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IanT

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Everything posted by IanT

  1. Nathan Outlaw in Rock - I had a cracking meal there in May. Absoluely top class and very seafood focussed. I wouldn't plan to spend much time in Padstow, a bit grim now.
  2. Since opening Viajante, Nuno Mendes has turned The Loft from a personal test kitchen to a platform for young chefs (often sous' from big name kitchens) to develop and showcase their ideas. James Knappet is a young English chef with an impressive resume including 18 months at Per Se and 18 months as sous at Noma. I met James at Noma, we bonded over our mutual love for Arsenal, Asian women and Danish pastries and have stayed in touch since. He is currently sous at Marcus Wareing where, according to a recent interview, Wareing seems to rate Knappet highly: Nice sentiments but comparing a recent dinner at MW vs. a dinner that James did at The Loft, I'm not sure that Wareing is the guy to help James get to the next level. James' best dishes at The Loft were on a different level as regards creativity and flavour. Andy Fenn and I joined Nuno, James Lowe from St John Bread & Wine and 10 others for a cracking meal. Food Snob has some good photos here. My favourite dishes were: Duck egg ramson & rye bread Very good dish - slow cooked duck egg with ramson veloute, I'm a sucker for wild garlic. Rabbit "tortillas" A take on tortialls/Peking duck. The rabbits were cooked in cream and then charred on a BBQ and brought to the table whole to be wrapped in tortillas with romesco sauce, strips of aubergine, flaked almonds and coriander. Really delicious. Lamb milk, burrata & dead nettles Beautifully cooked lamb and the sweet dried milk skin was an excellent accompaniment. Excellent dish. "Red velvet" beetroot & liquorice Incredible liquorice ice-cream whipped up in Nuno's Pacojet (every home should have one). Great combination with the beetroot cake and powder. Fenn proclaimed it the best thing he had eaten all year - Fenn's credentials might be a little lacking but that is still saying something. An excellent meal with exciting high points - Knappet is clearly someone to keep an eye on. Serious credit to Nuno too for launching and supporting The Loft concept - its a great opportunity for young chefs.
  3. Anyone been to the London branch yet? I had a read of the menu yesterday and it sounds very good.
  4. A year and a month more like, did Corrigans not open in late 2008?
  5. Bloomberg are reporting that Ducasse has won a third star in London. Thoroughly depressing.
  6. Do you think if the Harwood gets one then all the more reason for the Ledbury to get two? Would seem crazy for the two of them to be on the same level. Would be well deserved in both cases. Also think the Greenhouse could/should go to **. On food alone, the Sportsman should go to ** but it probably won't. Eastside Inn for a star (Bjorn has got one everywhere else...) Corrigans for a star? Didn't impress me much but most people loved it. Would love to see Ducasse and RHR lose one each but can't see that happening... And strip them from the two Nobus (and maybe give one to Roka?). Again more a what I'd like to see hapen rather than what will happen.
  7. But its a sh1t restaurant - not determinative I agree but surely that must have some relevance?
  8. Where did that come from Phil? Say what you like about the Hermanos but they know their own mind, corporate shills they are not. Could have been a bad night or just a case of differing tastes. Hix has had plenty of other good reviews in any event. Excessive pre-dinner cocktails rather than desire to suckle the corporate teat much more likely to have influenced that Hermanos review of Hix... Incidentally - I am coming to Sydney in March, would be great if you could recommend some restaurants.
  9. Seconded - desserts apart it was really dreadful. Boring, dated cuisine not particularly well executed and with indifferent quality ingredients. Even the service was bad...
  10. Its almost as if they are trying to compensate for Michelin's French bias by discriminating against the French! A Top 50 best restaurants in the world list without Arpege, Ambroisie and Troisgros is, well, interesting. Still, at least Le Chateaubriand made it California didn't do much better - Manresa and Urasawa must feel just a little hard done by. And who keeps voting for Nobu and Hakkasan every year? I'm sure the junket is fun but its still a rubbish list.
  11. IanT

    L'Ambroisie

    It was quite extraordinary, they wedged a tiny table into the far end of the toilet corridor (with a really good view of both the ladies and gents) and a blonde lady (I think she was American) perched there to eat her lunch. We were there May 18 (ah Fenn, how quickly you forget...) and ate a similar meal to your first lunch - langoustines, sea bass with caviar, capon with morels and the chocolate tart. I'll write it up if Fenn ever gets around to sending me a copy of our menu...
  12. Ahem. You're maybe an inch taller than me - and thats pushing it. Older, I can't deny. As for uglier - I refer you to who is in possession of Helene's business card....
  13. I presume, from the dishes julot mentions, that you guys went to the bistro not the fine dining restaurant? Anyone been to the actual restaurant? Any reviews on it yet (written by people who've actually eaten there)?
  14. Jardin des Sens? ← Nope. Wrong country. ← Greg Doyle at The Pier Sydney ← Very impressive! It was from a dinner there in December 07. I thought that one would last a while...
  15. Jardin des Sens? ← Nope. Wrong country.
  16. Tartare of king prawns with caviar, soy and mirin dressing Lobster slow cooked in chicken juices, sauteed seasonal mushrooms with tarragon Fig cream gaufrettes, lemon olive oil ice cream
  17. L'Arnsbourg? That Sole dish rings a bell and I remember you, Steve and Big Tone eating there a few years ago...
  18. Yup. Quince donuts probably gave it away... Your turn.
  19. Foie gras terrine with quince doughnuts Squab with horseradish mousseline, sweet and sour beetroot and black pudding Strawberry semi freddo with lavender ice cream
  20. Le Grand Vefour? I remember reading a recipe on OA re. their artichoke desert. Oxtail Parmentier does not sound their style however...
  21. That's either Champneys or Mugaritz ← Yessir.
  22. Chilled Vegetable Soup, shrimp, herbs and fern shoots Fillet of Monkfish baked in its skin, glazed mung beans and buckwheat powder Sunripened berries, drops of extra virgin olive oil and lime. Cold beetroot bubbles. (My first time clicking on this thread - pretty fun game actually...)
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