ROGANIC - London

[WK2]

I was in London from Houston/New York (it's a long story) this week, and stopped in at Roganic for lunch on Tuesday. I have to echo everyone here - it was a delightful meal, well worth the time. Rogan arrived just as we were starting our meal, cheerfully dragging in some luggage, and there were photographers obviously taking photos for some kind of review. All the other diners seemed to be industry professionals, just from the bit of eavesdropping I was able to do.

We only had time and money for the five course option, but I think it gives a perfect introduction into Rogan's cooking. The potato dish, which I understand to be a classic, is just a wonderful achievement. The onion ash combined remarkably with the delicate creaminess of the new potatoes Rogan uses. We were also especially taken by the mackerel dish,and in general thought that the sauces and creams enhanced the dishes rather than masked anything as is so often the case. Honestly, the restaurant reminds me of a more successful "Corton" in New York. Exacting, technical, beautiful food, but with a little more joy. I suppose I might say that the brill with chicken salt was more fascinating than delicious, and the red wine I ordered was a little warm, but that doesn't really detract for me from what was one of the better meals I've had in a while. And, like others have said, Sandia Chang and the rest of the front of house were a delight. I bet the 10 course menu, which I saw several others enjoying, was fantastic.

[david goodfellow]

According to Twitter, a new pricing structure starts tomorrow, with an easy on the pocket introduction to the food at lunch. Three courses for £29,(plus perhaps an amuse and their excellent bread) or 6 for £55. Not sure if the 10 (£80) is still available at lunch, best check with them.

Both the 6 and 10 are on the dinner service.

[Man]

You probably know that already...but the website is now up (with the menus as you indicate)

[david goodfellow]

A whopping nine out of ten from Lisa Markwell in todays Independent

Plus the bloggers are having a lovefest. The vibe coming from twitter is immense.

Brilliant, I love the place, they are evolving all the time and fully deserve all the attention.

[olicollett]

Well, I think my lunch yesterday was the best meal i've ever had in london. I don't think there's another place in the city that can trump it right now!

I'll leave the pictures as others have beaten me to it, just go there ASAP!

[sped98]

Didnt realise you were one of those sad Twitterers David....You`d best add me then ;-) ( sped98 )

They still need to get this dish on ...blow the Londoners socks off with it.

[Man]

Andy Hayler also likes it.

This leaves only me, Woman and another obsessive foodie friend of ours not have been blown away by the experience then (and more importantly Fay Maschler of course).

One of the most charming and enthusiastic front of house teams around, anyway.

I wonder if the formula can work here in London as it works at l'Enclume. They did not even fill their 25 covers on the (midweek) night we were there. To us, the setting just did not seem conducive to the enjoyment of a long menu; definitely not a place for special occasions (noisy even without being full, none too comfortable - very dark too), which cuts off a big chunk of the potential market.

Perhaps as the good reviews keep coming in, and especially when the unavoidable star arrives, they will always succeed at working at capacity.

I hope they do, because they are a lovely team and their cuisine is unique and clever. Even if we weren't wowed we do appreciate this.

Edited July 30, 2011 by Man (log)

[sped98]

This is the nearest I've come in Britain (outside the Fat Duck and L'Enclume) to the transporting theatricality of a meal at El Bulli. Passion, pride and some kind of obsessive craziness are at work here. So, all in all, pretty special, then.

Tracy McLeod sounds like she enjoyed it also after reading her review in yesterdays independent.

[david goodfellow]

Anybody been here recently?

The thread seems very quiet considering it was one of (if not) the best openings of last year.

I'm hopeful of an update.

[Scottf]

Yesterday. I found it lacklustre and a little strange. It's a contemporary restaurant serving an outdated style of cuisine. The plates were too busy, too many ingredients, limited cohesion and balance. The style on the continent is now more minimalist (and ingredient focused) with a central ingredient supported by its accompaniments not overwhelmed by them. Gone are the days of reductions, streaks and blobs everywhere.

Also I found £80 expensive considering the cheap ingedients used.

FOH staff, particularly Emily, were great.

[Man]

Yesterday. I found it lacklustre and a little strange. It's a contemporary restaurant serving an outdated style of cuisine. The plates were too busy, too many ingredients, limited cohesion and balance. The style on the continent is now more minimalist (and ingredient focused) with a central ingredient supported by its accompaniments not overwhelmed by them. Gone are the days of reductions, streaks and blobs everywhere.

Also I found £80 expensive considering the cheap ingedients used.

FOH staff, particularly Emily, were great.

Spot on.

[david goodfellow]

Hot off the press, (not), But hot off twitter. Head chef Ben Spalding is no more. He has left.

It would seem Aulis chef Dan Cox will take things forward with Simon.

Or is it Andy Tomlinson? Not sure who he is. Is he a chef or front of house?

Roganic Twitter

[david goodfellow]

A more detailed report HERE about the kitchen reshuffle.

Remember you heard it first on egullet

[david goodfellow]

So, following the departure of Ben Spalding, the kitchen is firmly back in the hands of Simon Rogan.

Andy Tomlinson has been promoted to head chef and Simon has, in a very short space of time, changed the menus with perhaps up to twenty new dishes to choose from.

Yesterday lunch had three menus to choose from. The three course lunch at £29 with an option of two glasses of wine for an extra £6, extremely good value and most tempting.

A six course at £55, and the one that we tried, the ten course at £80. Of course we all know that with Simon's generosity its always more than the stated, so even the lunch menu will have an extra course or two.

My apologies in advance. It would take me too long to describe all the dishes in detail, I shall show the photos and summarize later.

Amuse was an Onion biscuit and nettle cream.

Next up Smoked Pork and eel croquettes.

Bread, was a choice of three rolls each, Wholemeal and Ale, pumpernickel. amd onion and thyme. They were served with butter from Netherend farm in Gloucestershire whipped with Maldon sea salt.

Burnt cream of English mushrooms, ramsoms and cheese drops.

Grown up egg yolk from the golden egg, celeriac, sorrel and garlic cream.

The "egg" has chicken puree inside of it. Its a similar dish to one at L'enclume. It was explained the chicken puree is placed into moulds to set, then the egg is coated in a type of jelly. Hope I have that correct. This sat on a celeriac mash. Some celeriac crisps, and garlic mayo on top.

Spring broth with carrot dumplings, sea kale shoots and pearl barley.

Raw venison in coal oil, mustard, scurvy grass and onions.

Crispy seaweed mashed potatoes, wild leek and fennel.

Cornish Lobster, oyster, apple, pickled kohlrabi and coastal herbs.

Five flavoured Monkfish, razor clams, vinegar and hazelnut.

Herdwick Lamb flank, sweetbread, salsify, hedge garlic and velvet caps.

Sweet cheese, water celery, artichoke and malt.

Rhubarb with meadowsweet, cream cake and sweet cicely.

And finally to end with, a White chocolate bourbon iced lolly

Yes a bit of a marathon, but the type of marathon that we prefer these days.

So very much going on throughout the meal, many different tastes, textures, aromas.

The standout aroma of the meal was the lamb. The table next to us ate it after we did and the smell was just divine I wanted to eat the dish all over again. Apart from the aroma, taste wise it was also a stand out dish.

Needless to say we enjoyed all of Simon's food, no duff dishes here. Stand outs were (apart from the lamb) The Lobster, and the Venison. The crispy briney seaweed mashed potatoes were much relished, as was the monkfish.

Service here is very good indeed, assured, but relaxed and informed. Nothing is too much trouble. Sandia Chang was at her very best and will be missed, but the team will carry on reinforced with good spirit. It was nice to speak with Sandia's husband James Knappet who popped in at the end of service. We wish them all the very best with their new Bubbledogs venture.

We popped our heads into the kitchen to speak briefly with Simon, who's work ethic is much to be admired. Leading from the front, his team are pushing to maintain his very high standards.

So all in all for us a great way to spend a Friday lunch. Not cheap by any stretch of the imagination but we enjoyed the food here as much as, if not more than some other higher rated restaurants.

On the subject of value, the lunch menu with the wine is exceptionally good and whats more currently it consists of three of the dishes that we ate., the spring broth, the fabulous lamb and the pretty plated Rhubarb dish.

So yes this meal for us ticked all of the boxes.

Team Rogan

[sped98]

Had an almost identical meal there last week....Amazing.

Down to London on the train.....lunch and then straight back again....was definitely worth it.

.

Smoked Pork and Eel croquettes

Onion biscuit , Nettle cream and Shallot jam.

Roganic breads – Pumpernickel , Onion Thyme and Wholemeal with Ale.

Burnt cream of English mushrooms , Ramsons and Cheese drops.

Grown up Egg yolk from the Golden egg , Celeriac , Sorrel and Garlic cream.

Spring broth with Carrot dumplings , Sea kale shoots and Pearl barley.

Raw Venison in Coal oil , Mustard , Scurvy grass and Onions.

Crispy seaweed mashed Potatoes , Mace , wild Leek and Fennel.

Cornish Lobster , Oyster , Apple , pickled Kohlrabi and coastal herbs.

Grilled salad smoked over Embers , Truffle custard and Cobnuts.

Five flavoured Monkfish , Razor clams , Vinegar and Hazelnut.

Herdwick Lamb flank, Sweetbread , Salsify , Hedge Garlic and Velvet caps.

Sweet cheese , Water celery , Artichoke and Malt.

Rhubarb with Meadowsweet , cream cake and sweet cicely.

Rowan shoot milk shake with Lemon curd brioche donut.

Bourbon biscuit and white chocolate ice lolly.

[sheepish]

Had lunch here last Saturday. The ten course job. I think on balance I was disappointed. Tartare of venison with coal oil was memorable, for the smokey flavour on raw meat, but the venison itself was a bit lacklustre. Like having a steak tartare made of fillet, rather than something with a bit of taste. Carrot foam and ham fat at the start was nice - although had some chewy bits on top which did nothing for me. A bit of crispy bacon would have worked a lot better in my book. Other than that, the golden egg thing tasted of thick chicken stock (of the Marco-Pierre White advertsied variet) to me, not impressed. The smoked eel and pork croquettes would be nice with a pint, but too rich and fatty as a pre-dinner nibble. Bread was memorable for being very ordinary. The Great British Menu smoked salad dish was just OK - I think I was probably expecting more after the judges rhapsodized about it. Nice light zingy deserts. Service OK, but they weren't on top of topping up - although we were only on bottled water. They did admit to being a man down. Its a very small place. I'd go as far as to say cramped. Glad I've been to see what all the fuss is about. But now I don't really know what all the fuss is about.