tomcbell

I agree. To be fair, Rimmer, a self trained chef, pretty much knows that he is not on the same level as Wareing (who is coming across as a bloody nice bloke). He's going for the plan of cooking in a different style to try and win on "uniqueness". Rimmers main last night looked and sounded very grim, Wareing's dish was great in that it was very representative of the region, but would the Queen, or anyone for that matter, really want to eat Hotpot in June??? Rhodsie to win. ← I agree to an extent with Rimmer's decision (oh memories of Red Dwarf!) to be distinctive, as opposed to trying to compete by cooking Michelin-style food against someone he knows is more accomplished on that front. However, choosing a vegetarian main course, especially one which has no link whatsoever with the North, let alone Britain, seems ludicrous. I for one would not be happy if I were dining at the Queen's 80th birthday banquet not having meat in the 'meat' course. It will be interesting to see what the judges make of Wareing's hotpot.

Might this happen any time soon? ← I keep encountering problems with this. The pictures were taken with an 8MP camera and I think the files may be too big to upload. Very irritating, since we got some good shots. Will keep trying. Does anyone know whether there is a maximum file upload size? ← Wouldn't it be easier simply to compress the photos? Especially considering their likely file size at 8MP! I'm definitely eager to see them. Tom.

If the time has finally come when someone calls Ducasse the inexpensive option, then boy, that's me out of the game. ← I think he was referring to the fact that dinner was being bought for him - in other words someone else will have to mortgage their house!

I don't think so, because I had Capon recently whilst dining at Lincoln's Inn. I would be surprised if the Honourable Society of barristers served illegal poultry!

It has certainly changed from the pictures on tastingmenu.com's review. One thing that I found a little odd and unnecessary was the use of thick glazes to add borders. I wonder how these are made - are they merely very reduced stocks?

Can you advise camera details? I assume no flash and digital camera. Any aperture/speed/ISO? Any reaction from the MaitreD'? ← Sony DSC-P10, no flash (we were sitting near a window anyway). Speed and ISO normal settings. I used close-up mode to get focussing just right. If you think these photos are nice, you should see them in full sized, uncompressed 5megapixel glory. No comment from the maitre d'; I don't see how he could mind considering the camera was silent and there was no flash.

Some of you may remember an earlier post of mine in which I asked for guidance on whether to go for the Menu Prestige or the A La Carte at GR@RHR. The advice was duly and gratefully noted, and the former was chosen. Yesterday was the day, and here are some photos of what was consumed, with descriptions and my (extremely amateur) thoughts. Amuse Bouche - Langoustine, caviar, horseradish cream, baked potato jelly, new potato and craime fraiche, potato and bacon 'wafer' [my term] Excellent start - the contrasting and varied flavours all worked together, with the baked potato jelly adding a bit of molecular gastronomy to the meal. Mosaique of foie gras with Peking style duck I didn't have much of this, mainly because I don't really get what is so amazing about foie gras, the texture being more appealing that the flavour. The duck was like a refined version of the crispy duck you get at Chinese restaurants. (Alternative to foie gras) Pig's trotter pressed with something else [i forgot what], and a 'muffin' with quail's egg, cheese, ham, with hollandaise and some other sauce I found this to be a bit too rich, the terrine consisting effectively of pork and fat. The 'croque monsieur' next to it was also rich, making this course altogether a bit heavy for my liking. Scottish lobster, chicken and baby gem lettuce with Caesar dressing I had a taste of this. The chicken had an amazing texture - very smooth and processed, but tasting nice. The lobster was, well, lobster - nothing more, nothing less. I'm not too sure about this course, to be honest - its playful take on the Chicken Caesar Salad not really translating into an effective haute cuisine dish. (Alternative to lobster) Hind dived scallops from the Isle of Skye with truffles and a truffle vinaigrette The scallops were divine - firm, salty, delicious. The truffles and the truffle vinaigrette were a bit overpowering, and I felt that I had to eat the scallops separately in order to appreciate their flavour, thus leaving me with a bit too much sauce to mop up at the end. Perhaps, like foie gras, I am yet to appreciate truffles. Pan fried fillet of turbot, watermelon and citrus velouté This was one of my favourite dishes of the meal. The turbot was fresh and meaty (although perhaps a bit overcooked), the sauce was rich yet fresh with the citrus, and the watermelon (which was cooked; located below the fish) was a perfect antidote to the butter. (Alternative to turbot) Pan fried fillet of sea bass with a cep sauce, celeriac puree and artichoke Unfortunately this had a pin bone in it, although fortunately my mother found it before swallowing it. Not a huge problem, although given Ramsay's perfectionism (evident for example in his Kitchen Nightmares program), and amount of money paid for the meal, an annoyance. The fish was again beautiful, although I'm not sure it went all that well with the rather strong mushroom sauce. Roasted fillet of Angus beef with braised cheeks and Barolo sauce The beef was incredibly tender and flavoursome. The sauce was too salty in my opinion, meaning that the Barolo was indiscernible. The cheeks were flavoured with Anise or five-spice, providing an interesting flavour but not one that I felt necessarily worked with the overall dish. The mash (sorry, 'pomme puree') was very rich and buttery, so it was lucky that only a small amount was served. The truffle served on top of the cheek was redundant. [Another complaint - my sister asked for her meat medium (as opposed to medium rare), but if anything her meat was less cooked than my own which was medium rare. She didn't mind, but this error was something that I don't expect in a 3 Star establishment.] (Alternative to beef) Cannon of Cornish lamb with confit shoulder and thyme jus I tried one sliver of the lamb, which was perfectly cooked. The confit shoulder was interesting - a bit like a lamb 'fritter' - but not out of this world. The tomatoes (confit?) were deliciously sweet and refreshing. The sauce was nice, but perhaps a little shy in flavour. Pre Dessert - Coriander creme brulee with cherries [the image is of the copper pot in which this was served; I ate it before remembering to take the photo!] The creme was very light and refreshing, and the coriander provided an interesting flavour. The cherries at the bottom were very pleasant, and the shortbread (a little of which is visible in the photo) was delicious. Creamed strawberries with Champagne and coriander Amazing - it was like tasting the best strawberry milkshake you've ever had. Drinking the final drops through the glass straw made a slurpy sound that made one feel somewhat self-conscious in a restaurant that was otherwise quiet! Bitter chocolate parfait with blueberry compote By this stage we were all feeling full, but not overly so. After this course, we were tipped over the edge! The presentation was amazing - the strawberry 'comb' on display being the highlight. The parfait was not too dark, which suits my taste. The blueberry compote was nicely acidic and not too sweet. Strawberry ice cream and white chocolate balls Similar strawberry flavour to the 'milkshake' - very enjoyable sweet. Cherries A nice way to cut against the richness and fullness. Overall - an extraordinary meal, with only minor flaws which did not detract from it overall. Any lack of enjoyment I felt was due more to my own tastes than to faults of the kitchen. The only comparable meal I've had previously (the set lunch I had here last year being notably inferior) was at Le Manoir. That was very different in style, feeling fresher, lighter and more focussed on produce than ideas / precision.

That's a point that has had me thinking a lot recently. While I would never buy one of those £2 plump chickens you get on special offer at Tescos, opting instead for Free Range / Organic whole chickens or chicken pieces, I will still order a chicken tikka from an Indian, a chicken sandwich from M&S, maybe even Chicken McNuggets. This inconsistency in demanding ethically reared chickens does perturbe me, but the alternative - always avoiding any chicken that is not of assured provenance - is too impractical for me, because it would prevent my ever consuming chicken, indeed meat in general, which does not have a clear provenance.

I am planning on going to GR @ RHR in early August with my family, and was wondering what menu option to go for. I went last year and had the set lunch (as was always the plan given my budget limitations at the time), but now (since I'm not paying!) I will be free either to have the Tasting Menu or the a la carte. My question is this: in terms of having the best overall experience, is it definitely preferable to have the tasting menu? For it has occurred to me that in order to experience the best food that can be offerred there, then having three larger, more complex plates might achieve this more so than with a larger number of less complex plates. Does anyone share this view? Does anyone know, for instance, if the 'main courses' of the tasting menu (i.e. the meat course) are simply smaller versions of the a la carte mains? Or are they 'simpler', with fewer flavours and ingredients? I do not doubt that either way I will have an amazing meal, of course! Many thanks, Tom.

Hey Kutsu, I (then aged 21) went with two friends to RHR last August for the set lunch menu, buying one cheap bottle of wine - i.e. the least you can spend there. If there's any recipe for being treated as inferior then that would be it, but nothing of the sort happened - we were treated like royalty by all the staff, especially the maitre d' Jean-what's his face... I seriously doubt you'll find any problems with the service. Just be yourself there and don't be afraid to ask questions... I remember we did about what on earth this piece of cutlery was - turned out to be a 'sauce spoon'... never used it! Re suggestions not to go straight to a 3-star restaurant, I personally don't think you need to take yourself so seriously as to 'work your way up' to that level of food. The menu at RHR is classical and therefore not overly wacky (unlike eg. the Fat Duck), so you'll definitely find the food approachable, and of course delicious. I say go for it. You say money isn't a problem, but I still reckon it's worth going with a specific food and wine budget in mind, a) so you can get the best possible combination of wine to match your food and b) so you don't get any nasty shocks when the bill comes! Tom.