cheeekymunkey

Weird. I think 'table' was meant to be 'tasty'.

I also agree that Goodman is superior to Hawksmoor. Hawksmoor is consistently inconsistent when it comes to how you like it cooked. In my (several) experiences, what one orders does not always relate to what one receives. That said, when it's right, it is extremely table, but that's not a gamble I should need to take... ... especially when Goodman is nearby, which offers better consistency and variety.

In general terms, they should be the ones worried about offending you, rather than vice versa! You could give them a quick ring as soon as you know for certain one way or the other and save the embarrassment of having an equivalent conversation at the table. That said, if I were you, I'd re-book for when your girlfriend is feeling better. If she's not well enough to eat food, I guess she's not going to enjoy sitting there watching you eat and it'd be a shame for her to miss out.

I'm looking forward to enjoying myself at Alimentum... ...but only if I get a free glass of wine and a free dish like the others did!

Looks and sounds ace. Will try to pop in 2 weeks on Saturday.

It might be useful if someone could post the cancellation policy? Charging for late cancellations / no shows is one thing, charging someone who actually turns up and eats in the restaurant is another! We live in depressing times if making a reservation for a restaurant becomes yet another part of life where one is required to inspect the small print to check one is not being ripped off. Eating out should be easy and fun. This sort of cancellation policy, or at least the rigid implementation of it, is a quick way to make eating out unappealingly troublesome.

Pretty much. Sorry, should have broken it down. Approximately... £180 - tasting menu £115 - cheaper wine tasting £20 - champagne The rest - service

I didn't want to mix reviews with instructions on the booking thread and it seems we're due a 2011 thread to add to the annual sequence... There are so many blow-by-blow accounts of the FD menu on here and elsewhere that yet another one would add nothing. More than that, I wish they didn't exist at all. I would advise anyone thinking of going not to read them. Much of the magic of the Fat Duck is in being surprised by what arrives on the plate (and not on the plate), so it was a shame that I knew exactly what was coming and what it was going to look like. I had read about all the theatrical twists and it was a flatter experience for it. I purposefully didn't let my wife in on the secrets, and she loved it more as a result. But, at least the photos do not convey the flavours and there were surprises for me there. FWIW, my favourite dish was the Jelly of Quail, Crayfish Cream, Chicken Liver Parfait, Oak Moss and Truffle Toast. It seemed to achieve everything it set out to. My wife loved the Roast Foie Gras, Barberry, Braised Konbu and Crab Biscuit. Least good of the bunch? For me, Sound of the Sea did what it was supposed to, but didn't actually taste very nice... To talk of value for money at £350/head is bonkers. It is an obscene amount of money to spend on food and it's difficult to recommend it for that reason alone. However, it is a wonderful experience and, if you've got £350 sitting around with nothing better to spend it on, you'll enjoy your 4 hours at the Fat Duck. P.S. Be ready for the ubiquitous champagne trolley. Fine if you want some, but I still struggle with the psychological challenge of turning it away after it has been wheeled up to the table. And, at £20 a glass for the NV stuff, it's not an insignificant addition to the bill.

This sort of service deserves recognition with a third star! London riots: kitchen staff at Notting Hill restaurant The Ledbury protect diners with rolling pins Absolutely brilliant stuff. Sous vide the looters, I say.

WOOHOO! Success.

I switched to dialling from my mobile and got the expected engaged tone this time. After a few re-dials, I'm now through to the audiobook. Don't understand why the landline was ringing and the mobile was engaged.....

Gah! Have followed all the instructions and been re-dialling for the past 30 mins, but without success. At what point does one give up?! No engaged tone BTW. Just ringing until the line goes dead.

My experience of Pollen Street Social was closer to felixhirsch's, than nikkib's...

Glad to see you stopped in at Master’s Super Fish - the finest F&C in London, in my view.

So it seems Gauthier Soho has introduced a calorie count to its menus.