Culinary Carnival, David Galmiche, London Restaurant Festival

With London Restaurant Festival underway, I was invited to review one of the star events: the Culinary Carnival, a series of chefs each offering up a menu for a day or two served in the prestigious Fortnum and Mason gallery restaurant. Our chef du jour was Daniel Galmiche, a French creative who has an impressive 22 years of Michelin star cheffing under his belt and now heads up the kitchen at the magnificent gastronomic destination, the Vineyard.

We were the first to arrive for supper and were seated at a quiet table in one corner of the dining room. After a busy day, I was grateful to be sitting somewhere quiet where we could chat and enjoy the surroundings. My last memory of Fortnum and Mason is from many years ago when I came with my best friend from school and her granddad... we had a delicious meal, of which a decadent praline milkshake was the highlight and then we went downstairs to the shop to each pick out our own mini box of chocolates from the glass cabinets, it was a dreamy day.

Galmiche had compiled a healthy but exciting menu; with five courses and lovely wine, it was a special meal... I was impressed to be given the choice of three options for each course (meat, fish, and vegetarian) especially considering the menu is only temporary for this event. First up we were brought eccentric looking glasses filled with intriguing pale green speckled foam: Cucumber Granite, Yoghurt and Lime Espuma, Marinated Salmon with Coriander Cress. It was a refreshing start but although the flavour was intense, the texture was disappointingly airy and wet - I prefer something I can sink my teeth into.

For my starter I chose the Pumpkin Veloute, St Maure Goats Cheese Espuma, and Pea Shoots. The dish was elegantly served in a thick rimmed white bowl, the warm thick orange liquid was smoothly poured around the frothy cheese and pea garnish already sitting in the bowl. The veloute was divinely comforting with wonderfully adjusted flavours but again I felt the ‘espuma’ (a Spanish word for foam or froth) was a tad unnecessary, I would have preferred a chunk of real rich goats cheese. My guest chose the plate of Autumn Game Terrine, Fig Chutney, and Toasted Farmhouse Bread... a large portion arrived but it was polished off without any complaints!

Mains were easily chosen: Organic Chicken Leg Stuffed with Pancetta, Braised Baby Gem Lettuce, Light Poultry Jus, Wild Mushrooms for me, and Pan-Fried Sea Bass, White Bean Ragout with Toulouse Sausage for him. My chicken was delicious, with a sublime stuffing and all cooked to perfection. The vegetables looked slightly unhappy draped over the meat however, the gem lettuce wilted and soggy and the mushrooms left in a heap. I thought perhaps a dish of steamed greens or creamy mashed potato would have worked better. I tasted a little of the sausage that accompanied the fish and loved the full bodied earthy flavour, the Sea Bass looked caramelised and enticing.

The puddings were the grandest of the courses yet, presented with bursts of sauce and dressing splattering the elegant long plates, in that typical Jackson Pollock style. My Orange Savarin with Citrus sorbet, Lime syrup and zesty cream was an interesting mix of fruity and creamy tastes, the cream complemented the savarin sponge cake well and the sorbet was an energizing palate freshener. My friend opted for the devilish Praline Cheesecake with poached pears and chocolate sorbet, a deliciously luxurious dessert.

Just when we thought it was all over, and we drained the final dregs of our wine, a lavish board of cheeses and fruit arrived. Elaborately stacked, it was difficult to know where to start; I also don’t know what cheeses we ate, but I most enjoyed the strong gooey camembert type which oozed from two teaspoons. Just as we were tucking in to the fennel and raison bread that accompanied our cheese, David Galmiche appeared visiting each table to ask how the meal had been. An endearing touch that made the whole evening much more personal.

Leaving Fortnum and Mason, it was a strange sight to see the frozen shop still and gloomy without the lights on. We tiptoed out into the busy Saturday night chaos of Piccadilly reminiscing about the special meal of culinary delights.

More information about London Restaurant Festival and Culinary Carnival here.

Taste of London Festival in Regent's Park

I have the intention of going to the Taste of London Festival every year, so was delighted when I was offered tickets for this year's extravaganza. Every summer Regent’s Park is transformed for four days into foodie heaven, acting as a showcase for the best of London restaurants and the finest British produce. This year forty restaurants set up makeshift stalls, selling three of four specially designed starter-sized dishes. Amongst these exhibitors, other food and drink companies were tempting crowds with their wares.

The Regent’s Park setting was sadly less idyllic this year thanks to the endless rain - instead of bouncing across the green lawn between stalls, visitors had to wade through metres of mud and sludge; it made the whole experience rather less romantic. After fighting through the hordes to buy your favoured food, you had to then find a sheltered place to eat it away from the rain!

In the cause of press research, I tried a large range of the dishes on offer. First we headed to a cluster of Michelin starred restaurants: at Maze we ate glazed veal shin with white onion puree and rocket pesto, interesting flavours but a bit sloppy - a slightly disappointing first taste of Ramsay’s famous restaurant. However next door, from York and Albany (Ramsay’s Camden eatery), the chargrilled lamb cutlets with caponata and salsa verde were tender, crispy, flavoursome and delicious.

Next I couldn’t resist visited the Opera Tavern stall - it was swarming with eager guests wanting to try the celebrated Iberico pork and foie gras burger, we got one to share and savoured every morsel, it is the best burger out there, though it cost a ridiculous £7, more than they sell it for in the restaurant!

The best savoury food we ate was probably the chicken satay sticks and sauce from Malaysia Kitchen, warmly spiced chargrilled chicken with the most deliciously sweet chunky peanut sauce. On the sweet side my absolute favourite was the scrumptious freshly made ice-cream from Gelupo, I sampled a few of their exotic flavours and, after much deliberation, decided the refreshing coconut was the best.

There were a few enticing rum stalls offering fresh cocktails - we tried a delicious version of the familiar Mojito from the Pyrat Rum stall, a tangy and sweet concoction made with lots of mint and premium Caribbean golden rum. Aside from the cocktails, I was invited into the VIP area and kindly offered free champagne and a refuge from the rain.

The Taste of London Festival is geared towards a middle income demographic, and is certainly not a cheap day out. On top of the £26 standard ticket for admission you will need several books of crowns if you want to eat anything decent. Freebies can scarcely be found, and even when they are, the portions are meagre! One book of 20 crowns costs £10 (so 1 crown = 50p) and most of the restaurant dishes cost 10-16 crowns, so you can imagine that a single book doesn’t last long. Though the food itself is of high quality, the whole experience was dampened for me not only by the weather but also by the extortionate cost. I couldn’t help feeling that Taste of London is really a glorified farmer’s market, but without marketplace prices.

St John Restaurant, Smithfields

St John Restaurant has won over the hearts and appetites of many. Two good family friends recently told me it was “definitely their favourite restaurant in London”, but is this a daring eatery only for the super keen meat munchers, those diners able to bear squeamishness inducing dishes? I went along last week for dinner to investigate for myself the truth behind St John and its reputation.

Located opposite the wonderful Smithfields market (the oldest wholesale meat market in the UK), it is immediately apparent how and why St John became this carnivore canteen, a concept that has defined the restaurant’s purpose ever since opening. The building itself is a former smokehouse, a large white property that has been impressively transformed since its abandonment in 1967. Painted all white with bare tables scattered about, I was struck at once by the clinical layout. Though plain, the decor encourages a relaxed atmosphere that is far more welcoming than most high end restaurants.

After a brief drink at the bar we went through to the dining room, an expansive hall that reminded me of my school with a slightly unpleasant smell of steaming broth flavouring the air. A kind lady hung my jacket on one of the torturous hooks that line the wall... I wondered about the poor carcasses that would have previously hung there.

Freshly baked bread was delivered with our menus. It soon became apparent, that although St John is not suitable for vegetarians, it certainly offers a range of dishes that venture far beyond offal and innards... a fact that many seem unaware of. Knowing my own meat threshold, I decided to have a main and dessert. The mains arrived steaming, Braised Duck Leg, Turnips & Bacon for me and Rabbit Saddle, Carrots & Aioli for him. Both were presented primitively on the plate, no fancy decorating or unnecessary fuss, the rabbit looked quite funny plonked next to a whole carrot! The duck was cooked perfectly, rich and soft, falling easily off the bone. The accompanying turnips were pretty tasteless and a little under seasoned for me. I preferred the rabbit, an absolutely delicious hunk of meat, full of flavour.

For me it is the bakery that is the most enticing attraction at St John. An adorable addition to the dining room that sits next to the bar. After peering in on our arrival, I was very excited about how these baked treats may be included in the puddings. We had Poached Peaches & Toasted Brioche, and Apricot Crumble & Vanilla Ice-Cream. Both were a success, wholesome simple puddings, made with the freshest of fruit. To take home I asked for half a dozen homemade madeleines, they came with the bill in a brown paper bag, the smell so sweet and appetizing that other heads turned as they arrived. Oh and they tasted absolutely heavenly too, providing us with a perfect little breakfast the following day.

It was great fun being at St John and having a nice meal without worrying whether I was wearing the “right” outfit, or talking too loud. There is a laid back vibe and no stuffiness and this definitely affects the dining experience. However the meal for two still cost £60 (for two courses with a drink each) and with such brilliantly fresh ingredients I expected more... the highlight of a Michelin star restaurant shouldn’t be the little cakes at the end, should it?

Visit St John website here.

The Harwood Arms Restaurant

The Harwood Arms combines the best of both worlds: it is a relaxed gastro pub with food exceptional enough to receive a Michelin star. The restaurant is pleasantly rustic with a low key vibe, completely inconspicuous from outside. It is a successful collaboration of several big names: Brett Graham of the famed Ledbury restaurant, Mike Robinson of the acclaimed Pot Kiln pub in Berkshire and Edwin Vaux from the renowned Vaux Brewery.

We were seated at a nice wooden table in the centre of the dining area. I immediately noticed the no fuss attitude, napkins tied with string and dainty fresh garden flowers adding colour to each table. I’m all for a Michelin starred restaurant minus the poncey atmosphere but here I found the service a little too relaxed, even a tad on the sloppy side. A scatty girl in jeans casually wandered around getting us our water and drinks seemingly when she felt like it, and seemed nervous as she opened a bottle of red wine for the next door table, embarrassingly splashing a few drops. My friend tasted one of their special ales, while I succumbed and had a glass of Prosecco, priced reasonably at £6.

Warm potato bread and rye bread arrived with some soft yellow butter. The potato was particularly delicious, soft comforting dough with a perfect crisp crust. We opted for two courses: main and dessert, eating in the evening I felt I couldn’t manage three. The Harwood Arms is known for its fine game and wild food, predominantly from Berkshire, and this is evident from the meaty menu. I chose grilled leg of Hampshire Down lamb with fennel puree, young market vegetables and stewed courgettes. The meat was succulent with a delicious garlicky flavour, though perhaps a little undercooked for me and I had to leave the rarer parts. The fresh vegetables were a lovely accompaniment, I particularly enjoyed the wonderfully flavoured courgettes, sweeter and tastier than I have ever experienced before.

My guest had the grilled T-bone and crispy shoulder of Berkshire fallow deer with garlic potatoes, pickled beetroot and field mushrooms. Elegantly presented on a wooden platter, this was essentially deer cooked three ways. Most enticing was the appetising curled sausage, after trying a little of everything I decided I also rather liked the shoulder meat encased in a crispy breaded shell. A sucker for garlic I couldn’t resist stealing a few of the yummy little potatoes too.

Puddings were large as you would expect for £7/8. No chocolate choices were available, instead most were very dairy based: rice pudding, honey ice cream, buttermilk pudding or cheeses, oh and rhubarb jam doughnuts served with sour cream. So we had the heather honey ice cream with honeycomb and hobnob ginger creams and the buttermilk pudding with blood orange sorbet and demerara sugar shortbread. Both were nice, though neither sensational... I found the honey ice cream with honeycomb a bit too sweet, though the homemade hobnobs were very good. I was too full to properly enjoy my taste of buttermilk pudding which is basically like pannacotta, but not as creamy.

We departed soon after desserts, and left the Harwood Arms as quiet and secluded as we had found it. I must admit, I was hoping for more, as I had heard such good things about this restaurant and the Ledbury mastermind, Mike Robinson. The bill for two came to £60, for which I’ve had better value and tastier meals.

Petrus Restaurant

Petrus is one of Gordon Ramsay’s star eateries with experienced, Yorkshire born chef Mark Askew at the helm. Petrus was once the joint labour of love of Gordon Ramsay and his most successful protégé, Marcus Wareing. Together they set up at the grand Berkeley Hotel and were rewarded two Michelin stars for their efforts. However in 2008 an almighty falling out led Wareing to work at the venue alone, and Ramsay took the Petrus name elsewhere. That restaurant is now tucked away in luxurious Knightsbridge just round the corner from my workplace. I had never tried a Ramsay restaurant so was excited to finally have the opportunity to experience the food behind the TV personality.

Lunch begins at 12 noon at most of London’s smart restaurants, and so when we arrived at Petrus a little after 1.30 many diners were already gorging on desserts. We were seated at a spacious table overlooking the room and presented with large cream menus. Brushing past the tempting a la carte, I found the lunch menu ... three courses for £30, or including two glasses of wine and coffee, £45. The list of options was impressively long, with many alternatives. Note: If you are vegetarian you will have to opt for the £60 vegetarian menu as there are no veggie dishes in the set lunch.

To keep costs down we politely declined wine. We waited slightly impatiently for bread, which took longer than it should to arrive at our table. With the warm slices of white and brown came the first of our little extras, an amuse-bouche of watercress mousse with potato and horseradish, with a crisp crouton and raw salmon. It was light and delicious, with a refreshing flavour, though I did avoid the salmon.

I wasn’t overly impressed with my starter, a neat slice of pressed foie gras and confit duck, served with a mouthful of oily hazelnut salad and a lump of sweet carrot chutney. It was brave of me to order foie gras in the first place, an acquired rich taste that I like in moderation but still find ethically difficult. It was nice enough, but just not as special as I’d expected. My companion chose the beef carpaccio with celeriac remoulade, horseradish and capers... this was better, a complementary mix of flavours and textures.

When our main courses finally came I was preoccupied watching the surrounding tables receiving their numerous sweet surprises. Looking greedily forward to dessert (plus the extras) I was glad our mains were quite petite. I had roasted breast of poussin and leg stuffed with wild mushroom, and cep sauce and my friend had braised pork cheek with romanesco, turnips and spiced Madeira jus. The food came steaming, a divine aroma of sweet rich flavours. After a disappointing starter, I was delighted with my main, perfectly cooked meat and with a creamy salty sauce that was ‘lick the plate’ worthy. With the mains they kindly brought us two extras, steamed broccoli and potato dauphinoise.

Accompanying the dessert menus came two miniature ice-cream cones filled with white chocolate and passionfruit mousse: a little mouthful of sugary heaven and a taster of the treats to come. With seven pudding choices, I felt a tad overwhelmed and asked the waiter about his favourites - the chocolate ones came out on top and so we both went for those: white chocolate cylinder with coffee and mascarpone ice cream for me and chocolate sphere with milk ice cream and honeycomb for him. Both were yummy, though after trying each I can confirm the chocolate sphere the true winner at our table. The waitress poured hot chocolate sauce on top of the dessert causing the perfect sphere to collapse inwards revealing a creamy plump ball of ice cream.

It wasn’t over yet, I’d seen steaming silver pots being taken to other tables so I asked our waiter if we too could share in this fantastical freebie. Just as we paid the bill, we received our treat which had liquid nitrogen streaming out magically; the waiter lifted the lid and beneath the clouds were four adorable little round lollipops - some kind of alcoholic ice cream coated in white chocolate.

Though the Petrus food was below par in places, and the service could have been better, the tricks and excitement made up for it. Surprises and freebies are my favourite things about Michelin star restaurants, and as far as magic is concerned Ramsay didn’t disappoint.

Visit the Petrus website here.

Hibiscus Restaurant

I had the afternoon off work and decided to treat someone special to a lunch at Hibiscus. Continuing with my quest to try all the two Michelin starred restaurants in London this eatery was next on my list.

Hibiscus is located in the heart of Mayfair, just beside Regents Street. The restaurant has a polite dining room with a subtle, pared down decor apart from the extravagant flowers that sit gloriously in the centre of the room. It is a swish operation with clever automatic doors and hidden drawers providing equipment for the best standard of service.

While contemplating the menu I was delighted to see the most delicious looking petit fours being delivered to the next door table, each diner received (with their coffee) a small oblong plate with four different tiny chocolates, it almost made me wish the meal away for my turn. Money restrictions meant the set lunch was the only option for our visit but I had a quick glance at the full a la carte as it is a better indicator of the chef’s creativity. This menu costs £80 for three courses. The choices are certainly more daring than at the other Michelin establishments I have visited recently, for example the starters – Raw Bouquet Shrimps & Lychees, Warm Ravioli of Kohlrabi & Pig’s Trotters, Galician Sea Urchins.

The set lunch menu has two seemingly generous options: £29.50 for 3 courses or £38 for 3 courses plus glass of wine, coffee & petit fours, we opted for the latter which worked out very well with absolutely no other costs (apart from service charge). We both asked for white wine, a delicious fresh accompaniment to our meal. Wholesome brown bread was brought with the most sumptuous, freshly made bright yellow butter.

Here is the set menu.

LUNCH

Terrine of Fois Gras, Green Mango & Aloe Vera Compote

Salad of Devonshire Crab, Pressed Leek, Liquorice, Conference Pear (Supplement £5.00)

Aged Parmesan Royale, Caramelised Nuts, Warm Veloute of Potato & Toasted Rice


Roasted Skate Wing, Grenobloise Brown Butter, Chipped Potatoes, Brussel Sprouts

Slow cooked Plantation Pork “Blanquette” Style, Glazed Chervil Roots, Chervil Leaf Puree

Blade of Harefordshire Beef Braised for 24 hours, Pickled Cucumber, Soba Noodles, Brown Shrimp Sauce (Supplement £10.00)


Melilot Pannacotta, Russet Apple, Cinnamon Shortbread

Dark Chocolate Tart, White Miso Ice-Cream, Goats Cheese

Selection of British & French Cheese, From Paxton & Whitfield and Bernard Antony (Supplement £8.00)


I’m afraid there are few of the options I can comment on as my guest and I both chose the ‘Aged Parmesan Royale’ and ‘Slow cooked Plantation Pork’. However I must tell you about the complementary ‘amuse bouches’ we received prior to our lunch. I had noticed eggshells being delivered around the room as we arrived but had assumed they were a starter choice on the menu. These delicately filled vessels were in fact just a little surprise treat to excite our mouths while waiting for the grand meal. Sat cutely in their eggcups these shells have their tops precisely chopped off, the contents removed and then the inside loaded with a strange but comforting warm mousse. We were told about the contents - a mixture with mushroom and coconut amongst other ingredients, and were told the chef wanted us to ‘dig deep’ to experience the full extent of the aromas. It was bizarre but certainly tantalised my taste buds ready for the meal ahead.

Our starter had a similar consistency with the waitress adding the sauce to the dish once she had brought it to the table. I couldn’t distinguish many of the listed flavours, instead it was just like a warming soup, rich and deep. The nuts sprinkled on the top were a delicious addition with a delightfully crunchy texture. The main course was the star dish, and definitely the best pork I have ever tasted. Soft and tender, cooked slowly to bring out all the flavours - it was faultless. The sauce was fragrant and creamy (I scraped every last drop off my plate), the additional creamed potatoes went down well too. Unfortunately pork isn’t the easiest food to plate up immaculately, but the presentation is the only thing I can criticise, as the dish was otherwise nothing short of perfection.

My dessert wasn’t quite as I’d hoped with russet apple puree on top of the pannacotta tasting too much like baby food. I didn’t mind much, the extra cinnamon shortbread was divine, and besides I was saving any remaining space for those final chocolate treats. My companion chose the alternative pudding: the darkest, smallest slice of chocolate tart arrived with a dollop of ice-cream and smudge of goats cheese. The miso ice-cream is an interesting concept though sadly not that pleasant in reality and after one minute taste he left the rest untouched. I tried it and my taste buds were equally revolted by the salty savoury flavour. After studying the main menu again I can see crazy ice-cream flavours are a bit of a theme: with Indonesian basil, puy lentil & wild lime and toasted oat featuring as accompaniments to various desserts.

Finally it was time for the little squares of heaven and coffee that arrived with raw salt crystals. The chocolates did not disappoint: dark chocolate truffle, smoked fudge, white chocolate and blood orange, milk chocolate and salted caramel, yum.

Hibiscus head chef Claude Bosi brings real personality to this restaurant, not playing safe but presenting food that is unique and unexpected. Though this might not suit comfort eaters, within his creations Bosi produces food that is not only an exquisite mix of flavours but will also challenge and entice your palate.

Book online here.

Robuchon Restaurant in London

Joel Robuchon: chef extraordinaire, and world renowned restaurateur.

In 1989 Robuchon was named "Chef of the Century" by the guide Gault Millau and with top quality restaurants all over the world he is delighting customers on every continent. For my birthday lunch I visited his London restaurant to taste the genius creations myself. It was recommended to me by my expert foodie grandparents, so I had high expectations.

Robuchon sits deliciously next to the Ivy in Covent Garden; dark and smart, it is a discreet venue. Walking inside it feels like a members club - relaxed and welcoming. There are two options for seating: L’Atelier (bar-like stools surrounding the open plan kitchen, for more casual dining) or La Cuisine on the first floor where the seating arrangement is more traditional and formal. Intrigued by the Atelier idea I opted for a table there, after being assured that the menus in both areas are the same. It was definitely the right choice: intimate seats surround the kitchen, it was lots of fun seeing how everything was assembled.

There are several menus to choose from, of which the Menu du Jour is the best value. Available from 12:00 – 15:00 and 17:30 – 18:30, and at just £22 for two courses or £27 for three courses, this offer is too good to be true. Each course has three options; starter and main each have a fish, meat, and vegetarian dish. Here’s what we chose:

STARTER:

Sweet corn soup with popcorn

Classic beef tartare topped with fried quail’s egg

MAIN:

Roasted Gloucestershire old spot pork served with thin French fries

Grilled Scottish salmon with fennel and lemongrass sauce

DESSERT:

Almond biscuit with blood orange jelly, milk chocolate ice cream

Selection of traditional tarts

Instead of wine we ordered two mixed juices (or virgin cocktails) from the drinks menu. These were fresh and carefully concocted with fresh fruits, priced at £6 each. I had a sweet lychee and blackberry that was refreshing and delicious. A decorative red bread basket was brought to us with a generous selection of loaves, though I did have to ask for butter. My steaming soup arrived promptly, a beautiful buttercup yellow colour, with a meticulously stacked garnish of popcorn and apple strips. Quite possibly the best soup I have ever tasted, jointly with my auntie’s butternut squash recipe. The flavours and textures of the components were expertly matched - an impressive first course. I didn’t hear much from my satisfied companion so I’m assuming he enjoyed his beef too.

My main was exquisitely presented, a juicy strip of pork on a delicate long plate, with the crispiest, yummiest tiny little french fries; they were more like couture crisps. The salmon looked amazing placed on a bed of leeks with a mysterious surrounding moat of fennel and lemongrass foam. Our waiter wasn’t quite as attentive as I would have liked but was friendly and informative about the food.

Our desserts were very typically French, and reminded me of lazy afternoons in cute cafes in the South of France. Out of the two, I preferred the selection of tarts - petite slices of six different cakes (coffee, lemon, chocolate etc), it looked lovely and had great variety, though none were as good as my grandmothers incredible apple tart. My dessert was good, but not quite as scrumptious as I was hoping it would be. A nice mix of flavours, the almond and orange cake was moist and light, but I didn’t much like the chocolate ice cream that accompanied, it was bland and uninteresting.

For our coffees we were taken upstairs to the comfy bar area. It was nice to see this lounge space, though I didn’t find it nearly as lively and exciting as the Atelier downstairs. Sadly no petit fours or complimentary sweets were brought with our after lunch drinks which I found massively disappointing, as I adore culinary surprises!

Overall though this was a very special meal for my special day. Robuchon has received two Michelin stars for this restaurant and I doubt there is a more reasonable set menu around for such luxurious food. A perfect option for an affordable but memorable Valentines meal. I will definitely be returning very soon.

The Square Restaurant

The Square is one of the select restaurants in London to have retained two Michelin stars for a substantial length of time. With a fabulously reasonable weekday lunch menu, £30 for two courses or £35 for three, this culinary experience is now more accessible for the average foodie. No-one should miss out on food of this standard.

The restaurant must be doing well to remain comfortable in such a pricey location. The Square sits on Bruton Street, just off New Bond Street, blissfully (or dangerously) near to the top luxury shops. There were four of us on our visit to the Square, all food lovers, eager to try.

The restaurant is very light, which is definitely preferable for dining; I always like to be able to see what I’m eating. Set out clearly in an open plan room, the decor is plain and inoffensive. When we were seated, just after 1pm the restaurant was relatively empty with just a few business lunches going on around us, making the ambience feel more corporate than intimate. The waiter was attentive and brought us freshly baked bread from the oven (all made on the premises) with our glasses of bubbly. Note to butter lovers – salted AND unsalted butter were brought to the table!

Wine arrived, a Provencal Rose, of the prettiest pale peach shade: it was one of the best glasses of wine I have ever tasted. We all opted for the set lunch menu, cleverly designed with nicely contrasting choices. Everyone chose three courses except for me. I only had two to avoid overfilling and therefore under-enjoying, and anyhow food always tastes better when ‘borrowed’ from another’s plate. Before the starters arrived we were treated to a tiny shot glass of foie gras with raisin and parmesan foam. Once I’d forgotten it was foie gras I managed to really enjoy this entree, a delicate mousse with a deep flavour.

SET LUNCH

Tuesday 25th January 2011

Tartare of Aged Beef Fillet with Truffle and Pickled Mushrooms

Sea Kale and lobster claws

Fillet of Cod with Crushed Root Vegetables,

and a Vinaigrette of Cockles, Clams and Winkles

Coq au Vin with Creamed Potato and Glazed Carrots

Chocolate Fondant with Milk Ice Cream

Walnut parfait with poached spiced pear

Or

Cheese

(£10.00 Supplement or £15.00 as an extra course)

The dishes were presented in a no fuss fashion - none of that splattering of sauces that can often make high quality food look naff. As a non fish eater I didn’t try any of those options but was assured by my companions that both fish courses were ‘delish’. Coq au Vin is a classic dish that I often avoid in restaurants, bullying myself that it is too boring a choice. On this occasion I tried it, and it was far from dull. The perfect portion of chicken with a deep red sauce that was so scrumptious I was very tempted to lick my plate. The silkiest creamed potatoes made an ideal accompaniment and the veg were deliciously cooked too.

Pudding wasn’t AS good as the main, but it was still good enough to finish and want more. I preferred the chocolate fondant that was light and airy with the gooiest of middles. The walnut parfait was a comforting dessert with warm and spicy flavours. The extra fresh pastry on the side was a sweet touch. Much to my delight our coffees came with a generous portion of mini pistachio nougats, chewy and sweet, dusted lightly with icing sugar. On seeing the plate cleared, the kind waiter brought along a second plate, which he sweetly packaged in miniature square takeaway boxes when we couldn’t finish them all.

I really admire a top notch restaurant that avoids stuffiness, and in this respect the Square achieved top marks. The service was impeccable but very discreet, which I definitely appreciated – I cannot bear it when the main course is disturbed constantly with enquiries about whether everything is okay. My friend visited the Square for her birthday supper a few nights ago and it was interesting to compare our experiences. Dinner costs £80 for three courses, which seems like a grand step up from £35 for lunch, but when I heard about her meal it sounded 100% worth the extra pennies! I felt strong food envy particularly hearing about the complimentary little chocolate lollipops they were given at the end of their meal.

Careful attention to detail and exquisite individual touches make the Square truly outstanding in its field. With unfaltering service and such delectable food, I now understand why the Square is consistently rated one of London’s finest dining experiences.

Book your meal at The Square here.

Arbutus Restaurant

Arbutus is a modest restaurant with an understated elegance and a relaxed atmosphere. It opened in 2006 to rave reviews, and is the brainchild of Anthony Demetre and Will Smith. Located amongst the grime of Soho’s Frith Street, tucked away towards the Tottenham Court Road end. You eat in a plain oblong room, neatly arranged, painted in muted colours with low-key decor.

Arbutus is a strange name for a restaurant, don’t you think? Rather unappetising, but in fact an ‘arbutus’ is a tree from the Mediterranean. They serve modern European food with a strong French influence, and guarantee an uncompromised high standard at reasonable prices. I have been to my fair share of Michelin starred eateries (Arbutus was awarded its star in January 2007) and can confirm that these prices are impressively low by comparison. As is often the case, Arbutus offers a cheaper lunch menu to lure people in during their less busy times. With three courses priced at just £16.95 and surprisingly available at weekends as well as Monday to Friday, this is a particularly generous option.

We went during the Christmas period, when I had a rare weekday free. After considering all the choices I decided to decline the fixed lunch menu, and instead opted for two courses from the a la carte: main and dessert. Given the choice between starter and pudding, the latter always wins. Here’s what we had:

Mains:

Saddle of rabbit, caramelised endive, shoulder cottage pie (£17.95)

Grilled Bavette of beef (28 day aged), gratin dauphinois, red wine sauce (£17.95)

Desserts:

Clafoutis of William pears, vanilla ice cream (£6.95)

Cold chocolate fondant, chocolate wafer, salted caramel ice cream (£6.95)

My beef was delicious, and I was relieved to find they weren’t precious about my request to have it medium to well cooked, rather than the usual medium. It came with caramelised vegetables and a separate little steaming pot of gratin – a wonderfully creamy potato dish topped with cheese. The portions are generous; I found it a bit of a challenge to get through all the meat, but felt it was too good to leave any. The rabbit was nice, although aesthetically not as tempting as the beef. The cottage pie was a particular success, made with the lamb shoulder it was tender and full of flavour.

Thanks to the lack of starter I was completely ready for sweet when it came to our table. Very simply displayed, no foam, no spun sugar, no fuss, I was a little disappointed. A clafoutis is a baked french dessert; usually black cherries are arranged in a buttered dish covered with a thick flan-like batter. However mine was made with pears and had a delicate hint of almond, which the waiter later informed me was from almond flowers. It was near perfect, which unfortunately meant I had to share rather a lot of it with my companion. It arrived warm and each mouthful melted with juicy delight. The chocolate fondant was good too; I usually avoid chocolate desserts as they tend to be too heavy and rich for me, but this was definitely an exception. More of a mousse than cake it was light and scrumptious, paired well with the salty ice-cream.

The bill for two came to well under £60 (no alcohol, but including service charge), an amount which one can easily spend in a chain like Pizza Express, and very reasonable for a Michelin awarded restaurant. It was a lovely meal, I am looking forward to returning to Arbutus.

La Trompette

La Trompette is one of my favourite restaurants in London. Located just off Chiswick High Road, it recently received its first Michelin star. The French oriented cuisine is delicious and creative, I have been three times and each time a completely different but equally unique, diverse menu has been on offer.

La Trompette is owned by Nigel Platts-Martin and Bruce Poole, the partnership behind Chez Bruce in Wandsworth and The Glasshouse in Kew. It serves some of the best food in London but without the formality or prices associated with the capital's top end establishments.

The staff in La Trompette genuinely wish to cater to your every need, making the whole experience luxurious. From the outside this restaurant is stylish and unpretentious; the interior is much the same, a comfortable relaxed dining room. I have only ever been for lunch, and it has always been completely full to the brim with many regular diners.

As I mentioned previously (Kitchen W8 post), set lunch menus are the way to go. La Trompette offers 3 courses for £25. This is what we had:

Diner 1 –

Starter: Foie gras and chicken liver parfait, toasted brioche

Main: Rump of lamb with Moroccan spiced couscous, aubergine, garlic and coriander

Dessert: Lemon posset with shortbread biscuit and raspberries

Diner 2 –

Starter: Marinated beetroot with fresh goats cheese, candied hazelnuts, endive and granny smith apple

Main: Beef hache with spinach and wild mushrooms

Dessert: Valrhona chocolate marquise with candied hazelnut ice cream

The foie gras was quickly demolished, and immediately the attentive staff offered a second slice of toasted brioche... we accepted greedily. The Beetroot salad was also good although the flavour of beetroot can be a little overpowering. Both meat mains were cooked to perfection, but I didn’t particularly care for the grey mushroom paste that lay beneath my beef. I prefer the vegetarian ravioli that I had on my first visit. Once again desserts trumped as the course of the day, especially the refreshingly zingy lemon posset (a silky smooth mousse similar to syllabub). I like that the menu suited the Autumn season, with warm flavours, comforting after coming in from the cold. I was disappointed that we weren’t given the usual devilish chocolate truffles at the end of the meal although I was already feeling very full.

Really, delicious but very rich; don't count on achieving much in the afternoon!