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The Fat Duck 2008

adt

By adt
in United Kingdom & Ireland: Dining

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adt

adt

Posted
Posted

sounds like you greatly enjoyed the experience in spite of disliking the majority of the food... a fair comment on the Marvellous Mechanical Fat Duck Cabaret and Late-Nite Magic Club?

ALC isn't a bad move, especially if you persuade them to add an extra starter course to the proceedings, allows some good things not on the tasting menu to be tried... I rather liked the cauliflower risotto, which renders from the combination of chocolate, cauliflower and a generous dusting of cocoa powder an unexpectedly successful dish (in a similar manner to the rather odd combination of fine ground coffee and onion risotto at Anthony's). Then again, I'm sure others found it quite revolting ;)

Agree that some of the novelty items not so good, e.g. the parsnip cereal, which is not a patch on corn flakes and milk. Still, must book a visit before the prices go up in March (ALC increases £15), it's been a while.

Also, any clues as to when the new Anciente Feastes and Daiyntee Delicasiyes of Grate Brittain menu comes into play?

Ian

I go to bakeries, all day long.

There's a lack of sweetness in my life...

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Andy Lynes

Andy Lynes

Posted
Posted
But I’m sure someone will tell me why the Quail Jelly/Oak Moss & Truffle Toast is a homage to Alain Chapel. 

I believe I'm right in saying that the dish evolved from a layered pigeon jelly, crab cream and pea puree amuse that they used to serve around 2001-2002. It was created in homage to Chapel's roasted pigeon which Blumenthal tasted on one of his foodie tours around Europe before he opened TFD.

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Baggy

Baggy

Posted
Posted

adt – I didn’t mean to suggest that we had not enjoyed the food – we did. I guess it’s just that this style of cooking is something that we do/try at home, so much of the wow factor wasn’t there.

Andy – Thanks for the Alain Chapel dish; I’ll do some research.

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CalumC

CalumC

Posted
Posted
not a dissimilar flavour profile to the

Wheres Mr Hayward gone....

I really want to go to the fd, finding time and money is a bit of an issue, but hopefully this year. Having said that, itd be interesting to wait until these big changes have swung in.

I got the latest book for christmas too, which hasnt helped my curiosity.

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Tim Hayward

Tim Hayward

Posted
Posted
not a dissimilar flavour profile to the

Wheres Mr Hayward gone....

Over here.... with my head in the gas oven :wink:

Tim Hayward

"Anyone who wants to write about food would do well to stay away from

similes and metaphors, because if you're not careful, expressions like

'light as a feather' make their way into your sentences and then where are you?"

Nora Ephron

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Romaney O'Malley

Romaney O'Malley

Posted
Posted
Has anyone been able to get through to the FD recently? I've been trying all day on and off for two days now and just get a constant engaged signal.

I think it's just really busy

I managed to get through after about 5 hours the other day after working out the constant redial thingy on my phone

That said I'd not tried to call before so not sure if this is normal

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Duncan

Duncan

Posted
Posted
Has anyone been able to get through to the FD recently? I've been trying all day on and off for two days now and just get a constant engaged signal.

I called them about 4:30 today and got through after about 10 minutes of trying off and on. I was then on hold for another 10 minutes (mostly a recorded message telling me about the Christmas closing, but that was replaced by a different recorded message half way through). I finally got through to someone who told me they had no spaces available on any day for the next two months but put me on a waiting list for the days I wanted.

Recently written about A tale of two cheeks, More SousVide geeky experiments, Eggsperimenting with a Sous Vide Magic, Christmas tasting at Summertown Wine Cafe, UNDER PRESSURE AT PEMBROKE.

For some definition of 'recent'

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  • 3 weeks later...
chrisp

chrisp

Posted
Posted

OK this is crazy. I have tried every week at 10am sharp for about a month and have never got anything other than an engaged signal!

Does anyone know of any service that can be used to automatically retry engaged lines? I used to be able to press 5 on my old BT line and it would do an automatic callback, but that doesn't seem to work on my mobile or work phone.

Cheese and Biscuits
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Andy Fenn

Andy Fenn

Posted
Posted
OK this is crazy. I have tried every week at 10am sharp for about a month and have never got anything other than an engaged signal!

Does anyone know of any service that can be used to automatically retry engaged lines? I used to be able to press 5 on my old BT line and it would do an automatic callback, but that doesn't seem to work on my mobile or work phone.

I have never as much of a problem as other people - I always wade through around 20 minutes of constant redialling and then I get through. It happened yesterday in fact... And at 10.40 they still had two tables for 6 on a Friday night!

How long are you trying for? Persevere!

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chrisp

chrisp

Posted
Posted
OK this is crazy. I have tried every week at 10am sharp for about a month and have never got anything other than an engaged signal!

Does anyone know of any service that can be used to automatically retry engaged lines? I used to be able to press 5 on my old BT line and it would do an automatic callback, but that doesn't seem to work on my mobile or work phone.

I have never as much of a problem as other people - I always wade through around 20 minutes of constant redialling and then I get through. It happened yesterday in fact... And at 10.40 they still had two tables for 6 on a Friday night!

How long are you trying for? Persevere!

On average, once every couple of seconds until about 11am when I usually just give up. Once I got through at 10:45 and all places had gone so I think by 11 I can be pretty sure it's not worth continuing.

Right that's a good 30 seconds wasted, need to get back to the redialing now...

Cheese and Biscuits
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CommissionerLin

CommissionerLin

Posted
Posted
Has anyone been able to get through to the FD recently? I've been trying all day on and off for two days now and just get a constant engaged signal.

I called them about 4:30 today and got through after about 10 minutes of trying off and on. I was then on hold for another 10 minutes (mostly a recorded message telling me about the Christmas closing, but that was replaced by a different recorded message half way through). I finally got through to someone who told me they had no spaces available on any day for the next two months but put me on a waiting list for the days I wanted.

I'm on the waitlist as well. Does anyone have any idea whether there's a good chance of getting in once you're on the waitlist? I mean are there a certain number of places which are held back for VVIPs which are released a day or two before the appointed day or do places arise only in the event there are actual cancellations?

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CommissionerLin

CommissionerLin

Posted
Posted
Has anyone been able to get through to the FD recently? I've been trying all day on and off for two days now and just get a constant engaged signal.

I called them about 4:30 today and got through after about 10 minutes of trying off and on. I was then on hold for another 10 minutes (mostly a recorded message telling me about the Christmas closing, but that was replaced by a different recorded message half way through). I finally got through to someone who told me they had no spaces available on any day for the next two months but put me on a waiting list for the days I wanted.

I'm on the waitlist as well. Does anyone have any idea whether there's a good chance of getting in once you're on the waitlist? I mean are there a certain number of places which are held back for VVIPs which are released a day or two before the appointed day or do places arise only in the event there are actual cancellations?

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Romaney O'Malley

Romaney O'Malley

Posted
Posted
Has anyone been able to get through to the FD recently? I've been trying all day on and off for two days now and just get a constant engaged signal.

I called them about 4:30 today and got through after about 10 minutes of trying off and on. I was then on hold for another 10 minutes (mostly a recorded message telling me about the Christmas closing, but that was replaced by a different recorded message half way through). I finally got through to someone who told me they had no spaces available on any day for the next two months but put me on a waiting list for the days I wanted.

I'm on the waitlist as well. Does anyone have any idea whether there's a good chance of getting in once you're on the waitlist? I mean are there a certain number of places which are held back for VVIPs which are released a day or two before the appointed day or do places arise only in the event there are actual cancellations?

I was on a witlist for a table of four for this weekend and they phoned me Wed with a table

unfortunately the other two now can't make it so we had to give it up :sad:

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chrisp

chrisp

Posted
Posted
Has anyone been able to get through to the FD recently? I've been trying all day on and off for two days now and just get a constant engaged signal.

I called them about 4:30 today and got through after about 10 minutes of trying off and on. I was then on hold for another 10 minutes (mostly a recorded message telling me about the Christmas closing, but that was replaced by a different recorded message half way through). I finally got through to someone who told me they had no spaces available on any day for the next two months but put me on a waiting list for the days I wanted.

I'm on the waitlist as well. Does anyone have any idea whether there's a good chance of getting in once you're on the waitlist? I mean are there a certain number of places which are held back for VVIPs which are released a day or two before the appointed day or do places arise only in the event there are actual cancellations?

I was on a witlist for a table of four for this weekend and they phoned me Wed with a table

unfortunately the other two now can't make it so we had to give it up :sad:

Aargh you should have given it to me! :D

Cheese and Biscuits
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Romaney O'Malley

Romaney O'Malley

Posted
Posted
Has anyone been able to get through to the FD recently? I've been trying all day on and off for two days now and just get a constant engaged signal.

I called them about 4:30 today and got through after about 10 minutes of trying off and on. I was then on hold for another 10 minutes (mostly a recorded message telling me about the Christmas closing, but that was replaced by a different recorded message half way through). I finally got through to someone who told me they had no spaces available on any day for the next two months but put me on a waiting list for the days I wanted.

I'm on the waitlist as well. Does anyone have any idea whether there's a good chance of getting in once you're on the waitlist? I mean are there a certain number of places which are held back for VVIPs which are released a day or two before the appointed day or do places arise only in the event there are actual cancellations?

I was on a witlist for a table of four for this weekend and they phoned me Wed with a table

unfortunately the other two now can't make it so we had to give it up :sad:

Aargh you should have given it to me! :D

I did think of offering it up actually so sorry about that. Problem was I was stuck in a meeting in Luxembourg of all places when they called. I don't think the people I was meeting were too impressed when I insisted on taking the call. I was going to explain it was the Fat Duck but then reality struck that not all people would understand why it was so important that I drop everything!

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  • 2 months later...
Andy Fenn

Andy Fenn

Posted
Posted

Just to keep you all in the loop, the Fat Duck is still great! Had another excellent meal there last week.

I was with three FD virgins, and two second timers, so we all had the tasting menu, with some swaps for the repeat visitors.

Not a lot new to say, but the usual Amuses get better every time the mustard ice cream was stunning. My friend's crab biscuit was superb, the Sound of the Sea was fun, and some of the seaweed was delicious.

Scallops with white chocolate and caviar (in for the salmon) were lovely, but suffered from tasting portion - I think they sliced the scallop into FOUR! The new pigeon dish is better than the previous one, I think.

I also had the Black Forest Gateau instead of the bacon and egg ice cream. Again, excellent.

The Whiskey Wine Gums were quality.

Now I need to go back to do a la carte for the remaining dishes to try - radish ravioli of oyster, the pork dish, and the apple dessert.

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Tim Hayward

Tim Hayward

Posted
Posted
Anyone heard anything about the Fat Duck Book?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Big-Fat-Duck-Cookbook/dp/0747583692

We know it's going to be expensive, extensive and deeply pensive.

Tim Hayward

"Anyone who wants to write about food would do well to stay away from

similes and metaphors, because if you're not careful, expressions like

'light as a feather' make their way into your sentences and then where are you?"

Nora Ephron

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  • 1 month later...
MobyP

MobyP

Posted
Posted

The 100 quid one is the cheap version. There's going to be a much more expensive one further down the line with all sorts of additional bits and bobs.

"Gimme a pig's foot, and a bottle of beer..." Bessie Smith

Flickr Food

"111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321" Bruce Frigard 'Winesonoma' - RIP

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RedRum

RedRum

Posted
Posted (edited)

I have bought the Alinea book, pretty excellent and 1/4 of the price of the FD book (although compleltely quality altogether) I don't think I will be dishing 100 quid for the FD book as I read somewhere that HB will have a cheapo version out soon

edit: just read the post above, 100 quid is the cheap version????? what the "duck"???

Edited by RedRum (log)
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leecotton

leecotton

Posted
Posted
I have bought the Alinea book, pretty excellent and 1/4 of the price of the FD book (although compleltely quality altogether) I don't think I will be dishing 100 quid for the FD book as I read somewhere that HB will have a cheapo version out soon

edit: just read the post above, 100 quid is the cheap version????? what the "duck"???

Out of interest, where did you get the Alinea book from? Amazon (both US and UK) have it listed for an October release date?

Lee

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