Restaurant

May 13, 2015 3 Michelin Stars

Le Bernardin, New York

It’s been a busy week in New York, but the one place I really wanted to eat was Le Bernardin in Midtown. Holding three Michelin Stars, the Executive Chef and co-owner is Eric Ripert, best buddy of Anthony Bourdain, and host of a variety of TV shows. My favourite quote of Bourdain’s referencing Eric is this: “There are certain people in your life who call you up at 4 o’clock in the morning and say meet me on the corner of Avenue D and 4th Street, and bring a hand gun, and a stolen car, a tarpaulin and duct tape – you don’t ask why – you just go!”

Eric is classically trained, and has

I bought my first Eric Ripert book in 2006, and have been a huge fan ever since – both in print and via the various tv shows on which he appears. I even have a little video on my Journal page demonstrating his caviar Croque Monsieur... {Yes, you read that right}

But Le Bernardin prompts such funny reactions amongst my peers – everything from ‘over-priced’, to just a ‘little dull’…

What’s wrong with people? I found it absolutely perfect – I love that the menu concentrates on fish, and does it flawlessly! I love that the menu is broken down into Almost Raw, Barely Touched, and Lightly Cooked…

The front of house team are charming, professional, courteous, and well-informed. The room is wood-panelled, large and airy, and on my visit frequented by the likes of Tobey Maguire {with a very bushy beard, actually…}. The food is absolutely divine – the mussel broth served with my king fish was one of the most delicious things I’ve had – and you leave feeling as light as a feather, but completely satisfied. Also, given that this week we’ve eaten at Per Se and 11 Madison Park {again}, I think Le Bernardin is stonking value.

If you can’t get into the main restaurant, the lovely chaps will let you eat the main menu in the lounge, which serves customers on a first-come-first-served basis. If you like your fish, just trust me, go down and try it for yourself. If you’re a Londoner, again, trust me – this is as good as any fish I’ve eaten in London, being almost the perfect combination of Japanese and French sensibilities. I’ll ensure it’s on my list every single time I return to New York.

Salmon Rillette, with toast

Warm King Fish “Sashimi”; Osetra Caviar, Light Marinière Broth

Pan Roasted Monkfish; Sautéed Cepes, Pearl Onions à la Crème Paprika Sauce

Pan Roasted Lobster; Baby Leeks, Sunchoke Purée, Red Wine “Sauce Américaine”

Flourless Hazelnut Cake, Gianduja Mousse, Orange Curd, Praline Ice Cream

Financiers

April 17, 2015 2 Michelin Stars

Midsummer House, Cambridge

Any trip to Newmarket racecourse is a great excuse to visit Midsummer House in Cambridge, the two Michelin star restaurant of Daniel Clifford, especially with the 14yo in tow! We’ve written about Midsummer House before, so I shan’t regurgitate all of that detail again…

Since we last wrote, Mr Clifford has sold one pub, bought another, and acquired a farm which will supply the restaurant, as well as housing a farm shop and delicatessen. Inevitably perhaps, this means that it doesn’t feel as though the restaurant is his main focus at the moment. The FOH were charming, the staff very attentive {though there was a lull during the height of service}, and the routine very well polished. The food itself is accomplished, though I don’t believe it’s of the calibre of our last visit. Whilst dishes stood up well individually, the ‘journey’ didn’t seem to have any obvious umami crescendo, despite the extensive use of onion and mushroom etc. This is a definite contrast to our last meal, which felt very ‘tight’ and structured.

Midsummer House is a great restaurant, and we’re absolutely certain that once Daniel’s other ventures are bedded in, Midsummer will return to its usual glorious form.

Addendum: Keen-eyed readers may spot a couple of dishes which resemblance those of Massimo Bottura’s Masterchef 2015 menu… Yes… We thought that too ;0) Hey, we’re all inspired by others, and chefs are no different.

: Gin and tonic amuse, with diced cucumber

: Mackerel tartar amuse, on crispy fish skin

: Chicken liver parfait amuse, avocado mousse

: Brillat Savarin eclair, with a citrus gel in a crispy shell

: English asparagus, burnt onion, potatoes, sauce hollandaise

: Smoked haddock, pickled onion, grilled cheese

: Roast veal sweetbread, pink grapefruit, pistachio and turnip purée

: Beetroot baked on open coals, quinoa, goat’s cheese, mizuna

: Beetroot baked on open coals, quinoa, goat’s cheese, mizuna

: Hen’s egg, with a Jerusalem artichoke velouté

: Brill, with caviar and oyster leaf

: The smoked hen eggs, that accompany the pot roasted chicken, leeks, mushrooms {sadly not photographed, me being the vegetarian!}

: Fillet of red mullet Rossini, Grelot onion and oyster leaf

: Pousse café

: Yorkshire rhubarb, Bramley apple, vanilla cream, apple caramel

: Chocolate dome with coffee, almond and mascarpone

Midsummer House

Midsummer Common

Cambridge, UK CB4 1HA

(012) 233-6929

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March 1, 2015 British

Corrigan’s, Mayfair

Everyone has their favourite place to eat in a gang, whether steakhouse or Indian, pizzeria or tapas bar… My personal favourite at the moment is Corrigan’s… When we first visited it a few years ago we were practically the only people in the vast room, and the atmosphere was frayed to say the least. Now it’s my go-to place for any group over three, having both prompt, but not lightening service, being crowded and therefore having a decent atmosphere, and actually allowing you to sit over your stickies at the end, cackling with your chums. There are also a number of private spaces available for hire, from the two kitchen tables to the more formal Lindsay Room. Do look out for the Restaurant Manager, Magdalena Gorska – formidable but utterly charming, every request is handled with a can-do attitude, and a graceful smile!

One of the joys of eating here is also the observance of seasonality, with a menu full of the delights of each month – including rhubarb, the last remnants of the truffle season, and a huge rib of beef on the specials.

HERITAGE BEETROOT SALAD, WITH GOAT’S CURD, MERLOT

SHELLFISH SALAD, WITH TEMPURA PRAWN

CORNISH CRAB SALAD, CHILLI & LIME

ROAST LINE CAUGHT COD,
CARAMELISED CAULIFLOWER, TRUFFLED LEEKS

ROAST RIB OF BEEF FOR TWO

ROAST RIB OF BEEF

T-BONE STEAK WITH ONION RINGS

RHUBARB CRUMBLE SOUFFLÉ, GINGER CUSTARD

February 6, 2015 1 Michelin Star

Angler, Moorgate

Angler, hidden in the heart of the City of London, is one of my favourite restaurants and was another on our hit~list now we’ve returned. Tony Fleming set up Angler three years ago, and since achieving his first Michelin star within a year, he’s taken the restaurant from strength to strength ~ there’s a constant and steady hum of diners in the glittering mirrored room. I’m a little bit obsessed with meticulous attention to detail, and there’s nothing to fault here.

The glory of being in a fish restaurant is that I can literally eat my way around the menu, and where dishes do contain a meat element {such as veal cheek}, Tony replaces it with something {to my mind} more luscious, such as a plump and juicy langoustine.

Angler always delivers ~ do check out the dessert offerings, which are more beautiful and delicious each time we visit.

Cauliflower cheese {soup}, with a parmesan galette

Crab cocktail, deep fried Porthilly oyster, rouille

Onto which is poured a crab bisque

Shellfish ravioli, chive and tomato butter, fennel and ginger slaw, lime

Scallops, langoustine, carrot purée, ginger, jus

Brill, ragout of squid, fennel purée, sea purslane

Lime posset, spiced bread {dehydrated and fresh}, mango, meringue

Flourless orange cake, grapefruit, Grand Marnier, roast almonds {salted}, roast almond ice-cream

Petit fours including a salted caramel truffle {divine}, and Earl Grey fudge {already snaffled by Hubby}

The second the sun shines, you’ll find me here, on the Angler Terrace

Angler
South Place Hotel
3 South Place
London EC2M 2AF
020 7215 1260

February 5, 2015 1 Michelin Star

Alyn Williams, Mayfair

We’ve been so busy over the last few months that we’ve neglected our favourite restaurants… Now that we’re back in London, Alyn Williams was front and centre of our hit list, and there’s nothing nicer than finding out what’s new on Alyn’s menu {or checking out London’s only Michelin~starred glittery carpet}.

The menu holds a perfect combination of rich umami dishes alongside light and fragrant ones – particularly nice for me as a non-meat eater… That’s not to say that Hubby didn’t receive is fair share of protein, but we were particularly impressed by the bright notes, which revived the palate and provided contrast to the depth of some of the dishes.

Giancarlo, the utterly charming restaurant manager, was front and centre as always, and the room was relaxed but buzzing. Still ridiculously good value at £70 for a 7 course tasting menu, it’s one of the five restaurants I recommend the most for those looking for a fine-dining treat. Even better, at lunch time you can have three courses for £30!

My favourite dishes on this occasion were the cauliflower cheese {divine}, the rhubarb dessert, and the mint and chocolate – the mint being particularly clean against the rich chocolate. No need for umami overkill, the dishes were nuanced and full of flavour.

Langoustine, sand carrot, blood orange and carrot jelly with a crème fraîche bavarois, blood oranges, dates, cashew, garam masala

Blow-torched mackerel, buckweed, sea urchin, miso, buckwheat ‘chop suey’, dashi

Miso eel, beetroot, hispi cabbage, celeriac, cream cheese

Cauliflower cheese, croutons, winter truffle

Sea bass, truffle, burnt pear, braised and grilled red and white endive, salsify, frisée, vanilla purée

Kale crisps, cauliflower, hispi cabbage, greek yoghurt, barbecue sauce

Crème caramel, rhubarb granita, poached rhubarb

Chocolate, mint snow, crème fraiche, chocolate soil

October 20, 2014 1 Michelin Star

Fera, at Claridges

I’m an unashamed fan of Fera – I’ve been several times now, and it’s one of my favourite places to eat. Though the dishes are multi-dimensional and intensely flavoured, there’s complete clarity of flavour. As a cook, I can also appreciate the variety of techniques employed, and though Mr Rogan is keen on his gadgets, their use never overshadows the dish.

Absurdly, even though it’s just won its first Michelin star, it’s easy to get a table at lunch time – do try an early walk-in. Fera is required to keep a number of tables free for the hotel, so it’s highly likely that you’ll be successful.

Benjamin Hofa was running the pass on this particular visit, and my pescatarian spanner barely caused a hiccup in service. For meat eaters, there’s plenty of variety in the menu, but the test of a decent kitchen, is coming up with suitable alternatives – and my dishes were comparable to Hubby’s.

Indeed, for me the joy of the menu is the sheer variety of vegetal ingredients. A kaleidescope of herbs have different effects on the palate, combinations can be combined to create lightness and vivacity, to cleanse the palate, or provide a hit of intense, savoury umami… Flowers aren’t just there for decoration, mushrooms can mimic flesh, and vegetables, pudding. I can feel that I’m losing some of you with that last statement, but ultimately the dishes are more than gimmicks, they’re simply delicious.

The proceedings always kick of with a selection of very tasty morsels…

August 30, 2014 Restaurant

Hutong, The Shard

I love Northern Chinese cuisine, so have wanted to go to Hutong for some time now. Having finally managed to obtain a table last week, I’ve been twice in a week. Why? Well – on the first occasion we were so impressed by the plumptious kung pao prawns that I just had to have some more!…

April 13, 2013 3 Michelin Stars

Sant Pau, Spain

Sant Pau, the flagship of Carme Ruscalleda, is based in the small town of Sant Pol de Mar, just north of Barcelona. Right on the sea, the restaurant’s raison d’être is seasonality and local produce, though often cooked in unexpected ways. Carme also runs a restaurant in Tokyo, and her strong Japanese influences are palpable. When we visited, the restaurant was celebrating the 9th anniversary of the Toyko opening, and a number of dishes originated at the Tokyo San Pau.

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April 13, 2013 2 Michelin Stars

Lasarte, Barcelona

Lasarte is the Barcelona outpost of the Basque chef Martín Berasategui, and the kitchen is run by Paolo Casagrande. The restaurant is spaciously laid out, and the tiles on the walls replicate the Gaudi tiles on the Paseo de Gracia – a nice touch.

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April 13, 2013 2 Michelin Stars

Moments, Barcelona

Moments, at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, is the Barcelona outpost of Carme Ruscalleda’s Sant Pau restaurant at Sant Pol del Mar. The kitchen is run by Carme’s son, Raül Balam, and serves Catlan food in a modern style….