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The Fat Duck 2009

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docsconz

docsconz

Posted
Posted
The one thing that hasn't changed is the upshot: unless it changes - and changes with relative frequency - The Fat Duck tasting menu is pretty much a one-time attraction.  Now that there is no a la carte, this becomes more true than ever.

I think that is a bit more than a one-time attraction. We went last September after a gap of about 3 years and it had changed quite a bit in that time, albeit with a sequence of fairly small changes.

Unless it changes more quickly in the future my guess is that a two year gap is probably the minimum for it to be worth going back.

Right, like I wrote, "unless it changes - and changes with relative frequency - The Fat Duck tasting menu is pretty much a one-time attraction."

With its size and reputation, that may not be much of an issue to them, even in the current world economy.

John Sconzo, M.D. aka "docsconz"

"Remember that a very good sardine is always preferable to a not that good lobster."

- Ferran Adria on eGullet 12/16/2004.

Docsconz - Musings on Food and Life

Slow Food Saratoga Region - Co-Founder

Twitter - @docsconz

gus_tatory

gus_tatory

Posted
Posted
7.5kg of star anise - really?!?!

that has to be a mistake--that's like 15 pounds.

"The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the ocean."

--Isak Dinesen

nickloman

nickloman

Posted
Posted
7.5kg of star anise - really?!?!

that has to be a mistake--that's like 15 pounds.

Well the stock is to serve 500 people, but the same weight of star anise as carrots in a stock? That sounds completely wrong to me. Either that or he really want it to taste of star anise ;)

Hearno

Hearno

Posted
Posted

Just confirmed my booking for Friday. Truly can't wait now - my first experience of a 3* and somewhere I have been trying to get into for two years, ever since promising my dad for his 50th in 2007.

Cab is booked, all systems go. Will let you know how it went with a review when I get back.

Hearno

Hearno

Posted
Posted

Simply brilliant. A near perfect experience - one of the very best things I have ever done.

Out most of this weekend but will try and get a full review up sometime on Monday.

  • 3 weeks later...
olicollett

olicollett

Posted
Posted

Been trying to book the fat duck all morning for my birthday but after over an hour still not managed to get through! :(

I don't remember it being this bad last year when i tried, has anyone else had a similar problem?

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david goodfellow

david goodfellow

Posted
Posted
Been trying to book the fat duck all morning for my birthday but after over an hour still not managed to get through! :(

I don't remember it being this bad last year when i tried, has anyone else had a similar problem?

I had to wait ages for my booking but not as long as that.

It was however on the first day of opening after the food scare

Still Alice in Wonderland is better than musak :biggrin:

Good luck.

"So many places, so little time"

http://londoncalling...blogspot.co.uk/

@d_goodfellow1

olicollett

olicollett

Posted
Posted
Been trying to book the fat duck all morning for my birthday but after over an hour still not managed to get through! :(

I don't remember it being this bad last year when i tried, has anyone else had a similar problem?

I had to wait ages for my booking but not as long as that.

It was however on the first day of opening after the food scare

Still Alice in Wonderland is better than musak :biggrin:

Good luck.

Well, ended up on the waiting list after spending 2 1/2hrs trying (seriously). Fingers crossed something will come up :sad:

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olicollett

olicollett

Posted
Posted

Unbelievable. Got a message today from a friend of mine asking about the fat duck. I said "what a coincidence, was trying to get a table this morning and had no luck". He got a bloomin table for dinner on the evening i wanted! I blame it on him for holding up the phone lines!!! :angry:

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  • 3 weeks later...
ajnicholls

ajnicholls

Posted
Posted

The new tasting menu is going live at the Fat Duck. The foie gras dish has changed, the mock turtle soup is now on the menu. New dishes of flaming sorbet and Taffaty tart have appeared and the chocolate wine slush that Heston created for the Manchester Festival 2 years ago are on there too. The much-publiscised sweet shop idea is also in evidence. Should quieten some of the people that say he doesn't ever change the menu. Now if only I could get a bloody table!

Adam

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david goodfellow

david goodfellow

Posted
Posted

Very informative article by Jasper Gerard about the new tasting menu, which went "live" July 1

Anybody tried it yet?

I did state upthread that I would not return to re-taste the old menu, however, I'll be on the phone later, to book a table to try this one. :biggrin:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/re...rland-menu.html

"So many places, so little time"

http://londoncalling...blogspot.co.uk/

@d_goodfellow1

RedRum

RedRum

Posted
Posted

One interesting thing about this article is that HB says that the a la carte menu items will be in the new london restaurant. That is a good idea I think

PhilD

PhilD

Posted
Posted
One interesting thing about this article is that HB says that the a la carte menu items will be in the new london restaurant. That is a good idea I think

Do you think that means "old" as in the one they recently stopped, or "old" as in the original FD menu before he went completely "molecular"....? I read it as the latter, but it could be either.

david goodfellow

david goodfellow

Posted
Posted
Very informative article by Jasper Gerard about the new tasting menu, which went "live" July 1

Anybody tried it yet?

I did state upthread that I would not return to re-taste the old menu, however, I'll be on the phone later, to book a table to try this one. :biggrin:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/re...rland-menu.html

From reading his third paragraph I would say Jasper reads this forum.

As this is THE forum covering all things food, I would be more surprised as to who in the industry actually ignores it.

With the strength in depth of informed comment, this is surely the pulse of what is happening in the UK restaurant scene.

"So many places, so little time"

http://londoncalling...blogspot.co.uk/

@d_goodfellow1

RedRum

RedRum

Posted
Posted
One interesting thing about this article is that HB says that the a la carte menu items will be in the new london restaurant. That is a good idea I think

Do you think that means "old" as in the one they recently stopped, or "old" as in the original FD menu before he went completely "molecular"....? I read it as the latter, but it could be either.

I don't know, I read it as it will be dishes from the FD ALC before they recently stopped it. But I guess HB will bring in new dishes and as you say he might introduce pre-MG dishes. I think it should be very interesting place to visit.

One thing I would like him to do is to have a "Perfection" menu with all the dishes he made for the two TV series. I know he has used some in the pub, but it would be great to taste the dishes.

jimk

jimk

Posted
Posted
Very informative article by Jasper Gerard about the new tasting menu, which went "live" July 1

Anybody tried it yet?

Yes, I was there with my family last Wednesday for lunch. Will try to post properly when I have a bit more time but on the whole we were delighted with the menu (although we'd never experienced the restaurant before). The mock turtle soup was spectacular - perfect blend of theatrics and magically balanced flavors. The pigeon was amazing, and the blood pudding (which our server said was nothing more than blood, cream and spices blended in the robocoupe) had the texture of actual pudding (in the American sense of the word). The candies at the end didn't make much of an impression good or bad. The only course none of us could stand was one that's been around for years - the licorice/salmon prep really rubbed us all the wrong way.

We were excited about the flaming sorbet which appeared on our menu but was never served - apparently there were execution problems so they dropped it from the menu at the very last minute. It had been pulled from the dinner menu which was in the window when we left, and still wasn't back on the menu as of Monday when we stopped at the Hinds' Head on the way to Heathrow.

It did generally feel like they were struggling to figure out how to work with the new menu - some very long lags between courses.

david goodfellow

david goodfellow

Posted
Posted
Very informative article by Jasper Gerard about the new tasting menu, which went "live" July 1

Anybody tried it yet?

Yes, I was there with my family last Wednesday for lunch. Will try to post properly when I have a bit more time but on the whole we were delighted with the menu (although we'd never experienced the restaurant before). The mock turtle soup was spectacular - perfect blend of theatrics and magically balanced flavors. The pigeon was amazing, and the blood pudding (which our server said was nothing more than blood, cream and spices blended in the robocoupe) had the texture of actual pudding (in the American sense of the word). The candies at the end didn't make much of an impression good or bad. The only course none of us could stand was one that's been around for years - the licorice/salmon prep really rubbed us all the wrong way.

We were excited about the flaming sorbet which appeared on our menu but was never served - apparently there were execution problems so they dropped it from the menu at the very last minute. It had been pulled from the dinner menu which was in the window when we left, and still wasn't back on the menu as of Monday when we stopped at the Hinds' Head on the way to Heathrow.

It did generally feel like they were struggling to figure out how to work with the new menu - some very long lags between courses.

Thanks ever so much for the update, looking forward to your review, its great to have such an insight, quite a lot of foodies over here are exited about this.

Any idea how many new courses there were?

"So many places, so little time"

http://londoncalling...blogspot.co.uk/

@d_goodfellow1

rjs1

rjs1

Posted
Posted
From reading his third paragraph I would say Jasper reads this forum.

As this is THE forum covering all things food, I would be more surprised as to who in the industry actually ignores it.

Michael Winner, perhaps?

RDB

RDB

Posted
Posted

From reading his third paragraph I would say Jasper reads this forum.

As this is THE forum covering all things food, I would be more surprised as to who in the industry actually ignores it.

Michael Winner, perhaps?

And surely AA Gill.

cachan

cachan

Posted
Posted
The only course none of us could stand was one that's been around for years - the licorice/salmon prep really rubbed us all the wrong way.

Have to agree about this dish, can't see the point of it, and it's not pleasant.

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