Andy Lynes

Jay - I'm afraid I was an avid viewer of "Passion For Flavour" (possibly the most mind numbingly boring cookery show ever made)on Taste CFN cable channel, and Angela Hartnett was featured quite heavily on that. I think she was sous chef at Petrus at the time. I then read in Caterer about the Dubai set up and was surprised that she had the executive role above Atherton, but only because Atherton has had more press and GR loves to portray himself as a male chauvinist pig. Did you get a trip to Dubai and if so is the restaurant any good?

I await the January issue with interest. My guess is that the other 2 chefs are Angela (don't know surname) head chef of the Dubia restaurant and either Mark Sergant or the bloke at Amyrilis.

Marco's expansion plans now seem to have taken a particular turn in that he is reviving old hot spots, the latest being the Stork Club. However both chefs have used the platform of 3 stars for ambitious expansions plans and I believe that the reputation of both as restauranteurs will suffer in the same way. That doesn't mean to say that what they are doing isn't right for them and their families and some of their employees. At least Marco has officialy retired from the kitchen and has put his personal reputation as a chef beyond doubt. He was and always will be the greatest UK chef of his generation. Maybe Ramsay should do the same before Michelin have his 3rd star away and spoil all his fun.

Matthew Fort gave it 17.5 out of 20 in the guardian on saturday - http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/...4314603,00.html

That's quite a list, I wish I was going before the New Year, well anytime actually.

Thanks for the detail and the kind words. So far then, the service seems to have been singled out for criticism, but also the food not really delivering the sensations you should expect at that price point. I don't know about anybody else, but I must admit I am well and truely put off trying this place.

Thanks for reporting back so quickly. I have been both lunch and dinner and haven't noticed a huge difference in the food served, especially the portion size. I am suprised that there was less than generous amounts even given my comment on another thread about them having been slimmed down a little, they used to be gigantic by Michelin standards.

He seems to have got it into his head that if he keeps on saying that he wants 3 stars for this or that place, he will be given them, afterall, it worked once. The trouble is that if standards are below what you should expect in one restaurant, you immeadiately become suspicious of every other place within the same group. It may well be that GR in Chelsea is as wonderful as ever, but I'm not willing to risk the money to find out. Been there done that I'm afraid.

Can I shamelessly resurrect this thread in order to generate a little more response as the departure date for my Bro's trip looms. I thank you.

Getting back to the issue in hand, I made a decision never to eat in a GR place again (excepting Petrus which is really Marcus Wareing's domain) when he began to announce his expansion plans immeadiately after winning his 3rd star. How can he ensure consistancy of the highest standards in Chelsea, Mayfair, Glasgow and Dubia, let alone write books and consult for airlines all at once? It seems that Ramsay and his team are spread a little thin. We should remember that Mark Sargent, head chef at Claridges, was a chef de partie at GR in Chelsea just a few short years ago. He was young chef of the year a little before that, but can you really expect him to produce 3 star food with relatively little experience? I'm not saying he hasn't got the potential however, just don't expect that much of him now. It would appear that Ramsay is attempting to replicate Marco's career (Claridges is the new Oak Room and just as ugly) but at twice the rate, and without an experienced team to back him up. He is a great cook, as is Marcus Wareing, but I think he is throwing his employees to the lions in a bid to match the achievements of his idols. You only get one Marco every generation. Ramsay should think about what he wants to achieve for himself (apart from a very healthy bank balance of course and who could blame him), rather than compete with those who have already finished the race.

I always fancied Kate Jackson from Charlies Angels myself. Simon, you may be interested to know that if you book for 8.30pm at CB you can have the table for the evening, but you need to to it a little way in advance, depending on which night you intend to go. Otherwise it is a 2 hour slot, which I know you loath the idea of (a sentiment I heartily agree with). Macrosan - I will be very interested indeed to know how it went.

Gavin, it's really nice when new users add to existing and perhaps overlooked threads. In the 5 months this site has officially been open, we have already amassed quite a large archive of useful information and opinions. I think it's great that people can use and add to that at anytime. The site is yet young, give it a couple of years and you will be able to boast that you were one of the first on the bandwagon

I had a bottle of 1997 Volnay at Bibendum a couple of weeks ago, but I don't have any further details than that I'm afraid (I didn't order and the person that did can't remember either). I knwo he has three vineyards but I don;t know which one the wine came from.

Anyboby know of a retailer in the captial for this fabulous stuff. I can't afford a case though!

You are correct sir - now in the hands of ex-Marco employees. All is revealled at http://www.theclerkenwell.com

These are the guys who designed the place, but Moda isn't featured on the site. They did Bleu in Greenwhich apparently http://www.cb5restaurantgroup.com/

Steven, here's a little titbit from Time Out NY www.timeoutny.com/features/310/310.ft.eatout.highlights.html

I ate at Bibendum in Fulham Road last Tuesday and was very pleasantly suprised. It's been nearly 10 years since my last visit, during which time Simon Hopkinson retired from the kitchen and the reputation of the food has been on a steady decline. I am pleased to report that I had a great evening with some hugely enjoyable food, great service and delicious wines. The restaurant itself it probably one of the best designed in the captial, and despite being 14 years old, looks brand spanking new. It has a timeless quality that will probably still look classic in another 14 years. There is plenty of room between tables (although the twos along the banquette are pretty close) and the high ceiling and stained glass give the restaurant a very spacious feeling. I ate a salad of foie gras, confit and air dried duck with saute potatoes to begin. It was a generous portion with plently of liver and duck to justify tyhe 17.50 price tag. It was by far the most expensive starter of a long list, supplemented by specials, with many below 10.00. I continued with a dish of salmis of pheasant, squash ravioli and deep fried sage (18.00). The two large breasts (oh er missus) of the bird were incrediby tender and accompanied by a deeply flavoured sauce, tasting more of veal jus than game stock. The pasta was a little on the robust side, but again very nice. I finished with the justly famous chocolate pithivier and jersey cream (8.50) after a single slice of almost liquid vacherin. I will write a complete review for the food store soon, but in the meantime, I would say Bibendum is creeping it's way back up the restaurant charts and far exceeds it's fairly crappy showing in the current guides. My half of the bill was £70.00 which included coffee, water beer and a half bottle of good white wine (no details I'm afraid). So, not cheap but there or there about the going rate in London. Has anyone else eaten there recently. Any regulars noted an improvement of late? I would be fascinated to know. (Edited by Andy Lynes at 4:26 pm on Nov. 26, 2001)

I used to have this problem until a Michelin starred chef let me into the secret of a balanced red wine sauce. I would suggest starting with a soft fruity wine such as merlot or shiraz, reduce to the required consistancy, check the flavour which will almost certainly be too sharp. Adjust with a little redcurrant jelly to introduce some sweetness. You will now have a sauce which will probably be a little too sweet. You now need to add a little good quality red wine vinegar to balance this. Your sauce should now be perfect. The best thing or course is to braise your meat in red wine which will produce an excellent sauce, but that is obviously not always possible.

The Observer article makes great play of the fact that there is a secret to Da Silvano's Panacotta. Well, I saw the book in a shop today and I can tell you that it is baked in the oven for ten minutes so that it really is cooked cream. Ho hum. The book is quite nice actually, from a design point of view, but how many more recipes for salsa verde do we need? The trouble with this sort of food is that it is so simple that you don't really need recipes. Tomato Bruschetta? Well, let me guess how that's done.

Can you post it on the boards, or is there a copyright issue?

Oh no! The last thing you want to be told when you have a special meal booked is that the restaurant is not that good. Even worse is when that opinion is, for you, proved correct. I have to say I would have had difficulty taking it on the chin as well as you seemed to have done. Perhaps the company made up for the food. What a bummer!

I've tried grilling fish in my Le Creuset grill pan, and it stck quite badly, so I always pan fry fillets. One of my pet dislikes is whole fish grilled or baked on the bone. I have never had one that wasn't over cooked. I don't see how it is possible to maintain sufficient control over the cooking process, especially if the fish is stuffed and wrapped in foil then baked in the oven. I did have a fantastic tranche of turbot roasted on the bone, but that wasn't the whole fish. I generally hate steaks of fish cut through the body with the bone in.

There is no reason to assume that celebrities will have good taste I suppose, or be that interested in the food they are eating. They are more likely to want to be seen eating in the "right" place at the right time. If these restaurants get a certain reputation, then the photographers will gather and it all feeds the media publicity treadmill. I guess there are numerous reasons for a place becoming the right place at any given time, free food being a good reason I expect, but not the only one. I'm sure McDonalds would love to have some celebs and would be more than glad to dish out free burgers, but would anyone bite?

Can you explain what sea legs are - we have crab sticks in this country which are pink and white things that are not made from crab at all.