Three of us had lunch, entertaining a former/current colleague who is not a UK resident. Having eaten at this restaurant previously we checked out prices, food choices and wine choices in advance. We were shown to a a table in the bar as we'd arrived early for our table. Excellent - the nuts, some coated, provided with the drinks. Good for people more interested in chatting and not wanting to be distracted. But poor for anybody who wants to read the restaurant menu in advance and see all the wine and drinks menus. Why should I settle for a glass of wine I don't like when I might prefer a juice. Why not show me - all of us - the full range alcohol by the glass, bottle, cocktails/aperitifs, juices. I'm on a two glasses per day - and as I was planning more wine at an evening wine tasting and enticing options at lunch I want a chance to order something else such as a mint tea or non alcoholic mocktail.
The restaurant, as I knew is rather plain and colourless with but light and bright understated elegance. You enjoy views of Hyde Park trees if you sit by the window, less distraction from your VIP host/guest if you are by a wall as we were at our table.
Diners at nearby tables ordered the orange which is actually meat, which we were able to point out to our guest.
I had the set menu. Starter of tomato. Three tomatoes. Nothing else. Very tasty green accompaniment. Just as well. Not much vegetable or fruit in the rest of the set meal.
Main course fish. Salmon. Underdone. Worried what I was in danger of catching. (Today's news is about a restaurant serving underdone turkey - several people taken ill and one died.) Salmon not as tasty as the coated Canadian salmon on a platter which I tasted at the restaurant show the previous day.
Dessert. Opted for chocolate. A mistake. Firstly it was solid like a mars bar. No special taste. Wanted to send it back but fellow diner host thought it was OK. (Came with vanilla ice which I changed to elderberry sorbet.) Got chocolate amuse bouche after which was runny chocolate. At least I then got an edible chocolate.
Ended with the showpiece ice cream which made it all worthwhile. Clouds of mist.
Short on veg, fruit. Overdose on sugar.
Two lovely sweet wines.
Sommelier's advice was accurate and he let me taste both.
Now I've had the ice cream, no need to go back, unless again have an overseas visitor to impress.
Yes, the ice cream cart is the thing. But you get another dessert anyway with the three course set meal at £38.
You'd have to be a strong-willed Scrooge to resist drinking too many of the choices of wines by the glass suggested on the menu and by the sommelier.
If money's no object, go there at least once and you must order the ice cream. I didn't even like the ice cream, and I hated the topping, nasty hard things I thought would break my teeth.
However, the explanation my scientific minded fellow diners gave me was wonderful. Something along the lines of - about the dry ice temperature being twice the coldness of freezing point. So they (the restaurant) can make ice cream quickly.
Unlike at home where you have to spend 24 hours at it. Also you must churn it half way to stop it forming little ice cubes in the middle. Unless you buy an ice cream maker which has a timed churner - but then you are tempted to over-eat high calorie and tooth-rotting ice cream constantly.
Will definitely take guests. (And avoid over-sugaring.)
The restaurant, as I knew is rather plain and colourless with but light and bright understated elegance. You enjoy views of Hyde Park trees if you sit by the window, less distraction from your VIP host/guest if you are by a wall as we were at our table.
Diners at nearby tables ordered the orange which is actually meat, which we were able to point out to our guest.
Dinner with Heston Blumenthal at the Mandarin Oriental restaurant
I had the set menu. Starter of tomato. Three tomatoes. Nothing else. Very tasty green accompaniment. Just as well. Not much vegetable or fruit in the rest of the set meal.
Main course fish. Salmon. Underdone. Worried what I was in danger of catching. (Today's news is about a restaurant serving underdone turkey - several people taken ill and one died.) Salmon not as tasty as the coated Canadian salmon on a platter which I tasted at the restaurant show the previous day.
Dessert. Opted for chocolate. A mistake. Firstly it was solid like a mars bar. No special taste. Wanted to send it back but fellow diner host thought it was OK. (Came with vanilla ice which I changed to elderberry sorbet.) Got chocolate amuse bouche after which was runny chocolate. At least I then got an edible chocolate.
Ended with the showpiece ice cream which made it all worthwhile. Clouds of mist.
Short on veg, fruit. Overdose on sugar.
Two lovely sweet wines.
Sommelier's advice was accurate and he let me taste both.
Now I've had the ice cream, no need to go back, unless again have an overseas visitor to impress.
Yes, the ice cream cart is the thing. But you get another dessert anyway with the three course set meal at £38.
You'd have to be a strong-willed Scrooge to resist drinking too many of the choices of wines by the glass suggested on the menu and by the sommelier.
If money's no object, go there at least once and you must order the ice cream. I didn't even like the ice cream, and I hated the topping, nasty hard things I thought would break my teeth.
However, the explanation my scientific minded fellow diners gave me was wonderful. Something along the lines of - about the dry ice temperature being twice the coldness of freezing point. So they (the restaurant) can make ice cream quickly.
Unlike at home where you have to spend 24 hours at it. Also you must churn it half way to stop it forming little ice cubes in the middle. Unless you buy an ice cream maker which has a timed churner - but then you are tempted to over-eat high calorie and tooth-rotting ice cream constantly.
Will definitely take guests. (And avoid over-sugaring.)
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