tony h

The basement bar is impressive & seductive and I felt a little out of place not having rented my companion for the evening. We confused the bar utterly by trying to pay for drinks in cash – or was it that we expected change from a 20 – who knows. The restaurant itself is initially intimidating & grand – stuffed with very large chairs and chandeliers – but the very friendly waiters quickly put at our ease. The menu is huge & not just physically – 3 course ALC plus a variety of grazing menus from 6 course up to 10. We chose the 9 course meal – 10 would have been vulgar. The bread trolley arrived - more a small shop on wheels – with an astonishing choice. Everything was excellent – particularly the foccacia which was still warm. Butters and flavoured oils were on offer. Prestarter – a spoon with carpaccio and tartare of tuna dice – very refreshing. 1. Small cup of clam broth – I was the only not to like this – it lacked depth & salt and I thought the vegetable dice was a little too big for the small cups. Then again, I prefer puree’d soups. The other 3 gulped it down. 2. smoked salmon with caviar – stunningly presented with little discs of mustard & dill sauce on either side and painstakingly carved cucumber batons. This was pretty good. 3. roast scallop with tomato flavoured broth – again – a little lacking in salt for my taste – but great scallop. Can’t remember the other garnishes 4. roast foie gras - with small potato discs & shredded config of leg (I think) – fabulously glutinous ginger scented sauce. 5 halibut with peas, broad beans and pea spatzel (sp) – red wine sauce. This was seriously bad – the halibut was over cooked and dry and there was a faint rubbery taste to the dish. The peas & beans were wonderful – but again – lack of salt or sharpness to the sauce to lift it. This was a great shame as there was obviously a serious amount of effort put into getting the sauce to that sublime stickiness. 6 lamb – lovely, succulent piece of loin served on the bone with small bits of sweetbread on either side. Stunning red sauce. However – it also came with a small rectangle of unidentifiable matter coated in breadcrumbs – no one could figure out what this was – also – no one much cared for it. Only a small blemish to a great dish. 7 cheese next – two very large plates for us – one with hard cheese and one with soft cheese. Very fine accompaniments of apple syrup-thing & fruit compote. The als0 brought us some finely sliced apple. This was really good. 8 a chocolate dome circled with varying sized dots of chocolate sauce & red fruit puree. Not me – but the others loved it. 9 a beautiful plate with 3 dimples and a different red berry inspired dessert in each – a drink (good), berries and donut-like pastry square – very good and lastly a small cheesecake – also very good. 52 pounds each – not bad On the whole – a pretty good meal which was spoiled in places by a lack of seasoning. Presentation was faultless. The room was odd – and after close inspection during the evening our conclusion was that it would fit in seamlessly in Las Vegas – a bit too much white a gold plus those marble pillars topped with clam shells is a place even changing rooms wouldn't go.

I'm completely knocked out by your report - thanks for sharing. Cheers Tony

Thanks - have now booked Any suggestions on reasobnable wines i.e. sub 40 pounds? Cheers Tony

Anyone been recently - is it still worth the trip?

Its not actually in Oxford - but several miles to the south. Traffic in Oxford is always a pain - more so in this case at its the road to London. So, any ride will take ages & cost a lot. if you do it in less that 30 min think yourself lucky. btw - they do have space to land a helicopter

The Londesborough, Stoke Newington I've been meaning to try this wannabe gastopub for ages - mainly because its just around the corner from me. Sadly - its just a pub with a menu. We ordered but were asked to leave before the food arrived. Our crime - we asked for the fucking loud music to be turned down (christ - I'm turning into my dad). We asked - owner couldn't hear us - we asked again - still couldn't hear us - then we shouted - that why we want the fucking music turned down. idesigneditthisway & getoutofmypub & growup - plus a few other choice phases thrown at us. btw - there were only 4 others in the bar who were reading the weekend papers. Next year's kitchen nightmares candidate & nobhead, me thinks.

I spent a week at the cookery school a few years ago & loved every second - notes posted somewhere on the board. I've been a few times since and when its good its astounding - but its only flaw is consistency - on one occasion I left feeling ripped off as the portions had shrunk somewhat. I'm sure its was just a bad day. One major strength are the desserts - always triumphal. The place itself is virtually perfect - so give yourself some time to explore the gardens. If staying over - lucky you.

Starters - mostly in the 4 - 8 pound range; mains - highest I saw was 14 pounds - most far less

Not wanting to be the last - just had lunch there & wonderful it was too. Tuna spring rolls - sounds not great - but what revelation. Large thick pieces of tuna wrapped in thin crisps pasty-like coating - outer edges of the tuna just seared with the middle lovely & raw. In the middle of the plate was a small mound of pickled leaves, some sushi rice and salmon eggs. Surrounding this was a stunning perfumed infused mirin & soya-like dressing/sauce. Fab. Next was the seared scallops - on a bed of spinach which was on a bed of intensified tomato pieces. On top of each scallop was a slither of dried tomato slice. This came with a parma ham infuse light cream sauce. I have walked past this place several times – thanks for letting me know how good it is.

hmm, sounds like emperor's new clothes to me if something is perfect & you can't tell that its perfect what's the point and does it matter.

oh go on - you show me yours & I'll show you mine

I thought about it but I reckon that he's one of those people living off past glories - just another 3 star to tick off the list as someone said. After recent bad experiences in Paris I am now happy to avoid overpriced 3 stars. I was also advised to avoid Leon de Lyon & Pyramide. I would have gone up to Roanne for Troisgros but they were booked the nights I could make. I did search out one of the bouchons in my free evening but didn't make it as I was not feeling good - too much heat & not enough water - typical brit. The only other restaurant of note on this trip was Clos du Violette (sp) in Aix. Easily the best meal of the trip but I didn't make any notes. Aix is a shithole so I wouldn’t recommend anyone go there just for a meal - but if you're nearby its certainly worth a look. Apart from that I do remember standing in the fields of chateauxneuf du pape & blaming it for all the hangovers I've ever had - then going off for a drink.

Thanks for your note. Its not just one night 'though - there was a concert (v heavy rock) the previous weekend and they could have warned us. In reality - the music wasn't the problem - it was the misery in the dining room that got to us far more.

On paper this looks great – small country home on a an island in the river just north of Lyon’s centre. A tranquil setting for some great food – plus last night of the holiday – really looking forward to this. This is Lyon’s river festival weekend and there a bloody great big temporary stage erected on the island right next to the restaurant. Taxi takes ages to get to the bridge as the round are large – we can’t cross the bridge – in fact we can’t even get on the island ‘cause we don’t have tickets for the show. Eventually the guy with the reservations list is found & we’re let through. Not a great start. We find the restaurant which now looks a lot less idyllic. We were told that thought is salsa night (music, not the dip) – and that we’re luck as last week was speed metal night. We rumbaed into the restaurant & were tangoed past the lovely looking dining room & deposited into the upstairs back room. This is where we sat for ages – I mean ages. People shuffled into the room & quickly left. The brad arrived – but was left on the opposite wall. We could see & even smell it – but not morsel came close to our lips. So we focused on the room. Take a lovely country house & add a touch of international minimalism – black floor – frosted glass doors & monotoned geometric paintings. Quite unwelcoming. In fact – we felt like unwelcome guests (had Gary Marshall be on the phone to warn them – who knew?). Anyway – eventually the utterly stunning pre-starters arrived & out fears were swept aside: an array of herb tempura and succulently braised vegetables on a skewers. I passed on the quails egg but I believe they were also pretty good. The menu arrived – it was a poem. A bloody big one. The chef arrived alter to tell us what was actually being served – there was a choice of 3 courses or 5 courses. No choice of dishes – everyone got the same – the only thing to ask ourselves was – are we hungry or very hungry. Very. First up was a stunning little tart of spring & summer vegetables with a dollop of mustard ice cream. The dish was hot so by the end any the remaining ice cream had melted into a lovely sauce. Very good – only gripe – a little too many peas. Very good satisfying pastry. Next was the star – not just of the meal – but of the whole trip: large pieces of lobster sitting on a large ravioli of mango & coriander - with a lobster nage perfumed with Thai spices. Its fairly difficult to describe just how good this was – Thai lobster soup with the firepower of a exceptionally good French kitchen behind it – the mango, lobster & coriander married so well together and we held together by an above average stock. The next was another fish dish – mountain lake fish (Chevalier du lac). This was better than the eel we had the previous night (Alain Chapel – will write up if I have time ) but there was something a little strange about it. I don’t recall the garnish. Dish 4 was veal with asparagus & a to die for veal reduction. Came with some potatoes and a sour cherry. Great expect that the veal was cold. Would have retuned but we could find any on of the disappearing waiters. Next was a hot mouse of foie gras – superfluous and probably in the wrong place. Would have helped to have it earlier in the meal. The cheese course was quite excellent – and came with red grapes and preserved cumquats – the later were delicious. Of course – by now we are quite stuffed but still have the dessert onslaught to come. Here is was definitely a case on volume over finesses. White chocolate mouse with raspberries; little cornets with liquorice ice cream; some amazing dish with rhubarb jelly plus quite a few other bits and pieces that I could barely look at let alone taste. The cost – 75 euros for 3 courses – 95 for 5. A bargain for food of this quality. However – as we hated the restaurant itself so much it is kind of hard to recommend it. Not just because there a fucking loud band just outside our window – the staff was very unfriendly when they were present (expect the chef who was lovely). The bathroom were a scream – minimalist but with a wall of mirror where the stainless steel vagina-like urinal was mounted – not good. The frosted glass double doors felt like you were enclosed. The black floor was also off putting as was being put into a small back room with 3 other tables. Another small point – at Alain Chapel the night before the restaurant was pure theatre in the why the served some dishes – here because everyone go the same food – there was no – “oh look over there”. When the bill arrived they managed to fold it up an put a red wax seal on it – why worry about such superfluous details when dining in the room is itself fairly miserable. Anyway - worth it for the food – but not for the experience.

taking about Al?

Breakfast on Sunday morning under the big clock (top floor) of Musee d'Orsay is quite hard to beat (although its not about the food).

I am developing a pathalogical hatred for big Al - aka the-brown-nosing-pillsbury-dough-man-slaphead-tosser

This might not be as much of a fantasy as we think. Apparently both Edinburgh and Dublin restaurants are smoke-free zones. If Ken seriously proposes it, its enough to make me vote for him again. Dublin is a great success - was there last month. Only problem is that that was all they could talk about! (even this couldn't make me vote for that arrogant self-centred egomaniacal washed-out anorak-personified newt lover)

macdonalds?

that's very hetrosexist

14. Ban smoking (not just restaurants) 15 Ban loud vacuous ladies who lunch (OK more than just a little jealousy here)

Tom Aikens May 2004 I was taken for my birthday to TA last week and had an absolutely stunning lunch there. We chose the tasting menu (well, I did take her to Fat Duck for her birthday) although there was quite a lot on the ALC that I wanted to try. Just means more visits, I suppose. Starter was a small cup of potato froth/foam with cubes of potato at the bottom with the slither of crisped potato protruding from the foam. An instant wow – such simplicity and clarify of tastes and with a very very long finish. I could easily have had a pint of the stuff. First course – thinly sliced scallops cooked by marinated sitting on top of tomato slices and deeply intensified tomato salsa. On top was a jelly of basil & tomato – when tasted there was a quick explosion of basil flavours with subsided to leave an intense tomato flavour - quite wonderful. We couldn’t taste the scallops – overpowered by the marinated – but it didn’t matter really as the rest of the dish was so good. Second was foie gras and carrot salad. I’m sure it had a better name but I don’t recall. First impressions was that this was the most stunning plate of food I’ve had in a very long while. A symphony of orange and green and yellow. The carrots were supplied in a variety of ways – foam, ribbon sliced, boiled (but in an interesting way), jelly and a few more – the green was hibiscus-like leaves dotted around the plate simply but beautifully arranged. Then there will things like intensely flavours prunes to give the dish balance. And lots and lot of different t white & yellow sauces which had been painted onto the plate – one was mango purée with ginger; another vanilla (I think) mayonnaise. Here and there were dash of aged balsamic. In the middle, slightly, hidden, was a small piece of foie gras – ballotineed and covered with crumbs (bread or ginger cake – not sure). The FG really wasn’t needed – but it was pretty good. Over all – bloody amazing – this I could have eaten & eaten. Third was carpaccio of sea bass with fennel shavings (cooked & raw) with slight pernod sauce – very refreshing. Again, didn’t want this dish to end. Fourth – boudain of chicken with seriously good cream stock with lots of peas and broad beans. Fab. Cheese course – we were asked what kind we liked & they chose a selection of some pretty good cheeses to match our taste. Usually not my favourite course – but this was pretty good. The two desserts were less interesting and formulaic in that they are based on the chocolate cylinders filled with foam. The first was a series of coffee and caramel flavours – the second was lemon 7 different ways. I’m sure these must have taken ages to perfect but they left me quite cold and unengaged. The lemon one, in particular, was just too strong at times. The post meal goodies have been very well described elsewhere on this thread. Wines: whites by the glass for first 2 courses then a red Michel Gros for the rest – very good but I don’t recall specifics. Muscat dessert wine was also good but couldn’t hold its own against the lemon Overall – I cant wait to go back and attack the ALC. The food here is certainly punching well above its 1 star status and provides a welcomed alternative to Ramsay & his (stale?) derivatives. Post Note – Mrs Aiken was there and looked, well, broken. She had none of the presence that I observed 2 months ago and seemed to have taken a step back from the micro-management she did last time. She was very courteous when taking our orders but apart from that the brigade ran the place. I guess her heart just isn’t it right now – who can blame her.

just returned fom a stellar lunch at TA's (tasting menu) will write up soon (need to wait until alcohol has worn off)

fuck sake - its infected andy now :grabs balls smiley:

I’m curious about Ramsay – at times he comes over as the caring, mentoring, wants you to do a good job kind of fellow. Then during service he flips over to a vapid rabid arsehole of the first order. Is this, perhaps, evidence of some kind of mental disorder along the lines of mini-touretts syndrome or is this just standard chef-speak? I am also curious about the continual references to balls, bollocks and the likes. Does anyone really speak like this in “real” life. And what do these constant groin-al references imply - symptom of his fear of losing it; underlying lack of self-confidence (heavily masked); or just a prat?