Marlyn4k
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Posts posted by Marlyn4k
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BLH...
I guess rating a restaurant is more contentious than judging an olympic gymnastics final.
What excites? A Carpaccio of Sea Bass that leaps off the plate and slaps you round the face, a bloody orange jelly that tingles in the mouth or a Maitre d'Hotel de Carre that remembers every detail of a distant conversation?
I guess the measure is whether you go home with a smile on your face. In that regard quality with consistency will win out every time.
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Jay
I'm just wounded on their behalf as they're so under-publicised and the first exposure in a long time is sadly a shotgun to the head of the new restaurant manager.
PS Like your book, gonna review it on our website.
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For me it's more a case that people will get an impression out of kilter with the reality. Foliage is without doubt one of the strongest one star restaurants (and may well be promoted in January) - the long walk to the toilet, the din from the bar and the fairly impersonal dining room would be genuine observations.
However, the food, wine and service experiences are strong and provided at value for money prices - to banter the point of an 8.15 versus 8.30 booking time is an exercise in pedantry. If Jay feels the need to receive his piece of red carpet (like Michael Winner) perhaps he should book in his own name.
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Hi
We're huge fans of Foliage and Chris Staines' cooking. What a terrible shame that Jay Rayner got the hump! (I just bought his book as well).
We interviewed Chris last week (along with Director of Comms for Mandarin) and am in the process of transcribing the tape...will post it here when done and approved.
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Very well said Matthew, I found the Tom Aikens experience very similar to yours, you put it more eloquently.
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To be honest I've not read a Giles Coren review before but Andy's post prompted me to do so...I see one suspiciously technical cheese paragraph, from someone who DEFINATELY DID NOT get their job through nepotism
The ranting afterwards is quite unfortunate and I'm surprised it made the edit. 
That said, I finished reading the article thinking that I can't wait to go there!
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My visit to Morgan M was a few months ago, seemed to remember having a very enjoyable evening, save for the passenger window of the car being smashed and my mobile being stolen, otherwise all round good value. The post meal chat with Morgan was a nice touch. I'm just put off by the journey and the lack local (safe) parking.
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Matthew, that is the whole point of the section.
On my night off from the lovely wife, I've been eating out once a week (at better restaurants) with an old friend who I've known for twenty odd years.
We found that we sometimes agreed on the meals and sometimes differed but always had a lively debate, so I thought it would be interesting to start a site that had a section where we eat, go home, write 500 words each and publish them without looking at each others views. For example, Tom Aikens - he was in awe and I was not; last night we tried The Admiralty (on the toptable deal), I liked it and he hated it. The week before last was Roussillon, I loved it, he wasn't so sure...and so on.
Sometimes we eat separate dishes from the carte and sometimes we both go for the tasting menu. Daniel really liked the Sea Bass (but found it a little small), I found it dry and overcooked. Daniel's duck was executed precisely medium rare, mine was almost raw and struggled to be cut with a sharp knife. The bill was £130 per head. There would be a number of places on the list to visit before returning to Putney Bridge.
A review is only an opinion based on a snapshot in time, associated with one meal for one person. For many restaurants our reviews are based on five or six visits, where we each have a genuine opportunity to assess consistency and develop more depth to our opinions - La Trompette would be one example, The Waterside another. However, where we have strong opinions based on a single visit we will publish because we'd be unlikely to return.
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You're quite right, they have had the Cote de Boeuf on the menu, I just dug out 29th May 2002 (got a large collection of menus - have asked for a copy as a souvenir from restaurants for years).
BTW This particular menu has the offal fest - Poached Calf's Brain with caramalised Ox Tounge, Oxtail consomme and sauce ravigotte.
The Chez Bruce chips the other week were a cut above mind you.
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Yeah, big fan of Chez Bruce and the sister restaurant La Trompette. The latter has started offering the Cote de Boeuf for two as well, the Chez Bruce thick chips are fab though - better than Riverside Brasserie -cooked in duck fat??
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This is only an extract from the total review, there were extenuating circumstances, such as the party of 40 tourists that arrived shortly after us, however both the kitchen and the front house coped poorly.
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Review as promised...well extracts from those published under Two Views on the website. Unfortunately was not the best of experiences.
"...The Degustation Menu made no mention of wines by the glass to match. Upon enquiring, we communicated with the Sommelier by messenger and were offered the option for an additional £38 per head. Some ninety minutes into the evening we finally met the Sommelier, but rather than discuss his wine choices, he cleared our plates: Perhaps wisely so as most of the selections proved a disappointment, especially an over chilled Macon, which displayed the finesse of a sledgehammer wrapped in oak...."
"....Anthony Demetre’s cooking is better than the service or the wine. Roast scallops with coral puree, carrot and ginger milk was an imaginative dish, making the most of the freshest ingredients. The terrine of foie gras, not on the menu, was served without any explanation. We insisted on the seared foie gras, roast apricot, black treacle and brioche cream as advertised, and received it with an appropriate apology from the kitchen....but (it) had a strange texture; similar to food that's been defrosted in a microwave for a little too long; the seared outside offered resistance giving way to an unctuous first taste, however the inside became increasingly firm, and ultimately almost rubbery. Two sloppily executed dishes followed - slightly dry, overcooked Sea Bass and close to raw Aylesbury Duck - sadly both rendered their respective arrangements of sauces and vegetables irrelevant....Artisan cheeses were extensive in their range and impressive in their quality. The last course was the least successful: the warm strawberry soufflé was too solid in texture and its accompanying confit of strawberry was, unfortunately, reminiscent of the tinned variety. Coffee came without the advertised petits fours, and, when asked for, were delivered in a messy heap....To compound matters, this proved better than the apparently rudderless service, which was at best semi-professional, at worst, student like.. "
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The original question was not about the 12.5% that gets added to a bill and called 'discretionary', I'm more interested to understand to what extent do we leave something over and above that 12.5% - The Tip or Pour Boire - The 12.5% is not a tip as far as I understand as it contributes to wages rather than a 'something extra'.
I know of one restaurant where they put all the money received over and above the 12.5% into a pot and have a summer river boat shuffle party for all the staff!
Until I read that article I had no idea that one ever gave anything over and above the 12.5%.
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On a visit to Paris a few years ago I was leafing through some Guide Book and stumbled upon a piece on Pour Boire in relation to restaurants: It said that it is customary in France to leave up to an additional 5% (in cash) over and above the standard service charge when you are very happy.
To what extent is this practice followed among diners in gastronomic restaurants in Britain?
Personally, I started tipping in the UK after reading that article but have never been sure how much to give or whether it was a standard practice?
I have noticed that many restaurant managers have the handshake down to an art form
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Tarka...not recipes...news/gossip about chefs and restaurants.
FT Weekend sounds interesting...what about websites, other than this one of course!
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What are the best publications for keeping up to date with the foodie world?
All suggestions welcome - newspaper supplements, magazines, websites etc
Many thanks
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I had an invite to the Le Petit Blanc special evening, to thank their mailing list of regular punters, before they shut down for renovation...Raymond was cooking in the kitchen with the help of some of his team from Le Manoir, it was memorably good and a bargain. :
The reason for the post is he came round for a chat with each table and we asked him what his proudest food achievement was, to which he replied inventing the chocolate fondant. Can this be true?
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Alan Murchison was originally a sous chef at Le Manoir before running the catering school for them. He then moved to L'Ortolan in Shinfield (after John Burton Race went to the Landmark) where he gained his first Michelin Star after 18 months. There was then a falling out with the owners and he went to work at Chewton Glenn about 8 months ago.
I contacted Chewton Glenn last month and they said he had left them soon after joining.
Two weeks ago I was eating in Berkeley Square Cafe and got chatting to Benoit Gueret, the Sommelier, formerly of L'Ortolan (and 1837). I asked him where Alan had got to and he said he was cooking in a Gastropub somewhere before looking to buy out L'Ortolan....
As much as I know
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After Alan Murchison left Chewton Glenn so abrubly over alledged 'work culture differences' I heard he has been cooking in a Gastropub with a view to buying his old stomping ground L'Ortolan....any news on this?
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If you're going to Morgan M then don't drive, I did and had my car broken into, when I mentioned it to the front of house they said they'd had lots of problems with that in the area.
Putney Bridge, went there this week for the first time - nice view of the Thames but otherwise was very disappointed, I don't agree with making judgements based on one visit but will honestly struggle to return on the basis of the experience.
Have been to 1880 several times and really enjoy their grazing menus. My only caveat is if Patrick Salles is still the Sommelier, I'm not convinced he is up to the job - the wines are a real disappointment after 1837.
Foliage is my favourite one star restaurant in London for cooking, although the dining room has less to recommend it.
La Trompette is my favourite non starred London restaurant, but perhaps not 30th birthday treat atmosphere.
Roussillon are doing a two for one offer (if you ask for it upon booking) and they do a very good menu degustation with wine.
Berkeley Square Cafe is great value with the lastminute.com offer of 50% off the food, again I'm more impressed by the food than the dining room.
The Fat Duck is close to where I live, they do a famous tasting menu although you will pay similar to GR RHR and the food is an acquired taste.
The Waterside Inn in bray has, in my opinion, the best front of house in the world and would be my choice for a 30th birthday treat, although again expensive.
The Savoy Grill or Petrus private chef's tables are an interesting experience and they put together a 7 courser especially for the table. As you might imagine the Savoy Grill is slightly cheaper but I would say Petrus is worth the extra.
Plenty of choice....
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Probably old news to eGullet, but just read this:
http://www.bonjourparis.com/pages/articles/articleId/1276
"Yves Camdeborde (him of the "bistrot-gastro" La Regalade, Paris; once second to Christian Constant at The Crillon; also with stints at The Ritz & La Tour d’Argent) has hung up his coppers to dedicate himself to his new project. Seems big Yves wants to spend more time with his two sprogs and "They made me an offer…" So where is it then? Well, Yves ain’t telling, but it’s going to be opening around September; a pension de famille in the Paris area, one assumes. There will be an open kitchen, "so I get to see that there is a world outside," he told BUZZ. Madame C will look after the hotel side of things; think twenty rooms. And think of booking soon: "Lunch will be open to the public, evenings for hotel guests only."
So perhaps La Regalade will be no more....
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Les Crayeres in Reims felt quite similar to Le Manoir.
Very funny Blind Lemon Higgins...people can be so foodiest
Although I agree with Gary, if you're into bragging rights then Le Manoir is generally most known out of the better places.
Personally, I've not been back to Le Manoir since I went for a Saturday lunch expecting to have the set menu and found they'd gone Carte only on Saturdays (all day)....very expensive lunch
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Hello Che
Out of interest, how does "sobre gustos no hay nada escrito" literally transalate? I hope it's not rude.
The initial quote is the perception I have of gastronomic restaurants opposed to the perception I have of pubs. My idea of a pre- gastronomic dinner drink is not a pint of Best. I personally gain far more pleasure from an evening of 'culinary theatre' and am therefore happy to pay a higher bill accordingly - but that comes back to the question of how do you rate a restaurant.
Certainly, if I were eating Chez Bruce food for the same price as Chez Bruce then I know where I'd rather eat it.
Having said this, there is clearly an established, predominantly urban, market for eating good food in more humble, laid back surroundings. So perhaps this is a cultural shift in dining out that is here to stay. There are clearly more and more customers looking to eat better executed meals produced with with far better and more adventurous ingredients.
Strangely, this may be driven by the decreasing interest in devoting time to cooking at home whilst disposable income increases. I would not disagree that "The Gastropub" may fill a niche in the ladder of considered restaurant "greatness" and at the same time fill a niche in the demand for quality food.
Judging my opinion is fine Che, in England, we call it debate.
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Yes, the style and quality of the website is in keeping with the restaurant....
I have been a fan of La Trompette for a couple of years and more recently tried Chez Bruce and was equally impressed.
I could have sworn that the restaurant manager in the picture on the La Trompette site was actually at Chez Bruce three weeks ago. I wasn't sure who the permanent replacement was for sweetie pie Christelle (who went off on her cruise ship...
)Why the GFG docked them to 6/10 I'm not sure, if the two sister restaurants are both worth a Michelin Star then La Trompette certainly holds it's own. Overall (food, service, dining room) I rate it slightly ahead of Chez Bruce although they are so similar.
Foliage
in United Kingdom & Ireland: Dining
Posted · Edited by Marlyn4k (log)
Just had a great lunch at Foliage. They were busy and appear to be taking the positives from Jay's review magnanimously.