Dinner by Heston Blumenthal (Knightsbridge)

This is my fourth visit to Mr Blumenthal’s Dinner and I have to say it is still absolutely exquisite in its products.  Once again the service was very welcoming and the highlights for me this time were electing for the set menu which had the treats of buttermilk to go with my fish and also a gorgeous beetroot sauce to go with the salmon.  I don’t particularly like beetroot but this version was most pleasing.  The cucumber ketchup and seaweed ketchup to go with the dishes opposite me were asbolutely fantastic.  The ice cream trolley was ‘deployed’ once again to much fun effect and my earl grey tea biscuit with ganache to go with tea at the end of the meal finished everything off perfectly.  Another triumph and it remains a special food venue in London.  Had it not been for the bone that was discovered in the seabass I would have given well above 90% but have had to tone it down for that reason.  I also deduct an experience point in that one of the waiters did rather choose to wade in (ie. interrupt straight away when he arrived at the table as he was in a hurry).  However, the food remains truly wonderful.  Going on pay day is recommended here.

Food Grade: 89%

A mix of the set menu and signature dishes on this occasion and this visit was the first as a newly promoted 2 Michelin starred venue.  I honestly couldn’t tell much difference in the cooking between the two awards but evidently the Michelin guide does, as it can promote from zero to 2 or 3 stars if it thinks it is worthy – personally it was still at the same, wonderful level on this visit and one of the most impressive dishes I have seen and tasted on a set menu occurred on this occasion (pastry and egg dish).  This restaurant remains in the uppermost quadrant of venues in London in my opinion and is still at the top of its game.

Food Grade: 93%

Had the set menu lunch this time and was utterly delightful.  Such fresh flavours to make even a salad interesting(!) and a reasonable menu price (£35 for 3 courses at time of eating).  Still no amuse bouche which is annoying when it is so easy to include.  Nitro ice cream at the end was a lovely touch to be made in front of you at the table.

Food Grade: 89%

I have been to Dinner on several occasions now, as a 1 star and a 2 star and on these opening occasions, there was no doubt that the flavours here were genuinely wonderful.  The mushroom ketchup to accompany the fillet steak was a delight as was the luxurious risotto, which I never normally have.  The prize of all though was the mandarin meat fruit which, apart from being very clever (in the shape and exact look of an orange but really liver parfait inside an orange mandarin gel coating) was without a doubt the creamiest and purest parfait I have ever had in my life.  The tipsy cake was superb as were all of the desserts, which we ordered on this visit (literally shared all of them between the two of us). Great buz to the place and a job well done by the team to transform it from a dwindling and quiet, Foilage as it was before, in to a major event.

Food Grade: 93%