Home made bread of spelt and rye was enjoyed at the table before some selected canapes of shiitake mushroom with crumbs on tartlets and chicken liver parfait tubes with pickled grape and apple gels on top.  The latter was excellent.

Starters chosen were cured Cornish mackerel, plum, almond and marigold which was fresh and well balanced.  The second was an impressively looking squid ink linguini, trout roe, brioche crumbs and cockle sauce. 

The mains included lovely Herdwick lamb from the Lake District which came with aubergine, ratatouille piquet pepper, ricotta and Parmesan. Green leaves spinach were also added. The other main was a roasted duck breast, confit leg, beetroot purée rehydrated cherry purée and radicchio leaves.  Both these proved hearty and cooked well. Meats came from Slate Down Farm.

My dessert of English strawberries, coconut, white chocolate and sourdough tuile was very good.  My dining companion’s pain perdu with stone fruits (mainly plum), lemon verbena and yoghurt sorbet was very good as well.  The total bill with the eat out to help out discount of £20 came to £65 and including the service charge, this £32.50 per person was obviously very good value.  The food was was reliable and it was good to reconfirm the reliability of the food here at Portland.

Food Grade: 79%

Although you could argue that the snacks should be gratis as an amuse bouche they were sublime; in particular the white truffle and gruyere cheese macaroon and chicken skin with liver parfait, both at £1.50 each.  I thought these were delightful and so I ordered another couple and was glad as a result they were not complimentary as I wouldn’t be able to do that otherwise(!).

I opted for a starter and one side for my first course and another starter and a side as my second course as I wanted to try as much as possible.  The first being sashimi of halibut, buttermilk and black radish which was satisfying and the baby gem, herbs, radish and buttermilk seemed the obvious partner (nothing fancy here but a pleasant buttermilk glaze).  I thought the salsify, mangalitsa pig, comté was pleasant but slightly less pig on the plate as I was hoping as only a few shavings but agreeable none the less.  The real hero of the day though was the remaining side ratte potato with montgomery cheddar which came as a delightful airated sauce.  This was beautifully done.  The dessert of hazelnut éclair was a fine finish no question – wonderfully flavoured cream and crispy outer layer with salted nuts and sugar on the top.

All in all I thought this was a pleasant experience and I’m sure the mains would have been equally so and I will come back to do one of those when I can.  I do feel the menu would benefit from having a set menu at lunch as this would give a bit more variety to the food options, however, I did find all these well done on the day.

The popadoms came in a variety of roasted (hard), shallow fried (beautifully soft) and in an unusual form more akin to crackers which were light and very good.  The sweet mango chutney and brown tomato chutneys were of course made on site and I found the sweet mango chutney certainly living up to its name as was almost jam-like, but it’s hard not to enjoy hand made popadoms with hand made mango chutney before an Indian meal, irrespective of the different takes on them.

Opting for the set evening menu, my starter of Ajwaini Salmon Tikka I thought was a delightful starter.  The spices were an interesting mix of carom seed and dill, the salmon itself with juicy texture and the soothing side of the yoghurt on the side.  Uncomplicated and satisfying.  One thing that was absolutely note-worthy was the wonderfully judged naan bread (perfect softness and flavour) and I would say more of these with a slightly less3 viscous version of their sweet mango chutney would be reason enough to request a table for that alone, a few drinks and then settle up.

The Nilgiri chicken kurma (kurma is slightly more heated than a korma) came with boneless chicken thighs, coriander, curry leaf and coconut.  For the price of the £28 for the three courses, the main was not only the kurma but came with basmati rice (nice and fluffy), spiced new potatoes (average flavour) and dahl which is puts the value for money even further ahead than it already is compared to other Michelin starred set menus.  However, my excitement at having a chicken thigh kurma (the best part of chicken meat with one of the best curry flavours) was stifled on the discovery of part of an elastic band in the food.  The chicken itself was definitely under cooked as parts of red were exposed even if the rest of the dish could be eaten.  After asking for things to be confirmed, the management came to ask where the ‘foreign object’ was discovered so that all other parts could be checked, gave sincere apologies and offered a glass of something to make up.  As pleasant a gesture as this is I couldn’t actually eat the rest of the dish as I was put off from the rest of it so I had to refrain from eating the main any further.

Finally, the fig and cardamom kheer (cardamom, pistachio, fig khulfi) was clearly a set menu offering and as creamy as the rice pudding-like kheer was, the fig kulfi ice cream in the centre was almost like ice and I just didn’t find that the combination of cold rice pudding and cardamom worked for me at all, with or without the crunch of the pistachio pieces on top.  Petit fours came in the form of orange jelly with a hint of chilli and an Indian shortcake which, unfortunately were not the best as well; the jelly was very tough and the shortcake had a nice texture but ultimately a bit flat.

So, overall the meal represented very good value for money, although in hindsight I would have preferred the price of the kurma to be removed as I did not want to eat the rest of it on discovery of the foreign object rather than a courtesy drink, but the management dealt with it in an entirely graceful manner.  Charm and hospitality can cover most sins, but ultimately, for a Michelin starred venue, this was a disappointing meal.

Particular favourites of this visit were the colourful and fragrant salad with a mix of vegetables and fruits that worked very well as well as a nicely done eggs benedict (cheesy element to the muffins that were also nice and manageably small.   The hollondaise was ever so slightly bland but an additional side of ketchup for that and the fires enabled me to make a makeshift sauce choron and the bottom line is that it showed that the management wanted to provide for the guest, no matter how strange my request was and that’s the important aspect which gains full marks.

A tiny piece of paper / label was discovered in the blueberry muffins which was immediately taken away with aplogies given and a fresh dish portion served with it taken off the bill.  This was nicely dealt with by the management making everyone happy at the end of the day on that part.  Another mistake I only realised until afterwards was on my count and that was forgetting to enforce someone having the steak tartare, so we are all human(!).

The dishes that everyone had that I didn’t try were reported with no disatisfaction whatsoever and I was particualrly pleased to have things again that I knew of such as the fried chicken nibbles at the beginning of the meal as well as the wonderful toasted meringue and apple granita dessert.  Less enjoyable I thought was the rather bland and dry pistachio and almond cake as not even the ice cream could provide enough moisture to remedy the situation.  I also found the cod skin snacks at the start a little chewy and detracted the lovely salmon from being enjoyed properly – it woudl have been better if these were truly crispy and nothing else.  However, these were blips in an otherwise highly pleasing series of dishes that everyone was happy with.

That aside, the service was still very accommodating all round.  The slow cooked egg starter was very pleasant albeit with a farily confident price of £14 for what was an entirely small starter portion.  The salmon was beautifully cooked and presented and the glass of Pinot Noir was indeed very good.  You do obviously need to pay extra for the privilege of having the vino here (£15 for the glass) as opposed to the wines by the glass at Dabbous had earlier at lunch for example.

For full details of my overall verdict of Chiltern Firehouse, please simply keep reading the below / previous four visits, but the fact that I have been here on that many occasions should answer how much I rate the overall package here.  I am actually slowly making my way through the entire menu here now and look forward to doing other options on my next visit.

The steak tartare was as good as I recall it and with the addition of the spicey BBQ home sauce, it remains the most gooey and lovely steak tartare I have found in any of London’s restaurants.  The lobster and crab omelette was completely unlike a traditional omelette, however it was certainly pleasing with its layer of seafood jelly on top of the underside egg and beautifully presented.  I stupidly did not taste the foie gras with eel however, the duck salad was mine and although I would have preferred the salad to be overall a little less ‘heavy’ and be toned down in its coleslaw feel, the duck was utterly succulent and wonderful to have.  That was great as was the peanut sauce to go with the duck, but I will be happy to try something else next time.  The cheeses were done well and the sides, although a little bit overpriced (£6 for the very small portion of chips for example) added more smiles being done so well with the smoked carrots and wonderful, simple dressing for the lettuce hearts.

The iced apple and panna cotta was indeed a fabulous dessert.  The lady serving us did think that it was Nuno Mendes’ favourite so we had to try this…and I’m very glad we did! Utterly superb in the power of the apple and originality of wonderful soft meringue surrounding the panna cotta.  All in all, this was just a great collection of original and fun dishes, which were all enjoyed in a similarly lovely and fun environment at the same time.  We were made to be felt entirely welcome throughtout and thankfully the number of staff meant that even though it was virtually a full house, we were still served reasonably quickly.

I seem to pick something new up everytime I come here and this time it is the score for afternoon tea.  You can get tea served in the hotel bar at anytime during the day and there are choux and eclairs available (see final photo), but it is not the traditional high tea with sandwiches and all the trimmings.  However, actually something makes me quite pleased this is the case as I think this sort of feel would not work in this stylishly modern hotel and high tea like this better rests with equally nice but more formal and larger environments such as The Berkley, Claridges, Browns and The Lanesborough etc.  Anyway, that’s the score for tea at Chiltern Firehouse in case it interested, so now you know.

Another wonderful visit here – I don’t think it’s in danger of doing any wrong anytime soon.

Having been put on the reserve list for the main restaurant, I very luckily managed to gain a quick sitting near the end of service to try the steak tartare (which I was most gutted I couldn’t try on my last, spontaneous pop in visit) as the head chef had previously recommended.  I am so glad I did as this was point blank the most enjoyable steak tartare I have ever had.  There are plenty of other ways I have seen this done (at Brassiere Chavot, The Gun and Berners Tavern for example, there are more) and all of these have been great; this one at Chiltern Firehouse was simply even better.  The hot sauce made with apple and garlic was truly superb – normally I absolutely don’t do things too hot or spicy as I think it kills the other flavours and is sometimes more uncomfortable than enjoyable(!), but this sauce was lightly smoked and utterly superb.  The pine nut mayonnaise and supporting tarragon, shallot, gherkin and smoked puree on the side to add to flavour as per individual taste was a nice touch and the whole thing was just out-of-this-world and just transported me away to my happy place….and this is bliss.

On a separate note to the food, I can’t not make a mention to the overall establishment, which is beautifully designed and arranged.  Bar snack food can be had in the outdoor terraced area but outdoor seating closes after 9pm (still not completely sure why, but I presume this may be to reduce noise levels for the hotel guests).  Care has been taken on the elegantly designed clothing for staff and there is a lovely atmosphere all round.  On the actual service side itself, we were made to feel very welcome from the moment we stepped out of the cab and were greeted at the door and inside the staff could not have been more genuinely friendly.  My sincere thanks to all of the staff that looked after us on Friday 28 Aug in amongst a very busy crowd and to any that are reading this; it was so appreciated receiving this genuinely warm hospitality, which, I think is lost on many who take it for granted.  It makes such a higher and more pleasant lasting impression and memory which I have.  A lovely experience all round and the food, be it snack or not, on its own, was explosive.

Getting straight to the verdicts I thought the duck egg mayonnaise with a hint of truffle on wonderful baked crisp was a genuine delight and the cod with beautiful tarragon cream sauce and chestnut puree was absolutely lovely (the hint of liquorice and mint notes from the tarragon and chestnut were the perfect balance to the rich cream sauce and the fish itself was perfect).  The dessert which I regrettably didn’t taste was cleverly seved with its supporting chilled rhubarb mouth wash and I was infomed this and the trout starter were both delicious.  All cheeses were English and all well chosen.  The wine list by the glass was extremely good value and my Sauvignon Blanc (£6) did the job of providing a refreshing support act nicely.

Two other generic observations hit me on this visit:  the first was that it was actually a joy not to have to wait 6 months for the table as was the case last time (which I’m sure is a small relief to the team as well in a certain way); the booking was made last week (at time of writing) and things have thankfully calmed down a little at Dabbous waiting list wise.  The second is that I don’t recall a 3 course set menu for lunch on our last visit so the fact that it was available on this visit was a very welcome sight.  At £28 for 3 courses and £34 for 4 courses at lunch (set menus) and for the quality and style of what is given, this is an absolute no brainer of an option to go for if you need a faster and more reasonable lunch menu at Michelin starred level.  Genuinely lovely dishes and unobtrusive, attentive service, this remains an extremely good option in London and if anything, this visit has pretty much reinforced my urge to get back to do the full tasting menu again.

It was good to see such gutsy moves from the chef who, in his simplistic creations, gave a menu that I thought was a triumph.  I now understand what the fuss is about, just a shame it is probably lost on many who may go there purely because of the ‘hot ticket’ factor.  The food there was superb and this comfortably sits in the very top bracket of all 1 Michelin starred restaurants I have been to – I would rather have this menu than many 3 Michelin starred places.  Suitable for any occasion as the food itself will delight everyone to the core.

The price tag with matching wines remains fairly tasty as well at £210 per head so I would I say that this is better suited for a special occasion and the added element of theatre watching the staff and having each dish explained by the head chef is uniquely worth it, along with a superbly chosen matching wine and drink menu.  I say theatre as is always nice seeing the experts in action and on this occasion James Knappett was quite aminated with a member of staff at one point (who had not prepared something) which actually made mt slightly uncomfortable as a diner as the atmosphere was uneased by the head chef’s burst.  I don’t know whether this is common, but would be remiss of me not to mention the fact that might be possible on one’s visit.

Another quality meal had here and my sincere thanks to James Knappett’s other half for her wonderful hospitality, the remaining staff for looking after us so well and James for producing such a quality meal again.  This is a definite treat to have in London and remains a lovely option to have for a notable occasion.

For this reason, be aware you are holding up others if you are late(!) as guests dine together in batches.  Seeing the dishes being prepared is always interesting and having the chefs on hand to ask any questions is a unique and comfortable experience.  The only main downside I found was the fact that if you are dining in the far ends of the table, you may very well end up needing to move off your seat and walk to the far end in order to allow other diners to visit the restroom (or go outside for a cigarette) in order to get passed.

First up was the parkerhouse roll to mop up the smoked brill roe, paprika, brown butter which was an instant it in the mouth and lovely opener.  Then the chicken skin, rosemary mascarpone with bacon jam was an asbolute gem, the liked of which don’t occur very often.  The potato puff, smoked salmon, sour cream, chive, brown sugar was a clever and light option and play on the ingredients that was nicely done.  This was then followed by the maylor shrimp, brown butter, yuzu, fennel pollen, dill, bittercress and seabeans which were powerful in their flavours; the shrimps were gorgeously tender and the brown butter sauce with yuzu and dill were utterly sublime additions.

The brill, turnips, miso and lemon packed a punch with the miso and the fish itself was beautifully cooked with lovely picked slices of turnip as well.  Perigord truffle risotto, wild garlic, egg, morels and parmesan formed the next dish which I have to say was utterly sublime, especially with the Chiante Riserve that Sandia (the head chef’s wife) recommended.  Next came the carrot, crème fraiche, barley, sorrel, rape, chicken eldercaper sauce which had a simple purity with lively textures.

Then on to the meat: the beef, pontact sauce, tarragon, pickled walnut, panko, jersey royals and horseradish was utterly sublime with a very strong, accompanying sauce.  The purposefully provided fat on the beef was just grand and perfectly judged in quantity.  The coolea cheese, chicory marmalade with rye was a beautiful and simple way of having a cheese course – strong flavour without being overpowering.

The desserts were different and enjoyable.  The balsamic ice cream, truffle, Jerusalem artichokes wer erefreshing and suprisingly subtle as I was actually bracing myself for the sharpness but somehow this was nicely dealt with.  The caramel textures, coco crumbs, milk ice cream, and hazelnut were very refreshing and the damson seed, brown butter cake had a pleasing warmth to and balance.  The last bouts came with the liquorice ice cream, chocolate and beetroot that was very well toned and portioned, but the final explosion came with the salted Madagascar vanilla fudge which I honestly could have had another 5 portions of as it was that good – so creamy, subtle, velvety and outright gorgeous.  I believe this is the chef giving a guaranteed feel good factor at the end of the meal to secure a leaving smile.

This is certainly the way I left and James Knappett produced a menu just for that day that was frankly superb.  If this is the general produce for one day, then another visit here is an absolute given and next time with matching wines to gain the full experience and see which courses are the signature repeat favourites.  I have full confidence that coming here on any occasion will produce a very satisfying experience and I’m already looking forward to the next opportunity to treat myself, as this is the perfect place to do so.  Well done James, great show.

This was an impressive meal – relaxed, fun, hospitable and with some absolutely great products (favourites being the chicken skin, steak main and madagscan vanilla petit four – worth the visit for that alone!).