French food but not as you know it. Alain Passard’s restaurant L’Arpège specialises in dishes focused on vegetables grown in his own kitchen garden (Fillé sur Sarthe). Throughout the tasting menu, vegetables are the main event and even my carniverous other half had to admit that Monsieur Passard’s food was satisfying and innovative. L’Arpège is exactly what I want from a meal – full of flavour but with none of that heavy, creaminess that I think a lot of us have come to associate with Gallic cuisine. L’Arpège earned its third Michelin star in 1996 and has retained it ever since. It is easy to see why… Continue reading
Tag Archives: tasting menu
Geranium – a review
Last weekend I returned to Denmark for a very special wedding but made sure to take advantage of returning to Copenhagen and another friend’s birthday to try another of it’s top rated restaurants – Geranium.
Headed up by Rasmus Koefed, Geranium has, like Noma, two Michelin stars yet is doesn’t seem to be as widely known. While, in my humble opinion, this is something that should change I’m not sure I really want it to! It was much more manageable to get a reservation at Geranium and yet, for me, the food, while less challenging, was more enjoyable and just as beautifully presented.
Noma – a review
We were lucky enough to get a reservation at the world renown Noma and I was so excited to try René Redzepi’s innovative and ground-breaking take on Nordic cuisine, especially since 2014 is the 10 year anniversary of the restaurant’s opening and the year in which they have regained the top spot on the San Pellegrino world’s 50 best restaurant list.
Feasting at Fera – a review
After reading a few reviews I was really excited to try Fera – Simon Rogan’s London venture within Claridge’s. As you might expect, the restaurant’s name (which means wild in Latin) is a reflection of the concept – Fera uses a lot of high quality, natural, seasonal ingredients. The abundance of vegetables and edible flowers weaved through the menu meant it took some persuading to get the boy there but a couple of weekends ago we settled in for a Friday night tasting menu.
Tokyo Tuesday – Narisawa
My time in Tokyo pretty much started my love affair with food and my first taste of fine dining – the two Michelin starred Narisawa – was definitely a tipping point for me…
The Clove Club – a review
Seeing as I’m yet to be let down by any of the restaurants/pop-ups run by the Young Turks, The Clove Club has been on my list since it opened in Spring 2013. The focus of the tasting menu is on seasonal, British ingredients and innovative flavour combinations. Their approach resulted, overall, in a really delicious meal and I would definitely return.
Kitchen Table – a review
Last Saturday night we had the pleasure of a meal at Kitchen Table. Hidden at the back of Bubbledogs on Charlotte Street, this 19 seat restaurant served up delicious seasonal dishes in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere.
Akelaré – a review
On our second day in the Basque region, we hopped in the car and drove towards San Sebastian, stopping on the way for another indulgent meal at the three Michelin star Akelaré. Perching high on the cliff tops, Akelaré is built to look like a boat and as such is light, spacious and has spectacular views out over the sea.
I was wondering how I would fit another meal in after our meal at Azurmendi the night before but once the bread basket was waved under my nose, I knew I would somehow find space for our second tranche of gourmet fare.
The Ledbury – a review
After my first visit to the Ledbury I became a firm fan and even though I’ve now returned number of times, I am always excited to go back. The menu tends to repeat a number of signature dishes (all of which I am more than happy to eat time and again) but also serves up some new and exciting combinations of flavours.
Azurmendi – a review
The first gourmet experience of the weekend was a trip to Azurmendi – a restaurant that a number of sources ensured us wasn’t to be missed. They weren’t wrong!