Enjoy Milford on Sea: 50 B4 50-Dining Challenge

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10 March 2015

50 B4 50-Restaurant Gordon Ramsay

At last the day had come to enjoy one of our belated Wedding Presents to Matthew & Kayleigh. Any present is of course best shared, so we had decided to go along too.

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The day did not start great, as the heating and hot water broke. However, my wife must have liked me a little bit this day, as I was not directly blamed for her cold shower!

Soon we were on the train to Clapham Junction, then a short taxi ride to Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea.

I have to be honest, my expectations were not too high, as it seems the 'Ramsey Brand' has become somewhat confused, also having taken a look at the menu on-line it had not jumped out at me.

Restaurant Gordon Ramsay holds three Michelin stars, and is one of only four in the country to have this accolade. Today the Chef Patron is Clare Smyth MBE, and it was nice to hear she was actually in the kitchen creating her modern French cuisine for this lunchtime service.

The restaurant is small, but beautifully decorated, and there was a clever use of the space to generate a grand effect. The greeting was warm, and everyone of the many staff went out of their way to smile and say hello as we were taken to our table.

At the perfectly laid table there was a 'handbag stool', and nice touch for the ladies - and so French!

We had opted for the Menu Prestige, effectively the eight course taster menu. As we were offered drinks, the wine list also arrived, it was thicker than 'War & Peace' and the weight of a paving slab!

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I was drawn to a South African wine simply called 'The Chocolate Block'. Jan Kontezki, the head sommelier explained that it was a mixture of Syrah, Grenache & Cabernet, - and that name came from the concept 'that once opened you couldn't stop until you had finished!' The bottle was a magnum, but with four of us it was worth the treat.

As the feast started we were all waiting in anticipation. Then as the courses flowed we were not let down, indeed everything just seemed to be an exquisite new experience.

Over the four hour meal, we were busy enjoying both each others company, and the ridiculous conversations we were having. The girls were delighted to be facing the full restaurant, as they could also do plenty of 'people watching' and report on the activities taking place on the tables we could not see. It was obvious who were people like us having a very special treat, and those that were used to dining like this most days.

When we arrived at the main course we knew the previous courses of Foie gras, Ravioli of lobster, Isle of Gigha halibut must be almost impossible to beat. But no, the pigeon was the best ever, and the jus must have taken days to create judging by its amazing depth and richness. There was no doubt we were having one of the ultimate dining experiences.

The Hot Towel 'Chicken'
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The two sweet courses and cheese board continued the excellence, and the wine had been flowing nicely. So, when the hot towels arrived, we decided to do out party piece and make them into a 'chicken', - which we then sent into the kitchen with the 'diners compliments.' Not sure this happens every day, but the waiting team smiled, - either through amusement, or embarrassment!

Throughout the meal the deep and exotic flavours, were combined with perfectly matched ingredients and textures. It was also impossible not to notice that great thought had gone into all of the crockery, ensuring each dish also became a work of art to please the eyes as well as palate.

The whole experience had been as wonderful as it had been unexpected, and the numerous waiting staff had pulled off the difficult trick of providing formal attentive service with an informal air. The Maitre D', Jean-Claude Breton was friendly and chatty, and it was clear he was watching every corner of the dining room to ensure that everyone got the ultimate service experience to go with the sublime dishes.

Before visiting, we thought we had a clear Top 3 restaurants, - however Restaurant Gordon Ramsay has now thrown our list into turmoil!

Menu Prestige

Baked potato mousse with bacon in egg shell with black truffle
~

Pressed foie gras with green apples, turnips, watercress and smoked duck

Ravioli of lobster, langoustine and salmon poached in a light bisque, oscietra caviar and sorrel velouté

Isle of Gigha halibut with Atlantic king crab, finger lime and ras el hanout infused broth

Cotswold lamb and winter vegetable “Navarin”, braised shank and confit breast

or
Roast pigeon with fennel, sautéed foie gras, lavender, honey and orange

Selection of cheeses from the trolley or Mango, jasmine and passion fruit soup

Cucumber sorbet, salad burnet, lemon verbena and mint

Lemonade parfait with honey, bergamot and sheep’s milk yoghurt sorbet

English peppermint soufflé with bitter chocolate sorbet

Coffee & Petit Fours

Restaurant Gordon Ramsay

68 Royal Hospital Road, London, SW3 4HP
www.gordonramsay.com/royalhospitalroad

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50 B4 50-DINING CHALLENGE

Michelin Stars Collected So Far: 67

50 B4 50 Challenged explained: click here

3 Michelin Star
London: Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
London: Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester**
Berkshire-Bray: The Fat Duck
Berkshire-Bray: The Waterside Inn
Belgium-Bruges: De Karmeliet

2 Michelin Star

London: La Gavroche | Dinner by Heston Blumenthal | Hibiscus | Marcus | The Square
Berkshire: Michael Wignall at The Latymer**
Buckinghamshire: Hand and Flowers**** (Hand and Flowers at Harrods)
Oxfordshire: Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
France-Paris: Georges V Hotel

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No Michelin Stars, but restaurants visited since July 2013 that are worth a mention:

London | Street XO - www.streetxo.com
London | Mere - www.mere-restaurant.com
London | RAC Club - www.royalautomobileclub.co.uk

Cornwall: Padstow | The Seafood Restaurant (Rick Stein) - www.rickstein.com/eat-with-us/the-seafood-restaurant
Devon | River Cottage HQ - www.rivercottage.net/hq

Dorset: Mudeford | The Jetty - www.thejetty.co.uk
Hampshire: Farnborough | The Aviator - www.aviatorbytag.com
Hampshire: Brockenhurst | The Pig - www.thepighotel.com
Hampshire: Lymington | The Mill at Gordleton - www.themillatgordleton.co.uk
Hampshire: Lymington | The Elderflower - www.elderflowerrestaurant.co.uk
Hampshire: Lymington | The Haven - www.havenrestaurant.co.uk

Hampshire: Lyndhurst | Hartnett Holder & Co - www.limewoodhotel.co.uk/hartnett-holder-and-co
Hampshire: Milford on Sea | Verveine Fishmarket Restaurant - www.verveine.co.uk

Hampshire: Milford on Sea | La Perle - www.laperlemilford.co.uk
Hampshire: New Milton | Vetiver (Chewton Glen Hotel) - www.chewtonglen.com/restaurant
Isle of Wight: Yarmouth | The George - www.thegeorge.co.uk
London | The Ivy - www.the-ivy.co.uk
London | L’Escargot - www.lescargot.co.uk
London | Dishoom - www.dishoom.co.uk

London | J Sheeky Oyster Bar - www.jsheekeyoysterbar.co.uk

London | Franco's - www.francoslondon.com
London | Winter Garden (Landmark Hotel) - www.landmarklondon.co.uk/en/marylebone-bar-restaurant/winter-garden
Surrey: Guildford | Brittens - www.brittensrestaurant.com

Surrey: Ripley |Toby Cottage - www.tobycottage.co.uk
West Sussex: Brighton | A Taste of Sahara - www.atasteofsahara.com
West Sussex: Brighton | 64 Degrees - www.64degrees.co.uk

40 B4 40: click here

07 December 2014

50 B4 50-The Fat Duck

The Fat Duck

This restaurant has been an ambition for many, many years and at last the day has come thanks to my wife's generous Birthday present.

As we got ready we thought it wise to check the Dress Code -which read; 'Come along however you feel comfortable'. I resisted wearing shorts and tee shirt. I say 'resisted', what I actually mean is my wife told me; 'you can do that over your dead body!'.

Looking lovely, we arrived in Bray, which now has 2 pubs owned by Heston Blumenthal, his 'Experimental Kitchen', a building for staff dining and down a small lane about 400 yards long, is Alain Roux's Waterside Inn, which is the best restaurant we have been fortunate enough to have dined in.

The Fat Duck itself is in an unpretentious converted cottage and simply decorated inside.

The greeting was warm, informal and friendly and when we arrived at the table the first thing we noticed was nothing. Usually you would expect expensive charger plates, fine crystal, gleaming cutlery and table decorations. All we had was a plain white linen table cloth with a small bowl of flowers, that was it.

The Fat Duck has one menu and everyone dining has the same - a tasting menu with 14 courses!

When booking, you are told to 'Allow 4 1/2 hours for this menu'. I had suggested to my wife we could bring a book or iPod, but one look told me that was a bad idea, this was followed by a clear instruction; 'You can talk to me'. Not being an expert at chatting unnecessarily, I reluctantly agreed to give it a go.

The menu was described as "A sequence of dishes designed not only to capture a delicious and exciting range of flavours, textures and aromas, but also to bring multi-sensory appeal, some culinary history and a sense of theatre to the dining experience."

As we dined, none of that statement could be argued with. It would be too much to go blow by blow through each course, but the main highlights were the 'Beetroot & Horseradish' canapé which exploded with flavours and surprising textures in the mouth and was amazing on every level. The famous Snail Porridge was as tasty as weird, I had the best scallop I have ever tasted, The 'Mad Hatters Tea Party' was spectacular to look at and the theatrical staging from the dissolvable watch to the mad toast sandwiches pure theatre.

If I hadn't tasted it, I wouldn't have believed it, - but one course, the 'Hot & Iced Tea' could not be explained, - as you drunk, the liquid in your mouth was hot on one side, and on the other cold! - no idea how they did this one. I could go on through the menu, as there is so much, that is so good.

There was only one course my wife did not like as she is not keen on 'smoky' flavours, I, on the other hand love them, so with a stroke of luck I got two portions of the Jelly of Quail. Sadly, she liked all of the sweet courses so I was rationed to my own portions.

One extra nice touch was when one of our waitresses spotted my wife was left handed (yes, I know - weird), from then on she laid her cutlery the other way round for each course.

It was now clear why the table setting was so 'plain', it was to ensure that everything was totally focussed on each creation bought to the table.

As the fourteenth course arrived I had done OK on the 'talking thing', hadn't upset or offended anyone, nor had any of my wife's 'looks' - so things had turned out pretty well. As I sat, very contented and full, I was now hoping I could now have a rest from 'talking' for a few weeks.

We had heard the The Fat Duck was more about the 'theatre' than the food. Our experience differs - we were definitely blown away by the 'theatre', but it is more than that, the food was delicious, flavours as clever as they were unusual, and everything was a feast for the eyes, senses and mind.

This is not food you can eat everyday, but as a once in a lifetime experience it was one of our best.

Tasting Menu - 14 Courses

NITRO POACHED APERITIFS

Vodka and Lime Sour, Gin and Tonic, Tequila and Grapefruit

RED CABBAGE GAZPACHO

Pommery Grain Mustard Ice Cream

JELLY OF QUAIL, CRAYFISH CREAM

Chicken Liver Parfait, Oak Moss and Truffle Toast

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SNAIL PORRIDGE

Iberico Bellota Ham, Shaved Fennel

ROAST FOIE GRAS

Barberry, Confit Kombu and Crab Biscuit

MAD HATTER'S TEA PARTY (c.1892)

Mock Turtle Soup, Pocket Watch and Toast Sandwich

"SOUND OF THE SEA"

SALMON POACHED IN A LIQUORICE GEL

Artichoke, Vanilla Mayonnaise and Golden Trout Roe

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UMBLE PIE

HOT AND ICED TEA

EGGS IN VERJUS (c.1726), VERJUS IN EGG (c.2013)

BOTRYTIS CINEREA

WHISK(E)Y WINE GUMS

"LIKE A KID IN A SWEET SHOP"

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Footnote: The Fat Duck Restaurant is moving to the Crown Towers Hotel in Melbourne, Australia for 6 months from January 2015. We chatted to our sommelier, and she excitedly told us that this meant everyone from the Fat Duck was going; that was the kitchen brigade of 20+, all of the front of house team of around 16 people, plus every pot, pan and plate from the kitchen!

Whilst they are all away, The Fat Duck in Bray is being fully refurbished. No doubt Heston will be launching something new and wonderful when he reopens. So, just as we took one of our biggest wishes off the list, it looks like a new one will be going on later next year!

In the meantime, back to reality and good home cooked food. All food is great, and often the company is more important than what is on the plate. (With a bit of luck that last comment will score me lots of brownie points to cash in for the stupid things I am bound to do over Christmas!)

The Fat Duck

High Street, Bray, Berkshire SL6 2AQ

www.thefatduck.co.uk

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50 B4 50-DINING CHALLENGE

Michelin Stars Collected So Far: 46

50 B4 50 Challenged explained: click here

3 Michelin Star
London: Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester
Berkshire-Bray: The Fat Duck
Berkshire-Bray: The Waterside Inn
Bruges, Belgium: De Karmeliet

2 Michelin Star

London: La Gavroche, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Hibiscus, Pied a Terre, Marcus.
Berkshire: Michael Wignall at The Latymer (Penny Hill Park Hotel) (*Twice)
Buckinghamshire: Hand & Flowers (*3 Times!)
France-Paris: Georges V Hotel

1 Michelin Star
London: Benares, L’Autre Pied, Quilon, Social Eating House (*Twice), Veeraswamy, The Savoy Grill, L’Escargot
Hampshire: Terrace Restaurant (Montague Arms), Vetiver (Chewton Glen Hotel), JSW.
Sussex: Ockenden Manor

*To read the review on any of the above restaurants, put 'restaurant name' in this blog's search box.

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No Michelin Stars, but restaurants visited since July 2013 that are worth a mention:

Milford on Sea | Verveine Fishmarket Restaurant- www.verveine.co.uk

London | J Sheeky Oyster Bar - www.jsheekeyoysterbar.co.uk

Lymington | The Elderflower - www.elderflowerrestaurant.co.uk
London | The Ivy - www.the-ivy.co.uk
Lymington | The Haven - www.havenrestaurant.co.uk

Devon | River Cottage HQ - www.rivercottage.net/hq
Guildford | Brittens - www.brittensrestaurant.com

50 B4 50-The Latymer

This has been the most surreal week, with belated (and ridiculously generous) Birthday presents all coming together, - A Cookery Course in London, Dinner at The Latymer, Lily Allen in Concert and a much anticipated trip to the The Fat Duck.

Discovering food may be a weird hobby, but it's an enjoyable one. Not sure why I am so lucky, but I am certainly very grateful.

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Michael Wignall at The Latymer

Our good friends Dave & Jay, together with their fun wives Sam and Mel, surprised us with an invitation to experience Michael Wignall's two Michelin Starred cooking at The Latymer restaurant within the Pennyhill Park Hotel.

When we booked our taxi, we had no idea that Evel Knievel was now a cab driver! - it was a relief when he pulled into the long drive to this impressive country house hotel set with 123 acres of rolling Surrey parkland. Walking inside it takes you into another world of how the other half lives. Personally, I like being in the bottom half, as I don't think dining this way every day would be much fun, but as a one-off experience it is enjoyable to do.

Another very nice surprise came my way when Dave told us all we were having the 10 course taster menu.

The meal started with canapés, bread and the first tuna starter, all of which were extraordinary, and I thought I might possibly be heading towards the best meal I had ever had. However, we then had some courses which the others really liked, but they were simply not my favourite flavours (broccoli, butternut squash - vegetables of the devil!).

The fish and meat courses were all tasty, and it was clear we were eating the finest ingredients. Our accompanying Sancerre was also flowing copiously.

The sweets were a mixture, they were certainly clever and pretty, but not ‘sweet enough’ for me, although again others in our group really liked them. It is a shame to be critical when the hard work that had gone into every plate was so obvious, but personal taste buds rule!

The presentation of all dishes were superbly artistic and the service very good.

As we dined, chatting and laughing a lot, there were groups of guys around the hotel that looked like they had been in a fight, (and they had) - it was the England Rugby team who had earlier that day beaten Australia 26-17 in a gruelling match at Twickenham.

As we left, the England Rugby team coach blocked our way, and our taxi driver was anxious to get his foot hard down on the accelerator pedal - again! After waiting several minutes the guys decided we should ask the driver if he could move. As we debated who should go, Dave's wife Sam simply got out, charmed the driver and we were on our way.

Often it takes a woman to get things done!

Tasting Menu - 10 Course

Tuna

Seared Yellowfin tuna and tartare, kohlrabi, compressed watermelon, dehydrated yoghurt, avocado rocks, maitake

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Broccoli

Charred sprouting broccoli, parsley root, pumpkin granola, sweet potato, trompettes, brillat savarin

Duck

Tea smoked Goosnargh duck, marinated liver, salt baked celeriac, alba truffle, celery

Halibut

Cornish halibut, roasted scallop, textures of cauliflower, Iberico lardo, scallop and charcoal emulsion

Cassoulet of Clams

Cassoulet of razor clams and cockles, cuttlefish gnocchi and wafer, poached quail egg

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Beef

Belted Galloway fillet, salt and pepper veal sweetbread, juniper scented abalone, oyster root, soy and shitake

Savoury

Crispy choux pastry, warm mont d’or espuma, cumin and carrot ice cream with munster cheese

Chocolate and Sugar Snap

Steamed chocolate sponge, olive oil and white chocolate, sugar snap peas, freeze dried mandarin

Pumpkin

Textures of pumpkin and seeds, chocolate gel, crème fraiche

Salsify

Liquorice scented salsify, buckwheat puffed and creamed, liquorice meringue, polenta crumb

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Petit Fours: Bitter Chocolate and Hazelnut, Salted Peanut Truffle, Bounty Cup, Salted Caramel Macaroon, Raisin Fudge, Dark Chocolate Fudge, Bubblegum Marshmallow, Apple Marshmallow, Sour Cola Marshmallow, Sesame and Poppy Seed Tuile, Blackcurrante Pate de Fruit, Pear and Allspice Pate de Fruit, Beetroot and Orange Pate de Fruit.

Michael Wignall at The Latymer | Pennyhill Park Hotel

London Road, Bagshot, Surrey, GU19 5EU

www.pennyhillpark.co.uk

19 October 2014

50 B4 50-De Karmeliet

De Karmeliet

After far too long, we at last arranged a visit to stay with our friends, Jason & Sandra, who opened a luxury B&B in Bruges around 3 years ago.

The Town House, Bruges
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Ideally located in the City centre this luxury B&B offered everything we needed, large very comfortable bedroom, massive bed, seating area, TV, tea/coffee and sumptuous bathroom. The breakfast was not only amazing, but also had a creative flourish you do not even get in the some of the best hotels.

Sandra speaks several languages including French, so I therefore spent many a happy hour chatting away practising my second language, whilst she looked at me quizzically trying decipher what I was saying. My wife covered her embarrassment by explaining that I was an idiot, but they had both known me long enough to already know that.

On our short forays along the pretty city streets we naturally visited numerous bars to check out the renowned Belgium beers, during which I acquired a taste for the Ghent brewed Charles Quint Blonde.

As we wandered it became apparent that the Belgian’s did not like my French very much, not because my dialect is an acquired taste, but because the Flemish speaking locals just do not like the French at all. So, despite my multi-lingual skills I endeavoured to communicate in English, however to my wife's eternal chagrin I could not help making the occasional inappropriate lapses.

It was fun to discover that there are 82 chocolate shops in Bruges, 10 of which make the chocolate on the premises, after about six shops my wife banned me from buying any more! She told me; ‘You can’t eat all that’, now I know she is not often wrong, but I certainly could.

Prior to arriving we had decided to treat ourselves to a visit to De Karmeliet, the only 3 Michelin Star restaurant in the city centre.

The restaurant was in an imposing building of obvious historic grandeur. The dining room was sumptuously decorated and formal, yet the staff were friendly and attentive.

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After we had chosen the five course tasting menu, the waiter bought the wine list. I say 'wine list', it was in fact a massive tome, over A3 size and around three inches thick! I studied it hard, but could find no Blue Nun, so we settled for a bottle of Morgan Pinot Noir. (It had to be French of course.)

As we perused the menu our French waiter explained each dish in French and English. I then translated for my wife, after which she told me what it actually was. We were both just about to try sea urchin for the first time, and not the 'loch dragon' I had translated.

Autumn Tasting Menu

Amuse-bouche: Sea urchin in egg, foie gras, oyster and caramelised nuts

Crispy sardine, marbre of baby squid, and marinated boeuf tomato

Roasted langoustines and goose liver, marinate eggplant, infusion of seaweed & mushroom.

Pheasant with green cabbage, parmentier of the legs, seasonal vegetables, baby apples & fruits.

A few sweets with fruit and chocolate

As the amuse-bouche arrived we knew we were going to be in for a special treat over the next couple of hours. The dishes could only be described as 'pure art on a plate'. Before even tasting anything we had been astounded by the colours, design and fragrance in front of us on the table.

After the creative, comprehensive and eye-popping amuse-bouche, we had not only the best sardine I had ever tasted, but the kitchen had infused magic into the tomato to create a flavour we had never experienced before.

As always langoustines cannot do anything other than please, and the langoustine broth was delicious and far too good to leave. As I dipped a lump of home-made bread into the loveliness, my knuckles received a sharp whack from my wife's spoon. Apparently, assaulting an innocent person in a restaurant is fine, but dipping bread is not.

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The original menu had said duck, but we had been informed as we were seated that it was the first day of the game season, and that the pheasant had just arrived and was now to be served instead, which sounded good to us. The baby apples added another dimension to the pheasant, as did the side dish of confit pheasant leg basted in goose liver and covered in creamy mash.

The two desserts bought another explosion of colour to the table, The pineapple was marinated in rum and served with ice cream, fruit spheres and pineapple crisp. The indulgent chocolate dish was served with pears and an almond slice. In spite of my pleading, my wife ate all of hers without sharing or donating a mouthful to a worthy husband.

As we enjoyed our coffee and generous selection of petit fours, Geert van Hecke (chef/proprietor) came out for a chat. Geert had learned his trade alongside Michel Roux and Alain Ducasse under the great French chef Alain Chapel. As my wife rolled her eye's and tutted, I explained to him in French that I was a personal friend of Michel Roux, She explained to him that I meant I had seen him on TV.

Our friends' eleven year old daughter, Jules, had really wanted to come with us, so before leaving we asked if they could give us something for her to taste. As we left we were generously given a box of De Karmeliet petit fours. That is the sort of nice touch that a lifetime memory is made of.

We also had a final treat, as we were invited to visit the large high-tech kitchens, where over 20 chefs perform their skills daily. The wall of glass was unexpected, but we learned that this had been designed so that diners in the garden, or people using the car park, could look straight into the kitchen in full flow.

As the rain fell, we merrily meandered a few streets back to The Townhouse B&B to take the obligatory afternoon nap following a great meal!

On our way home to the UK through a tin tube under the sea, my wife gave me as good a compliment as I could achieve, by telling me; ‘You did not irritate me as much as usual on this holiday’. Tres bon pour moi, - result!

De Karmeliet

Langestraat 19, 8000 Brugge, Belgium
www.dekarmeliet.be

The Townhouse
Werkhuisstraat 18, 8000 Bruges, Belgium
www.bed-and-breakfastbruges.com

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50 B4 50-DINING CHALLENGE

Michelin Stars Collected So Far: 39

50 B4 50 Challenged explained: click here

3 Michelin Star
London: Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester
Berkshire-Bray: The Waterside Inn
Bruges, Belgium: De Karmeliet

2 Michelin Star

London: La Gavroche, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Hibiscus, Pied a Terre
Berkshire: Michael Wignall at The Latymer (Penny Hill Park Hotel)
Buckinghamshire: Hand & Flowers (*3 Times!)
France-Paris: Georges V Hotel

1 Michelin Star
London: Benares, L’Autre Pied, Quilon, Social Eating House (*Twice!), Veeraswamy, The Savoy Grill, L’Escargot
Hampshire: Terrace Restaurant (Montague Arms), Vetiver (Chewton Glen Hotel), JSW.
Sussex: Ockenden Manor

*To read the review on any of the above restaurants, put 'restaurant name' in this blog's search box.

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No Michelin Stars, but restaurants visited since July 2013 that are worth a mention:

Milford on Sea | Verveine Fishmarket Restaurant- www.verveine.co.uk

London | J Sheeky Oyster Bar - www.jsheekeyoysterbar.co.uk

Lymington | The Elderflower - www.elderflowerrestaurant.co.uk
London | The Ivy - www.the-ivy.co.uk
Lymington | The Haven - www.havenrestaurant.co.uk

Devon | River Cottage HQ - www.rivercottage.net/hq
Guildford | Brittens - www.brittensrestaurant.com

13 August 2014

50 B4 50-La Gavroche

Le Gavroche

At last we were to visit a restaurant we had wanted to dine in for many years.

Having booked several months in advanced my wife, our hollow legged friends J&S and me arrived at at Waterloo. J. was feeling a little under the weather, but the poor little soldier soon perked up after a quick pre-dinner drink in The Cabin before we took a taxi ride to Mayfair for the experience to start.

We had a friendly greeting as the door was opened for us, then we were taken through the plush bar, and down the stairs to the restaurant. The sumptuous dining room has a classical decoration with deep reds and golds.

The tables are well spaced and elaborately decorated with a silver table centre piece, 'Le Gavroche' moulded into the cutlery and fine china. (We were to discover that 'Le Gavroche' was the young street urchin from Les Miserables) The chairs were large and comfortable, just perfect for the four hours we were about to spend there.

Le Gavroche has become an iconic dining venue since it opened in 1967, and in 1974 attained its first Michelin Star, in 1977 it achieved its second. In 1982 it was the first Restaurant in Britain to received the maximum 3 Michelin Stars. In 2004 it reverted to 2 Michelin Stars, and a host of other awards have continued almost annually.

To get the full Le Gavroche experience we decided to have the nine course Menu Exceptionnel. Before the meal began, we were brought a selection of breads to choose from, along with some canapés.

Being a wine buff, J. was give control of the wine list. A slightly dangerous move, as it was quite possible the drink bill could have been four or five times the food! He sat with a warm satisfaction as he read the substantial wine list for about fifteen minutes. We just ignored him as he mused about his memories or knowledge of this vineyard and that. Having ordered a bottle of red, one white, a half bottle of port and some dessert wine he returned to conversation around the table, and we were to later discover that he chosen well, and that we did not have to pawn any jewellery or heirlooms to cover the bill.

We started our extravagant meal with the 'Le Gavroche signature dish'; the Soufflé Suissesse. What a delight! The cheese soufflé was double baked in double cream, lighter than air, fluffy and an explosion of cheese-fest flavour. It would take something simply amazing for any starter to beat this.

Next came the foie gras terrine, soon to be followed by the delicious Seared Langoustines in a Pea and Spring Onion sauce.

As we sat chatting, my wife slowly slipped from her chair to the floor. It was then we realised Michel Roux was visiting our table for a chat. My wife & S. became all starry eyed as they babbled asking for a selfie. I of course, being part French, engaged Michel in conversation in our native tongue. It must have been some time since he was in France, as he did not appear to understand what I was saying.

The dishes just kept coming, but somehow they managed to space the courses perfectly for us to all chat and digest this marathon feast.

Next we had Stone Bass with Arabian Spices, Red Rice and Meat Jus. As a fish dish it was pretty 'meaty' with lots of flavours going on.

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The service was relaxed and ultra efficient. All of our wines has been decanted after the bottle shown to and tasted by J. at the table. From then on, each glass was never empty as an invisible ninja appeared to ensure constant refills. The same ninja tactics somehow constantly replaced the cutlery without being noticed.

Still feeling very content, the two meat courses were to follow next. The Braised and Smoked Pork Cheek, Crispy Belly Ravioli with Red Cabbage Condiment also had a piece of crispy pig's ear crackling. Not one for the vegetarians, but a joy for carnivores who like to eat fat in various ways.

The only course that did not blow me away was the Squab Pigeon with Corn Waffle and Sweet Blackcurrant Sauce. The only reason being, I not a big one for rare meats, everyone else was very happy though.

As is par for the course with J&S, the nonsense content in our conversations significantly increased relative to the alcoholic intake. True to form, we were now talking a good deal of rubbish.

The cheese trolley then trundled its way to our table, laden with a vast array of the delicious cow and goats products. What to choose was almost impossible as the waiter went through the soft, hard, blue and smelly selection. The cheeses were served with melba toast, chutney and a tasty quince jelly. The port accompaniment made everything in the world perfect at that moment.

A perfect meal of course always ends in chocolate, and if things go well, I also get my wife's (as it is too sweet, she's too full, watching her weight etc, etc.) The Bitter Chocolate Truffle, Sorbet and Cherries was an ideal end to an fabulous meal. My enjoyment was slightly hindered as I spotted my wife moving her spoon to her dish. Thankfully though our perfect day out was not spoiled, as she tried a small bit and then passed her plate to me.

After coffee & petit fours, we made our way around the corner to the Red Bar in the Grosvenor House Hotel for a final drink before the train home.

As we chatted, we all agreed that Le Gavroche had proved well worth the wait to experience. Only trouble is, we will all need to substantially replenish our wallets before we can make the next visit we would all like!

Menu Exceptionnel

Soufflé Suissesse (Cheese Souffle Cooked on Double Cream)
Terrine Marbree de Foie Gras aux Epices, Gelee au Madere et Croque aux Champignons (Spice Crusted Foie Gras Terrine, Madeira Jelly and Mushroom Toast)
Langoustines Poelees, Petits Pois, Cebette et Jambon de Bayonne (Seared Langoustines with Peas, Spring Onions and Air Dried Bayonne Ham)
Filet de Maigre Parfume au Ras-el-Hanout Fenouil et Riz Rouge de Camargue (Stone Bass and Pastilla scented with Arabian Spices, Fennel, Red Rice and Meat Jus)
Joue de Porc Braisee et Fumee, Cromesquis de Couennes (Braised and Smoked Pork Cheek, Crispy Belly Ravioli, Red Cabbage Condiment)
Supreme de Pigeon, Gaufres au Mais et Sauce aux Cassis (Squab Pigeon, Kohnrabi, Chantenay Carrot, Corn Waffle and Sweet Blackcurrant Sauce)
Le Plateau de Fromages Affines (Selection of French and British Farmhouse Cheese)
Truffle Chocolate or Noir et Sorbet, Cerise Pochees et a l’Eau de Vie (Bitter Chocolate Truffle, Sorbet and Cherries)
Café et Petits Fours

La Gavroche
www.le-gavroche.co.uk

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50 B4 50-DINING CHALLENGE

Michelin Stars Collected So Far: 36

50 B4 50 Challenged explained: click here

3 Michelin Star
London: Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester
Berkshire-Bray: The Waterside Inn

2 Michelin Star

London: La Gavroche, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Hibiscus, Pied a Terre
Berkshire: The Latymer (Penny Hill Park Hotel),
Buckinghamshire: Hand & Flowers (*3 Times!)
France-Paris: Georges V Hotel

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No Michelin Stars, but restaurants visited since July 2013 that are worth a mention:

Milford on Sea | Verveine Fishmarket Restaurant- www.verveine.co.uk

London | J Sheeky Oyster Bar - www.jsheekeyoysterbar.co.uk

Lymington | The Elderflower - www.elderflowerrestaurant.co.uk
London | The Ivy - www.the-ivy.co.uk
Lymington | The Haven - www.havenrestaurant.co.uk

Devon | River Cottage HQ - www.rivercottage.net/hq

03 April 2014

50 B4 50-Elderflower & JSW

The Elderflower Restaurant

A new restaurant, The Elderflower opened in Lymington a week or so ago.

Situated in the former Bluebird Restaurant on cobbled Quay Street, the building has been transformed from a rather dark old fashioned parlour, into a modern fresh and crisp dining room.

We were greeted by a happy and enthusiastic front of house team. As we went to our table we chatted to a high profile chef we know who was already enjoying his meal, there was also another local chef on another table, both naturally checking out this highly awaited new restaurant.

The £25 Lunch for three courses was impressive, both in terms of the choice and value.

click image to enlarge

Between us we enjoyed the rather fantastic starters of Curried Haddock & Mussel Soup, and the scrummy Spatchcock Quail with crispy angel hair, soft boiled quails eggs and quaildaise. (Nope, I'm not sure what quaildaise is either, forgot to ask, but it tasted nice!)

For main course, between us we had Grilled Fillet of Pork with anise braised celery, yellow split peas, apple & grain mustard. I had actually became a vegetarian for the day and went for the Wild Garlic Dumplings with coast vegetables, pickled seaweed and Isle of Wight blue. All good again.

We had seen a number of desserts come out from the kitchen and they looked quite excellent creations.

My sweet was an instant decision, Heavenly Chocolate with Bailey's & white chocolate, praline, nutty chocolate parfait. As we had gone for the set three course menu, my wife was even persuaded to order the Taste Of The Forest with truffle honey cake, pine cream and wild berry port. You will never guess who ate that!

One of our friends went for the Rhubarb Fool with poached rhubarb, rose meringue and floral glass, which was served in what seemed like a large shallow trifle bowl. Not normally excitable, her eyes almost exploded and she tucked in. Being too much of a lady to lick her plate in public, she simply had to settle for scraping the glass bowl until she got most of the pattern off!

The Head Chef Patron, Andrew Du Bourg was formerly Head Chef at 5* Chewton Glen hotel and Michelin starred Club Gascon, London. Andrew and his wife Marjolain have created The Elderflower to serve modern British food with a sprinkling of French flair using locally sourced produce from land and sea.

It is also clear that everything is designed to try and achieve a coverted Michelin star. In our opinion this could be well on the cards in the not to distant future.

The Elderflower is certainly a restaurant for food lovers who like something slightly different.

Being spoilt with great restaurants in Milford on Sea we naturally normally love to eat in the village, however for an occasional change of scenery, The Elderflower is certainly a place we will be returning to.

The Elderflower Restaurant

4-5 Quay Street, Lymington, SO41 3AS

www.elderflowerrestaurant.co.uk

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50 B4 50 - JSW, Peterfield

click image to enlarge

A bright Sunday and we were off to JSW in Petersfield with our good friends. A one hour drive and we were soon sitting at the table enjoying a pre dinner drink, home-baked bread and a free canapé dip.

Jon and I had played a blinder by buying the girls a seven course Tasting Menu meal at the Michelin starred JSW for Christmas. They were so impressed we had been so thoughtful, which is slightly different from our mutual 'always in trouble for something' position.

A bit of a result really, as we bought the meals on a 2 for 1 Groupon deal for £72.50, plus of course we had to go along too!

The 7 Course Tasting Menu

Olives, Bruschetta and Mackerel Mousse

***

Jerusalem Artichokes Soup with Smoked Hazelnuts

***

Scallops with Cauliflower Cheese and Cep

click image to enlarge

***

Cured Salmon with Miso Vinaigrette and Broccoli

***

Smoked chicken and Parmesan Risotto

***
Lamb Three Ways with Hay Smoke

***
Vanilla Cheesecake, Ginger Beer Jelly and New Season Rhubarb

***

Yogurt & Chocolate Ganache with Granola, Tropical Fruit & Pineapple

The meal had an assured confidence. Whilst not the most spectacular meal, this establishment seem to focus on quality ingredients and clear favours. I even ate and enjoyed Cauliflower, which is of course a vegetable of the devil.

The smoked chicken and parmesan risotto was also a triumph. It sounded so simple, but the taste was amazing. Indeed, each course complemented the other, the portions perfect and service excellently timed.

As I was driving, my normal alcoholic consumption was zero. (The things I do for my wife. I know, she is so lucky!) As our friends were also driving, it was surprising to discover our conversation stayed quite adult and we all remembered everything the next day, which is not what normally happens when we all go out!

JSW

20 Dragon Street, Petersfield, Hampshire GU31 4JJ
www.jswrestaurant.com

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50 B4 50-DINING CHALLENGE

Michelin Stars Collected So Far: 31

3 Michelin Star

London: Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester
Berkshire-Bray: The Waterside Inn

2 Michelin Star

London: Hibiscus, Pied a Terre, The Latymer (Penny Hill Park Hotel), Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
Marlow: Hand & Flowers (*3 Times!)
France: Georges V Hotel, Paris

1 Michelin Star

London: Benares, L’Autre Pied, Quilon, Social Eating House (*Twice!), Veeraswamy, The Savoy Grill, L’Escargot
Hampshire: Terrace Restaurant (Montague Arms), Vetiver (Chewton Glen Hotel), Petersfield: JSW.
Sussex: Ockenden Manor

*To read the review on any of the above restaurants, put 'restaurant name' in this blog's search box.

50 B4 50 Challenged explained: click here

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No Michelin Stars, but restaurants visited since July 2013 that are worth a mention:

Milford on Sea | Verveine Fishmarket Restaurant- www.verveine.co.uk

London | J Sheeky Oyster Bar - www.jsheekeyoysterbar.co.uk

Lymington | The Elderflower - www.elderflowerrestaurant.co.uk
London | The Ivy - www.the-ivy.co.uk
Lymington | The Haven - www.havenrestaurant.co.uk

Devon | River Cottage HQ - www.rivercottage.net/hq

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50 B4 50-Elderflower & JSW