Best meal eaten in the UK so far this year?

[Andy Lynes]

As we are now halfway through the year I thought it might be a good time to reflect one the best meals the UK restaurant scene has produced so far. I'm going to plump in a Robert Robinson stylee for my wonderful experience at Hibiscus (which you can read about by clicking http://www.alynes.freeserve.co.uk/hibiscus.html ). What has been yours, and what are you looking forward to in the neazr future?

[circeplum]

definitely locanda locatelli. still dreaming about those truffled gnocchi. looking forward to the revamped wheelers (i know it's marco pierre, but hey), the rumoured charlie trotter and sketch.

i just love restaurants.

[Scottf]

La Trompette for me. Excellent starter and main more than made up for a slightly less praiseworthy dessert.

Best meal experience overall all though was at Les Magnolias in outskirts of Paris.

Going for 4/5 days in NY from next weekend and we're hitting Blue Hill, Veritas, Gramercy and Union Pacific so even though not in the UK I'm looking forward to that

Sam and I are Dim Summing with SM Saturday lunchtime before going to Finsbury for Oasis, and work have just offered me a free meal with my partner for all the extra hours I've been working lately, so a return visit to La Trompette could be in order

[AdamLawrence]

Croque-en-Bouche in Malvern Wells on Valentine's night. Sadly the place has since closed - the owners decided they wanted to retire. Ate and drank like a king for very reasonable money. I've rarely enjoyed a restaurant meal as much.

I'm looking forward to going to Burgundy at the start of September

Adam

edit disclosure: added that to which I am looking forward

[circeplum]

Sam and I are Dim Summing with SM Saturday lunchtime

where are you dim summing?

(don't worry, i don't intend to stalk ...)

[Miss J]

I love The Salusbury. Good, simple Italian food and decent wine - and cheap by this forum's exalted standards.

I had a osso bucco with braised fennel and homemade saffron pappardelle there a few months ago, and it was gorgeous. It was so nice I nearly floated out afterwards (which is impressive given how much I'd eaten). The Salusbury's only flaw is that it's full of loud trustafarians...Queens Park is becoming more like Notting Hill every day.

Miss J

[thom]

Merchant House.

A note-perfect meal, seemingly simple, but far beyond the ken of mere mortals. The scallops with curry sauce starter (Ok, I'm being flippant, Shaun himself may have named the dish more eloquently than that) is undoubtably the culinary highpoint of my year so far. A joy.

As for anticipation of anything looming on the horizon... Probably (and predictably) my next trip to Ludlow. I did a 4 hour round trip for lunch last time...

[Kikujiro]

puts on flak jacket

GR at Claridges

heads for hills

In terms of new discoveries, Capital in Gerrard St (which now seems to be called ECapital; can anyone explain this?) has cheered me up tremendously.

[SamanthaF]

Mmmmmm...best so far this year?

As Scott has mentioned, La Trompette was pretty good, I really enjoyed my grub, company not bad either

However, my best Main dish so far this year in the UK was at Le Trouvaille with the 1st London Egullet dinner when I had the Belly Pork. WELL dodgy company though

[Tonyfinch]

I enjoyed my meal at Embassy in January bit the best dish I've had so far was Osso Buco with Parmesan Risotto at Incognico.

[Simon Majumdar]

1)Locanda Locatelli

2)The Capital

3)Capital Gerrard St

[circeplum]

In terms of new discoveries, Capital in Gerrard St (which now seems to be called ECapital; can anyone explain this?)

they had copyright problems - something to do with the original capital maybe?

[tony h]

The 5 memoralbe meals I've had this year are (no particular order)

London:

Capital

The Square

Le Gavroche

(sorry - I just noticed the in the Uk bit - ah well)

Oz

Edzard - Melbourne

Rockpool - Sydney

[mogsob]

Best Meals: Roussillon (London's answer to Gramercy Tavern), Hunan (on a whim and Simon's suggestion).

Wow Dish: Crispy Aromatic Duck at Royal China (first time I ever had this dish), Roasted Spring Lamb at Roussillon (also a first for me in England)

[macrosan]

I have to nominate Chapter One in Farnborough, Kent. This place was recommended to me by Scott and Samantha at the eGullet Dinner last year, so when I was invited there by a supplier I jumped at the chance.

Service in the bar was awful, and in the restaurant slightly 'posh' for my liking, but the food, wine and decor were excellent.

[Scottf]

Macrosan

I'm pleasantly surprised by your choice. My choice was a toss up between La Trompette and Chapter One, but I loved my starter at La Trompette so that gave it the edge for me.

We'll have to pay Chapter One a visit together in the not too distant future

[oliva]

Hakkassan is my favourite "newish" place.

But I have to say the best dim sum I have ever had in London (or anywhere else for that matter, except in Hong Kong) is at the Royal China in Queensway.

[cabrales]

For me, the best meal in the UK during the past year was at Gordon Ramsay RHR.

[Gary Marshall]

My best in terms of surpassing expectations was the star at harome. the best in terms of all round (and expected given its rating) excellence a tasting menu at Winteringham Fields (a well deserved chef of the year award too for germain schwab i see!)

[magnolia]

best meal so far this year was at tinseltown diner with egullet crowd

JUST KIDDING! Great for company and milkshakes...towering empire state hamburger would have been good if I had been able to eat it !

I´m in Valencia right for the second time in a month, now just digesting fantastic yummy lunch and half a bottle of wine, and dreaming of tapas, so I can´t concentrate on London. Plus it´s about 99 degrees F here so I can´t concentrate on anything except that this internet cafe is air condionizado or however you say it !

As Sam mentioned the pork belly from La Trouvaille, which is also high on my list of good things eaten this year...I wonder if we could split this discussion up or start another one, to accomodate 'best dishes of the year' , that way we could construct a dream meal from different restaurants and not just pick one?

Come to think of it, my whoe meal at Mju was definitely way ,way up there...

Either the eyes on the clickable smilies are blinking and winking, or I´ve definitely had too much to drink. ¡a dios!

[Miss J]

*checks grey German skies*

Okay, that's it folks. I want to go hang out with Magnolia!

Miss J

[Wilfrid]

Yes, The Capital - by some distance I think. And the pleasantest surprise - Le Pigalle.

[Bapi]

In order:

1. Hibiscus - I am totally in agreement with Andy Lynes. I have been twice this year, March and then June, both meals were superb. The latter meal just pipped the former, which in itself was some feat. Sheer inventive genius.

2. Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons- Dishes on offer were Leek and Foie gras terrine with shaved black truffles, and an excellent Langoustine Canneloni topped with Sevruga Caviar., and a succulent and uniformly pink squab cooked in salt crust

3. The Waterside Inn- See earlier thread.

4. The Merchant House.

5. The Trinity, at The Crown and Castle.

Crikey - I hope my bank manager isn't an e-gullet member.

[cabrales]

2. Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons-  Dishes on offer  were Leek and Foie gras terrine with shaved black truffles, and an excellent Langoustine Canneloni topped with Sevruga Caviar., and a succulent and uniformly pink squab cooked in salt crust

Bapi -- Was the squab in a salt crust lodged within a pastry shell that looked like a cute squab? I have seen a picture of such a dish, as described in the "Humor" (or similarly named) thread under "General".

[Bapi]

Yes, that’s the one, the crust is manipulated to look like a pigeon. Rather un-nervingly they serve the "salt crust" head on you plate as well. The crust helps to keep the meat wonderfully moist.

Not exactly the same dish as we had , but this recipe was taken of the Le Manoir web site.

http://eclipse.usp.net/usp/manoir/recipedb...ORMRecipeID=209