The never ending debate

[d.hawksworth]

So I'm returning to London next week to meet old friends, family, squeeze in a few interesting meals and a couple of stages. You seem to be a very wise lot and I need some honest opinions.

1) Who's the most innovative chef in the UK today?

2) Who's the most consistent ?

3) If you had two meals in London where would you go ??

Cheers

David Hawksworth

[macrosan]

I don't believe in "Who's the best..." or "Who's the most ..." debates, so I'll pass on those

If I had to pick two restaurants, I'd go to Gordon Ramsay's RHR and St John's. Interestingly, I've never been to RHR, but it's right at the top of my must-go list based on reports here and elsewhere. St John's (which I've visited three times) is a very different eating experience, it's got a unique atmosphere, with excellent food and value.

But actually, if I were you, I wouldn't limit myself to two

[Lord Michael Lewis]

2) Who's the most consistent ?

Good question.

Tante Claire and Le Gavroche.

[cabrales]

3) If you had two meals in London where would you go ??

David -- If I had two meals in London on weekdays, two meals at Gordon Ramsay RHR. If the restaurants had to be different, that restaurant and La Tante Claire, although I might be slightly curious about Menu, GR's restaurnant at the Connaught. Note my responses would be the same if your question had been expanded to encompass the UK.

[Jon Tseng]

My opinion. I'm sure LML will disagree ;-)

i) Heston Blumenthal at the Fat Duck.

ii) Gordon Ramsay (in his Royal Hospital Road incarnation), Fergus Henderson at St John, Heston B. (a welcome by-product of the scientific exactness of his cooking), Chez Bruce in Wandsworth

iii) St John and a trip out of town to the Fat Duck. This is assuming I was trying to avoid the whole three-star-degustation-posh-nosh thing (which can be had in any major city in the west) and angle for something I wouldn't find elsewhere.

cheerio

J

ps where are the stages?

[circeplum]

locanda locatelli is fabulous. in a wholly other way, so is the hunan. that would be my two.

[tony h]

The best lunch in town - a serious contender must be Capitol at under 30 quid. I was dissapointed with the evening meal - I was expecting too much, I think.

(I've gone off St John in a big way since they refused to sell me some eccles cakes - ruined the evening).

[Andy Lynes]

There's no question in my mind that Heston Blumenthal leads the way in the UK. Whether you would necessarily enjoy his food, or if he's ahead of the game on a worldwide basis is a nother matter entirely and the subject of much debate on these boards at least.

There is a strong arguement for Claude Bosi at Hibiscus in Ludlow as being one of the most individualistic and interesting chefs in the UK, but his food is not really innovative as such.

If I had two meals in London I would go to The Square and Loconda Locatelli (and I almost certainly will go to the latter in the next coupleof weeks). you might have to pull in a few favours to get into Locatelli though.

[Lord Michael Lewis]

There's no question in my mind that Heston Blumenthal leads the way in the UK.

In the kingdom of the blind the one eyed man is king.

[cabrales]

There's no question in my mind that Heston Blumenthal leads the way in the UK.

In the kingdom of the blind the one eyed man is king.

LML -- Surely you didn't intend to concede that Blumenthal's cuisine is better than that of other UK cuisiniers.

[TCD]

3) If you had two meals in London where would you go ??

GR @ 68 RHR

Capital Restaurant

[Lord Michael Lewis]

There's no question in my mind that Heston Blumenthal leads the way in the UK.

In the kingdom of the blind the one eyed man is king.

LML -- Surely you didn't intend to concede that Blumenthal's cuisine is better than that of other UK cuisiniers.

You're right. I didn't.

[yvonne johnson]

If David's trip is next week, then a reservation at GR will be impossible. (Interesting aside: At a recent meal at Jean Georges (NY), the conversation turned to comparing GR and JG. At least one in our group favored JG on the grounds of consistency. It'll be fun to watch when GR, JG and Ducasse all have restaurants in NY.)

[Jason Perlow]

If David's trip is next week, then a reservation at GR will be impossible. (Interesting aside: At a recent meal at Jean Georges (NY), the conversation turned to comparing GR and JG.  At least one in our group favored JG on the grounds of consistency.  It'll be fun to watch when GR, JG and Ducasse all have restaurants in NY.)

I don't think David will have any problem getting in.

[Jon Tseng]

ya right... i just saw his cv.

surely we should be the ones asking him for the recs!

david, have fond memories of the petit blanc when it first opened although things appear to have gone downhill since...

j

[yvonne johnson]

If David's trip is next week, then a reservation at GR will be impossible......

I don't think David will have any problem getting in.

You mean GR won't ask a fellow chef to sign a contract for a table as he does the rest of us? I guess not. Ho, hum.

[Lord Michael Lewis]

I've just read your C.V. too and seeing as you're pretty familiar with London, why don't you do yourself a favour and fly from London to Bilbao for a couple of days. You could eat at Arzak (very, very much improved), Martin Berasategui, and/or Zuberoa, all in the San Sebastian area. London prices being what they are it would work out the same or less and you'd be trying something new.

[d.hawksworth]

LML....... I'm tied to London for this trip but might just sneak out to Paris for Lunch with Alain Prassad, I would like see what he's doing with celeriac these days ....or maybe not ?

Gordon's is probably where I'll do a stage so I'll skip putting the house up for sale to secure a table.....

And the Petit Blanc is not as good as it was .....shame !! err NOT... I could go on and on about that .....but you'll have to catch me after I've had a few to spill some beans on that one!!!!

So how come nobody mentioned Club Gascon ??????

You must try Jun Tanaka at the QC for dinner.......trust me!!

DH

[cabrales]

So how come nobody mentioned Club Gascon ??????

David -- Below is ample reason for my not having mentioned Club Gascon.

http://forums.egullet.org/ibf/index.php?s=...&hl=club+gascon

[circeplum]

jun tanaka is terrific, a real talent. and he's just launching a new menu for autumn full of game and harvest vegetables, which should be a good reason to visit.

it's not on my list because the gloominess and opressiveness of the chancery court hotel in which qc is situated reminds me rather too forcibly of the overlook in 'the shining' ...

[d.hawksworth]

Well Jun and I both worked at The Square at the same time and out of anybody that I have worked beside he is with out a doubt the most talented !!!!!

DH

[Gavin Convery]

Anybody been to QC then...I had never heard of it, so if it's good please spill the beans...