Le Gavroche - The Topic

[macrosan]

As for Le Gavroche: what Gavin & Martin said.  Except I lean towards the 'bourgeois kitsch' a la Gavin, verging on shabby in places, rather than the 'gracious elegance' a la Martin.  I can only think that the wine had tinted his spectacles pink.

My refernce to "gracious elegance" was as much directed at the service and style of the staff as to the decor. I wouldn't dare quarrel with Gavin's obviously expert knowledge of "bourgeois kitsch"

[Wilfrid]

Indeed. Pigeon de Bresse, stuffed cabbage a l'Ancienne, all kinds of clever seafood dishes, an unaffordable vertical of The Grange. Then suddenly it was pasta, a one-page wine list, and gentlemen of a certain age blowing cigarette smoke over their inebriated female companions.

[Gary Marshall]

so le gavroche, the head of the restaurant family tree in the uk, virtually every chef of note seems to have passed through its kitchens and as such a much anticipated first night of my honeymoon.

oh how i wish i had gone to ludlow rather than london, or even leeds for that matter!

It was a wednesday night and on entering the restaurant there was little sign of life, we were offered a drink in the bar reception area but as it was empty, it didn't appeal so we chose to enter the restaurant.

Our table wouldn't haven't pleased michael winner as it was near the kitchen entrance but suited me fine to see what was going on, which was essentially chaos. And not of the particularly organised kind.

couple of champagnes kicked off proceedings (£10 each) and amuses swiftly followed and were forgettable.

menus were disappointing, again the old no prices for the lady rubbish and in very bold type across mine SERVICE CHARGE 12.5% which just irritated me. But not as much as the MINIMUM CHARGE £60 PER HEAD printed on the top, now that just really grated. I'd usually go for the tasting menu but it was £80 plus service and didn't really appeal.

the a la carte was also bit uninspiring, not a lot leapt out and it didn't ring many bells from the cookbook which is full of very hunger inducing recipes.

After ordering we'd still not seen sight of a sommelier when one eventually made an appearance there was little in the way of guidance, and a very rushed demeanor, i'd reluctantly settled for a fish main course so went white (meursault l'orme), but got little in the way of help other than 'yes it's fine'. The rush as i correctly guessed was because our starters were on their way out of the kitchen.

Oh and when i refused mineral water and asked for tap it was met with a very puzzled look and a luke warm carafe of water no ice or anything . It may be a small, and pointless crusade but i'm fed up with spending £10 on water over a long meal, i feel it is a good measure of the true character of a place if they offer 'free' water magnaminously.

surprisingly rapidly our starters arrived....

i had souffle suissesse and wifey had escalope of foie gras chaud et pastila a la cannelle. souffle was interesting but not exceptional, and if it has got lighter over years heaven knows what the full fat version was like. sarahs foie was fine, pastilla good.

my main course was salmon with a tomato bearnaise and , well crisps. it was all good and there was plenty of it, prob too much considering the richness. Sarah had turbot and seafood with garlic butter and black squid ink rissotto. Again accomplished but only as expected at this level.

more amusing was watching the service disintegrate in front of me, best description is 'headless chickens' and wrestling the wine off the sommelier who kept doing the classic not watching glasses so go to fill your own and then half way through they go for the bottle to finish the job, irritating at best.

by this point the restaurant had become very hot and i was glad that although wearing a suit i had not worn a tie, rebel to the end me. if you're going to have dress codes then your air con should be able to cope!

i'd had enough by this point but had a strawberry millefeuille, more to pass time than anything else, and no sooner had i ordered it than it was in front of me, a baragin too at £17, the assiette was a whopping £27.

we then had coffee, that too was worth every penny of £6.40. Each.

ever the glutton for punishment i asked for a digestif, the trolley was duly wheeled over and the sommelier waited expectantly. I was quite amused to find they expected me to pick from the trolley without any guide as to what the resulting damage might be. After consulting the list i found a veritable bargain, a roux bros brand calvados for a tenner.

bill was £244 incl service and the aforementioned meursault at £54. I felt robbed, but place was full so they obviously don't need my custom. m roux was there and seemed v pleasant (and thin). Legendary maitre d seemed a miserable git.

It is no surprise to me whatsoever that this palce lost its 3rd star, and that ramsay is cleaning up in london (which i don't necessarily believe is good for the record). The last place i visited that exhibited such mercenary characteristics was la tour d'argent in paris, again a faded place of historical significance but little culinary relevance.

i was genuinely shocked by how little we'd enjoyed the evening, bapi was lucky not to have me on the mobile dictating my review so incensed was i!

not recommended.

Gary

[Matthew Grant]

Oh and when i refused mineral water and asked for tap it was met with a very puzzled look and a luke warm carafe of water no ice or anything . It may be a small, and pointless crusade but i'm fed up with spending £10 on water over a long meal, i feel it is a good measure of the true character of a place if they offer 'free' water magnaminously.

No excuse for the rest of the service, but I think I'm right in saying that Le Gavroche is one of the few restaurants where mineral water is served free, this might explain the confused look on the waiters face

[Gary Marshall]

Ha! that may explain something, typical to miss out on the only freebie.....

i may have to think of another test of restaurant magnaminosity then as they failed easily on every other count.

gary

[Paul Bell]

Don't know if it is a coincidence but until recently every Relais & Chateaux place I have been to have either offered free mineral water or have charged for the first bottle only. (Waterside Inn & Gidleigh Park for example, plus several in France). Although on our recent trip to France I think more were charging by the bottle, but a surprising number automatically asked if we just wanted a carafe of water.

Paul

[Tonyfinch]

This place prides itself on its service and I have to say that each of the three times I've been its been impeccable. However my last visit was over two years ago. I wonder if it really has gone so far downhill or whether you just unluckily hit a very off night. Trouble is its a bit expensive to go back and give it another try.

[Bapi]

Ha! that may explain something, typical to miss out on the only freebie.....

i may have to think of another test of restaurant magnaminosity then as they failed easily on every other count.

gary

Oh Lordy , I can't believe I missed this bit.

Gary - they must have thought you were a Grade A1 bona fide nutter.

"No, not for me that ice cold mineral water. I'll have that tepid sludge Londonners are treated to, through their taps instead please."

Paul is right in the most part I think Gary. Sharrow Bay and the Waterside Inn both served up "free" Evian and are both Relais & Chateaux members. Manoir is as well, but they did charge there and rather annoyingly kept topping up our glasses after every other sip and then asked us if we wanted another bottle. Harrumph

Edited July 9, 2003 by Bapi (log)

[Andy Lynes]

Le Gavroche is now rates 3 rosettes, down from 4 in the new AA Guide. Petrus has been re-instated to 5 rosettes after being omitted from last years edition due to it's relocation to Knightsbridge. Raymond Blanc is the new Chef's Chef of the Year. Full details at Cater-Online.co.uk.

[Scottf]

Le Gavroche is now rates 3 rosettes, down from 4 in the new AA Guide.

Not surprising news if a recent meal I had was anything to go by. Very pedestrian indeed.

[Andy Lynes]

Although the AA guide is not one that I would rush to refer to, and I've only eaten at Le Gav once, I can't help but feel a little sad at the news. It will be interesting to see on Oct 7 what mark they get in the Good Food Guide and then of course if they keep hold of their 2 stars in January's Michelin Guide.

[Scott]

are they insane??????

[Andy Lynes]

Insane as in "why did they dock the rosette" or insane as in "3 rosettes is too much"?

[Gary Marshall]

'Wareing was not surprised at the restaurant's success and said he would have questioned the decision if Pétrus had not achieved the maximum five rosettes.'

very confident isn't he?

i loved original petrus, haven't tried the new one but have heard little but mediocre reviews about it since it opened and it appears to have drifted off the radar, oh and did you hear the one about the bottle of....

not suprised at all about le gavroche, a shame but it seems they exist to serve a core clientele of regulars rather than michelin groupie foodies. Their choice obviously, but don't think the cooking is in the same class as say hibiscus or winteringham fields.

hibiscus to get 3 stars campaign starts here!

gary

[Marlyn4k]

Foliage promoted to 5 rosettes...yep! Always backed 'em. 8/10 in GFG and two stars to come...

[Scott]

Insane as in "why did they dock the rosette" or insane as in "3 rosettes is too much"?

←

Andy, please?

Gavroche is still one of london's best restaurants, and I wonder what they are trying to achieve here. attention/publicity/relevance?

[Andy Lynes]

Andy, please?

←

Just checking!

This is a purely subjective comment (and one which I've made before on other threads) but of all the guides, the AA is the one I seem to find myself disagreeing with the most. Makes me want to go back to Le Gav to see if they are right or not.

[oldschooltie]

'Wareing was not surprised at the restaurant's success and said he would have questioned the decision if Pétrus had not achieved the maximum five rosettes.'

very confident isn't he?

very

went once, spent a lot of money, impressed by the technical execution of what was on the plate, unimpressed by sommelier's recommendations, chilly vibe, even chillier aircon, haven't been back (and probably won't)

[Jamsie]

I've always loved it there and the last lunch 2 weeks ago i had was probably the best of the 3 times i've been.

Aircon is probably because of the chaps having to keep their jackets on.

I'm not in the league to go there for the a la carte in the evening though

Edited September 23, 2004 by Jamsie (log)

[Matthew Grant]

I had lunch here during the summer and although it was nice it definitely didn't blow my mind as it had done a few years ago. I think the killer word in that last sentence is "Nice". At these prices I don't want "nice".

[Ai Leen]

This place prides itself on its service and I have to say that each of the three times I've been its been impeccable. However my last visit was over two years ago. I wonder if it really has gone so far downhill or whether you just unluckily hit a very off night. Trouble is its a bit expensive to go back and give it another try.

←

I did go and have a try recently. Wrote this more than a month ago, but didn't have the courage to publish it here! But on JT's encouragement, here's an excerpt...

"I was left quietly alone with my drink while waiting for A. I thought it a gallant gesture to have ushered me into the upholstered lounge downstairs immediately, instead of the impolitic bar area. Sitting facing away from the entrance, there is a huge mirror through which you can see who was coming down the steps. For a moment, I felt as if I was waiting for my lover. Someone once commented that you always imagine every couple in Le Gavroche are having an affair. He walked down the stairs, I turned dramatically, wide-eyed, and stretched my arms out to welcome him... nah. A arrived, and over appertifs and canapes, I gave him his card. Here you go, happy anniversary darling... hah!

This is one of those restaurants where the lady gets the menu sans prices. How wonderfully old-fashioned! I can understand, however, how some men (and women) have found it to be disgustingly discriminatory, but I love it. Of course, I did hesitate and peer over A's menu before ordering the lobster. The sommelier was, as always, friendly and helpful. A selected a bottle of Burgundy, 1997, intense flavour yet light, to go with both my lobster and his grouse.

For starters, I had chosen the legendary souffle suissesse. I love souffle, but this is something else, literally. It was an ethereal island of whipped egg and cream dancing across a lovely cheesy sauce, rather than your straightforward souffle in a ramekin dish. As someone put it, more ile flottante than souffle. I love souffle in whatever disguise, so my feelings are partial here. But, despite the wonderous start, the dish did get heavy and a little boring towards the end.

Mains. My lobster was outstandingly sweet, covered with what I think is a blend of chives, parsley and garlic. There was a hint of brandy. No surprises here. The dish was served with a lemony bearnaise sause and a side of baby potatoes and pod peas. A's grouse was by far more interesting, and he was kind enough to share a small bit of bacon with me. hmph.

One small quibble though. Don't get me wrong, I love to be fussed over, even expect it. But coddling is irritating, especially when it entails waiters blatantly clearing your dishes and grandly presenting your next course and chatting to you(!) while you are attempting intimate anniversary conversation. IMHO, service should be discreet and invisible, personal but detached. I'm sorry to say that this was one factor that spoiled the evening for me ever so slightly. It also made me wish that I had paid more attention in school during French class, and really, one shouldn't be made to feel bad when paying so much. C'est la vie.

Dessert. Ok, I mentioned my obsession with souffles previously. I'm not kidding. I love them with a passion. Being particularly inept at creating one myself, I had to flog it at the master of souffles. So of course I had to order their famed souffle aux fruits de la passion et glace ivoire. A did the same. This, I must say, was the highlight. A classic souffle, executed to perfection, with a ball of ice-cream in the middle. Hot and cold, heavy and light, white and cream. A marriage of opposites made in heaven. I was absolutely in love. I happen to think that souffles are seductively romantic. They remind you of tulle wedding dresses and white Pratesi sheets, the perfect objet de amour. mm...

You know how, in the course of a romantic dinner, there comes a point where every next dish is simply an obstacle to your pillow? My moment came right at the point when bon bons and coffee were served. This morning, I woke up to find a box of bon bons on the breakfast table. The perfect conclusion to a perfect evening."

-AL

[howardlong]

I did go and have a try recently.

I went there ten days ago on a Saturday night (an outrageously over indulgent Saturday including lunch at the Connaught, dinner at Le Gavroche and dessert at Aubergine).

I had the Menu Exceptionnel (£85) with the Sommelier's selection (£38). Oh, and a glass of '95 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne as an aperitif (£15).

A fairly unique thing done at Gavroche in their tasting menu is that the course directly after the main meat dish is always a salad. Quite boring and classical you might think, but for me it's often the pinnacle of the meal, except for one thing. The wine. The sommelier's selections are always awesome, and they kept refilling my glass. At £38 it's a bargain: there is little point to try choosing the wines yourself.

Let me sum it up: I cannot get enough of this place.

Cheers, Howard

[MobyP]

Does Gavroche have a website?

[Romaney O'Malley]

Moby -

/Website

[MobyP]

Thanks Romaney.