Richard Bagnold

A return to where it all began! Over ten years ago, my delight with food was taken to new levels by a chance celebration meal at Arzak and therefore how could I not come back on another visit to San Sebastian? I was amazed to see some of the same floor staff and was another lovely experience to see Exec chef Juan Mari Arzak greeting all the tables again with his interpreter through the meal. Whilst this time was a seeming notch down from the sheer explosions that occurred on my first visit, this was still by no means a wasted afternoon. The €501 for two people with drinks throughout seemed a fair price based on all aspects received but something told me that its cutting edge has perhaps taken a back seat in recent times. Juan Mari’s daughter, Elena is constantly trying to inject more modernity in to the cooking whilst her father leans more to tradition, but either way, this three Michelin starred restaurant still had moments of grand quality – more of them would have been even better.

Our visit found the restaurant surrounded in scaffolding owing to the face lift it is about to endure. This is probably no bad thing and I think that also signals the heyday of Arzak is in need of revitalising, which is good to see after looking exactly as it has been for the last 4 decades. A tour of the wine cellar, kitchen and laboratory was given at the start and the meal broke down to choices of a la carte with an average price of €150 for three courses of the tasting menu of roughly 9 courses for €210. My dining companion had not eaten in a current 3 Michelin starred restaurant before so we opted for the tasting menu for maximum designs.

Our visit found the restaurant surrounded in scaffolding owing to the face lift it is about to endure. This is probably no bad thing and I think that also signals the heyday of Arzak is in need of revitalising, which is good to see after looking exactly as it has been for the last 4 decades. A tour of the wine cellar, kitchen and laboratory was given at the start and the meal broke down to choices of a la carte with an average price of €150 for three courses of the tasting menu of roughly 9 courses for €210. My dining companion had not eaten in a current 3 Michelin starred restaurant before so we opted for the tasting menu for maximum designs.

An array of nibbles were produced including Cecina ham with olives and grapefruit, a black pudding ‘rod’, prawn gyoza and banana and squid snacks. Whilst nicely designed I was pretty astounded how the coil on the plate of the latter turned out not to be an intricately designed edible rack but made of metal and therefore put on for visual effect which seemed quite a bit of a short cut for a 3 Michelin starred restaurant. Not the end of the world, but a definite, minor shock and the snacks themselves being pleasant enough.

The opening fish of the day which turned out to be mackerel marinated with Patxaran (a Basque sloe-liquor) and sprinkled with purple corn dust was a superb dish with the mackerel showing superior quality and flavour with its supporting sauce, although I could not taste the purple corn dust at all. Squid with peach and assorted nuts was very fresh but no huge celebrations caused at this dish. The poached egg with tomato candy was however, another belter of a dish – delicately handled and with an interesting level of sweetness from the tomato candy which married together very well.

Based on my first visit, I could not resist the opportunity to see how the roasted foie gras (from duck) was so I ordered this as an additional course. No figs this time but a very nicely done vegetable ‘green’ sauce and with a berry coulis providing the sweetness that it needed. Obviously not as biblical as my first eye-opener and I have had many versions since 2007 and this fared in the pleasurable bracket.

Next up were the mains and both the lamb and pigeon were of very good quality and judgement, but it was the stock jus for both of them stealing the entire show with the pigeon jus being among the deepest and very best I have ever had. This was clearly wonderful quality, and the supporting mandarin and fruits with onion for the pigeon was an interesting mix. The lamb itself showing very good flavour and as a bonus, a small portion of the beef was provided which was equally nice to have but did not compete overall with the former two (probably the reason they were selected for the tasting menu).

A ‘frosted’ pre-dessert of green tea granita, mint, raspberry and tomato sorbet with Brazilian citrus certainly did its job of cleansing the palate. The chocolate cube with liquid mint, kiwi and neroli (oil from a bitter orange tree) was luxurious as a dessert and I opted for a different dessert to see another. I was intrigued by the skate dessert, which turned out to be Vietnamese chocolate with liquorice ‘nuts and bolts’, literally on a piece of a skateboard. No doubt #wewantplates will delight in adding this to their arsenal, but I honestly don’t have an issue with this – what’s reigns as the most important factor is the flavour! Visually, it is always interesting to have something different but it won’t affect the success of the dish when dining and my senses enjoyed the soft handling of the liquorice and chocolate on this dish but the mango caramel puree was a touch too sweet to enjoy, whether on a skate or not, but the gooseberry ice cream (from India) was very good.

At the finish of the meal were perhaps the most pretty and delicious chocolate petits fours I have ever had. Both at the table did not take long to know this after shoving one the little frogs in the mouth and I have somewhat gone off milk chocolate in recent times (in favour of dark) but these were outstanding. The icing on the cake was talking to Juan Mari Arzak afterwards and learning how his respect for ingredients was still very much at the heart of what he has and still enjoys.

I walked away from Arzak for the second time pleased as punch to have come back and objectively, it was never going to be the same experience as my first, but comparing it with the other twenty two 3 Michelin starred restaurants that I have now been to in the world, it was fair priced experience with some great moments but not as strong as numerous other 3 Michelin starred restaurants out there today.

Food Grade: 84%

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This was a return to the greats, plain and simple. From the printed goats butter, the best (black squid) risotto ever had, the beautiful beef tendon to the perfect apple tart and all round clever designs, this was a superb experience. This was creative without going too over the top and with some wonderful moments. Not every course was knock out, but there were enough superb moments to be content that this was special. All three tasting menus were asked for and the whole package totalled €966 for the four of us (£241 each incl wine and service). For the marathon of privilege that this was overlooking the Bay of Biscay from a 5 star hotel, I thought this was quite reasonable when considering the Fat Duck is £255 at time of writing, for just the food alone. If you have this experience, I believe you should be walking away very happy and not uncomfortably bloated at the same time. A superb meal all round.

There are a huge number of components within one tasting menu here, let alone three and therefore the only sane thing I can do for this review is provide a typed translation of all three menus that were provided to us at the end. The three tasting menus were the only ones available and I chose The Classics, therefore I will comment on those dishes and others that I sampled from the Aranori and Bekari menus that I had. I should also mention that I had the best Rioja I have ever had in my life here and this particular kind has made me wish to source a case of it immediately on return to the UK. Current mark ups place the Miguel Merino at approx. £43 per bottle in the UK which, I will pay in a heartbeat it was that immense.

There are a huge number of components within one tasting menu here, let alone three and therefore the only sane thing I can do for this review is provide a typed translation of all three menus that were provided to us at the end. The three tasting menus were the only ones available and I chose The Classics, therefore I will comment on those dishes and others that I sampled from the Aranori and Bekari menus that I had. I should also mention that I had the best Rioja I have ever had in my life here and this particular kind has made me wish to source a case of it immediately on return to the UK. Current mark ups place the Miguel Merino at approx. £43 per bottle in the UK which, I will pay in a heartbeat it was that immense.

A quick word on the introductions: the welcome was a bloody Mary greeting made of a spicy tomato chopped base with vodka and egg white foam which had a fair kick and whilst beautifully done, I thought the foam could have had more vodka flavour and more calming effect for the spice. The olives stuffed with ham & anchovy were simple and whilst goats butter is quite strong and not my favourite, this was done well and with the restaurant logo printed on using black rice there is no knocking the design effort. Herbed pomme soufflés, breads and baked bread crisps completed a healthy selection of nibbles that were not amazing on balance, but were definitely inviting.

So, the three menus in full (with my thoughts in brackets at courses tasted):

Aranori

Bekari

Classics

In order to sum up this meal as simply as possible, I can only say that it was a strong 3 Michelin starred meal served in a Relais & Châteaux hotel overlooking the Bay of Biscay which is a brilliant equation. Even if the setting was not as lovely as it was (bit cloudy on our visit but on a hot, sunny day, this would be magical), the food was still of a very strong standard in terms of creativity and let’s not forget the most important thing….the actual taste of the food. Moreover, none of us were bloated or bored at the pace of the meal; we were all, in fact happy to munch on all the petit four at the end and that shows great skill in the balance of all three menus served with world class service at all times of the meal. If you are ever going to celebrate anything, this is a prefect contender if you are having your holiday or passing through San Sebastian.

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A highly anticipated visit to a world-renowned 2 Michelin starred restaurant, 2o minutes drive out of San Sebastian. This restaurant has, for many years, been an beacon of modern cooking. The 25 course, no choice, tasting menu only worked out at £233 per person including pre-drinks and good wine which is quite steep, but not as steep as it can be in other cities in Europe (notably Paris). Sadly, the overriding post-meal thought for this meal is that whilst there were some good moments, the dishes simply didn’t produce the happiness I was hoping for, considering the fanfare that was made for each one. I understood the emphasis on stretching the boundaries of savoury and sweet which is definitely done in an innovative way here, but if it doesn’t produce wonderful flavours and feelings as a result, then it is somewhat expended effort for all the pomp. I’m glad to have experienced it to see for myself, but based on this meal, I would rather hit the likes of Akelarre or Arzak for a return.

The Executive chef (Andoni Luis Aduriz) was away on our visit but his spiritual connection with his dishes and surrounding garden that he exudes was evidently incumbent in the head chef on the night (Miguel Cano). In the kitchen was what can only be described as an Army of chefs, all in exactly the same uniform, chefs hats included and there was no doubt that every service was given a ferocious amount of seriousness in the kitchen for the proceedings – all fine so far. The grounds are also impressive and the dining room a little too spacious to feel truly homely, but evidently smart.

The Executive chef (Andoni Luis Aduriz) was away on our visit but his spiritual connection with his dishes and surrounding garden that he exudes was evidently incumbent in the head chef on the night (Miguel Cano). In the kitchen was what can only be described as an Army of chefs, all in exactly the same uniform, chefs hats included and there was no doubt that every service was given a ferocious amount of seriousness in the kitchen for the proceedings – all fine so far. The grounds are also impressive and the dining room a little too spacious to feel truly homely, but evidently smart.

There is collection bank of approximately 100 dishes that the restaurant uses to create each menu and draw upon for allergies and variations needed. As each menu that they roll out is in the region of 25 courses (that change weekly), there are a number of aspects to cover. To make a little easier to follow as there are so many, the best thing to do is lay out each course here, one by one and provide brief thoughts on each where things stood out:

The service throughout this meal was A-grade and the staff were more than willing to explain any number of aspects that were asked about (also a very welcome absence of the table being pestered for feedback on too many occasions). That said, there were a was an order that missed and in spite of a dietary requirement being emailed in advance and confirmed on arrival, this was missed at one stage and the pace was too fast at the beginning (too many interruptions) which was surprising for such a fabled venue.

I completely acknowledge how much effort and preparation went in to this meal (along with accompanying technical skill) and the ambition to use the sense of touch, stretch textural and core flavour conventions. But for me, when all was said and done, this only created medium levels of happiness and in many cases was simply too ambitious.

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Rules prides itself on being the oldest restaurant in London with its 1798 birthdate and sits a few minutes walk away from Covent Garden. Wiltons (a traditional seafood restaurant in Jermyn Street), who boast dating back to 1738 would obviously contest these Grandfather rights. Either way, Rules is steeped in heritage with a beautiful interior to match and is ideal for romantic occasions and Sunday lunches bearing in mind its clear, traditional cuisine.

The forte of this restaurant is the fact that you can say you have been to Rules rather than revelled in the food as I found my meal here very simple and with some surprising lack of seasoning and charm from the service at times. The a la carte menu only means it keeps within firm tradition, but also does not permit a below-average priced lunch as a result – this, with a glass of reasonable wine will unlikely be lower than £60 per person. Perhaps try here for a special or romantic occasion in the evening as the food prices are the same throughout the day so you may as well opt for the evening and hopefully your experience will be better than the somewhat busy, tourist conveyer belt one I witnessed.

Unfortunately I have a few micro observations on this meal: a) bread was not brought out until my starter had arrived, b) there was some slightly estranged service with a waitress tapping a pencil on the menu firmly at one point to say “if you don’t go for that one it’s your loss” and c) it was basically like a sauna inside. Nevermind, on to the menu and what did that have in store for a Sunday lunch?

A simple rabbit terrine for the starter held some good meat and jelly, but the actual flavour did not have much impact – thank God for the piccalilli was the overriding thought to provide the sharp interest it needed. Seeing and hearing some of the staff having a minor argumentative episode took away the charm of the place for all its heritage – it’s not the end of the world, but I’m of the opinion that diners do not want to be caught up in an episode of reality TV and are paying for as serene an experience as possible in places like this, therefore this was also a bit of a surprise for me to see. Nevermind, on to the main…

The pheasant was a pleasure to see on the menu and how exceedingly appropriate. The breast turned out to be fine with a deep jus made with all of the bird’s juices, but I did find the mash a little under seasoned and to my heartbreak, similarly so with what I was so looking forward to – the bread sauce(!). The latter simply had no real spice (usually nutmeg but under these circumstances, anything would have been better than hardly anything), but ultimately, this was a roast dinner I think most would be pleased with. Solace came in the form of a very good bread and butter pudding. Whilst the underside of this were more akin to cooked egg, it held custard underneath that had the temperature of lava which was thankfully cooled with a very well flavoured custard for the very nicely grilled bread on top. This was a pleasure to have.

Lunch all in for one was just over £62 which, for the meal I would say was as fair as the Chardonnay that came with it. It was more of a testament to where I was I think and there certainly was a pleasant buzz around the restaurant for those that were there any having a good time and pleased to be there. I had forgotten how splendid it actually is, particularly the bars upstairs and is definitely a lovely interior to behold; I would simply go here with friends that wish to be here for a classic British menu in delightful surroundings as its trump card.

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Finally, I get to Bōkan to do properly and try the big guns of a full blown dinner. The venue and view was impressive as ever and a pleasure to be there for a Saturday evening. The headline however, is that there were several aspects of the experience that meant that the overall polish was simply at a lower peg than finer dining venues in both food and overall delivery. More details are at the expansion button but there were some good aspects such as the comparative value for money of the evening menu (£55 average for the a la carte menu and £65 for the tasting menu for 6 courses), some good duck and good signature mash. Ultimately, it is quite a shift that will be needed to elevate this package to compete with the more serious options in London. Having now done all the lunchtime, evening and bar menus at Bōkan and Bōkan Bar, it appears that that brunch and lunch here may be a better option, which is a surprise.

The tasting menu for the evening at Bōkan was 7 courses (incl coffee) for £65 and it was good to see another restaurant that does not mind breaking the usual rule of the tasting menu having to be taken by the whole table if one elects for such a menu. Two at our table elected for the tasting menu whereas three opted for the usual a la carte. The amuse bouche of tomato jelly, chick pea foam (more akin to a wet mousse) and basil was nicely presented but I simply didn’t think that the chickpea was a good pairing for the tomato and not in the same, silky league as the creamed foie gras with parmesan foam at L’Atelier.

The tasting menu for the evening at Bōkan was 7 courses (incl coffee) for £65 and it was good to see another restaurant that does not mind breaking the usual rule of the tasting menu having to be taken by the whole table if one elects for such a menu. Two at our table elected for the tasting menu whereas three opted for the usual a la carte. The amuse bouche of tomato jelly, chick pea foam (more akin to a wet mousse) and basil was nicely presented but I simply didn’t think that the chickpea was a good pairing for the tomato and not in the same, silky league as the creamed foie gras with parmesan foam at L’Atelier.

The salmon was enjoyed on the a la carte and the tasting menus, portion sizes adjusted accordingly and this was done well and the creme fraiche with caviar balancing out nicely with the quantities. The tell-tale sign that the finesse what at a lower stake level were the potatoes which tasted good, but with slightly sloppy presentation. The John Dory was likewise enjoyed on both menus and served with paimpoi coco beans, smoked peppers, octopus, squid, yuzu made a pleasant enough combination however, the smear of the pepper sauce resembled an attempt to be refined, but ultimately, had it been served more smooth and less lumpy and with more punch of flavour, this would have achieved the desired effect more.

The hen’s egg ravioli was decorated in a mound of foam for visual effect and underneath, the pasta was pleasant enough once all components were found. The duck main was probably one of the highlights as had a very good quality of meat and was done very well. The other parts of sweet potato, miso and damsen I thought were well selected and made for a good, overall flavour. The obligatory creamed mash and fries were obviously good to have as a bonus, with the mash itself being a beautifully done version as noted on my previous visit. The lamb was passable but sadly lacked the impact that it could have otherwise had if one compares to Gravetye Manor or Adams for example and was simply not quite in the league of those just mentioned.

In a more positive slant to my previously had brunch, desserts were well presented with some interesting combinations such as matcha (green tea) and coconut, tiramisu ice cream with chocolate and cheese cake ice cream to go with figs. The pina colada ice sorbet to go with the pineapple pavlova was probably the highlight of these desserts. Pleasing as these were, again, there was just a degree of finesse that was evidently needed to lift these in to the more notable culinary experiences available.

Above the food, there were also tell-tale signs about this experience that were noticed. Some waiters interrupted the table conversation immediately when presenting dishes as they did not wish to wait, some plates were taken and then moments later replaced by the next dishes which almost overlapped (this is a basic thing to avoid), there was a long wait at the beginning for the bread, an order of sides was forgotten and service was slightly pushy (rushed) at the beginning.

Interestingly, in the bar before the meal, champagne glasses were taken directly from the dishwasher to the tray meaning that they were piping hot and were going to warm the champagne, which is ultimately a waste of £80 if it is not going to be as enjoyable as it could be. Colder / different glasses were requested by our host, but the answer from the staff was reportedly on the lines of “…Sorry, there’s not much we can do about it…” which is a) never the case and b) reveals the lower stakes level of the service. Whilst these are all not crimes, these are simply the differences between an average / below average establishment and a higher end venue, plain and simple.

It was very good of the head chef (Aurelie Altemaire) to come and visit the table and the mash here is still heavenly, but I’m afraid my overall verdict is that the full-blown evening experience was far less than was hoped for and there is plenty of room for being more refined here if it wishes to become a more special experience. Based on the above bar areas appearing to be more nightclub-esque in style in the later Friday and Saturday evenings, this may not be the overall goal, but I hope to be proved wrong in the future.

It has to be said that all three starters were absolutely wonderful. The yuzu and coconut in the salmon tartare was a delightful way of making this more lively with the sweet from the yuzu and calm from the cream at the same time; the tomato salad with tomato granita had a refreshing purity about it and the hen’s egg with duck salad with parmesan crisps and shavings was so nicely balanced. These were literally very difficult to distinguish from a Michelin starred venue.

The deconstructed eggs royale was inventively served with an original brush of wasabi hollondaise all along the bottom and the egg surrounded by potato string. The lamb with the garlic was utterly succulent and with pleasing elements and the pea risotto with parmesan emulsion was received well. What was also uplifting was to know that shades of the signature mashed potato from Joel Robuchon seems to have stayed with the chef (Aurélie Altemaire) where the chef has moved over from and this was great.

Desserts revealed that they were in a lower class than the preceeding dishes in terms of finesse and make up, although it was kind of the management to provide a taster of the primary desserts on one plate as a selection. An abundance of cream was evident and whilst these were not bad, a lighter element would have uplifted the desserts for our table.

Overall however, this was a successful lunch disguised as brunch. If you feel like a more exuberant weekend lunch time option and are not in a hurry, this is a good option to enjoy with evidentally more to offer. I am looking forward to doing their evening meal with best options at the ready to see how this restaurant fairs in its dinner prime.

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A very welcome return to (now) Gordon Ramsay’s Petrus in a beautiful Knightsbridge enclave (that also holds Amaya). Petrus has held its Michelin star since my last visit in 2011 and been long regarded as one of London’s finest. Unlike many of London’s Michelin starred venues, Petrus is also open on Sundays for lunch and this was a visit for just that, to try the set menu lunch for £37.50 for three courses (with extras this turned out to be six). The quality of this lunch was extremely good and far more sophisticated than most starred venues. For foie gras enthusiasts, the version here with white chocolate and balsamic glaze was wonderful and this lunch overall was a superb advert to revitalise interest in coming back well before I’ve completed the newly promoted Michelin starred venues of the UK, it was that good in parts. Well recommended for virtually any occasion, particularly special ones.

Snacks arrived in the form of mini bites of cod with curry mayonnaise and coriander and an onion brioche bite with truffle and chive, both of which were very good to have. The breads included lapsing souchong sour dough which had feint flavour and is not made on site but the restaurant was proud that the bakery does not provide for any other restaurant. It was pleasant but similarly it was quite a mission to get through the thick and tough crust but was made considerably more doable by the perfectly soft Normandy butter with its almost whipped texture.

Snacks arrived in the form of mini bites of cod with curry mayonnaise and coriander and an onion brioche bite with truffle and chive, both of which were very good to have. The breads included lapsing souchong sour dough which had feint flavour and is not made on site but the restaurant was proud that the bakery does not provide for any other restaurant. It was pleasant but similarly it was quite a mission to get through the thick and tough crust but was made considerably more doable by the perfectly soft Normandy butter with its almost whipped texture.

The amuse bouche of Jerusalem artichoke velouté with artichoke crisps was absolutely great; soft, creamy and enticing, just what you need for an amuse bouche. The starter of foie gras parfait, green beans, mustard, almonds was glazed with white chocolate and balsamic vinegar with Walnuts and grapes. The interesting thing I found was that this was seemingly a signature dish on the a la carte but was also available on the set lunch menu which was another lovely touch to see for the value of the menu. The roasted sour dough was delightful to have with its olive oil glaze and perfection and the smooth parfait itself was gorgeous. Interesting sweetness and greens have it just the freshness it needed to balance and was a superb dish. The one criticism was that the sour dough was in very short supply in size to the quantity to the spread of foie and I needed to order to another slice which needed to take several minutes. Personally I think bringing two of the slices of roasted sour dough pieces with the foie gras would enhance this so that there is no need to pause.

The fresh mushroom linguine with seasonal mushrooms, 36 month old parmesan velouté was certainly an upgrade to exactly the same set menu linguine dish had recently at Galvin la Chapelle but perhaps this version could have been a touch more substantial for a main course. A nice touch was the inclusion of an extra add on of white truffle slices from northern Australia no less. Unlike the strong, earthy flavour of more common truffles from Italy, this was sweet and had an almost fennel / star anise quality. Each slice was an additional £5, which was not explained brilliantly well, through a thick accent however, the three slices were just enough to make a small difference to the linguine dish and make a fraction richer.

Pre-dessert was lemon curd with watermelon granita and was refreshing with very well done flakes of watermelon and pleasant mix of sweet and citrus. This was more interesting than most pre-desserts had of late. This was actually the same for the dessert of milk chocolate crémeux with banana, hazelnut and vanilla ice cream & frangelico foam. The crémeux was like velvet and the lovely banana flavours came through in strength with fun and enjoyable caramelised popcorn. Although the single espresso was more expensive than the norm at £6, that is Knightsbridge and it gained access to seeing the petit fours which turned out to be white chocolate with champagne truffle jelly and again, summed up the overall standard of this restaurant.

This was a very successful meal all round and was clearly at the top of the 1 Michelin starred family and in terms of flavours, better than a great deal of meals had around the whole spectrum. This is now logged as a definite place to impress, relax and enjoy whenever and three from three visits is a very good level of consistency. Service was professional and attentive throughout and a particularly nice touch was that they were reportedly still very happy to do the chocolate sphere dessert on request even when not on the menu which again shows the mark of the place to want to do that for the customer if requested. Not many places go to the effort of making their set menus stand out as this did and this was impressive in its own right and shows its real skill. I have no doubt the tasting menu will be interesting here and I have more resolve to do that at Petrus now than most others on the current hit list. Enough said; a great place and a very, very safe bet to try – put it on your list if you need any direction!

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A return to the top of the Hilton Hotel in Park Lane where Galvin at Windows sits overlooking London with its adjoining bar. Regrettably, this visit showed a set menu that was not on par with the rest of its 1 Michelin starred family and multiple aspects made this stand out as a rather lackadaisical affair for this visit. I say this as there was a prolonged wait in the bar as the restaurant was not ready at 1200pm, I was invited after a 10 minute wait in to the restaurant where the staff were still in the middle of receiving reprimands from the floor manager (makes the customer feel awkward), some dishes were not explained during the meal and whilst I’m in favour of staff being able to relax and joke around, the manner of some staff doing this on this occasion gave an impression of thinking that because it was a quiet lunch, this service didn’t somehow matter as much. I have to say, au contraire. For paying customers, staff are on show at all times during any service. As usual, these factors do not affect the overall grade, but these, combined with a genuinely lower stakes lunch menu (see full review) made for a surprisingly disappointing visit.

Unusually for a Michelin starred London-based venue this lunch menu did not start with any canapés or amuse bouche but was a promotional menu for £33 with a complimentary bellini. There was the option to pay a supplement for olives, but frankly this is just over the top when comparing to other Michelin starred venues where you would get these as standard nibbles and complimentary at the likes of The West House, Murano, The Harrow, John’s House, The Mason’s Arms….I could go on. Although the bread was not made on the premises, the brown and white breads were served warm and the white onion bread was very nicely fragranced.

Unusually for a Michelin starred London-based venue this lunch menu did not start with any canapés or amuse bouche but was a promotional menu for £33 with a complimentary bellini. There was the option to pay a supplement for olives, but frankly this is just over the top when comparing to other Michelin starred venues where you would get these as standard nibbles and complimentary at the likes of The West House, Murano, The Harrow, John’s House, The Mason’s Arms….I could go on. Although the bread was not made on the premises, the brown and white breads were served warm and the white onion bread was very nicely fragranced.

The starter of pork cheek “pot-au-feu” and braised vegetables came with a clear broth and a reasonable flavour. However, whilst I accept this version was in keeping with the classic nature that pot-au-feu is, the broth was a little bland and the dish itself was not hugely exciting for such a venue to be using. The pork was tender and passable but overall, I was confused how this would make it on to the menu when the impact of flavours and visual impact was so low.

The main of corn fed chicken, sautéed mushrooms, caramelised apple and braising jus had a good quality chicken but lacking in the prize which is the skin and a rather missed opportunity. The sauce was very good, but as the dish was not explained, it took a while to try (and therefore confirm) that the piece looking exactly like a potato was actually baked apple covered in the jus (and not used in the jus). Once this was in the mix, the flavour was completely different and it was more pleasing as a result when all parts came together.

The toffee apple terrine made with caramel cream & calvados ice cream was an indulgent dessert, more in keeping with French flare and the biscuit base was very good. The petit fours unfortunately were a little bit of an own goal as they were served in a slightly clumsy manner (not the end of the world but simply not what you expect at a Michelin starred restaurant) with the passion fruit petit fours being far too sweet and the dark chocolate truffles being so thick that they almost welded the jaws together. It’s actually been quite a while since I have pushed petit fours away after one small bite of the different options. Finally, the signature marshmallows came in strawberry and lime flavours. I note that this time they were not in a long, continuous thread, cut with scissors at the table as they once were years ago, but pre-cut in jars – I say this as that is a little bit of a shame as it provided a bit of theatre at the end when cut for the diner and can be more bespoke as well. Again, purely an observation – the actual flavours were fine for the strawberry but actually quite feint for the lime.

So, overall, sadly this was not a brilliant show and certainly a downward trend from my previous, two visits. I’m surprised at the absence of any of either canapés, amuse bouche or pre-dessert and charging for olives as this seems like a savings measure, but having seen how it was, this has a far more negative impact to the diner I would say than the benefits of cut backs (certainly for myself anyway). Whilst there were some good flavours, there were also as many parts, if not more where the flavours were lacking, along with overall flare. The overall environment gave an impression of the restaurant not being ready for this service and it was a shame, as I know that it can simply produce more on the plate and on the floor. Regrettably, this visit simply was not to be one of these occasions. I am sure if I were to come in the evening and do the full-blown tasting menu, the overall experience would be significantly higher, but it is interesting to see how venues fair at the quieter and B-list times as well to get the the broader picture. Perhaps the bar snack menu may have some enjoyable things for next visit, whenever that may be…?

The only draw back I have is that if you are wanting a calm, more mature crowd and an absence of any people who come out solely for the evenings (for work or pleasure or both) and you are not in a younger age bracket, my advice would be to avoid here on a Friday or Saturday evening; could be a little too ‘trendy’ for any traditional folk.

Another lovely lunch, another perfectly reasonable option at 1 Michelin level. Perfect for the occasion to catch up over lovely food with the bonus of a nice view and quitter surroundings. Only the two course option this time as a quick lunch required, however, equally as good as the first time.

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A lovely revisit to The Ritz roughly a year after my first experience. This time, a brief lunch visit, which included another glimpse at the superb crêpes cooked at the table. In fact, these are one of the gems of any visit here and the two a la carte dishes for each diner were a pleasant preamble before the crêpes. Thankfully, the preamble parts were right on the money again and a genuine pleasure. Service was impeccable, seen clearly when the staff worked to accommodate a shorter lunch window on request. Two starters, crêpes to share and two glasses of vin worked out at just over £100pp and I would say this was not unreasonable considering the setting and all aspects included. A double pleasure was the lunch occasion itself and this was followed by a brief chat with head chef, John Williams MBE at the end as additional icing on the petit four cake.

There really wasn’t much not to like about this meal and I used to think years ago that this would always be a stuffy affair, but you do have to come to see for yourself that this isn’t as much as you would initially think. The rules on attire are still very much the same which I have commented on at length in my previous review (draconian rules on dress code still persist) but these are mainly cosmetic. Once inside the service once again proved very accommodating and warm.

There really wasn’t much not to like about this meal and I used to think years ago that this would always be a stuffy affair, but you do have to come to see for yourself that this isn’t as much as you would initially think. The rules on attire are still very much the same which I have commented on at length in my previous review (draconian rules on dress code still persist) but these are mainly cosmetic. Once inside the service once again proved very accommodating and warm.

Canapés at this meal were lemon macaroons with creamed salmon (topped with eggs from salmon), caramelised pastry cigars with coronation chicken and short bread with whipped goat cheese. Not one of these were out of line and all simply really enjoyable and what a treat to have coronation chicken in a bite size tube that turned out to be a joy. The home made brown bread was served warm and in a similar fashion to that of The Typing Room, and whilst visually pleasing, plain, brown bread itself is only as exciting as it is.

The soft boiled egg, with shallot croutons on top, girolle mushrooms and watercress leaf with edible flowers and watercress puree was as pleasing as you can imagine with those components when done well, which was the case. A simple and effective starter. There was a feint kick of heat from mustard within the watercress puree and this was very well done – just enough to jazz the dish up. The crispy shallot rings on top were frankly a delight and perhaps the secret weapon of this dish giving it a final spark.

The terrine of goose liver is a signature classic of the restaurant, modified slightly from the last year and by all accounts, still as good as it has been in the past. As it was another game season visit, clearly the grouse had to be sampled and this breast of grouse came with juniper powder on top, pickled blackberry, mushrooms, celeriac puree and walnut crumble with a gravy sauce. The grouse itself was perfectly tender and with the supporting elements, the bird itself was enhanced with the creamy celeriac, combined with and sharpness from the pickled raspberries but thankfully the rich flavour of the meat was not lost. I can’t say I noticed the juniper very much, but this wasn’t a problem when the dish is coated with a gravy that would make you want to drink from a gravy boat (the environment was the only thing that stopped me doing!).

Then clearly it was time for the flambé show of crêpes at the table, capably done by our man, Daniel. This actually takes upwards of 10 minutes at the table to be done, and it very much worth the wait. There are probably enough calories in this dish to sink the Titanic however, the flavours of the caramelised sugar, grand mariner and orange lusciously draped over virtually perfect crêpes, cooled down by wonderful, buttery vanilla ice cream that melts in to the sauce from the surrounding heat makes it simply a crime not to go for this if here. Petit fours seem to be the same as they were last year as signature items, but again, there was nothing about these that I didn’t enjoy (especially the chocolate cream) which basically makes a very high strike rate and strong level of consistent dishes enjoyed here on second pass.

It was the very good to have a quick chat at the end with the Exec chef (John Williams MBE) who was in and in full regalia, discussing his classical roots of cooking and how these underpin all signature and new dishes, using British produce. I don’t think it’s possible to come here and not be pleased when everything fits so well and this is now two from two as far as I am seeing and experiencing. Moreover, it was a milestone and special occasion for me which was a sheer pleasure to enjoy with my dining companion. We agreed that perhaps the decor and dress code simply attracts clientele of a more senior age bracket, or maybe it is the fact that it is simply the institution that it is. Either way, it was a lovey meal all round and I still don’t like the chairs(!). Perhaps a slight adjustment here or there without breaking the iconic feel may attract a younger crowd, but every single other aspect seems to work like a charm. Another great meal here.

First up, if you are dining here, you have to accept that there will be an added filter on attire. Guests are not allowed in the bar or restaruant without a tie and my host was asked to make his way to the changing room to change his trousers from the expensive jeans he was wearing to chinos, that were hopefully washed, but with no guarantee. My version on this is that if a house has these rules then so be it and the diner should be willing to abide however, I simply don’t think it is necessary for ties these days and is in fact out-dated.

Equally, I don’t think anyone should be allowed to bimble in to this restaurant (mainly filled by wealthy senior citizens and travellers who don’t say a word during dinner and generally look absurdly miserable) wearing trainers or sandles either. It was however, actually getting quite hot towards the end and although we were by the window, the staff either weren’t able or forgot to open it and the tie is quite restricting and ultimately I was burning up. Formality in this context yes, ok, but to be uncomfortable or border line suffer is a big no no for me at the expense of an out-dated sense of protocol.

The service could not have been more attentive. It was not stuffy nor condescending however, with the confidence of the staff in their environment and number of times we were asked how everything was throughout the meal, I can imagine that lesser-experienced diners might struggle to feel as though they can’t say anything other than “Oh yes everything is wonderful”. Fortunately, it’s been quite a while since I was intimidated by a restaruant as the key is that these enquiries of the staff are mainly as they are on show and they wish to check how they are rating.

And so on that note, I’m happy to report that I was actually exceedingly impressed with the cooking here and the technical skill and care of attention to detail was genuinely sitting in the Michelin starred family. I say this from comparing with all the other 65 Michelin starred restaruants in London and numerous other 2 and 3 starred venues I have visited and reviewed. That’s not to say that every dish was brilliant. I will get the negatives out the way first, as I found the pea sponge, beautiful as it was a little too soggy, the liver paté just a bit too large for its density and similar to the sweetbreads, although prepared superbly, it seemed to be missing a sweeter spark. I say this when reflecting on the sweetbreads had at Daniel Clifford’s 2 Michelin starred Midsummer House sweetbreads with maple foam in comparison – the latter was simply a higher level of happiness.

However, those dishes were still good on the eyes and on to the full blown positives, the langoustine was utterly divine all round – such soft, fresh and lovely combination of flavours making everything in the world right again. The cod was immaculate and it was also a testiment to the restaurant that they were able to accomodate the beef wellington which was a swap on the menu. The wellington itself was a work of art and virtually faultless (but if there was one thing I thought was marginal it was the foie gras in the centre which, needed something to make less bitter). The crêpe suzette cooked at the table, flambéd twice with brandy and grand marnier was not only a lovely touch as I think cooking at the table is a lost art and not seen much anymore and were frankly out of this world. It was hard to fault this and this course has actually entered the pantheon of the greats.

And if that wasn’t enough, the strawberry dessert done multiple ways was also genuinely a delight. The only problem being that at the end of the meal I was absolutely overloaded. I can accept that French cooking and occasions like this and that had at Le Gavroche will need doing a half-marathon before hand to reduce some of the calorific damage, but I was utterly stuffed at the end, border line undably bloated and that was leaving some dishes unfinished. Perhaps we should have been careful not to ask for the beef wellington, but having one slice of this would have been better as the two were virtually a meal in itself as that was a lot of protein on a plate(!). I have had 19-24 courses at 3 Michelin starred venues and not felt too packed and that is where the difference lies.

That said, my conclusion of finally getting here is that it was a genuinely pleasing experience with warm service. I still don’t like the chairs as they look as if they haven’t changed since the 70s and are as outdated as the stipulation for the tie. But, I thought the food was easily 1 Michelin starred – without a shadow of doubt. In fact, I cannot see why the guide has historically avoided awarding a star here to this venue. A great food show – make sure you don’t forget your wallets and best rags when coming and probably save the visit for a special occasion and you will be very well looked after here.

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This is one of the best value for money Michelin starred tasting menus I have come across (£60) and the overall result was also a superb meal. At the top of South Place Hotel in the city of London (nearest tube Moorgate), is a mirrored and diagonally shaped restaurant with a roof-terraced drinks area and a bustling bar on the ground floor. In food terms alone this was extremely enjoyable food and it was great of the kitchen to be able to do the 6 courses at a fast pace as I was in a rush. The fact that the kitchen and staff didn’t seem to flinch at this prospect showed its colours (granted I was the first to arrive, but others were not far behind me). I enjoyed every single course of this meal and this was a very good strike rate and would commend this as a new experience to anyone. As one of the few seafood Michelin starred restaurants in London and the UK, there are still meat and vegetarian options on the menu and this is my second visit, with an equally high scoring meal again. For the time difference between the two meals, I would say this reflects extremely well on this kitchen.

I was hideously early for this meal and needed to take refuge in the external drinks terrace on the top floor of the hotel, which now has sliding doors glass panelling for the colder months and this is an upgrade from the previous visit. Staff were very accommodating from the word go and the quieter drinks area immediately outside the restaurant and the bustling bar downstairs provide two decent options prior the meal depending on what mood you are in.

I was hideously early for this meal and needed to take refuge in the external drinks terrace on the top floor of the hotel, which now has sliding doors glass panelling for the colder months and this is an upgrade from the previous visit. Staff were very accommodating from the word go and the quieter drinks area immediately outside the restaurant and the bustling bar downstairs provide two decent options prior the meal depending on what mood you are in.

At the table, snacks arrived in the form of a prawn cracker with taramasalata, langoustine powder & lemon zest which was gorgeously deep and decadent with a bit of spice. A garlic crisp with onion gel and garlic emulsion was equally enjoyable and came prior to the sour dough (very hard shell) with caramelised butter with yeast (marmitey flavour).

The amuse bouche was a mini scotch egg of quail and English butternut and olive oil. As bites go this was definitely thumbs up and came with no problems at all. The first offering was the tuna tartare, avacado puree, shallots and chive. In more detail, this included wasabi, white soy, lemon, shiso, pickled black radish and a green shiso leaf on top fried in tempura. This dish was superb. There were a lot of components that had gone in to this dish, but strangely these did not make too complicated and was as light and aromatic as they come.

Octopus was next and came braised and charred with taramasalata dots, new potatoes, sea fennel (more sour and sharp than normal fennel – no liquorice) and bagna cauda sauce (which is made with red wine, and anchovy) served with deep fried baby squid. This was reportedly a new dish and along with the sweet squid ink sauce was another very good dish.

The main was pan-roasted cod, from Cornwall served with parsley root purée, parsley chantelle mushrooms, roasted squid and a red wine reduction. Again, this was perfectly cooked cod with an interesting simple presentation. The smoked butter mash on the side came with burnt leek powder on top (ever so slightly bitter) and was pleasant as a side of mash but did not rival that served at the L’Ateliers.

Pre-dessert was a buttermilk panna cotta, strawberry grape gel, fig purée, mixed with strawberry and hobnob crumbs with caraway seeds (looks like cumin but is sweet) , lemon, thyme and fig leaf oil. Although the was an interlude, it was absolutely delightful and I simply wanted more and more of it. The main dessert of chocolate pave had delightful textures and softness of flavours. My only gripe with this dish is that the placing of the olive oil pearls meant that some mouthfuls came with them and some did not and this completely changed the flavours of each mouthful (from either predominantly savoury to sweet and back again). However, it was certainly a more interesting dish with a modern play on salted chocolate. Petit fours were rosemary ganache and rasberry marshmallow with yoghurt powder and both pleased.

I was really happy at the end of this meal for all aspects – the service was professional, knowledgeable, accommodating and speedy on request. The price was a very good one considering the average tasting menu at 1 Michelin starred venues can be anywhere from £70-90 as the average and combined with the fact that the flavours were as good as they were makes this the second visit had and second time I’ve been really impressed with the experience. Although it’s not exactly a house-hold name as a restaurants go, this is a very option for lunch during the week (value for money) or a more snazzy Friday or Saturday evening. Definitely recommended.

The tiny amuse bouche cheese puffs were immediately superb and the menu was simply one of those that had all those comfort flavours you naturally like along with being stylish at the same time. To expand on this there was a superb creamed mash potato to go with the turbot when I was there along with a wonderful tarragon puree to go with the chicken. The fact that I can still remember those from nearly a year ago says enough about the food in itself.

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Galvin La Chapelle is one of the more unique starred restaurants in design as it was formlery a parish hall and gymnasium, built in 1890 and is now a Grade 2 listed building with a vast ceiling and area upstairs overlooking the restaurant. This is the sister restaurant to Galvin at Windows at the top of the Hilton Hotel in Park Lane and La Chapelle still sports a lunch set menu at £34.50 for three courses (£29 for 2) which will work out at just over £38 for the three courses with the optional 12.5% gratuity. This is higher than the average Michelin starred set menu band and all things considered, unfortunately this set menu seemed lackadasical. Simplicity is good but it must be punchy at the same time which sadly this one ultimately was not. One course was actively disappointing within this equation and it was good of the management to voluntarily take this off the bill and I sensed an admission that they were perhaps aware that this particular menu was not up to speed. Full details at the expansion button and the summary is I was hoping for a better advert for set menus.

To begin, the home made bread was quite dense and served cold and whilst that does certainly not mean worse, it was disappointing to have butter that was rock hard to go with. This was a very basic mistake for a Michelin starred restaurant and not a good opening. Olives at the table were very soft and simple but were not packing a huge amount of flavour in comparison to others that I have had, particularly at Murano and The West House.

To begin, the home made bread was quite dense and served cold and whilst that does certainly not mean worse, it was disappointing to have butter that was rock hard to go with. This was a very basic mistake for a Michelin starred restaurant and not a good opening. Olives at the table were very soft and simple but were not packing a huge amount of flavour in comparison to others that I have had, particularly at Murano and The West House.

What was excellent however was the vichyssoise – a form of soup made from leaks, potato, onion and cream and this one was super smooth and balanced beautifully as the surrounding to the salt cod brandade (salt cod whipped with olive oil and potato fried in breadcrumbs) and crème fraiche. This was a lovely dish although, comparative to other Michelin starred venues, it did seem strange to not have any form of snacks or amuse bouche.

The hand made linguine and pied blue mushrooms was good to have and there was a deliberate firmness to the mushrooms to give the linguine a little more texture and I enjoyed the crispy black olive crumbs on top, but at the same time it was a fairly straight forward main as it was basically the pasta and mushrooms with mushroom foam / sauce. This simmered as a comforting dish only.

It’s been a while since I had an Eton Mess so I went for this and again, nothing hugely complicated as it was soaked strawberries, with piped vanilla cream and meringue. The cream was done beautifully and I liked the way that there was not too much to allow the strawberries to do most of the talking but sadly the quality of the strawberries varied a lot from nicely ripe to sour and unappealing. There is only do much that can be done with an Eton mess but the key would be to make each bit as excellent as possible and I just got the sense that not a huge effort had gone in to this for a restaurant with the accolade of a star.

I never have an issue with simplicity but the if it is to be simple, the key is that it must be bursting with flavour. When the latter does not happen it makes the effort a little bit of a waste. Overall, it was not a devastating meal but had the management not voluntarily removed the price of the dessert, I would not ave felt good paying £38 (no drinks) for the three basic courses without any amuse bouche or pre-dessert which the establishment would clearly be able to do at its proficiency. A miscellaneous point is that the chefs’ audible rantings in the open kitchen also puts the overall experience down a peg as this can make diners uncomfortable. I was very grateful for the management adjusting the price of the meal based on the dessert not being particularly brilliant, but with regret, I have to say that this did not remind me of a Michelin starred meal and the clever additions that can so often be found were missed at the same time.

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