Michaels were in post but this is a new chef with new outlooks. I enjoyed the food here, but for the £125 for an ala carte menu, this almost comes across as paying more for where you are than the actual meal as this was just too expensive for fireworks that never came as the price would indicate. I also did not realise the main clientele is seemingly of a certain privilege and age and with the few couples there enjoying a breakaway, it is difficult to feel truly comfortable in the dining room being so enclosed, waiting to hear the next pin drop on occasion.

As an observation, I believe it is overdue a bold move of knocking the walls down of the three dining areas to make one large area as there seems to be no reason for the individual rooms and all this does is prevent the acoustics to let sound carry more and causes tables to compete for quietness in risk of being overheard. With a bigger space, this might be alleviated and improve the general atmosphere. Purely my thoughts.

So, I’m glad I did the full works, but I discovered it is a sign of the visit if you are enjoying the fantastically done eggs benedict at breakfast and additions even more than the main meal the previous evening. A pleasant stay with a lovely setting and bridge in the grounds, but based on this experience, this is one that feels a little too far to merit the journey.

The nibbles here are almost as grand as the wonderful drawing room one can lounge in on arrival. A selection of crisps (sourdough and chickpea crisp and herbs) were served with an olive emulsion along with a salmon mousse with trout roe. At the table, the amuse-bouche consisted of Thai green curry mousse with crab and coriander & chilli crab gel. This was an ethereally light mousse but with a kick of chilli and was superb to have. Linseed crisp with shrimp, taramasalata and flying fish roe was also really quite wonderful; bathe lance of salt, pop of roe and juicy bite of the shrimp finished off a serious level of opening mouth amusers prior to the meal. Homemade sourdough was also very good, beautifully presented and served with lightly salted and natural kinds of butter, the latter being superb.

First up was lightly cured and torched sardines and purée, tempura fennel from the Gidleigh garden, violet potatoes, cuttlefish. The latter really held the rest together here as the sardines were fine as were the purées, but the tougher texture and smokiness of the fish gave the rest of the minimalist starter that which it needed.

The main I opted for was red-legged Yorkshire partridge, broccoli, bread purée, leg rillettes, with salted popcorn and Madeira, sunflower and chestnut. The main dish was perfectly succulent, fresh and the herbs being puréed to perfection. I enjoyed the diced and fried elements with a decent charred, sweet effect from the shallots as well as the Madeira giving the rillette very good depth and smoothness. Altogether, this was luxurious and light at the same time – a very good dish.

Pre-dessert was toffee custard, cinnamon butte noisette, apple pie mousse and cider snow. This was a beautiful combination of cider and toffee, fresh, vibrant, Autumnal and over in two seconds. Dark chocolate and coffee opera, almond cream, hazelnut marzipan, milk and ice cream formed the dessert. This was absolutely lovely. The coffee sponge, white chocolate, hazelnut Dacquoise and hazelnut mousse were all well balanced and light again with a punch of flavour.

There was even another bonus as the petit four came as a mini bowl of dark chocolate, lavender honey gel, peppermint cream and violet ice cream combining as a mix between a peppermint and Turkish delight blend. Whilst not my favourite combination this was original and fun at the same time.

All in all, this was a superb set menu lunch, which, for £49 at this level and in the surroundings that it was, was outstanding value. This is some of the best 2 Michelin starred cooking available in the country as is not only skilful in every way, but I love the fact that beyond its obvious decoration are fantastic flavours that really work overall. The outdoor scenery is wonderful and on a miscellaneous note, I love the seats here as well as are supremely comfortable. The only slip of this meal was having to wait until 1pm until I was with bread at the table, but then again if you are driving into the middle of Dartmoor, you wouldn’t or shouldn’t really be planning too many other appointments for that day so I was in no rush. I’m so pleased to see Michael Wignall retaining two stars at Gidleigh which is absolutely right and a nice change to have from the equally delightful classic cooking from the other Michael (Caines) who gave it such a staple in the UK previously.

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Brat is Shoreditch’s newest addition to the Michelin starred family for 2019 from chef Tomos Parry. It is a trendy looking restaurant (which ones in Shoreditch are not these days?) with an open kitchen that operates using wood-fired grills only. A very narrow and steep staircase needs to be climbed to get into the restaurant on the first floor of what used to be a strip club in times of old, so there’s a change of speed. There is a long bar for walk-ins and in general, there are a large number of good value options as snacks and bites. I would not class this as a strong Michelin starred experience, but our visit was fleeting at the same time. That said, if you want to pop in for a quick top up of very good value snacks, this is perfect…as long as you are not on crutches or in a wheelchair, as this might slow your entrance down a tad.

As this was a brief drop in, we took advantage of the very reasonable snack selection which is sometimes a much better way of doing things for lunch as it a) saves money, b) allows more choice, c) means you are not stuck with a huge plate of something if you end up not being keen on it and d) is way quicker whilst being full at the same time! The whole menu fits on to a double-sided sheet of A4 with the dishes only describing one word meaning the staff need to know their stuff (which, on our visit they did). It’s worth mentioning that in terms of fizz, the excellent Hambledon English Sparkling Wine, as well as the Michele Gonet champagne 2010, are only £13 a glass each and that is an absolute snip for the normal going rate for opening fizz in a restaurant.

As this was a brief drop in, we took advantage of the very reasonable snack selection which is sometimes a much better way of doing things for lunch as it a) saves money, b) allows more choice, c) means you are not stuck with a huge plate of something if you end up not being keen on it and d) is way quicker whilst being full at the same time! The whole menu fits on to a double-sided sheet of A4 with the dishes only describing one word meaning the staff need to know their stuff (which, on our visit they did). It’s worth mentioning that in terms of fizz, the excellent Hambledon English Sparkling Wine, as well as the Michele Gonet champagne 2010, are only £13 a glass each and that is an absolute snip for the normal going rate for opening fizz in a restaurant.

Prior to its grilling, the bread came from Dusty Knuckle bakery in Dalston. This rye sourdough was served with onion powder and salt which were welcome additives but it simply needed more of the onion powder as was actually hard to trace. However, with the drizzle of olive oil and the whipped butter, this is almost as good as a course on its own and a far cry from stale, dry and boring horror shows of non-care bread thrown in to a basket as many bog standard restaurants do, which I simply can’t even look at now, based on bread examples such as this.

The grilled bread with chanterelle and winter truffle shavings was also pleasant – light and fluffy on the inside with a pleasing texture around the outer parts and decent fragrance of mushroom and truffle. The cod’s roe was smooth, creamy and not overly salty with a good proportion of roe to bread base so these were a distinct pleasure. The spider crab salad was quite a sight with the crab sprawled out in its entirety and its oil being able to be mopped up from its open chest rather like it is served at The Swan Oyster Depot in San Francisco.

The steak tartare was very good with its controlled use of pickled and allium parts with the rump being cut into nicely judged sizes (not too small). By the time we had finished these, costing a total of just over £15 each so far, it was time to asses the big guns of the dessert which I clocked on the way in immediately. These light and drum-like cheese cakes were exactly how I saw them in a Pintxos stall in San Sebastian’s old town (at a place called La Vina) and on asking the staff if they were similar, my sources were indeed correct as it is the exact same recipe used from this venue. When it is this good I can understand(!); the trick is to make sure it is pulled off and I was delighted to find that it was. In fact, so much so, that another slice had to be ordered to take away in a little carry out box(!).

The bill came to a total of £62 for two with a glass of fizz and as we were both very full at the end having had a Michelin starred lunch, I’d say that was pretty good value. Of course, it was an unconventional lunch and if you ate here with a starter, main and dessert properly, you’re looking at anywhere between £35-80 for one person, based on which main course you opt for which vary in price considerably. Oddly, the restaurant has a feel about that makes it more conducive to have the snacks or series of starters than the full on a la carte, but I will reserve judgement on that and explore the menu more on next visit and hope to be pleased with doing so.

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