The New Launceston Place

[Paul Reynard]

Just wondering if anyone has been to the newly refurbished Launceston Place? Apparently they've nabbed the highly promising Tristan Walsh from Petrus to head up the kitchin and has had a glowing first review off Jan Moir today: http://www.areyoureadytoorder.co.uk/

The restaurant is in a lovely area of Kensington and always used to be very handy for after the proms although it had gone slightly downhill recently. The only bad thing I can see is that it is now D&D, never a good sign in my book.

As a little asside I wonder if Tristan Walsh's departure (along with several others with him) from Peturs is further evidence of the imminent departure of Mr Waring. I do hope he gets the cajunas to go it alone as would be fascinating to see him with his GR shackles firmly shaken off. And what a coup if the rumours were true and he took over from Angela Hartnett at the Connaught...

[joesan]

Sorry - what does "D&D" stand for? I am stumped...

[sunbeam]

Sorry - what does "D&D" stand for? I am stumped...

←

The new owners of what used to be conrans, it's their names conflated

The restaurant doesn't actually officially open until March 17th btw

S

[nikkib]

Sorry - what does "D&D" stand for? I am stumped...

←

Des and Dave - seriously!! Have heard very good things but unfortunately had to cancel my reservation earlier in the week, ill definitely be heading there soon and will report back in full

[sunbeam]

Sorry - what does "D&D" stand for? I am stumped...

←

Des and Dave - seriously!! Have heard very good things but unfortunately had to cancel my reservation earlier in the week, ill definitely be heading there soon and will report back in full

←

If it is in soft opening mode before the 17th then it's safe to assume they are wining and dining the press and others at the moment and so standards will be very high. The fun normally starts after. I'm surprised that jan moir went at this point in time, maybe the lure of being first outweighed other critical considerations.

S

[nikkib]

Sorry - what does "D&D" stand for? I am stumped...

←

Des and Dave - seriously!! Have heard very good things but unfortunately had to cancel my reservation earlier in the week, ill definitely be heading there soon and will report back in full

←

If it is in soft opening mode before the 17th then it's safe to assume they are wining and dining the press and others at the moment and so standards will be very high. The fun normally starts after. I'm surprised that jan moir went at this point in time, maybe the lure of being first outweighed other critical considerations.

S

←

Is there actually anyone reviewing restaurants right now where "critical considerations" actually play any part? Restaurant reviews at the moment seem to be squarely set on 1. Being the first to review a new opening, 2. AA Gill amusing ramblings with very little actual "review" or 3. Fay Maschlers jaded, tired reviews? Where are our Adam platt, Frank Bruni's etc????

Edited March 13, 2008 by nikkib (log)

[Gary Marshall]

I'm surprised that jan moir went at this point in time, maybe the lure of being first outweighed other critical considerations.

←

She's in a constant battle with dos hermanos to be the first to review

[LizzyWizzy]

Morning all,

visited here last night, generally everything was cooked very well indeed, just thought it lacked a bit of something to bring everything together

Restaurant was very nicely done i thought the tables were a little close together, lovely little room downstairs on the way to the toilet with a plasma of the kitchen, i popped my nose in to have a look.

3 course £35 we also had an additional scallop tasting course, staff very friendly and happy to accomodate this request

started with some potato crisps and taramasalata they said, lovely texture bit garlicky, not very taramasalata like amuse was a cauliflour truffle cream hot and cold thing, very good and nice service dish to drink from then followed the scallops, perfectly cooked but served on a stone, looked good but a little difficult to eat, it was standing on sea salt and you cant help but eat it off the plate aswell so get some additional salt which was needed,

followed by home smoked salmon with a glass cloche full of smoke, lovely smell no taste, the other half had roast foie gras rhubarb, again beautifully cooked and very tasty, very small portion and no spoon to eat the something milk i think served with it, my bowl was also a little wobbly on the table

Mains suckling pig for him, cooked to perfection again, lacked seasoning again in potato salad very tasty pig not much of a portion though, i had veal a very big portion compared to the pig purple sprouting brocoli and a pure beetroot puree which was spot on, wild garlic, best dish of the night

pre dessert brulee type thing in an egg cup, where have we seen that before

dessert chocolate for the man, very good indeed with porridge oats and bay leaf ice cream and i had lemon slices with thyme which was ok, did note the apple charlotte to share both tables next to us had and that was a massive portion maybe to make up for the smaller portions earlier in the meal both tables commented on this, good expresso and chocolates thmye again and a little packet to take away which was in a very tacky package, would of been nice touch if done a little better

Overall very accomplished cooking, could clearly see the ramsay influences, just felt it need to come together a bit more with service, seasoning and a little bit of thought into how people are going to eat the dishes, all of this with a bottle of reisling and a very good argentinian malbac, a glass of juracon about £166

Sorry forget the cheese 5 british cheeses, colston basset outstanding of a good board

[sunbeam]

Sorry - what does "D&D" stand for? I am stumped...

←

Des and Dave - seriously!! Have heard very good things but unfortunately had to cancel my reservation earlier in the week, ill definitely be heading there soon and will report back in full

←

If it is in soft opening mode before the 17th then it's safe to assume they are wining and dining the press and others at the moment and so standards will be very high. The fun normally starts after. I'm surprised that jan moir went at this point in time, maybe the lure of being first outweighed other critical considerations.

S

←

Is there actually anyone reviewing restaurants right now where "critical considerations" actually play any part? Restaurant reviews at the moment seem to be squarely set on 1. Being the first to review a new opening, 2. AA Gill amusing ramblings with very little actual "review" or 3. Fay Maschlers jaded, tired reviews? Where are our Adam platt, Frank Bruni's etc????

←

I don't think Maschler is jaded so much as demob happy. Plus I think she may be getting a little bonkers, she is knocking on a bit!

People say Durack is solid, which he is, but I always fall asleep halfway through his pieces.

[PhilD]

Morning all,

visited here last night, generally everything was cooked very well indeed, just thought it lacked a bit of something to bring everything together

Restaurant was very nicely done i thought the tables were a little close together, lovely little room downstairs on the way to the toilet with a plasma of the kitchen, i popped my nose in to have a look.

3 course £35 we also had an additional scallop tasting course, staff very friendly and happy to accomodate this request

started with some potato crisps and taramasalata they said, lovely texture bit garlicky, not very taramasalata like amuse was a cauliflour truffle cream hot and cold thing, very good and nice service dish to drink from then followed the scallops, perfectly cooked but served on a stone, looked good but a little difficult to eat, it was standing on sea salt and you cant help but eat it off the plate aswell so get some additional salt which was needed,

followed by home smoked salmon with a glass cloche full of smoke, lovely smell no taste, the other half had roast foie gras rhubarb, again beautifully cooked and very tasty, very small portion and no spoon to eat the something milk i think served with it, my bowl was also a little wobbly on the table

Mains suckling pig for him, cooked to perfection again, lacked seasoning again in potato salad very tasty pig not much of a portion though, i had veal a very big portion compared to the pig purple sprouting brocoli and a pure beetroot puree which was spot on, wild garlic, best dish of the night

pre dessert brulee type thing in an egg cup, where have we seen that before

dessert chocolate for the man, very good indeed with porridge oats and bay leaf ice cream and i had lemon slices with thyme which was ok, did note the apple charlotte to share both tables next to us had and  that was a massive portion maybe to make up for the smaller portions earlier in the meal  both tables commented on this, good expresso and chocolates thmye again and a little packet to take away which was in a very tacky package, would of been nice touch if done a little better

Overall very accomplished cooking, could clearly see the ramsay influences, just felt it need to come together a bit more with service, seasoning and a little bit of thought into how people are going to eat the dishes, all of this with a bottle of reisling and a very good argentinian malbac, a glass of juracon about £166

Sorry forget the cheese 5 british cheeses, colston basset outstanding of a good board

←

Lizzy - interesting review, but tricky to read as some of the puntuation seems to be missing.

[Gary Marshall]

aa gill was less than complimentary yesterday

[sunbeam]

aa gill was less than complimentary yesterday

←

But witty and funny of course and he actually wrote a lot more about the food than he usually does. I also thought he made some interesting points that weren't just entertaining but also pertinent and timely.

I'm going to Launceston myself this week as it happens and, as I am not the one paying, am looking forward to seeing who is right - Moir or Gill - who seem diametrically opposed on this one. If I was a betting man, I'd put my shirt on Gill.

S

[Gary Marshall]

i think he could recognise there was talent there, just not quite running in the right direction at the moment.

[sunbeam]

i think he could recognise there was talent there, just not quite running in the right direction at the moment.

←

yessss, he did sort of hedge his bets a bit

S

[Paul Reynard]

Good review in the Indy yesterday:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fo...don-804291.html

Also I didn't realise that KP had got a good new chef in. I haven't been since Rowleigh left and had heard bad things.....

[sunbeam]

Good review in the Indy yesterday:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fo...don-804291.html

Also I didn't realise that KP had got a good new chef in. I haven't been since Rowleigh left and had heard bad things.....

←

Good review for the restaurant, dull read though. Didn't 'hit my zeitgeist'

S

[nikkib]

Good review in the Indy yesterday:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fo...don-804291.html

Also I didn't realise that KP had got a good new chef in. I haven't been since Rowleigh left and had heard bad things.....

←

I had a very disappointing meal at KP a couple of months ago, will not be heading there anytime soon.

[sunbeam]

Good review in the Indy yesterday:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fo...don-804291.html

Also I didn't realise that KP had got a good new chef in. I haven't been since Rowleigh left and had heard bad things.....

←

I had a very disappointing meal at KP a couple of months ago, will not be heading there anytime soon.

←

Just goes to show you cant trust the critics in general, but only find one who shares your tastes and stick with him/her

One man's meat is another's poisson (copyright T.Cooper's Big Book of Jokes)

S

[MobyP]

A very nice meal here today. Highlights of mackerel with a cucumber cream, suckling pig, and both nettle and fresh almond soups.

Pictures here

[Matthew Grant]

I went on Saturday night and while nothing was actively bad I certainly wouldn't go running back. Three course ALC is something like £44, the summer truffle supplement is now £12 which really is taking the piss considering how cheap and tasteless they are. Another special of Fillet of Aberdeen Angus with Foie gras and summer truffle carried, according to the Maitre D' a "very reasonable supplement of £15", I wish I had pointed out to him that this was a supplement of 33% - not so reasonable sounding now eh?

As it was our dining partners fancied the tasting menu. Duck egg risotto was a little salty but carried the aforementioned summer truffles at no supplement and no flavour. I subbed in a "home smoked" salmon dish that proved the proverb wrong by being all smoke without fire. A glass dome topping the salmon filled with smoke that disappeared in a few seconds once lifted and left a piece of salmon that had apparently only been exposed to the smoke in the dome. It was overwhelmed by a vinegary dressing on the small salad.

Cobnut soup with Scottish lobster was nutty but inappropriate for the lobster which was fridge cold and rather than warm up in the soup had the effect of making the soup cold.

Roast duck Foie Gras, rhubarb compote elderflower milk soup was a little sickly, and I thought it could have done with some salt.

Cornish Mackerel, cucumber, dill was the best dish of the night by some margin, perfectly cooked mackerel, crispy skin, barely cooked flesh served with slices of cucumber and a foam.

New season lamb was meant to be served with smoked aubergine of which there was no sign and why it was served in a paper bag I've no idea as I couldn't for the life of me work out why needed to be cooked in a bag? Tamworth Suckling pig, summer carrots, garden peas and smoked ham was two thin slices of overcooked suckling pig, some nice crackling and in my case a single carrot (though one of our friends had 3 or 4), and smoked ham. (looking at Moby's pictures of this dish was I just unlucky or was he lucky?)

Brown bread parfait with spiced Mayan chocolate was completely blah.

Overall food aimed at getting a Michelin star and not much else.

[Andy Davies]

I went on Saturday night and while nothing was actively bad I certainly wouldn't go running back. Three course ALC is something like £44, the summer truffle supplement is now £12 which really is taking the piss considering how cheap and tasteless they are. Another special of Fillet of Aberdeen Angus with Foie gras and summer truffle carried, according to the Maitre D' a "very reasonable supplement of £15", I wish I had pointed out to him that this was a supplement of 33% - not so reasonable sounding now eh?

As it was our dining partners fancied the tasting menu. Duck egg risotto was a little salty but carried the aforementioned summer truffles at no supplement and no flavour. I subbed in a "home smoked" salmon dish that proved the proverb wrong by being all smoke without fire. A glass dome topping the salmon filled with smoke that disappeared in a few seconds once lifted and left a piece of salmon that had apparently only been exposed to the smoke in the dome. It was overwhelmed by a vinegary dressing on the small salad.

Cobnut soup with Scottish lobster  was nutty but inappropriate for the lobster which was fridge cold and rather than warm up in the soup had the effect of making the soup cold.

Roast duck Foie Gras, rhubarb compote elderflower milk soup was a little sickly, and I thought it could have done with some salt.

Cornish Mackerel, cucumber, dill was the best dish of the night by some margin, perfectly cooked mackerel, crispy skin, barely cooked flesh served with slices of cucumber and a foam.

New season lamb was meant to be served with smoked aubergine of which there was no sign and why it was served in a paper bag I've no idea as I couldn't for the life of me work out why needed to be cooked in a bag? Tamworth Suckling pig, summer carrots, garden peas and smoked ham was two thin slices of overcooked suckling pig, some nice crackling and in my case a single carrot (though one of our friends had 3 or 4), and smoked ham. (looking at Moby's pictures of this dish was I just unlucky or was he lucky?)

Brown bread parfait with spiced Mayan chocolate was completely blah.

Overall food aimed at getting a Michelin star and not much else.

←

i had lunch there two weeks ago and it was excellent.

We ate on the lunch menu £18- outstanding value for well executed, well thought and beautifully presented food. I would urge you to try again on the lunch menu and give it a second chance.

I think they will get a star in January, it is serious grub.

[Scott]

I went on Saturday night and while nothing was actively bad I certainly wouldn't go running back. Three course ALC is something like £44, the summer truffle supplement is now £12 which really is taking the piss considering how cheap and tasteless they are. Another special of Fillet of Aberdeen Angus with Foie gras and summer truffle carried, according to the Maitre D' a "very reasonable supplement of £15", I wish I had pointed out to him that this was a supplement of 33% - not so reasonable sounding now eh?

As it was our dining partners fancied the tasting menu. Duck egg risotto was a little salty but carried the aforementioned summer truffles at no supplement and no flavour. I subbed in a "home smoked" salmon dish that proved the proverb wrong by being all smoke without fire. A glass dome topping the salmon filled with smoke that disappeared in a few seconds once lifted and left a piece of salmon that had apparently only been exposed to the smoke in the dome. It was overwhelmed by a vinegary dressing on the small salad.

Cobnut soup with Scottish lobster  was nutty but inappropriate for the lobster which was fridge cold and rather than warm up in the soup had the effect of making the soup cold.

Roast duck Foie Gras, rhubarb compote elderflower milk soup was a little sickly, and I thought it could have done with some salt.

Cornish Mackerel, cucumber, dill was the best dish of the night by some margin, perfectly cooked mackerel, crispy skin, barely cooked flesh served with slices of cucumber and a foam.

New season lamb was meant to be served with smoked aubergine of which there was no sign and why it was served in a paper bag I've no idea as I couldn't for the life of me work out why needed to be cooked in a bag? Tamworth Suckling pig, summer carrots, garden peas and smoked ham was two thin slices of overcooked suckling pig, some nice crackling and in my case a single carrot (though one of our friends had 3 or 4), and smoked ham. (looking at Moby's pictures of this dish was I just unlucky or was he lucky?)

Brown bread parfait with spiced Mayan chocolate was completely blah.

Overall food aimed at getting a Michelin star and not much else.

←

i had lunch there two weeks ago and it was excellent.

We ate on the lunch menu £18- outstanding value for well executed, well thought and beautifully presented food. I would urge you to try again on the lunch menu and give it a second chance.

I think they will get a star in January, it is serious grub.

←

you're right. it is a very serious restaurant, and tristan Welch is a star in the making.

[Matthew Grant]

I'm realising more and more that its not worth eating out in London on a Saturday due to chefs (deservedly) taking the night off, I wonder if its the same here?

[Paul Reynard]

I'm realising more and more that its not worth eating out in London on a Saturday due to chefs (deservedly) taking the night off, I wonder if its the same here?

←

Deservedly taking the night off? Maybe, but considering Saturday nights is probably still the busiest night for most restaurants it's surprising that head chefs take it off (in my mind at least). Standards will slip, staff will surely get a bit disgruntled if the boss lets them take the heavy shifts, and eventually the customer will notice.

[Infrasonic]

I'm realising more and more that its not worth eating out in London on a Saturday due to chefs (deservedly) taking the night off, I wonder if its the same here?

←

Deservedly taking the night off? Maybe, but considering Saturday nights is probably still the busiest night for most restaurants it's surprising that head chefs take it off (in my mind at least). Standards will slip, staff will surely get a bit disgruntled if the boss lets them take the heavy shifts, and eventually the customer will notice.

←

Just a theory, but isn't Saturday night in any major city "out of towners night" (or Bridge and Tunnel as our NY buddies call it ). So the chances of cooking for people with a real appreciation of what's going into it drops dramatically. The drunken chav quotient increases exponentially.

Personally I've never booked anywhere decent on a Saturday for this reason, preferring midweek or a Friday. I see a lot more fights on the streets on a Saturday than a Friday. (Must be all those head chefs with a night off )

Edited September 10, 2008 by Infrasonic (log)