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Juniper


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Matthew Fort reviewed it this week see http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/...4444805,00.html (cant get the link thing to work at the moment!).

I ate there a few years ago before the refit and the change in menu style. It was quite a dressy sort of place, fairly formal, great food and I got to talk to the chef Paul Kitching as he had worked for Shaun Hill. If you get the chance, do have a word with him, hes a bit manic, but a very nice chap.

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Thanks Andy, I'm booked in for next Friday so I'll see if its as good as Fort thinks it is.

I've spoken to Paul before for work, it was just after Christmas lunch service and it sounded like he had been relaxing with a crate of champagne to himself.

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  • 7 months later...

Noticed Heston Blumenthal mentioned a dinner there in his Guardian column on Sat - 45 courses!!!

My question is how the hell does he manage to sling those out in the middle of a service? (and find the time to do the prep???) - doesn't look as if he's got an hanger-like kitchen, or adria-esque bridage of thousand willing to work for free in exchange for cv points...

Maybe his knifework is just speedier than average...

J

More Cookbooks than Sense - my new Cookbook blog!
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While no expert in the ways of restaurant and food review I thought it might be appreciated if I passed on some of my experience at Juniper from Saturday evening.

First, a lovely room and a warm welcome from a series of staff. Not at all imposing or intimidating and really rather relaxing [as indeed it should be]. Lashings of free champagne to start with [we were with the owner of another regarded local restaurant] and then on to our well appointed table. As well as the menu which is listed below we were 'treated' to some 'interesting' offerings which included powdered & dried corned beef, shredded and dried onions to name only a couple of the maybe 15 we were offered [including shooters]. Some were amazing, some were strange and some I simply didn't enjoy but the novelty, the sense of experimentation [almost exploring] and sheer frivolity of the situation were wonderful.

I should, at this point, salute the attention and authoritative staff. I maybe feeling old [i'm actually 32] but they made me feel absolutely prehistoric. However, their age in no way limited their abilities and knowledge of everything that passed our lips.

The wine was superb, the cheese outstanding with a pair of assiette between the four that each had 22 different cheeses [and there was only one I personally didn't enjoy]. However, I think we over extended ourselves [with a total of five not including champagne] so names escape me [for both the wine and the cheese] save for the fact that Burgundys of both persuasions were well represented [and under £50 a bottle].

Was the menu worth £75 a head. Possibly/probably but I'm convinced that the regular menu is excellent value for money [confirmation to follow in a fortnight]. We did get caught in the tail end of the Valentine's Day nightmare and did book only a day in advance so perhaps can only expect such a level of pricing. However, we certainly didn't feel in any way short-changed [and with in the region of 20 courses nor should we!].

In summary, Paul and his team were fantastic - we're going back and everyone should try it at least once!

Kind Regards

DeanValentines Dinner [Menu]

Caviar, Vegetable Dots

Pea Soup, Artichoke Bottoms, Tarragon and Horlicks

Grilled Scallops, Fruitcake Sauce, Prune Puree

Roasted Whole Beef Fillet, cooked and rested pink.

Onion Puree, Dried Basil leaves, Pineapple, Capers, Truffled Potato Puree

Assiette of Cheese

Mango Lasse

Battenburg Souffle

Passion Fruit Ice Cream

Coffee and Petit Fours

[oh and two G&Ts]

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  • 1 month later...

In the April edition of Gourmet Magazine, they mention Juniper and Paul Kitching's 45-course menu. They briefly describe one dish served on a toothbrush, "alongside a mint-flavored 'mouthwash.' "

Has anyone tried it?

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