The Capital

[cabrales]

Yummy.  I have a dinner booked there in early May

Wilfrid -- It's good you booked before I reported. I'd feel less "responsible"   if you ended up not liking the meal.

[SamanthaF]

As previously promised, Scott is 'taking' me there next Saturday for our anniversary. We'll report back.

Bring on the petits........!

[cabrales]

Bring on the petits........!

Samantha -- The petit fours were good. They included a yellow-colored macaron (tasty), something medium brown wrapped in a piece of see-through paper (perhaps caramel?), a white chocolate-covered log-shaped item, and a chocolate with a coffee bean sitting on top.

Note that there were certain 1/2 bottles of champagne (I didn't check the producers). If you took 2 glasses to begin (Pounds 20-24), an alternative would be to see how much the 1/2 bottles would cost and how much further in the meal you could get with one (unless you were contemplating a full bottle, of course)!  

[SamanthaF]

Thanks Cabrales, I'm holding out for the full

[cabrales]

As previously promised, Scott is 'taking' me there next Saturday for our anniversary. We'll report back.

Samantha -- I wasn't sure which Saturday "next Saturday" referred to.  If it has passed, a belated Happy Anniversary   (I hope you received champagne, of course)

[SamanthaF]

Thank you Cabrales.

Our anniversary was yesterday - 1 year of wedded bliss

We went to The Capital on Saturday, it didn't disappoint.  Food, wine and service were excellent.

Oh, and they gave us a box of petit's to go

[cabrales]

Samantha -- I just noticed from the Calendar that today is your birthday.  Wishing you progress towards achieving the things that are worthwhile to you  

[macrosan]

I had an awful meal at Capital yesterday evening.

The look of the place is exactly as Simon described it, dull, boring, kind of MFI masquerading as elegant gentility. They also have a functional problem, in that some form of crossbar under the table prevented me stretching my legs out, and the chair was terribly uncomfortable (short seat and vertical back).

The staff were terrific. Warm, friendly and smiling. Service throughout the meal was excellent, and even one of my typically weak jokes to the waitress serving bread rolls evoked a witty response and a smile. The problem was the food. I found the menu interestingly balanced and the dishes sounded great. They simply did not live up to the description.

They served an amuse of scallops and something. I really do get irritated by restaurants serving shellfish amuses, since I don't eat shellfish.

When the starters arrived, they looked just splendid. Ebveryone had ordered differently, and each dish looked a creative picture. That was the first, and last, instant at which I thought I'd made a good choice of restaurant.

My starter was "Seared duck foie gras with lentils, girolles mushrooms and cooking jus" and it was awful. This was (I assume) a whole duck's liver, and it was stringy and salty as hell. I couldn't taste the foie for the salt. The mushrooms were fine, the lentils were odd (they seemed to have been soaked in a light vinegar, or something else that gave them a sourness) and the jus was also slightly vinegary. If I had been dining with just my wife, I would have sent this dish back. It was either badly conceived, or badly cooked, or both.

For the main course, I chose "Canon of lamb with black olive crust, couscous and thyme jus". The lamb was first-class, tender and juicy and well-flavoured. It was served on some kind of soggy pastry crust which was virtually flavourless. The couscous itself was excellent, but it was permeated with the most excrutiatingly bitter-sweet vegetables I have ever tasted in my life. I assume these were onions and cabbage and tomato, but whatever they were they were mouth-tightening, like eating a raw, juicy lime but with added msg. The flavour was so extreme that I grimaced every time I ate one. This mixture was so uncomfortable to eat that I gave up. Now this is not a case of "not getting it" as SteveP might say, this was uneatable food. Stupid, ridiculous, and insulting. I have just read again Simon's review, and I see that he found exactly the same. If this had been many times toned down, it might arguably make an accompaniment for high venison, but with lamb it was pure nonsense.

After that, I really wasn't interested in Chavot's desserts, so I ordered coffee and left as soon as I reasonably could. The others in my party of five said they enjoyed their meals greatly, but since they were my guests I don't necessarily rely on that judgement. I truly can't believe that it was only my two dishes that were like that ! The bill was just under £400 for five people, which seems OK for a Michelin 2-crown -- if only their cooking matched the crowns.

Never again.

[Andy Lynes]

I have just read again Simon's review, and I see that he found exactly the same.

I have read both yours and Simons review and I have failed to note the similarity. What are you referring to exactly?

[macrosan]

My main course was a veal cutlet in a reduction that was far too fierce and intense and smothered taste of the perfectly prepared meat.

I found it easily enough

[Andy Lynes]

I was fooled by the phrase "exactly the same". You had different dishes and in Simons case it was a highly reduced sauce that overpowered the veal, whilst your lamb was overpowered by the vegetable garnish which you found to be too acidic.

The sentances "Now this is not a case of "not getting it" as SteveP might say, this was uneatable food. Stupid, ridiculous, and insulting. I have just read again Simon's review, and I see that he found exactly the same." seem to infer that Simon found the food "Stupid, ridiculous, and insulting" in the same way as you did, of which I could find no evidence in his review.

[Vanessa]

Help! I had set my heart on going to The Capital the week after next, as the restaurant in London which I thought the most appealing for a top notch dinner and which e-gulleteers appeared to find was the best meal going at the moment. Macrosan has set a spanner in the works.

Firstly a couple of questions to Macrosan, which I hope he does not find provocative:

1. When making a reservation for a restaurant where it is known that extra-menu items are served, would it not be considerate - both to yourself and to the restaurant - to state any particular dietary issues when booking?

2. I find the comment on bitter/acidic vegetables a little puzzling - but then maybe you found it puzzling at the time as well. I mean, how can cabbage be mouth-puckering - unless it is sauerkraut?

My questions to the world at large are:

1. Can anyone provide a recent review of The Capital that soundly contradicts Macrosan's, to help restore my confidence in the place?

2. If not, where do people think the best dinner is to be had in London at the moment, with 3 provisos: a) nothing Asian (my dining companion has just overdosed on Asian food during a month-long trip to almost every East Asian country) b) No GR or MPW - my prejudice. c) suggestions would have to be for places that are bookable around a week in advance (for a Tuesday evening).

Otherwise it'll be La Trompette.

v

[Andy Lynes]

If you search for "The Capital" on this site, I think you will find quite a few recent positive reports.

La Trompette is sort of restaurant of the moment, what with it's restaurant of the year award from the AA, Ollie winning Best New Chef of the Year at the Crafts Guild awards, a 7 out of 10 rating in the Good Food Guide.

[Vanessa]

If you search for "The Capital" on this site, I think you will find quite a few recent positive reports.

La Trompette is sort of restaurant of the moment, what with it's restaurant of the year award from the AA, Ollie winning Best New Chef of the Year at the Crafts Guild awards, a 7 out of 10 rating in the Good Food Guide.

thank you Andy - the recent positive reports were part of the reason why I had decided on The Capital. I was just looking for someone to restore the good impressions after Macrosan's downer.

La Trompette is the easy option for me - local and I've been there enough to know it is absolutely reliable. I was looking for something that was a level up from La Trompette (which I believe means the top) - but maybe there isn't such a thing - at least that can be relied upon 100%.

v

[Kikujiro]

Yikes.

[Simon Majumdar]

Odd, apart from one or two things, I thought I gave the place a good review.

It is interesting on this site ( not so much on this board, but certainly on the French ) the different reactions people have if they see a negative review of a place they like/have had a good meal at.

I enjoyed Capital. In fact, when it comes to the end of the year thingy, I would possibly consider it my meal of the year. However, I find it more than possible to see that Macrosan had an awful meal and that he

a) Has enough nouce to know whether he had a good meal or not

b) Would probably not use the word "awful" Unless he thought it was deserved. We have very different taste, but I respect his opinion.

What I find hard ( no comment on this thread ) and Andy touched on it, is the idea that if you don't like a meal at a place that other people rave about, there is something wrong with you or that you just "don't get it" That attidude is to say the least offensive and at worst, crass.

Andy, there was an element of that in your response to the mixed/negative reviews of Racine and there are myriad examples of it on other boards.

I think we are all grown up enough on this site to know that not all restaurants perform at 100% all the time and that sometimes a good restaurant can be down right shitty on some nights. We should all probably just realise it happens. Whether it should happen is another matter.

Of course, if you disagree with me, you just don't understand what I am trying to achieve here.

S

S

[Andy Lynes]

Andy, there was an element of that in your response to the mixed/negative reviews of Racine and there are myriad examples of it on other boards.

My comments on both this thread and the Racine thread picked up on what I felt were generalisations or

inaccuracies made by... well, Macrosan in both cases as it turns out. I seem to have it in for him

If you re-read them, I think you will see that there is no inference made that "there is something wrong with the persons in question, or that they just didn't get it". That was certainly not my intention, especially as I have never eaten at The Capital.

This is a free speech zone and it's primarily entertainment and all that, but I think we owe it to ourselves and all the others that post or lurk here to be as accurate as we can in our comments.

[Andy Lynes]

Andy, there was an element of that in your response to the mixed/negative reviews of Racine and there are myriad examples of it on other boards.

Not all by me I trust!

[Simon Majumdar]

Andy, there was an element of that in your response to the mixed/negative reviews of Racine and there are myriad examples of it on other boards.

Not all by me I trust!

Mostly, but not all

S

[Andy Lynes]

Complete and accurate list of supporting evidence please....

[macrosan]

Firstly a couple of questions to Macrosan, which I hope he does not find provocative:

1.  When making a reservation for a restaurant where it is known that extra-menu items are served, would it not be considerate - both to yourself and to the restaurant - to state any particular dietary issues when booking?

2.  I find the comment on bitter/acidic vegetables a little puzzling - but then maybe you found it puzzling at the time as well.  I mean, how can cabbage be mouth-puckering - unless it is sauerkraut?

Nothing provocative about them, Vanessa

1. I have got used to the shellfish amuse problem. I don't complain to the restaurant. They serve me something I don't eat, don't charge me, I don't eat it. It's not a big issue, but I do (as I said) find it irritating. My personal preference would be that restaurants stop serving these iotems, but they seem to enjoy the tradition.

2. Yeah, I too was puzzled by the vegetables. I have truly never tasted anything so extremely mouth-puckering. They were uncomfortable, and after a few, impossible for a normal person to eat, and I have eaten and enjoyed raw chillis and hot curries and raw lemons (not together ). Clearly the vegetables had been specially treated, and that's why I likened my experience to Simon's report of "fierce and intense reductions", because I assume Chavot used the same technique in both cases. There were slices of tiny tomatoes in the couscous, and I tasted one tiny slice on its own and it made my eyes water My point about this is that it seems to me that Chavot intends it to be like this, and that's what I find stupid, ridiculous and insulting. It is absolutely my considered view that the couscous accompaniment was uneatable.

Believe me, I am not exaggerating.

As far as my overall view of the food is concerned, I paid £44 for two dishes, and ate a delightful piece of lamb plus some very bad food. I think "awful" is a fair description of that. I cannot say if my experience was typical, or likely to be repeated in future, but that's not my job. I record what I find.

So go and try Capital, Vanessa. I'll be very interested to read your review.

On the general issue, it is true that Andy tends to get defensive about the reputations of cooking professionals. I understand that. But it does start to miss the point of eGullet when people who write reviews are challenged at every opportunity to justify both their detailed comments, and the style of their reviews. I do have a tendency toward hyperbole, but everyone gets to know that. I am not swayed by reputation, nor do I make allowances for error in people whose position does not merit such allowance. But my written opinions will never shatter reputations, nor significantly affect the restaurants of which I write. That's not my job, I don't get paid for it, I'm not a professional critic.

I report what I find. I found the food at Capital to be awful and said so. By contrast, you might like to read my review of Comme Chez Soi in Brussels (in Europe, Other Countries) of a few days ago, which is entirely the opposite, or my reviews of Babbo and Gramercy Tavern in New York. I do not indulge in chef-bashing or restaurant-bashing for the sake of it.

[SamanthaF]

Help!  I had set my heart on going to The Capital the week after next, as the restaurant in London which I thought the most appealing for a top notch dinner and which e-gulleteers appeared to find was the best meal going at the moment.  Macrosan has set a spanner in the works.

Firstly a couple of questions to Macrosan, which I hope he does not find provocative:

1.  When making a reservation for a restaurant where it is known that extra-menu items are served, would it not be considerate - both to yourself and to the restaurant - to state any particular dietary issues when booking?

2.  I find the comment on bitter/acidic vegetables a little puzzling - but then maybe you found it puzzling at the time as well.  I mean, how can cabbage be mouth-puckering - unless it is sauerkraut?

My questions to the world at large are:

1. Can anyone provide a recent review of The Capital that soundly contradicts Macrosan's, to help restore my confidence in the place?

2. If not, where do people think the best dinner is to be had in London at the moment, with 3 provisos: a) nothing Asian (my dining companion has just overdosed on Asian food during a month-long trip to almost every East Asian country) b) No GR or MPW - my prejudice.  c) suggestions would have to be for places that are bookable around a week in advance (for a Tuesday evening).

Otherwise it'll be La Trompette.

v

Vanessa - I love The Capital and go there far too often Amuses are not always to my liking - but as Maccers has mentioned "they are free, so why worry"! (Not a direct quote I know )

Another place I would say is up near The Capital in terms of food, service etc..is Foliage (see ScottF's review), but they also served me a very small portion of lentils with my duck that I found inedible - they were bloody awful! Scott thought they were nice though no accounting for taste

I also love La Trompette - so have a good time when you decide where to go

[Vanessa]

Macrosan and SamanthaF - that's the kind of encouragement I was seeking

Will report anon.

v

[Matthew Grant]

We had lunch here 3 weeks ago and I was a little disappointed, I didn't like the dining room and while the food was OK it wasn't as good as I was expecting from previous posts. I haven't got any notes and it was my first meal out for ages so didn't post it as I thought my taste buds were a little out of practice After a few more meals out, I realise that it was just an average meal that sounded more interesting than it tasted.

I would however return if I continued to read favourable reviews and they moved the dining room out of the pokey little hole it currently occupies.

[Paul Bell]

You've all been warned about the room

We went to the Capital Sunday before last for dinner, and for the first time we were not totally impressed not helped by the fact that Eric Chavot did not appear to be in the kitchen and that Matthew Wilkin was not present either, (although the maitre d' Jacqueline was excellent).

The service was excellent except for the replacement sommelier who was nice enough but seemed to spend all his time looking for bottles of wine in the cellar rather than pouring those customers had ordered, He had to be prompted several times by other staff.

We had the tasting menu, swapping the foie gras for langoustines, chorizo and bruschetta. Both starters scallops with black pudding and the bruschetta were very good, both main courses (turbot with mushroom ravioli and the lamb with cous cous) were excellent, the sort of dishes that are memorable a long time afterwards and rank the capital as one of the best in London, clearly the cous cous was different from macrosans visit.

The desserts however were pants a poached fig with a little ribbon of ice cream (hazlenut or similar) and a small square (postage stamp sized) of a chocolate brownie with some ice cream on top, I do not think either of these were of the main menu (unlike last time we had the tasting menu) and were quite poor.

The desserts took the dge off the meal but having had four courses plus freebies etc they did not take away from a good meal with a couple of excellent courses.

Still think its better value for lunch though.

Paul