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The experience starts in the bar area where guests are seated and offered drinks while the opening snacks are served.
Although marketed as a 14-course tasting menu, in reality it felt closer to
-three amuse-bouches
-a palate cleanser
-bread course
-two starters
-one main
-three small desserts and petit fours.
Portions are very small throughout, so don’t expect to leave especially full.
The first snacks were served at the bar.
OYSTERrhubarb – woodruff – sour cream – cornflower
The oyster arrived covered with a granita that was simply too cold and too dominant. The temperature shock overwhelmed the palate and masked the oyster completely.
MACKERELponzu – chilli – peppers – jalapeño
A crisp pastry topped with slices of mackerel. A well-balanced and enjoyable bite.
CHICKENrosemary – mascarpone – bacon – sage – liver
A layered chicken parfait served in a small disc. Rich and pleasant enough, but nothing particularly memorable.
Guests are then moved into the chef’s table dining area. While it is nice seeing the kitchen in action, the chef’s table concept is no longer particularly novel given how many London restaurants now do it, including ROW on 5. The room was also uncomfortably hot, especially considering the weather outside was around 30°C. Seating felt somewhat cramped whenever staff walked behind the chairs. A board displaying the names of famous chefs who had dined there-slightly pretentious. Many restaurants display photographs of notable guests, but this handwritten board was difficult to read and ultimately looked more messy than impressive.
Some of the following “courses” again felt more like palate cleansers or snacks rather than substantial dishes.
MELONcucumber – grape – apple marigold
Compressed melon balls with granita. Refreshing and pleasant, but very much a palate cleanser rather than a proper course.
TROUTjuniper – green asparagus – almond – green strawberry – elderflower – sorrel
The trout itself was fine, but the pairing with green strawberries did not work particularly well. The strawberries tasted under-ripe and lacked flavour, leaving the dish bland overall.
PARKER HOUSEcrème fraîche – onion – chive – wild garlic
The bread itself was decent, though the butter was the standout component with caramelised onion and wild garlic folded through it.
LOBSTERGoan curry – egg – coriander – mango – peanut
One of the strongest dishes of the evening. The lobster paired beautifully with the curry spices and peanut.
ANGOLOTTIgoat’s curd – black walnut – wild garlic – parmesan
The pasta itself was slightly bland, but the sauce was excellent, particularly the wild garlic and black walnut combination.
LAMBpak choi – sausage – black olives – yoghurt – mint – Thai basil
The lamb was well cooked, nicely medium rare with good fat rendering. The accompanying herbs and yoghurt worked well together.
ST JUDE CURDcelery – apple – walnut – raisins – lovage
An interesting cheese course using St Jude curd from Cambridgeshire. The raisin paste paired especially well with the cheese.
WILD FENNEL
An unexpectedly excellent dish. The intense fennel and liquorice profile worked surprisingly well and became one of the highlights of the meal.
STRAWBERRYelderflower – black pepper
A very sweet and intense strawberry dessert with strawberry sauce and sliced strawberries. The black pepper meringue added interest and complexity.
Petit fours:
CANELESeville orange
CHOCOLATEcep – Maldon salt
Both petit fours were enjoyable.
Service overall was good, although the female host in the bar tended to dominate conversations with guests. It would have been better balanced if the sommelier and other host had more opportunity to engage, as both were also excellent conversationalists.
The elderflower cocktail, a twist on a white negroni, was disappointing. The elderflower was far too weak within the flavour profile, leaving the drink bland.
A 15% service charge is added.
One final point: beginning the experience at 5:30pm and effectively starting to eat at 5:40pm is not a dining schedule that will suit everyone.
