Breakfast at The Delaunay @ London

We visited a friend in UK over the weekend and I was given the responsibility to look for a nice place where we can have a satisfying English breakfast. Most of the time, I would have breakfast at the hotel where I am staying during my working trips to London and this time I had to do a little research on the net to find a breakfast place.

My first choice was Wolseley at Piccadilly but it was fully booked as usual and my second choice would be at The Delaunay as it was at Aldwych in Covent Garden which is quite convenient for us since we took a tube from Marylebone station.

The Delaunay was certainly impressive right from the doorstep. At the main door, there is a smartly dressed man in thick dark blue jacket with golden buttons and a hat that opens the door for you. As we enter, there is a lady at the reception that shows us to our seats. The restaurant is very stylish and with an old charm. I like the black and white tiled floor and classic furnishing.

We were seated near the bar counter and waiters dressed in white shirts with a black vest asked for our orders. Of course English tea is a must! Luc had a Wiener Kaffee (£4.50) which is a large espresso with whipped cream. It was really delicious but "fattening" too!

Too bad the breakfast menu is only until 11am and we had to take the brunch menu. It's quite similar to the breakfast menu minus the big English breakfast. Our friends ordered a smoked salmon and scrambled eggs (£14.95) which looked really delicious. I was a little greedy and ordered a Kassler Ham with Fried Egg (small £5.75) and a chicken and noodles soup (£7.50). The breakfast was really simple but it was delicious and well presented. A bowl of soup on a cold morning is soooo comforting! That's probably an "Asian" thing to do.

Luc ordered an Egg Arlington (£18.00) which consists of 2 poached eggs with salmon and a bread base. The egg was runny and yummy!

For some reason, our friends find it difficult to leave this place without a sweet ending. They ordered a plate of Pancakes with Maple syrup (£7.50) to share. I find it hard to resist the temptation before me and I had a taste of it. It was a really good pancake, fluffy and soft. One bite after another... this is how good it is!

We had a really good breakfast and after that we walked to Covent Garden and it's already decorated with Xmas decorations. There is a big Apple store nearby which is really nice to visit and after that we went to Bond Street for some serious shopping.

The Delaunay

55 Aldwych

London WC2B 4BB

United Kingdom

Tel: 020 7499 8558

Website

DINNER by Heston Blumenthal @ Mandarin Oriental London

din·ner

(noun)

The main meal of the day, taken either around midday or in the evening.
A formal evening meal, typically one in honour of a person or event.

                                                                                                                                       From Old French disner

How could a trip to London be complete without a main meal at Heston Blumental's Dinner at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park? Knowing that I could not even score a seat at Fat Duck which is in West Berkshire (40 over minutes and 29 miles away from Hyde Park), I decide to try my chances and made a reservation at Dinner using Toptable 1 month in advance. Hallelujah!!! I managed to secure a table for 2 but I had to take the 6.30pm session which is all fine for me.

I arrived there with my partner slightly earlier than the allocated time. All the other diners who are there for the same dinner reservation time are being seated at a bar area where we can have a pre-dinner drink before being escorted by the staff to our table. I love the interior of the restaurant which is elegant, glass walls from floor to ceiling which makes the dining area looks bigger and spacious. The porcelain sconces in a shape of jelly moulds decorated the walls together with iconic chandeliers that hang from the ceiling all made this place looks bespoke. There's also a view of the kitchen where you can see the chef and staff sometimes putting up a show for the diners.

For starters, we were served a platter of sourdough toast which is like a country bread with a cripsy crust and a tender bread texture and a slab of butter with a sprinkle of sea salt. Simple yet delicious to start off with while waiting for our entrees.

I love the menu not only because it was simple to navigate but because each dish has a reference to the source of origin. So, you'll know exactly which era does the dish originate from and even from which cookbook! It's like a thesis with book referencing. The concept here is not exactly like Fat Duck which is more to molecular gastronomy and Dinner is more like a fine-dining version of brasserie that recreates historical recipes and their menu doesn't burn a big hole in your pocket.

Broth of Lamb £15

(1730 The complete Practical Cook by Charles Carter)

There's a slow cooked hen's egg, celery, radish, turnip and veal sweetbreads all immersed in the wonderful aroma of lamb broth.

Roast Marrowbone £15.50

 (1720 The Cook's and Confectioner's Dictionary by John Nott)

I wouldn't give any marrowbone a miss in the menu. I love the combination of the butter of the Gods with snails, parsley, anchovy, mace and picked vegetables. It was a match made in heaven for marrowbone with snails. Both has buttery textures and a meaty flavour and I really like it. Must be my obsession with marrowbones...

Spiced Pigeon £34 

(1780 The Ladies' Assistant and Complete System of Crookery by Charlotte Mason)

The pigeon is seved in slices that is interwined with grilled artichokes and ale gravy. Can you just look at the lovely pink meat? It's heavenly, tender and melts in the mouth.

Beef Royal

72 hour Slow cooked short rib of Angus, smoked anchovy & onion puree, Ox tongue

When they say slow cooked, it's really true! The beef is cooked sous vide at 56°C for 72 hour and the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The beef was so juicy and tender!

Triple cooked chips
I was highly recommended by the staff to order this. And since I love fries, why not?!! These triced cooked chips are a feature of Heston Blumental. It's cooked in 3 stages - parboil, freezed dry  for 1 hour and then deep fry with rapeseed oil until golden brown and crispy. Ooh.. they are addictive!

2009 Flowers Pinot Noir from Sonoma Coast £125

This time, I had the priviledge to choose the wine and I have asked the reservations to send me the wine list in advance. I decided to try something different as my partner is really knowledgeable on French wines but he definitely hasn't any clue on wines from California. The wine has a bright ruby colour. Aromas of blackberries and orange peel and on the palate, you'll get some black cherries, bright acidity with a medium lingering finish. 

A wonderful and delicate pinot from California. Coincidentally, I happen to have 2 bottles at home too. I think I got those 2 bottles for something like SGD$160.

 

A complimentary dessert of chocolate ganache with orange blossom. On the side was a crispy caraway biscuit.

Tipsy Cake £12

(1810 The English Cookery Book by J.H. Walsh)

If you don't have space for dessert, you have to force yourself to a serving of this tipsy cake. The effect of this cake is more than tipsy, it's out of this world. Served in a small Staub cocotte, this cake looks firm on the outside but inside it's airy and tender. 

 

Pic from thegourmetbelle

The pineapples are slowly roasted on ‘a contemporary stainless steel pulley system modeled on a 16th century design for the Royal British Court’s kitchens, the gears and cranks of which resemble the craftsmanship of an oversized watch, mechanically rotating a spit over an open fire' resulting in a juicy and not fibrous slice of pineapple. The Tipsy Cake is now a permanent feature on the menu.

The Tipsy cake is so good and heavenly. Even my partner has to agree with me on that and I wouldn't mind having it as an entree as well. Overall, the service was excellent. We were given ample attention from the familiar staff that served us throughout the night and thus the personal touch was something I really liked. They even attend to my request to have a nice table by the window and also followed through some of the surprises I arranged. Very nice!

The bill came up to something around £300+ and it was expected from this restaurant of 1 Michelin Star and also ranked #9 on the World's 50 Best Restaurant Awards 2012. But most importantly, I had the most wonderful evening there.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park,

 66 Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 7LA

Tel - +44(0)20 7201 3833

Website

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon @ West St London

It was a cold cold evening in London and since I am staying right in the West End of London, a visit to L'atelier de Joel Robuchon at "theatreland" seemed to be a great idea. Morever, not knowing what to expect from this 2 Star Michelin restaurant since this is my first visit to any of the JR chain restaurants, this is going to be interesting!

The restaurant in London consists of 3 different floors where the 1st floor is the L'atelier and you can choose to sit at the high counter concept like a sushi bar but we prefer to go to the first floor where they called it "La Cuisine" and it's a traditional seating and dining concept with an open kitchen and a wood-fired oven. I love the concept as I can see the chefs and staff working in the kitchen and how they immaculately decorate each dish before it is served. It's just amazing because I was just seated next to the kitchen! The third floor is La Salon which is more like a bar and terrace for a chill out evening.

Instead of bread basket, we were served this plate of thin crispy pastry that goes well on its own or with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I love the service here as they are not only efficient, the staff are so informative and so attentive. Now that's what I called a Michelin Star restaurant!

Le Jambon "Iberico De Bellota" £19

It's a plate of wafer thin slices of Iberico that feeds on acorns and are cured for a long time (as I couldn't recall how many because I was too busy eating) and served together with tomatoes on a crispy bread. I tell you... this is one of the best and most delicious Iberico Bellota I've tried! If I am returning, I would definitely order this again. The robust taste of nuts makes it all delicious even on its own.

Le Canard £29

 This dish consists of glazed duck breast, daikon and foie gras "mille feuilles" and braised lolly leg.I can't really remember the taste of this dish as I wasn't the one having it but I remember I did try the duck breast and it was oh-so-tender and flavourful.

Le Caille £29

This is a recommended dish from the restaurant as I can see from the many reviews, this is a must-order dish here. Oh well, this is also my first preferred choice as I love quails... as in eating them. This free range quail is stuffed with foie gras and truffle mashed potatoes. Did you see the beautiful slice of black truffle? The mashed potatoes is also a signature of Joel Robuchon where the potatoes puree is so silky smooth and are rumoured to be cooked with lots of butter in a Le Creuset pot. I absolutely adore this dish as the quail was tender and infused with foie gras which makes it so rich! After this meal, I'll never look at quails the same way again and perhaps with a sheepish nefarious glint in my eyes.

1999 Domaine de La Grange des Peres
I think this is the last 2 bottles they have at the restaurant. It was a great choice of red wine as I have not tried this label before and it's one of those must-try cult wine! Grange des Peres is one of those arguably the greatest and most respected domaine in the entire Languedoc region and availability is really limited.

 A complimentary white chocolate lolly with lemon sorbet. So refreshing and cute!

 

 Le Chocolate Tendance £11

 When I saw this on the dessert menu, I knew I had to order this due to a profession disease that I could not cure. It's a creamy Manjari chocolate, bitter chocolate sorbet with Oreo cookie crumb. Something so simple yet presented so beautifully and the chocolate was so rich, bittersweet and creamy!

 This is a happy me after the meal. I wished I had more space for some more food grazing but unfortunately I'm all stuffed by the end of the dinner!

 

 

 Next up, I would love to try more Joel Robuchon outlets all over the world.

 

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon 

13-15 West Street, 

London WC2H 9NE 

Tel:+44 0207 010 8600

Website

Hibiscus @ Maddox Street, London

Ranked #8 on the Good Food Guide 2012 and 2013, Hibiscus is one of my top priority in my dining list in London. Hibiscus is a brainchild of Chef Claude Bosi which he started in Ludlow way back in year 2000 and later in 2007, the restaurant was relocated to London and maintaining its 2 Michelin star. The restaurant also is named one of The World's 50 Best Restaurants by the Aqua Panna and S. Pellegrino awards in 2010 and 2011.

The facade of the restaurant was so simple that one wouldn't have thought that this place serves such fine cuisine. And lucky, the cab driver managed to locate this place with the address that I have brought along during the trip. There are so many Michelin starred restaurants in London and so don't expect all cab drivers to know them all.

 Chef Claude Bosi

The interior was also simple but elegant and I love the electric blue chairs that perked up the white interior. I was seated at a comfy couch that was half enclosed which allows some privacy. There's no air about Chef Bosi as he would walk around the tables and greet his customers. I even grabbed him for a photo opportunity (isn't that what a food blogger always do?). It was also very kind of the restaurant to prepare a nice card and signed by the chef himself on the table for my partner as we are celebrating a special ocassion together.

 

 Parmesan Cheese Balls & Olive Balls together with a bread basket to start our evening. I love those cheese-filled balls! That was not it as we were also given a glass of complimentary Rose since we are celebrating a special ocassion. Now, that is a true kind gesture!

His cuisine is quite gastronomical but with influences of French and traditional British cuisine. There's nothing too extravagant in his dishes as he wants to keep it close to the natural flavours of the ingredients. Hibiscus offers a very interesting seasonal menu for dinner. I took the 6-course dinner of winter menu as recommended as the portions are small and I could sample more of the Chef's specials. The degustation menu is a surprise and thus you won't know what you will be expecting. And I love these kind of surprises!

3 courses - £87.50 ++

6 courses - £95.00 ++

  8 courses - £105.00 ++

 

 Hibiscus "Kedgeree" served in an egg shell. 

Kedgeree is actually a traditional British breakfast from colonial India that consists of smoked fish, boiled rice, parsley, hard-boiled eggs, curry powder and ghee but the Hibiscus "Kedgeree" contains smoked Haddock, soft egg and a tint curry oil.

Leflaive Les Pucelles Puligny Montrachet 2001 Premier Cru

A deep gold hue, a nose of pears, apricots and jasmine flowers. On the palate, there's honey suckle, slight mint and spices coupled with citrus notes. The wine is dense, long lingering flavours and needs time for it to develop. Knowing that I love a Puligny montrachet, my partner made the right choice in picking up this from the wine list.

And a picture of me with my "Kedgeree". Pictures are all taken using the iPhone 5 and due to low light conditions, please bear with the quality of my food pics.

Salad of Devonshire Crab, Tokyo Turnip Smoked Olive Oil Cream and Ginger

I would have thought that the cream would be too overhelming and oily but it wasn't.

Ravioli of Smoked Potato & Hen's Egg Yolk, Truffle

I found this dish to be too salty for my liking and thus I told the staff about it. Otherwise it would be a very nice dish as I love the truffle and smoky flavours.

Grilled Hand Dived Isle of Skye Scallops, Pork Pie Sauce and Pink Grapefruit Gel

This delicate Scottish scallop is really nice but I was told that if I were to eat it in Scotland, fresh from the catch, it would even be better! The pork pie sauce was really interesting and who would have thought pairing it with a seafood and the grapefruit gel provides a citrusy and refreshing flavour to the scallop dish.

Adour Foie Gras Skewered on Liquorice, Pear Gel, Nashi Pear Confit, Shaved Black Liquorice

Service recovery was instant as they apologized for the salty dish and they offered this dish as compliments from the restaurant. When I think of Licorice, the sweet black candy comes into my mind. Liquorice is actually from the legume family and if you boil the plant, you can extract a sweet syrup from it. The foie gras pairs very well with sweetness, no doubt.

South Coast Monkfish, Brussel Sprouts, Cauliflower & Mulled Wine, Sauce Coq au Vin

The monkfish is a huge fish which looks like a cross between a flatfish and a shark and is popularly fished at the South Coast of England. It is also known as the "poor's man lobster" due to it's firm texture and the and a natural sweetness to the taste. I absolutely love those cute little brussel sprouts too!

Goosnargh Duck, Quince Aioli, Jerusalem Artichokes & Sharon Fruit

Goosnargh (pronounced as goose-ner) is a village in the City of Preston in Lancaschire, England and it's ducks and confed chickens are championed by the chefs. The producers in Goosnargh has a reputation for top quality birds fed on a chemical-free diet, so much so that there is an EU protection sought to prevent ducks produced elsewhere being tagged as coming from that village. Fantastic taste and structure, intense flavours and I simply love the crisp dry skin which felt almost like the crackling skin of the pork. Would you just look at the colour of the duck meat?!!

Melilot Panna Cotta & Hibiscus "Tarte Au Chocolate" with Indonesian Basil Ice-cream

The whole dinner was very enjoyable as the restaurant was spacious and the service was tip-top. A thumbs up to the team for the attention given to us and even the fine details I sent to them by email before the dinner was followed up. I made a reservation using Toptable and there is a penalty of £50 if I cancel the reservation within 48 hours which I gulped when I entered my credit card details while booking this place.

After the dinner, we were given a small bag each which contained a cute muffin and the tasting menu which we have just experienced. That is really professional! And guess how much was the bill?!! When I asked for the bill, my heart also jumped out from my ribcage. It's £800+ where the dinner for 2 costs around £300 and the £500 goes to the the bottle of Puligny Montrachet. And since my partner is so sweet, he took care of the bill.

Hibiscus
29 Maddox Street
London, W1S 2PA 

Tel: + 44 020 7629 2999

Website

 

Hours of Operation:  

Lunch: Monday - Saturday: 12:00pm - 2:30pm

Dinner: Monday - Thursday: 6:30pm - 10:00pm

Friday & Saturday: 6:00pm - 10:00pm

Gold Mine @ Bayswater London

Sorry for the long spell of silence in my postings and also the lack of comments in the blogs that I frequent. I just came back from London a few days ago and then I had to rest my eyes due to an eye infection and dryness. The last one week I was in London for a nice holiday was truly the best trip I ever had in my life, not because of London but due to experiences I had while I was there. It's my 4th time to the city and this time, it's just different.

This time around, I managed to experience a culinary journey throughout my stay and also thanks to the recommendations of friends who has been hanging around London and dining at every corner of the city. 1st post of the trip would be something I really like - ROAST DUCK.

Everyone knows the famous London Four Seasons Roast Duck at Bayswater but actually, there is a shop that sells roast duck a few shops away from it. Sources told me that the ex-chef at Four Seasons left and opened his own shop called "Gold Mine" and the secret of the delicious roast duck is its sauce and that this chef has brought his secret recipe with him to this outlet.

You can't miss the shop with its roast meats hanging at the window and this row of shophouses is just right in front of the entrance/exit of the Bayswater Tube station. Usually there's a queue at this place but because I was there on Saturday at 3pm, I don't really have to queue. It's just a 5 mins wait for them to clear the tables.

The Roast Duck is a must-order-dish. Half portion of the duck costs £10.30 and you can have an option to have it deboned (which of course I did). Service was fast and they delivered the roast duck in about 10 mins. The duck meat was so tender and full of flavour. This is not a crispy-skin-duck type but I must say that the secret lies in the sauce. The sauce was a great compliment to the roast duck with a slight hint of caramel sweetness. Love the roast duck!

We had sake to go with chinese food. How weird is that?!!

Well, it's not really my idea but I have my dining partner is really adventurous.

But in the end, I had a whole pot of chinese tea to myself.

Some of the more common dishes that I ordered was the sweet & sour pork. The pork cutlets were quite big and fried in a crispy batter and then there's the sweetness and sour flavours from the pineapples and tomatoes. My dining partner enjoyed this very much as it is his first time trying this dish. It's also my favourite dish that I would order when I'm at the "tai chow" places back in KL.

The plate of green spinach was so big that I think it can easily feed 5 people. The dishes here are meant for 4 people at least because I really have trouble finishing them even when I didn't even order any white rice!

The other dish that impresses me was the "Chow Ngau Ho" which is literally translated as Fried Flat Rice noodles with beef. The beef slices are so tender and you can really taste the "wok hei" or rather the slight burn or charcoal taste in this noodle dish. It's best when served warm because as it gets cold, it was a little oily.

This is a typical eat & go chinese restaurant in London as the spaces are tight and they don't encourage you to sit here for a few hours to sip your tea. I find it rather difficult to feel comfortable especially during winter where you have your jackets and the seats are so tight. There's no extra space for big jackets or shopping bags.

The oranges are complimentary after the meal. However I didn't enjoy them because it was too sour and I hate eating sour food especially from citrus fruits. The bill came to about £43.50 which is not cheap if you convert it to local currency but I guess the price is pretty reasonable in London. You wouldn't be able to eat half a duck at 10 bucks here!

I love the sight of this... cold cold London...

Gold Mine

102 Queensway  London W2 3RR, 

United Kingdom

Mon-Sun 12 noon to 11.00pm

Tube: Bayswater

Tel: +44 20 7792 8331