Restaurant

February 23, 2013 Italian

Hartnett Holder & Co, at Lime Wood

When I mention that I spend half my time in the New Forest, people push me for hotel and restaurant recommendations… And the problem with the Forest is that it is a destination – over ten million people pour into it to it every year to camp, trek, and cycle through the woods, and sail out of the beautiful harbours – consequently, a great proportion of the restaurants in the area cater for the tourist market.

At one end of the spectrum it’s not uncommon to be served a tin of beans alongside your enormous portion of sausage and mash (and no, I’m not joking). At the other end, we have several formal restaurants, usually based in hotels, and on the whole rather uninspiring, sterile spaces. There are of course a few exceptions, but I’ve all but given up eating out down here, and recommend very few places to chums.

Inevitably the conversation will turn to sister-hotels The Pig at Brockenhurst, and Lime Wood at Lyndhurst – both hotels feature in all those lovely magazines we Londoners seem to favour so much. The cognoscenti don their wellingtons and Barbours, and head for the woods, in an urbanite return to nature. I’m actually very fond of Lime Wood – I’ve even stayed there, though I live less than ten miles away (excellent beds, low lighting that activates when you pop to the bathroom at night, and excellent breakfast in the Scullery, since you ask).

But did I enjoy the restaurant enough to recommend it? To be honest – no. Though the food was good, it had a very incongruous Disney’esque wooden framing and was completely devoid of any personality. Everyone I’ve asked down here disliked it, as did a few of my London friends who’d visited. We were all abuzz then, with the news that not only was Angela Hartnett joining Luke Holder in an re-woking of the menu, but also the dining rooms were to be completely overhauled.

In place of the faux Disney, there are now stuffed leather chairs, and Missoni fabric. Much smarter than the dining room at The Pig, but much more relaxed and comfortable than it’s previous incarnation. Playing to Luke’s strengths, the menu has a very strong Italian influence, and reflects the year Luke spent working at the three Michelin starred Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence (excellent wine list, good food, insane water menu – yes – you read that correctly – a 30 page plus water menu…). And of course we all know that Angela’s an excellent pusher of Italian delights… Could this new incarnation live up to my expectations I wondered?

Well, hurrah for Holder and Hartnett! I’ll say it again – hurrah! Excellent Italian food, properly executed favourites, with friendly and observant staff. Ristottos were properly al dente, creamy, and the 11yo’s saffron risotto wasn’t too metallic, a common problem. Alongside that, delicious artichokes, excellent salad which tasted as though it had just been plucked, perfect zucchini fritti (joy of joys), and my favourite – espresso affogato.

So, go on – ask me… Would I recommend Holder and Hartnett to my London chums?

Absolutely!

Roasted artichokes, with grated duck egg, and bread crumbs

Risotto Milanese

Local meats cured in the Smokehouse at Lime Wood

Pumpkin risotto, with chestnuts and Nanny blue cheese

Flat-iron steak, with black pepper butter

Affogato

Lime Wood Hotel,
Beaulieu Road,
Lyndhurst,
Hampshire
SO43 7FZ

February 15, 2013 1 Michelin Star

Galvin at Windows, Mayfair

Galvin at Windows, my favourite restaurant with a view… Perched high above London on top of the Hilton, it’s has enviable vistas from every window. The greatest joy is that no matter how many times you’ve been, you notice something new…

…

February 15, 2013 Restaurant

Sumosan, Piccadilly

Mayfair’s Sumosan is one of three restaurants worldwide run by the Wolkow family. It’s one of the trendier Japanese restaurants, with groovy music, dimmed lighting and excellent cocktails.

We’ve been to it several times with friends, and have always enjoyed the extensive menu. On this occasion we found some of the combinations less successful (toro stuffed with foie gras was definitely a textural challenge) – but if you stick with the various excellent sashimi combinations, you’ll be on safe ground. Yellowtail truffle tiradito was a very welcome variation on the usual hamachi with jalapeño – the strong truffle oil scent giving way to a crisp and citrus dressing. The sashimi selection was also very good, particularly the scallop and sweet shrimp.

There’s no doubting the quality of the raw ingredients, and there’s an extensive range of options available. There’s also a decent variety of sake to suit a variety of budgets. If you’d prefer a more intimate option than the monolithic options close by, it’s definitely worth a spin.

Rock shrimp tempura, with a creamy spicy sauce

Yellowtail truffle tiradito

Sashimi selection, including salmon, scallop, yellowtail, sweet shrimp and sea bass

Toro stuffed with foie gras

Beef medallion, with a wasabi miso sauce and artichoke

Sumosan
26b Albemarle Street,
London W1S 4HY

February 4, 2013 2 Michelin Stars

le Champignon Sauvage

We visited Cheltenham during a blizzard in January, and though our shooting ended up being cancelled, we were very happy to have the opportunity to visit le Champignon Sauvage.

David and Helen Everitt-Matthias first opened lCS in 1987, and have held two Michelin stars for thirteen years. David has also won the National Chef of the Year competition, and has three excellent cookbooks to his name, all of which I adore, and which I dragged along to be signed by David.

The room has just undergone refurbishment and gone are the heavy blue tones. In their place are warm wooden panels, shades of sand and taupe, and a wide range of artwork. Service is professional and prompt, but I suspect real warmth is saved for regulars. An elderly couple celebrating their wedding anniversary recalled with fondness the opening of the restaurant, and it’s clear that it has a very loyal clientele.

The food was very precise, and we enjoyed some unusual combinations of flavours. Elements could be tasted individually, but also combined to make a delicious whole, and this is one of the few restaurants we’ve been to that had a clear sense of menu development.

When I brought my books along, Helen very kindly let me look at the unpublished third book, and frankly that could have been my afternoon had the Hubby not prised it from my mitts. lCS is definitely on our return list as soon as the season kicks off…

Goats cheese cookie, with parmesan and poppy seeds,
together with a malted biscuit, with pickled pear, spring onion

Brioche – outstanding – onion and bacon

Dexter beef tartar, corned beef, wasabi and shimeji mushrooms

Saute of langoustines, roasted heritage carrots, carrot puree, and buttermilk

Lamb with sweetbreads, and cockles

Roasted partridge, ceps and cep purée, chicory, braised walnuts, garlic buds (!), and spring onion

Bergamot parfait, orange jelly, liquorice cream, liquorice tuilles

Petit Fours (part one)

Petit Fours (part two)

le Champignon Sauvage
24-26 Suffolk Road,
Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire GL50 2AQ

January 25, 2013 Restaurant

The Jetty, Christchurch

It may be a grey, wintry day, but there is nothing to cheer the soul like a sea view, with scudding clouds, and wading birds floating above a reflective sea… Even better then, if you can take-in that view from within a warm, bright and glass wrapped haven.

The Jetty appears to float above Christchurch Harbour – all weathered wood, sparkling glass and steel – it’s perched like a launching boat, next to the grey waters. It is run by by Alex Aitken, who has cooked in the New Forest for over twenty-five years. At le Poussin he held a Michelin star, and he moved to The Jetty in 2010.

There were five of us for lunch and we’d all been meaning to try it for some time. We were impressed by the breadth and scope of the menu – there are rarely menus where I really feel torn between dishes – but there is plenty to tempt here. The following will give you a good idea of their style and talents. A word of caution, book early in the summer months, because I guarantee everyone else will!

Amuse: cauliflower veloute

Seared foie gras on toast with citrus sauce and crispy bacon

Soft boiled egg wrapped in saltcod brandade,

deep fried with summer vegetable salad

Pigeon breast, with puy lenttils

Warm salad of pigeon breast and mango

Paella

Pheasant, with mashed potato, lardons, greens, and baby onions

Fillet of cod, topped with Mudeford crab and herb crust, with mashed potatoes and peas

Dorset whole lemon sole served with greens and Bearnaise…
(normally buerre blanc)

Green salad

Hot passion fruit soufflé with hot passion fruit sauce
(with the additional lift from the sauce)

Hot passion fruit soufflé, with hot passion fruit sauce

The Jetty

The Jetty
Christchurch Harbour Hotel
95 Mudeford
Christchurch
Dorset BH23 3NT

December 11, 2012 Restaurant

Plateau, Canary Wharf

Plateau in Canary Wharf has always been a bit of a stalwart in the Wharf’s firmament, though arriving somewhat later than many of the restaurants. It boasts good views over the Wharf, a bar, grill, restaurant, and a glass encased kitchen which acts as a room divider. I’d eaten endlessly in Plateau when I lived in the Wharf, but hadn’t been back for some time – certainly not in the time of Allan Pickett, the current Head Chef. OboTheClown (sic), Valerie and I were looking for somewhere to meet up, and the one thing we all know the Wharf has is parking, very good transport links, and lots of eateries. It seemed like a good opportunity to revisit Plateau.

I began with an excellent crab salad, packed full of flavour from the brown crab, with the white crab meat adding a light delicate sweetness. The grapefruit adds acidity, and the watercress, salad and radish a peppery but refreshing bite.

Cornish crab salad, pink grapefruit and brown crab mayonnaise

The rabbit loin was full of flavour, but a tad dry for me (we were eating after 2.30pm for lunch, which may just have had an impact), but the confit was absolutely delicious. All of the garnishes worked perfectly with the rabbit, the charred shallots adding a bitter-sweet note, and the soubise adding an umami depth to the dish.

Loin & confit of rabbit, white onion soubise, roast cauliflower and jus gras

Couldn’t miss out dessert, especially when there were so many offerings! I went for the chocolate delice, as I’m working on a recipe at the moment and am looking for variations. This one was very rich and deep, and the coconut ice a perfect foil adding a different level of sweetness – the passionfruit puree spikes the palate and offsets some of the richness.

Marquise of bitter chocolate, coconut sorbet and passion fruit

Overall the food was excellent, though I found the service a little haphazard. I rather suspect people remember the food, but are too busy with their client lunch to focus on the minutiae of the service. Obo said his lamb was exquisite, some of the best he’d had, and Valerie liked her rabbit… I definitely want to try the grill now that I’ve realised they have a Josper grill, and we will return.

Plateau
4th Floor Canada Place,
Canada Square,
Canary Wharf,
London E14 5ER

November 23, 2012 1 Michelin Star

Tom Kitchin, Edinburgh

We met Tom Kitchin at the Cube pop-up earlier in the year, and were seriously impressed by both the simplicity of his dishes, and the complexity of his flavours. Tom has years of classical training, and brings those skills to bear on the excellent seasonal produce close to his restaurant in Leith. Indeed such is the pride in the provenance of produce that diners are presented with a little map of Scotland detailing exactly where ingredients have been sourced…

We were in Scotland to shoot, and really wanted to take our American chums to Tom’s – they’re massive game fans, foodies and have travelled extensively in Scotland. I was travelling with my guns, and Kristen had nearly not been allowed on her flight, so by the time we met up in the bright glass-ceilinged bar we were all a little delirious with relief. Fortunately the manager, Holly Napoli took us under her wing, soothed our ruffled feathers and provided refreshment. We all chose the game tasting menu – it seemed the most appropriate selection given our trip – though I couldn’t help eyeing up all the gorgeous dishes of spoots being delivered around the restaurant – they were one of the highlights of our Cube dinner.

We began with a perfect pheasant consommé, clear, scented, highly flavoured, savoury and light. It’s impossible to describe the flavour, but there was a very slight nod to ‘stuffing’, so that the consommé immediately made me think of Willy Wonka – you’re given one thing, but it tastes of a whole meal – utterly delicious! It was dressed with a disk of pheasant, grapes, apple shards, a celeriac cream, and a crisp shard of pancetta. The fruit provided a bright and fresh note, with just a touch of acidity, and the bacon a little salty hit… A very lovely umami combination which I couldn’t help thinking would make the perfect starter on Christmas Day.

Then a venison carpaccio – the venison from the Wilton estate in Midlothian. The meat was clean, tender, full of flavour, and served with cubes of apple and croutons for texture and contrast, micro herbs, toasted pumpkin seeds, autumn vegetables, hazelnuts and a light, bright herb cream. Again an excellent combination of textures, flavours, and actually, temperatures.

In a nod to his mentor, Pierre Koffman, the next dish was a game pithivier. I’ve had Mr Koffman’s pithivier, and this was just as delicious. The filling included venison, mallard, and woodcock, and was served with a game jus, caramelised quince, and a quince puree. The pastry was perfectly crisp, and gave way to a dense, meaty filling – the not too-sweet quince acted as a perfect foil for the rich meat.

The next dish of mallard left us all pretty speechless. The meat was barely cooked, and served on top of a endive tart. My views on endive vary according to the dish, but here the caramelised bitter-sweet endive perfectly, perfectly complimented the duck, with its sweet beetroot and sour orange sauce. Again a dish had a foot in each sensory camp – bitter, sweet, sour, savoury, and a tiny hit of salt – the assembly of the dish undertaken with complete precision and balance. Kristen, who’s father is a massive hunter, kept saying that she wished she’d grown up eating game this way – apparently everything in her childhood had to be crumbed and fried – even elk… The mind boggles…

The most challenging dish for me was definitelty the woodcock, though I have eaten it before. I shot my first woodcock last year in Scotland, and the chef had pan-fried it (and a couple of others) for us all, very much like pigeon. In my conversations with Tom I’d promised to take on the full, traditional dish. The innards are chopped and served on a slice of toast, with the breast barely cooked on top – the head is then served on top of this, and the diner is invited to scoop out the brain. It’s accompanied by a celeriac puree and root vegetables. All of this was utterly delicious, but far more challenging for me personally was the salmis sauce – the remaining body parts are effectively crushed to make the sauce – a sauce so intensely meaty that I found it a little overwhelming. Having said that – the others absolutely loved it. And in case you’re wondering, the brain pops right out, like a miniature human brain, intact and exactly as you would imagine. The flavour and texture are quite creamy, and you’re encouraged to eat that piece first, so that you can appreciate the flavour – do give it a go!

Our final meat dish was a hare à la Royale – served with pumpkin puree, parsnip chips, chanterelles, salsify, wild watercress and pumpkin. The meat is slowly cooked in jus and enriched with foie gras, blood and truffles, and is topped with a loin of hare. The whole dish is incredibly rich, but is very much the climax of the meaty menu.

The palate cleanser of an Earl Grey sorbet is a welcome transition out of the main courses and into dessert – light, delicate, and fragrant, with a tiny piece of confit orange peel providing a little sweet and sour.

Dessert was an entirely unexpected pumpkin cheesecake, spiked with cinammon, and served with toasted pumpkin seeds, candied pecans, and a chocolate sorbet. Many years ago the 11yo had convinced me to make her a pumpkin pie, and it was so revolting that I’ve not eaten a pumpkin dessert since. With the slightly sour edge to the filling, and the fragrant cinnamon, this was absolutely delicious. Kristen is bringing me her favourite pumpkin puree from the US for our shooting rematch in a fortnight – so I’ll definitely be making this as a tribute dish.

The cooking at Tom Kitchin’s is very accomplished, grown-up and complete – ingredients are allowed to shine, and are treated with respect. The staff are charming, very well informed about the dishes, and attentive. This is undoubtedly one of the most memorable meals we’ve eaten, and we can’t wait to return.

The Kitchin: 78 Commercial Quay, Leith EH6 6LX (0131) 555 1755

November 13, 2012 1 Michelin Star

Truffles at Alyn Williams…

Forget Keat’s ‘time of mellow fruitfulness‘, I want his ‘season of mists’. For me it signifies a time of abundant fungi, and particularly truffles. I look forward to fresh alba truffles from Piedmont, and black truffles from Périgord… I’ve been using summer truffles for months, and can’t wait for some of their more heavily scented cousins to arrive… Until the supply kicks-in in earnest, Hubby and I have been seeking out the first of the new season offerings on Alyn Williams‘ truffle tasting menu.

Alyn has fed me so many firsts this year, and is the only chef who’s had me buying gulls eggs, and eel, to cook at home – that’s my idea of an inspirational cook. As a result we were delighted when he received his first Michelin star recently, and won the National Chef of the Year competition a few days later

On this occasion the room was full of truffle aficionado’s – though this shouldn’t put you off – a truffle tasted for the first time is just as enjoyable as the last… There’s something in the scent, the (almost) melt-in-the-mouth texture which will leaves you wanting more. Truffles are rumoured to be addictive, but apparently some people are just more susceptible to their charms than others… Here the dishes were so varied that it wasn’t a case of sensory overload, but of a steady appreciation of precious and highly seasonal ingredients.

Sweetcorn might seem an unusual vehicle for truffles, but having had sweetcorn chowder spiked perfectly with lemongrass at Eleven Madison Park, I’ve come to appreciate its sweet simplicity anew. There was a smooth silky sweetcorn puree beneath the ravioli, and a scattering of crunchy fresh kernels. The scallop ravioli itself was light and delicate, with shaved alba truffle on top.

Scallop ravioli, sweet corn, white truffle

Jerusalem artichoke panna cotta is smooth and silky, with a rich dense foie grass mousse piped on top – both have earthy deep flavours, and the truffle and lemon compote on the glass provide a fragrant highlight to the two components. Interestingly the pairing of foie gras and artichoke brings out a green note in the panna cotta, a contrast which was literally mouth-watering – a great play with umami flavours.

Foie gras mousse, Jerusalem artichoke, black truffle, chickweed

The quail breast was perfectly cooked, pink, and the legs kofta were delicately spiced with dukka (an Arabic or Egyptian spice mixture). The veloute, again rich and earthy – echoed the continuing autumnal theme – but also echoing the sweetness of the sauternes preserved alba truffles.

Spiced quail, chestnut gnocchi, pumpkin velouté,
marigold flowers and preserved white truffle

A variation of the smoked egg has been on the menu before, and Alyn’s truffled soldiers were one of the first things I ate at the restaurant when it opened. Here they make a very welcome return, with the slight acidity of the creme fraiche at the bottom of the dish offsetting the richness of the egg.

Smoked egg, with truffled soldiers

Silky coco beans wrapped in a creamy veloute, with soft cod, each distinct in their own way, with finely grated alba truffle – heavenly. The ventreche (pancetta, pork belly, whichever you prefer) provides a little salty crisp. Yes, the cod does have that slightly raw texture you get when cooking in this way, but I’m eating it so often this way at the moment that I barely noticed it.

Slow cooked cod, coco beans, white truffle, Ventreche, casserole

Oh my word… See that little slip of mushroom puree, there in the front? With my finger print in it? Yes… That’s because it’s one of my favourite things ever – pure umami, richly intense, perfect in every way. The beef was tender, there were tiny croutons providing crunchy bursts of sauce-soaked texture, which was rich with madeira and demi-glace. To top it all (and make it a sauce perigourdine), fresh truffles were shaved over the dish at the table.

Devon Ruby beef, sauce perigourdine,
ceps, (and separately, pommes mousseline)

Inevitably there’s always one dish that I begin to eat before I photograph it – and here it was because the smell from the vanilla in the rice pudding and the truffle was quite intoxicating. Your brain can’t quite rationalise the pairing, but your palate is telling you to shut up and eat it! Very unusual combination, the texture of the truffle is slightly incongruous with the soft, sweet grains of rice, but hey, the flavour and scent more than make up for that.

(Partially eaten) Vanilla, white truffle, Devon cream, rice pudding

All my notes say is that pear and truffle are amazing together. No more than that, but with a number of exclamation points. There was a catalan cream, smooth and light, with a pear granita, and softly poached pear… The pine adds an additional spike in the scent, and the sugar shard further texture.

Pear, pine, crème Catalan, black truffle sugar

The real skill in this menu is combining so many truffle elements, whilst remaining true to each dish as an individual entity. Truffles were served in a myriad of ways, and eating at Alyn’s as often as we do, it’s very evident that his menu’s are improving, his experimentation is paying off, and his palate is excellent. (And he gave me a little bit of my favourite miso eel at the beginning of the meal. I could eat that forever!)

This truffle menu is available for a limited time at £180 per head (though having just been to a restaurant where the supplement was £70 per dish, it certainly isn’t overpriced!) The restaurant also offers a tasting menu at £60 per head, and a lunch menu at £25 for three courses. With inspired service from the lovely Gian-Carlo Princi, and a glittery carpet – what more could you ask for?

Alyn Williams at the Westbury
37 Conduit Street
The Westbury Mayfair Hotel
London W1S 2YF

November 8, 2012 1 Michelin Star

Angler, South Place Hotel, Moorgate

At last the talented Tony Fleming has launched Angler, at the newly opened South Place Hotel. As Executive Chef Tony is responsible for several spaces in the hotel, including three bars, all the private dining, and two restaurants. Angler sits upstairs and has it’s own outside terrace – so you’ll know where to find me next summer… It even has a summer kitchen, so that some foods can be prepared outside. We sat towards the back of the restaurant, where one of the tables overlooks the kitchen. From there you can see all of the action, and the precision with which they plate at the pass.

The basic premiss of the restaurant, as it’s name might denote, is the provision of spankingly fresh, seasonable and sustainable fish and shellfish. There are meat dishes on the menu too, and as some seasonal variations come into play, such as game, they will feature alongside their piscine counterparts.

My cherrystone clam was offered as an alternative to the oyster that Hubby immediately downed! At the time we visited, Angler had Colchester Natives, Mersea Rocks and Irish Rocks – unfortunately I’m unable to eat oysters, but the clam packed an equally ozone punch, with a fresh light texture and flavour.

Cherrystone clam, raw, with shallot vinegar

This tiny cheesy biscuit, offered just as a nibble, is packed full of flavour, like an incredibly intense cheese straw. I tried to photograph the many crisp layers, but they’re so fine I couldn’t capture them adequately. It’s made with Montgomery cheddar and I want the recipe… You can see just how short the pastry is from my photo.

A little cheese biscuit – delicious!

The shellfish bisque is fine, velvety, light, but packed full of flavour. Whilst the depth of shellfish used in the bisque is evident, it doesn’t feel as though they’ve ground down everything on the counter – a problem I often encounter. We shared a cup between us, but I would happily have eaten a bowl of this.

Shellfish bisque

Chorizo paired with shellfish was incredible, very intense and meaty, yet not overwhelming the razor clams and mussels. I’ve become a bit of a razor clam addict since having them cooked by Mr Kitchin earlier in the year, and these were a little over for my taste, but then the best I’ve had (at Cinq) were practically raw. I think it may rather depend on your own particular tastes.

Razor clam, chorizo, mussel and breadcrumbs

Hubby had the shellfish cocktail, which you can see is packed full, the radish and watercress add a peppery kick to the proceedings, and Hubby declared the dressing lovely.

Shellfish cocktail, with prawns, brown shrimp and langoustine

My scallop and lobster ravioli was delicious – the pasta was wafer-thin, but packed full of shellfish. The buerre blanc was pretty stellar – this is the point of Angler, classical techniques applied to the best possible ingredients. The sauce was light, but rich, buttery, lightly spiked with chives, and perfectly complimented the packed ravioli. Breaking into it reveals large chunks of shellfish, wrapped in a light and delicate mousse.

Scallop and lobster ravioli, with samphire and beurre blanc

Hubby wanted to try the Angler pie, with market fish, and chunks of lobster. The whole thing was topped with piped mashed-potato, golden on top, and eliciting admiring glances from customers and staff alike… Hubby was convinced that he’d never manage to finish it, but it disappeared without trace. The pie contains meaty chunks of monkfish and lobster.

Angler and lobster pie, with button mushrooms and mashed potato

I opted for the bass with sauce vierge – one of my favourite flavours. I wouldn’t have chosen the bass ordinarily, as often it’s ruined, but I’m glad I did. It was steamed over a bamboo steamer, and perfectly, perfectly cooked. The fish was dressed with salad, with the sauce vierge in a little copper pot to the side. The fish sat on crushed potatoes which had been laced with crab, an amazing combination which I will definitely play with at home.

Steamed wild bass, with crushed potatoes, sauce vierge and a herb salad

Alongside it I had a heritage tomato salad, which included some amazing orange tomatoes – I must find out the variety. The overall combination was light and bright, satisfying, but not too rich.

Hubby also ordered a side of triple cooked chips. I have a strange rule – I’ll never eat a chip first – I find that all you then crave is salt and fat – they ruin your palate. However I will sometimes try one after I’ve eaten my meal, and these were still crisp, crunch and amazing! I wonder whether I can apply that rule in future…

Late summer tomatoes, with red onions and olive oil

The pre-dessert was a concoction of passionfruit curd, wrapped in a light lime espuma. Though a nod to the El Bulli reversed poached egg, this was a much more accessible version – the ‘yolk’ hadn’t been created through spherification, so didn’t have the ‘shell’ you normally associate with that process. It came with crisp shards of coconut which had been spiced warmly – the whole combination was delicious, crisp, light, but with a little heat.

Passion fruit and coconut sable, with spiced coconut,
lime espuma and passion fruit curd yolk

Hubby was unable to contemplate a pudding following his mammoth pie, but I know what to expect from Mr Fleming’s kitchen, and I wasn’t about to forgo that pleasure. I opted for the chocolate fondant, with a milk ice-cream on a bed of chocolate rubble. The fondant spilled over my plate in the expected manner, but the shell was so light, fine and crisp, I’m amazed they don’t rupture when handled. Excellent depth of chocolate flavour too.

Chocolate fondant, with chocolate rubble, and milk ice-cream

It’s no surprise that I enjoyed my meal, I was a regular diner at Axis when Tony was in residence… The difference with South Place is that, actually, it doesn’t feel like a hotel at all. With so many dining and drinking spaces, the whole atmosphere is very buzzy, and feels like a private club – indeed, very like a gleaming modernistic Home House. I had an excellent martini in one of the bars before making my way upstairs. There are places to hide – places to be seen – private rooms rather appropriately named after spies in Bond, U.N.C.L.E. and The Avengers… Add to that an excellent kitchen with a solid brigade of well trained chefs, and it’s going to be a winner.

I love Mr Fleming’s new home, and look forward to returning very soon.

Pictures from 12th December 2012, the tuna tartar and sole meunière were delicious!

Foie, duck and artichoke terrine with brioche and aged Madeira jelly

Crab raviolo, with shellfish foam

Foie gras and chicken liver parfait

Yellow-fin tuna tartar, with chilli and lime

Daily mixed grill

Dover sole meunière, with béarnaise sauce

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

October 16, 2012 3 Michelin Stars

l’Arpège in Paris…

l‘Arpège is the tiny Lalique-panneled restaurant owned by the legendary Alain Passard. In 2001 Monsieur Passard declared that he would be be focussing on a more vegetable driven menu, but more importantly a seasonal, home-grown menu.

This statement seems to have lost something in translation, because in 2012 it seems perfectly reasonable, indeed appropriate. But in Paris a decade ago, turning your back on a very protein-heavy menu, seems to have caused considerable ripples. Alain had held three Michelin stars since 1996, but maintained those stars after swapping over to his new style – clearly the inspectors felt that the standards were maintained.

Alain does offer protein on the menu, but the objective is to strip dishes back to showcase ingredients grown in the restaurant’s gardens North of Paris.

I can still ‘taste’ certain dishes in my mind – most notably the incredibly simple gratin of parmesan, onion and candied lemon… When Alain popped up to ask which dishes I liked, I said this one, because I had wanted to lick the plate clean (I mimed this to him – after all it was an umami addicts dream!) – he became very enthusiastic, nodding vigorously – clearly I had understood…

Also sensational was the lemon puree served with the roast beetroot – exquisite earthiness and smooth citrus. Tiny details make the difference, and Alain ran into the room to grate fresh horseradish over the veal, running back out again to dress another dish. The horseradish added a sharp, fresh piquancy which lifted the dish.

Though my photographs are appalling, you can see his minimalistic style clearly. Never before have I been served a quarter of a lobster tail – but Monsieur Passard is right – I didn’t actually need any more than this.

A small note of caution – the prices are a little eye-watering, even for us. Care needs to be taken with alcohol: two gin and tonics came in at €50, though two glasses of dessert wine were €17… Having said that, we would definitely return. Eye-watering prices or not, some of those dishes were amongst the most memorable dishes we’ve eaten, and I defy you not to want to lick that parmesan gratin from the dish…