The Restaurant, Hyde Park Hotel

[Andy Lynes]

In Jay Rayner's fascinating interview with Marco Pierre White in the current edition of the Observer Food Monthly, Rayner describes a meal at MPW's The Restaurant, Hyde Park Hotel as "the most expensive meal I have ever bought with my own money, at £267 for two." He goes on to say that "It was also the most joyless. I remember almost nothing of what I ate, save a pig's trotter dish that he had cooked in homage to the chef, Pierre Koffman. The rest was a dismal procession of prissiness plated more for design than taste. What I do recall is the funereal atmosphere of the up-itself dining room, the gloomy demeanour of the staff and the sommelier who suggested a £75 bottle of wine when we had asked for something at £50."

This struck me as a real shame, as I remember my lunch there on my birthday in 1994 as one of the best I have ever had. A stupendous risotto nero (never bettered), then turbot with grain mustard sauce and noodles for me, herb stuffed chicken with potato gratin for the wife and two amazing prune and armangac souffles to finish. A bottle of chablis 92 (£22.00), two set lunches at £22.50 each and a glass of Elysium dessert wine plus £6.00 for a bottle of water bought the bill to £78.00 plus service.

I remember service as exemplary, especially as the maitre'd remembered us from a year earlier at La Tante Claire, where he was then working, and the fact that my wife had been pregnant at the time. Marco was in the kitchen, and could be clearly heard from the dining room berating his brigade everytime the automatic door slid open, "come on, or we're really be in the shit!"

I mentioned to a waiter that it had been a wonderful meal but could he please mention to Marco that I had found the charge for water excessive. A credit for £6.00 duly appeared on my next credit card statement. A great cook and a great restaurateur.

[jayrayner]

This struck me as a real shame

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You can be sure that no one was more distressed by this dismal experience than I was. Remember, I was years away from becoming a restaurant critic. Although I went to restaurants regularly, I did not have the money to do so regularly so it was absolutely not a case of ennui or jaded palate. It was as I describe: dull, sombre, a misery and memorable only for that.

[Andy Lynes]

I do remember that the bargain lunch was in sharp contrast to the £75.00 a head a la carte which had a number of supplements; if I recall correctly, sea bass cost an extra £20.00 although it may have come with some caviar or something.

At that time, I associated MPW's name with very good dining experiences and ate at every restaurant he was directly or indirectly involved in - The Canteen, Interlude de Chavot, Aubergine etc etc. It was only a bad experience at the Criterion and then a mediocre and very expensive meal at The Mirabelle that put me off. I haven't yet made it to Frankies or indeed eaten one of Dettori's frozen pizzas. Maybe if they rebrand them "Marco and Frankie's Pizza Pie" I might be tempted.

[emsny]

My experience was more akin to Jay Rayner's than to Andy Lynes's. The maitre d'hotel avidly tried to sell me unwanted items at additional cost; one dish (scallops with squid or cuttlefish ink sauce) seemed a very weak imitation of Koffmann's, which I'd eaten a day or two earlier (I was on vacation); I ordered it expressly to make the comparison, not that it's any sacrifice to eat scallops twice in the space of a few days. (It is, of course, possible that White arrived at his dish independently - any chef would find it a visually striking combination with the potential to be delicious too.) Koffmann's was lifted with a few splashes of chili puree, I recall, perhaps piment d'Espelette; the ink sauce itself was flavorful and interesting, and the scallops were SO perfectly cooked. The Hyde Park version was as monochromatic as its inky sauce, and the scallops were overcooked - not enough to be rubbery, but enough for it to be obvious that someone wasn't paying attention. The atmosphere in the room was funereal, I thought. I felt uncomfortable and even a little suspicious throughout dinner (thanks to that attempt to sell me things I didn't want). It's unfortunate that evenings like that can stick in the mind as vividly as the great ones - though had it not been for this nearly A-B tasting I'd probably have forgotten Koffmann's scallops, so in a way I have White's unsuccessful dish to thank for the memory.

I had a terrific after-theater supper once at Mirabelle, though.

[jamiemaw]

I do remember that the bargain lunch was in sharp contrast to the £75.00 a head a la carte which had a number of supplements; if I recall correctly, sea bass cost an extra £20.00 although it may have come with some caviar or something.

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Although I realize that your luncheon was some time ago, Andy, are these types of ingredients still widely available on English menus, i.e. Chilean sea bass or Russian caviar?

Edited July 12, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[Andy Lynes]

Yes, J Sheekey offers caviar and Fishworks has sea bass on their current menu. I would say that bass is one of the most popular restaurant fish in this country. Its also on Rick Stein's current menu.

[jamiemaw]

Yes, J Sheekey offers caviar and Fishworks has sea bass on their current menu. I would say that bass is one of the most popular restaurant fish in this country. Its also on Rick Stein's current menu.

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To stay on topic, I always thought that the beds at the Hyde Park were rather more comfortable than the cooking--in all its many incarnations.

I understand why sea bass is such a popular restaurant dish--it's forgiving even in the hands of novitiates, holds well and is naturally unctuous. For these reasons it's also been a popular catering (event) entree.

So my question is this: What's the level of recognition of the endangerment of this species in the UK? And, same question, regards Russian caviar, bluefin, local species etc. I've read several articles of interest in The Guardian, but are these issues on the civilian radar yet?

Perhaps this deserves a new thread, but I'd be interested to know your thoughts.

Edited July 12, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[Jon Tseng]

Restaurant at Hyde Park. Nice joint. Decor was more Italienate than I was expecting. I seem to remember stripy wallpaper and mirrors. I was there for lunch so it was quite quiet.

Amuse scallop with deep-fried baby cuttlefish (with with legs on top) and the Sauce Nero - a micro version of the Marco classic (think it was a Marco dish, though he might have nicked it from Pierre Koffman; if anyone has an old menu I think the dishes were dated by year of creation - that would tell you). Nice; seem to remember the squid wasn't as crispy as it could have been. Mum thought the Sauce Nero tasted like soy sauce.

Starter was marinated salmon (this was the cheaper set lunch) - OK, basically gravadlax. Thin strips cut across the whole width of a fillet. 2x Beignet (ok, deep-fried battered) oyster on the side.

Main was rump steak with bone marrow on top. Bit prosaic for a *** but very nice and tender. Pudding was a raspberry souffle which was overly sweet. A nice touch was stripes of raspberry coulis painted on the inside of the ramekin so when the souffle rose it had stripes on the outside.

Main and starter were pretty much as featured in the Canteen Cookbook (an underrated book - good stuff there on accompaniments, sauces and garnishes)

Overall very pleasant. Not blow your socks off (but it was only lunch) but all very well executed. The Maitre-D was nice without being obsequious

Also had supper at the Oak Room very shortly after MPW stepped down (basically the same food... but for only forty quid). Can't remember much but had the pigs trotter which was covered in an avalanche of cubed black truffle - unfortunately tasteless (preserved? Chinese?)

Interesting to note that ten years ago three courses was £75 - a price point still not matched by and places can think of in London for a fixed carte and only beaten probably by Sketch, Gavroche and Waterside alc

cheers

J

[Matthew Grant]

I understand why sea bass is such a popular restaurant dish--it's forgiving even in the hands of novitiates, holds well and is naturally unctuous. For these reasons it's also been a popular catering (event) entree.

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Personally I think its a rather unforgiving fish in the wrong hands, slightly overcooked and it is useless.

Anyway, back to MPW, I never ate at the Restaurant but did get to the Oak Room while MPW was still there. Exemplary service and food. I still remember a red mullet soup and a dish for two of Guinea fowl with Black truffles. The room was a real temple of gastronomy and a little sombre but the Maitre D' looked after us superbly.

Personally, these times were the most exciting to be eating out in London. Nico, MPW, Pierre Koffman all at the top of their game, Ramsay starting out on the path to greatness. Fantastic.

[Almass]

In Jay Rayner's fascinating interview with Marco Pierre White in the current edition of the Observer Food Monthly, Rayner describes a meal at MPW's The Restaurant, Hyde Park Hotel as "the most expensive meal I have ever bought with my own money, at £267 for two." He goes on to say that  "It was also the most joyless. I remember almost nothing of what I ate, save a pig's trotter dish that he had cooked in homage to the chef, Pierre Koffman. The rest was a dismal procession of prissiness plated more for design than taste. What I do recall is the funereal atmosphere of the up-itself dining room, the gloomy demeanour of the staff and the sommelier who suggested a £75 bottle of wine when we had asked for something at £50."

This struck me as a real shame, as I remember my lunch there on my birthday in 1994 as one of the best I have ever had. A stupendous risotto nero (never bettered), then turbot with grain mustard sauce and noodles for me, herb stuffed chicken with potato gratin for the wife and two amazing prune and armangac souffles to finish. A bottle of chablis 92 (£22.00), two set lunches at £22.50 each and a glass of Elysium dessert wine plus £6.00 for a bottle of water bought the bill to £78.00 plus service.

I remember service as exemplary, especially as the maitre'd remembered us from a year earlier at La Tante Claire, where he was then working, and the fact that my wife had been pregnant at the time. Marco was in the kitchen, and could be clearly heard from the dining room berating his brigade everytime the automatic door slid open, "come on, or we're really be in the shit!"

I mentioned to a waiter that it had been a wonderful meal but could he please mention to Marco that I had found the charge for water excessive. A credit for £6.00 duly appeared on my next credit card statement. A great cook and a great restaurateur.

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Typical Marco experiences. This is so frequent to have different people having different experiences at the HydePark. I had a roller coaster of different experiences at MPW restaurant and it seemed to be related to the phase of the moon and the alignement of the stars in MPW galaxy.

Same with Gordan Ramsay and incidentally he seems to take few leafs out of MPW finanancial genius by having several Ltd companies for each restaurant and to top it all a Holding Ltd company. Go figure.

But what is puzling in Jay Rayner's article is the fact that he checked companies house on MPW companies but he shied away of getting the financial documents that would have clearly given him as to whom are the shareholders and the percentage of equity each owns! Maybe he was saving on 19quid or he is just saving us the embarrassement that it would have caused to MPW as some shareholders name are rather delicate and embarassing.

It is the same old system where a restaurant cannot possibly keep the same standards day in and day out. To top it all, the financial losses do not make it easy to run such multi stared establishment. And anyone bothered to interview the creative director of a well known agency as to how these famous dishes were designed.

The role of the Chef is twofolds. One is to run the kitchen and two to cook the blooming food. It is when these Chefs consider themselves above the level of staying in front of an open stove that the s**t hit the fan. It is when MPW and GR and others are too busy making TV programmes or opening new joints that level start falling down. When those guys were working the kitchen, the levels were fantastic and then GR decided to put in place his selected protegees picked from you know who and MPW was too high to be able to stand up.

Will F. Adria he fall in the same trap? and what of other capable famous Chefs?

Time will tell.

Further to Andy Lynes observation. Post edited to correct J. Rainer gender.

Edited July 12, 2005 by Almass (log)

[mrshugget]

I remember the restaurant having beautiful paintings and the most incredible flowers. Also too, an amazing sea bass dish, the top paved with caviar.

In response to Jamie's question, there is still lots of sea bass in UK restaurants, but the vast majority of it is farmed, not wild. In any case, our sea bass is a different type of fish from Chilean sea bass, which is not a sea bass at all, but a Patagonian toothfish.

[Andy Lynes]

But what is puzling in Jay Rayner's article is the fact that she checked companies house on MPW companies but she shied away of getting the financial documents that would have clearly given her as to whom are the shareholders and the percentage of equity each owns! Maybe she was saving on 19quid or she is just saving us the embarrassement that it would have caused to MPW as some shareholders name are rather delicate and embarassing.

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I assume you didn't see the print version of this article and its charming photo of the author holding hands with his subject, otherwise you would know that Jay is most definately a man.

[Andy Lynes]

I remember the restaurant having beautiful paintings

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From the chef's own private collection I believe.

[Andy Lynes]

I understand why sea bass is such a popular restaurant dish--it's forgiving even in the hands of novitiates, holds well and is naturally unctuous. For these reasons it's also been a popular catering (event) entree.

So my question is this: What's the level of recognition of the endangerment of this species in the UK? And, same question, regards Russian caviar, bluefin, local species etc. I've read several articles of interest in The Guardian, but are these issues on the civilian radar yet?

Perhaps this deserves a new thread, but I'd be interested to know your thoughts.

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New thread started here. Please address this issue on the new thread and not here. Thanks.

[MobyP]

Jay is most definately a man.

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That's a bit judgenmental of you, isn't it Andy?

[Andy Lynes]

I'm talking purely in terms of gender and ignoring the fact that he doesn't like beer and has a weakness for Broadway musicals.