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the Orrery


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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 years later...

This is a very good restaurant all though I am bieast as I worked with Andre Garret years ago. Past dishes I have enjoyed here have been well pretty much everything Ive had, which is alot. But they usualy have an assiette of Lamb or Ofall/ Pig Trotter that is always good. Hmm had an excellent Bresse Pigeon as well as Turbot with Garniture Bourgugnon ( I know thats spelt wrong), as well as class Foie Gras starters and world class puddings.

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"Alba white truffle, poached egg, ragout of calf's feet, foie gras, mushroom & shallot 25.00"

Now that's what I call breakfast.

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

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

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Andy,

We had lunch there last year and for the life of me I can't recall what I had beyond a seabass nage which was heavenly. We were completely surprised at just how outstanding both the food and the service was. I would recommend it highly.

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I did make it there (nearly 3 years ago now!) and wrote up the meal on UKGourmet. This was when Chris Galvin was still head chef and I think Andre Garret was his sous at the time.

Oh Andy Im so sorry I didnt realise you posted that three years ago dohhhhhhh, well Andre is now running the kitchen there (Chris having taken an executive role with Conran Restaurants, dont know what that is but sounds cushy) and I realy recomend you go back it is not cheap but for what you get it offers value, I realy cant recomend this place enough. The last two meals I have had here were better than the last two I had at Gordon Ramsay Royal Hospital Road, and they were a damn site less expensive. The cheese board here is the best I have had anywhere.

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I've wanted for some time to visit this place, for a reason that may be unusual. In New Orleans, Louisiana is a well-known antiques dealer, M S Rau. A place where you can see (in their inner catacombs, if they are inclined to show you) a well-known Rodin brass sculpture, or a Secretary writing desk circa Catherine the Great, made of jade.

A couple of years ago I was admiring an unusual solar-system model in their front (street) room, an orrery from 1780. I carelessly admitted knowing a collector of scientific instruments of that era; a salesman then dogged me for weeks, trying to get a name. It seems that the magnificent instrument had been in stock for some time, and not moved. "Make us an offer," he implored. (Asking price was High. Like the Rodin, or the jade desk.) I thought then of this well-known restaurant, and its owner, said to collect orreries. I referred Rau to him in a desperate effort to redirect their attentions, and maybe even a helpful one.

The orrery was still displayed in M S Rau's online catalog as of a year ago, but I just looked and it's gone. However I newly noted in the scientific-instruments section a well-preserved brass 19th-century French enema kit labeled "Seul Veritable Irrigatuer du Dr. Eguisier Marque de Fabrique T3M.," Circa 1870. With original rubber hose, etc. Asking US $1250, FOB New Orleans. (FYI.)

-- Max

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  • 3 weeks later...

I hear that the Orrery got a dog of a write-up in one of the Sunday papers (Telegraph?) this weekend but I haven't been able to find either a hard copy or one online.

Can anyone confirm or deny?

Thanks.

Allan Brown

"If you're a chef on a salary, there's usually a very good reason. Never, ever, work out your hourly rate."

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A couple of years ago I was admiring an unusual solar-system model in their front (street) room, an orrery from 1780.  I carelessly admitted knowing a collector of scientific instruments of that era; a salesman then dogged me for weeks, trying to get a name.  It seems that the magnificent instrument had been in stock for some time, and not moved.  "Make us an offer," he implored.  (Asking price was High.  Like the Rodin, or the jade desk.)  I thought then of this well-known restaurant, and its owner, said to collect orreries.  I referred Rau to him in a desperate effort to redirect their attentions, and maybe even a helpful one.

The orrery was still displayed in M S Rau's online catalog as of a year ago, but I just looked and it's gone.  However I newly noted in the scientific-instruments section a well-preserved brass 19th-century French enema kit labeled "Seul Veritable Irrigatuer du Dr. Eguisier Marque de Fabrique T3M.," Circa 1870.  With original rubber hose, etc.  Asking US $1250, FOB New Orleans.  (FYI.)

-- Max

Well...I can tell you there is an Orrery on display at the restaurant though I've no clue whether Conran sprang for the real deal. As for the enema...I couldn't possibly comment on that either :blink:

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The review in question was by Matthew Norman, published in the Sunday Telegraph on 27th March. Yes he did give it a pasting - but all I can remember about it is that he had to wait an hour or so for his main course, poor diddums. I don't think the ST is available online.

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Indeed, Matthew Norman was less than complementary, eg "... run with an unhappy mix of arrogance and incompetence and serves food (eventually) that is both overambitious and overpriced." The food was too foamy by half, late, cold, not as described (etc). "... the bill verging on an act of grand larceny for a meal that ranks as one of the biggest rip-offs ever contrived on this planet or any other."

Edited by Stephen B (log)

Stephen

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Nice to see a British restaurant critic maintaining a balanced view while avoiding cliche, hyperbole, exaggeration and controversy for its own sake. I will seek out Norman's reviews in future - how else am I going to find out the real truth about restaurants in this country?

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