ravelda
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Posts posted by ravelda
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yes - she's good, we met her last time i think scott and sam are after some headhunting fees there!
give me a shout if you make it up.
Will do Gary - should be in the next month or two!! Sam and Scott were great actually - without them, her CV and my referance would have never made it to Anthony, so I know Emma and I for that matter owe them a huge thanks!
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A colleague went there yesterday and said he had a fantastic meal - I would imaging jason will look after you Robert!
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I was really pleased to hear that our former junior restaurant manager who left us earlier this year to go back to her home city of Leeds has now been made restaurant manger there. Well deserved as she was superb and had a fantastic wine knowledge. I will have to get myself back up there for a meal at some point soon. Will be interested to hear your review Oli
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Since this seems to be the one everyone is recommending above others, I think I will take a punt on it! I will write back with a review when I get back (my first in a long time!).
Any other culinary delights I need to look out for?
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If you haven't been to Wierzynek, it's one of Poland's main culinary attractions for traditional fine Polish cuisine in a historic Renaissance setting on the Rynek Główny. If you can't get a reservation, you might at least go to the mead cellar on another evening.
Hawełka is another fine old establishment on the Rynek, dating to the nineteenth century. I believe the menu is the same or similar at their upstairs room called Restauracja Tetmejerowska, decorated with modernist paintings by Włodzimierz Przerwa Tetmajer. I've eaten at both, and both are very elegant establishments, but I haven't compared menus. You can find them on the internet.
Thanks for this David, I will add that to my list - it's amazing how difficult it can be finding the real gastronomic delights in places where gastronomy is perhaps more hidden below the surface than in cities like London or Paris. Most of the review sites such as trip advisor have recommendations, but they are ususally from people who are not really no epicurians!
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Hi all,
I am calling to you all for some help - albeit rather late in the day, but I am off to Krakow on Thursday with my wife for our wedding anniversary and so far we have failed to highlight anything that might even begin to resemble fine dining restaurants in and around the city. Whilst we will be throwing ourselves into the Pierogi's and so on in the milk bars and other Polish joints around the city, we would like something a little more refined for our actual anniversary night and so far have only managed to locate restaurants which to all intents and purposes have the same menu, starting with appetisers the inevitably include a Carpaccio, then soups, pasta, meats (including that 1980's wonder of steak au poivre), fish, vegetarian dishes and deserts. Can anyone help me?!!
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Much to my shame, having been unable to spend much time on blogs over the past few months, I am incredibly tardy at posting a couple of reviews. To add to my shame, these are not really just normal review, but they are in fact reviews of two of the best meals that I was lucky enough to have last year! An annual visit to Le Champignon Sauvage has become something of religious pilgrimage for me - one that really needs to occur more than once a year, as once is never enough, usually leaving me with a serious case of cold chicken afterwards - even as I write, I am having pangs of desire to put on my jacket, pack up my laptop and get in my car to head straight down to Cheltenham for a fix of David's food. Alas, sanity prevails and I will remain just where I am with the wonders of a prêt a manger Swedish meatball wrap for lunch rather than the ethereal delights that await any person lucky enough to eat at this wonderful restaurant.
My last meal at LCS was a particularly special one, not least because it was my wife's first visit as a special treat for her birthday (I usually keep her locked in a cage being fed on dry bread and water!). David had very kindly agreed to cook for us, so I knew we were in for something really special, so as we set off from London to the B&B that was to be our base for our trip.
We arrived in Cheltenham at around 1pm in need of a spot of lunch. Now, I am not sure quite how I manage this, but it seems that every time I have been to Cheltenham I have managed to pick the culinary equivalent of a pub toilet after a heavy night as a lunch spot. The last time I was down, I had such a terrible meal of flaccid battered calamari and a pasta dish which was so bad, that I almost wept for the crimes against food that were being committed at this particular restaurant. The past had actually all but disintegrated into mush and water that I was compelled to head down to WH Smiths to buy a "my first cook book" to take back and hand deliver to this particular restaurant in the hope that this could save others from the distress that I had been faced with. Now, to be fair, looking back at it, the fault for this terrible lunch was entirely mine. I really, really should have known better, but for some godforsaken reason I actually chose to eat at the Bella Pasta on the high street - why oh why the inclination even popped into my head I really don't know. Perhaps it was because it was past lunch time when I arrived in Cheltenham on this occasion and I was so hungry I was even contemplating chewing on my own arm. In retrospect I probably would have enjoyed my arm more Now, you might think I would have learned my lesson from this experience, that I would have done my research in advance or, at the very least, have avoided places famed for poor food. Sadly, the truth is, I must have deep seated desire to punish myself with a bad meal before enjoying the delights of LCS as this time, having spent a good 45 minutes walking up and down the high street in search of inspiration for lunch, I ended up making a bee line to the Wetherspoon's pub (yes, the one right round the corner from Bella Pasta!) for lunch. Now, if steak cooked to the point where it resembles leather and chips that have more in common with mashed potato (without the potato flavour) is your kind of thing then it would have been a truly delightful meal. Sadly for me, this is not really my kind of food, and so, alas it was another terrible lunch. Oh well, maybe next time I will just take a packed lunch!
By the time we reached LCS following a lovely walk from the B&B we were both absolutely ravenous. We were greeted by an ever efficient and truly charming Helen who took us to our table - a two-top by one of the windows. Personally, I am rather fond of the room, the tables are well spaced and it is incredibly bright and airy with lovely details all around without being overly fussy. Before I get on to the meal, I have to make an apology for the fact that I am bound to miss some of the details (despite having made notes straight after the meal and having vivid memories of each dish) of the incredible meal that David served us. Suffice it to say that it was truly exceptional, and my concerns that it could not live up to previous meals at LCS proved totally unfounded. In fact, I would go as far as to say it gets better and better - consistently excellent. Quite how it has not yet received 3 Michelin Star status is beyond me - the wife still maintains it is the best meal she has ever had. Seeing Ducasse at the Dorchester receiving 2 stars and a rising 3 star status in the 2009 guide only goes to show how wrong Michelin can get it at times. Having had one terrible meal at his London incarnation and one very average meal there - both costing more per person than the entire meal for both of us at LCS, it leaves me wondering rather cynically if David might not be well advised to change his surname to a something more Gallic. To me, every meal that I have had the privilege of having at LCS has been the unequivocally of 3 Michelin star cuisine and is, in my humble opinion, one of the best restaurants in the UK.
We started with a glass of champagne each - the perfect aperitif and a great accompaniment to the canapés which were served. The canapés, as usual were cheese gugeres and a kind of mini pizza topped with a rich, wonderfully reduced tomato sauce and unctuous caramelised onion. Served warm straight from the kitchen, these really are superb, the thin butter pastry melting away in your mouth leaving your pallet alive and primed for the food to come.
Next were the excellent breads - made daily on the premises and served warm with a rich, slightly salted butter. Quite how the tiny brigade (just 4 people including David!) manage to find time to make these as well as to prep all the ingredients that is needed for the intricate dishes that are served at LCS is beyond me. It actually leaves me wondering if David has been consorting with Santa Claus and has found a way to slow down time to allow them to get all their prep done before diners arrive! There was a choice of three breads (and being the pig that I am I tried all three!), white, poppy seed and my personal favourite, the shallot and bacon brioche.
The amuse was a pumpkin mousse with candied pumpkin, dried fruit and a coriander foam. This was very autumnal dish with a lovely earthy flavour coming through the sweetness of the pumpkin and dried fruit. The coriander gave a slightly zesty edge, cutting through the richness of the mousse, whilst pumpkin seeds and the candied fruit provided some interesting textural qualities to the without overpowering the natural flavour of the pumpkin.
The first course was a single plump scallop, beautifully seared with a sliver of belly pork, broccoli puree, roasted peanuts and a peanut foam. Not ingredients that I would naturally put together, this dish fulfilled on every level. Like with the amuse, the textural qualities of the dish were very interesting, traversing from the crunch of the nuts, to the soft buttery texture of the scallop and the pork to the smooth puree. The dish had complex layers of flavour, starting with the sweet, slightly caramelised flavour of the peanuts, then the sweetness of the scallop blending and that wonderful belly pork and ending with the slightly anodyne flavour of the broccoli. Certainly a very pleasant change to the usual scallop, pork belly, cauliflower combo (no matter how nice it is!)
The second course was native lobster marinated in miso with an oat risotto. I was worried that the miso flavour would overpower the mild flavour of the lobster, but yet again, David had balance the flavour so well that the salty-sweet flavour of the miso worked in harmony with the lobsters subtle flavour. The oat risotto was rich and creamy and added a nutty quality to the dish.
The third course was for me, perhaps the most shocking dish (in a good way). When Helen presented us the dish and explained that it was "Zander with a boudin of tripe, hibiscus jus, carrot puree and vegetable jelly beans with lady smock" I was slightly nervous. I have only ever had tripe 3 times prior to this occasion, and every time had been an unmitigated disaster. What can I say, I simply don't like the stuff, not how it looks, the taste, the texture and certainly not the smell. Whilst I have the upmost respect for David's cooking I really couldn't see what he could do to tripe to make it in any way enjoyable. I had images of myself as a small boy the first time I tried tripe. I must have been 8 years old and had been invited to the house of a boy in the year below me at school. His mother was a lovely German lady who for some reason thought I might be a good influence on her son and that somehow having a friend in the year above would benefit him, so she arranged with my mum for me to go over after school one day. Quite why she thought I might have any positive effect on this boys life was and remains beyond me, however that evening certainly left an impression on me! When we sat down to the table, I was served a large white plate with three things on it - only one of which I recognised as being sauerkraut (no, really, they did serve me sauerkraut!) Of the other two items on the plate (other from a pool of salty water that covered the base of the plate due to the lack of draining the food after boiling it), one looked rather like a peeled, boiled egg, and the other a wrinkly piece of fat. I bit into the egg only to realise that actually it tasted nothing of egg, had a rubbery texture and tasted rather ureic. I decided I was not a fan so moved on to the wrinkly fatty thing. The smell of this was really quite unpleasant, but compared to the taste in my mouth it was perfectly acceptable. As soon as it entered my mouth I wanted, no I needed to get it out again. I had no idea what I had been fed, but one thing I was sure of, it was the worst thing that I had ever tasted in my life. I tried so hard to resist, but I was unable, I had to run to the bathroom where I promptly threw up rather vocally all over the floor. Quite taken aback, my new friend's lovely German mother "vot is vrong, you not liking zee boiled tripe unt kidney?". Needless to say, she reassessed her judgement about me as a suitable play mate for her son and I scarcely saw him again.
For me, I still have nightmares about that meal and the arrival of a boudin of this creation of the Devil had me fearful that I would end up embarrassing myself by having to run to the bathroom to deposit the wonderful food I had so far consumed. Nonetheless, I will try anything once (or 4 times in this case) in the name of gastronomy. The Zander was absolutely beautiful - its a fish that I rarely see on menus, but it was meaty with dense sweet flesh, perfectly seasoned and cooked so that the the flakes separated with little effort. The boudin was surprisingly delicious, a revelation in fact. None of the awful, faecal flavour that I have experienced in the past, nor the rubbery, slimy texture. This was tender and meaty with a pleasant offal flavour that when combined with the sweet hibiscus source was lifted to a new dimension. The vegetable "jelly beans" looked just like that and were indeed a sea vegetable that had a slightly bitter sweet taste and popped on biting in to them (a bit like a very fresh grape), squirting a little bit of salty fluid into your mouth. The combination of this with the fish and the tripe was really quite inspired and utterly delicious. The final touch, the Lady Smock, which I had never had before but had read about in Essence, was the final touch to the dish. It had a peppery flavour (not unlike rocket, only stronger) and caused my tongue to buzz, rather like the effect of a good Szechuan pepper corn. The flavours and textures all worked so well that not only was it delicious, but a very interesting dish to eat, with no two mouthfuls the same. You have to give homage to a chef who is confident enough in his ability and understanding of flavours and techniques to serve a controversial and widely disliked ingredient like tripe on his menu fully in the knowledge that it would be delicious. Whilst I do not intend to cook it at home any time soon, nor am I likely to order it in any restaurant, I would happily eat it any time David chooses to serve it at LCS.
The penultimate savoury course, a rabbit tortellini with vanilla puree, apple and radish was another big hit. The pasta was paper thin and cooked so that it retained the faintest hint of bite. The rabbit was full of flavour and incredibly tender, the vanilla puree had both a cleansing affect on the palate thereby enhancing the flavour of the overall dish and the combination with the sweet apple and the rather sharp, crisp radish brought the whole dish together. The presentation was also absolutely beautiful as with every course that came out during the course of the evening. The only downside is that when I was telling my sister about the meal, my 4 year old niece overheard and was so abhorred by the idea that I ate rabbit (she has one as a pet) that she gave me the cold shoulder for a couple of days - oh the sacrifices we make in the name of gastronomy!
The final savoury course of the evening was a partridge breast with braised partridge wrapped in cabbage, pickled pear and caramelised chicory. The partridge was a fantastic specimen - hung for just long enough to acquire a good gamey flavour without becoming overpowering. The breast was so succulent that I wonder if it had been cooked sous vide (I think I did ask the question but that it wasn't) and the accompaniments of the sweet pickled pair and the bitter chicory were the perfect soil for the rich meat. The braised partridge was absolutely stunning, I could have eaten a plate of it - the flavour was so deep and indulgent with the cabbage serving to give it a freshness so that it was not too heavy. Cooking like this really is something to wonder at!
The first desert that was served was a hibiscus and raspberry jelly with a lemon mouse, strawberry sorbet, gingerbread crumbs and a touch of popping candy. As with the savoury courses, so much attention is given to the deserts at LCS, they have multiple components that work so well together. So often chefs try and put too many items on a dish and despite each individual item being a delight in themselves, the whole is less than a sum of the parts. At LCS, that is absolutely not the case. The citrus of the mousse cut through the sweetness of the jelly and the sorbet, whilst the gingerbread gave a comforting warm tingle at the back of the mouth. The popping candy came through only at the end of the mouthful, almost like an echo of the mouth puckering effect that strong citrus can have. The whole dish was light and came together like a great symphony.
The second desert was a pumpkin brulee with cherry stone ice cream (no, I had never thought of using a cherry stone or any other stone for a sorbet for that matter, but boy did it work!), chocolate shavings and a touch of popping candy. Helen suggest a glass of Banyuls to accompany this and the final desert - never one to pass on a desert wine we went with her suggesting which was a fantastic accompaniment for both dishes. It was interesting to see pumpkin come up again at this stage of the meal - it was like going full circle back to the amuse and worked very well. I am often disappointed with brulees at restaurants, as too often the sugar layer is burnt to smithereens or is a soggy mess of only partially melted sugar. This specimen had a crisp sugar layer that looked like bronzed glass - it cracked into shards when tapped with a spoon making a very satisfying sound. The cherry stone ice cream had a slightly bitter taste with a background flavour of cherry.
The meal, despite the number of courses (which for me was spot on) was incredibly well balanced and each dish was a multi-sensory experience without the need for gimmicks or iPod's (although they have their place too, as Heston has so well shown). It worked so well with the slightly nutty pumpkin, taking the edge off the sweetness of the dish and giving it balance.
The final desert and indeed the final dish of the meal was a chocolate and black olive fondant with fennel ice cream, and a tuille of sugar and dark chocolate. I could wax lyrical about how the olives gave depth and moistness to the fondant, or about how with the lightest tap of the side of my spoon it split in half oozing its rich, sticky filling onto the plate, or about the lovely contrast that the anise flavours of the fennel ice cream, but I wont. The components of this dish speak well enough all by themselves - it was the perfect finish to a flawless meal.
We finished the meal with coffee and petit fours in the bar area. Despite being full we still managed to put away a fair few of them (how could we resist) and we were joined by David and Helen for a good old natter about life, restaurants and David's new book on deserts (as with his last book essence, one of the best books out there with inspiring recipes that actually work!). Having had many meals out last year at a number of restaurants, many of which are were very good and indeed well renowned for their food, I have rarely been shocked or inspired. So many restaurants, whilst having faultless execution and delicious food, have become almost homogenous, refusing to take the risk of introducing new flavours or combinations at the risk of alienating diners (and perhaps Michelin?). Whilst there is nothing wrong with this, it does make dining out less interesting with the same or similar dishes and plating appearing all over the place. It was therefore refreshing to visit LCS where the food is not only superb but also stands out from the crowd, highlighting the chef's excellent palette and cooking ability. David combines flavours and textures that I have never seen or tasted before - certainly not together on the same plate anyway! It is also a testament to David that he is always in the kitchen, if he is not there for any reason, the restaurant closes - I only wish some other chefs were as committed to their trade rather than ditching the restaurant in favour of television cameras and book signings.
We finally decided to leave to let David and Helen finish off and go home (at gone 1 in the morning, they must have been shattered!). As I settled the bill, I was again reminded of the incredible value at LCS - the multi-course menu, 2 glasses of champagne, a bottle of Saint Veran and a bottle of Givry pinot noir, as well as coffee and petit fours for less than £200!!! I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, especially as the wine list has wines starting as low as £12!! Is this perhaps the best value 2 Michelin starred restaurant in Europe?! I certainly am yet to find anything approaching the value and with such un-greedy mark-ups on the wine list (the cash cow of most restaurants).
Whilst the style of food is vastly different, I can't help finding myself putting both LCS and the Sportsman together in my head. The reason for this is not only that both were in my top 5 meals of last year, nor the fact that both have very, very late write-ups from me, nor indeed that both were the locations for celebratory meals for me and my wife this year. For me the reason that I put these two together is that both David Everett-Matthias and Stephen Harris have inspired me with their food, both have their own unique style, both are passionate about what they do and go to extreme lengths to source the best local ingredients and both offer incredible value for money in a relaxed surrounding. These are chefs who I firmly believe are doing what they do because they love to cook and love to give their diners not only excellent food but an experience to remember. Neither chef is after fame or riches (although I am sure neither would complain about the riches!). And that to me comes across so clearly in their food - the passion is there. It sounds rather corny, but they are restaurants where, to steal the phrase from Raymond Blanc, leave you feeling richer for going there - I can't wait to go back again!
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I'm surprised by that; Helen was delightful when we were there last month and I can honestly say that she gave some of the best service I've ever had in this country.
And the food was incredible, which reminds me, I desperately need to write it up.
Adam
Hi Adam, As stated we are big fans hence the frequent journeys to pay homage.
I guess that I hit a nerve,and she went on the defensive,its a real shame,but sometimes these things happen.
That would be a real shame if that was the case, but from my experiences of both David and Helen, I would be very suprised indeed if this was due to any comments you made about the food. Helen (and David for that matter) have always been the consummate professionals and incredibly charming every time I have been. I certainly wouldn't let it stop you from going again, there is more than likely a very honest reason for you not getting your goodbye.
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I will be getting me a copy of that then - Essence is still one of the best books I have come across being both inspirational and with recipes that work. You can also take individual components of any dish and work them into your menu.
I am soooo overdue writing up one of the best meals I had last year which was, of course, at LCS. Will aim to get it up this weekend finally!
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Lunch on Friday the 28th with a tour of the kitchen at Le Champignon Sauvage.
With enough time I'll make it to Anthony's and or Purnell's
You are in for an absolute treat!!
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Thanks for that Erica - will make sure our secretary know to look out for any scams like that!
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Champignon Sauvage every time - I will write up my review shortly but I had an absolutely incredible meal there on Saturday. David is an exceptional chef and the food we had was easily 3 star Michelin. Go, go, go, go!!!!
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I do think we all need to keep things in perspective at the moment and not be totally influenced by the media whipping everything up. Sure things are hard, theres no denying it, but listening to some you would think England is shutting down to make way for the 'four headless horseman of the appocolipsy'!
I don't think anyone is implying the appocolipse is coming, but for sure this is an unprecedented time and businesses both good and bad are being severly afffected. Life will of course go on, business will return and those damaged will pick up the pieces and carry on.
It is, however, very reassuring to be able to let off a bit of steam and to engage with other people at times like for interesting discussion!
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I guess a lot of what happens next depends very much on the outcome of the creditors meeting that is due to happen in the next week or so. Will keep all posted!
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We invoice discount - unfortunately this does not protect all your debts! The bank wont insure all customers, you then have the issue of aged debt, etc, etc! The only benefit to factoring (which we are considering) is that the bank then chases your debt for you. Still doesn't protect you though!
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We have insurance but unfortunately not all clients are covered (restaurants are not notorius for having good accounts filed!), it is bloody expensive and it does not cover all debt
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Many or most of the dishes listed in the thread are definitely 70’s and earlier and can be found in Simon Hopkinson and Lindsey Bareham’s excellent “The Prawn Cocktail Years”. A book I urge you to buy, from whence you will follow this process:
1. Read it with laughter tinged with nostalgia and a knowing sense of superiority about how much better we do it these days.
2. Decide to cook from it - but only in a “let’s recreate a 1970’s dinner party” post-modern ironic kind of way.
3. Join your guests in licking the plate clean after the crepes suzettes in a way that has embarrassing little to do with irony and everything to do with it being just “yummy”.
4. Somehow find yourself referring to it and cooking from with a quite alarming – and alarmingly satisfying - regularity as part of your daily repertoire that you should never have lost in the first place.
5. Shiver with fear about how future generations are going to judge us for sardine sorbet with snails cooked in liquid nitrogen.
As to a genuine 1980’s menu, wouldn’t it read:
- Chilled “Kiwi” Gazpacho
- Chicken Breast wrapped in parma ham with a salad of kiwi fruit.
- Kiwi crème brulee
Gareth
Agreed - it is a great book!
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Thanks food1!
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I do think it is all to easy for companies like this to go into administration, wipe their debts and continue trading as if nothing had ever happened. Tom has made plenty of money for himself, but we are bearing the cost of this with no real recourse. Am tempted to take the team for a meal and leave without paying!
Unfortunately it's all legal and above board and they are often referred to as Phoenix (from the ashes) companies. You'll often see it in local shops and restaurants where a venture fails, goes into 'Administration' and then a friend or relative comes along, buys the stock/licence for a heavily knocked down price and then re-opens again under a new company name (with new director and company secretary), slightly different fittings but largely the same stock/business idea.
However if this business has indeed been bought by investors as a going concern then any creditors should not be left out of pocket - if you are kick and scream (especially threaten more negative media coverage) and you should get somewhere. Alternatively as you say go down (with fellow suppliers) have a meal, refuse to pay and say it's in liue of payment. If they argue ask for the police (and media of course) to come and have your unpaid invoices at the ready!
Maybe I should buy all on eG a meal there with the debt!! lol
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I do think it is all to easy for companies like this to go into administration, wipe their debts and continue trading as if nothing had ever happened. Tom has made plenty of money for himself, but we are bearing the cost of this with no real recourse. Am tempted to take the team for a meal and leave without paying!
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Well - the first failures are here - Tom Aikens into administration (we got the paperwork telling us we wont be paid for the months worth of supplies he has taken from us on Friday!)
Vino Rosso in Chiswick closing and from what I have just heard Fish Works is having a tough time too!
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In the UK they are available with or without the roe. Usually the diver scallop come with roe intact whereas tubbed, trawled scallops are removed from the shell, the roe removed and the scallop cleaned.
Many restaurants don't include the roe as it can be bitter and it also adds to their cost as they get less scallop flesh for the same weight of overall product.
I personally like the roe, but often rather than consuming with the scallops, I dry the roes over night, grind into a powder and use it to dust onto soups etc
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It is absolutely 100% legal to catch this type of Lobster in the UK - the fishing of lobster is well policed and the fishermen know the rules. We too have a catch and release programme in the UK where a V is cut into the tail and these lobsters are not allowed to then be re-caught. In addition there is a number of lobster farms in the UK, one of which grows young to be released.
Prawn - you have no probs at all with the supplier, this is totally normal albeit a hassle to remove them! (same with langos)
Fine Dining In Kracow
in Elsewhere in Europe: Dining
Posted
Thanks for that David - very helpful - it is a cuisine that I have eaten plenty of having had Polish grand parents, but that sadly I have never known what the actual names for most of the dishes are so it is all alien to me!