It was back to The Waterside Inn this afternoon for a leisurely weekend lunch. A few weeks ago, I had come across the autumn tasting menu on their website, and was really attracted by the authenticity of most of the dishes - as you will see, quite a few of them are true Waterside signatures - so I booked myself a table before the restaurant changes its menus in early November for the winter season.
Upon my arrival at about 1.30 pm, I was quite surprised at all the empty tables around me, since the restaurant is usually full. Diego explained upon greeting me that the traffic situation was particularly bad in the surrounding areas, so many customers were late (I wouldn't have known since I came on the train from London) - true enough, tables started filling up within half an hour of my arrival, and the restaurant returned to its usual lively atmosphere with cheerful banter all round.
Diego also offered me the latest publication from the restaurant so I wouldn't get bored in between courses. This was the commemorative magazine issued in conjunction with The Waterside Inn's 40th birthday (which in fact happened very recently, in early September). I was pleasantly surprised to read that Diego had been awarded a knighthood (Cavaliere Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana) by his native Italian government, in recognition of his contributions towards the hospitality and catering industry. Apparently, he is the only person from his field so far to have received the Italian Order of Merit - a testimony to the high standards of service and training he has offered at The Waterside Inn for the past few decades.
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| At my favourite corner again |
Canapés: tempura prawn with wasabi mayonnaise and lime, Welsh rarebit, anchovy cheese & olive oil sticks, duck rillette with hazelnut and gherkin on a crouton base.
The prawn tempura was definitely my favourite. A sweet and juicy large prawn with a firm spring in the bite, encased in crispy batter, paired with velvety and slightly spicy mayonnaise, and a strip of preserved lime zest for balance and stimulation to the palate - what could possibly beat this combination?
The Welsh rarebit was pretty indulgent too - basically melted Cheddar cheese on toast, blended with savoury ingredients such as Worcestershire sauce. A touch of spicy plum chutney on top provided welcome refreshment and a slight jolt to the palate.
This generous portion of duck rillette on a crouton slice was another favourite of mine alongside the prawn tempura. It was very well seasoned, and the tender and finely shredded duck meat had been blended with its own fat to produce a texture that was succulent and creamy all at once. The hazelnut contributed a nice crunch as well as a characteristic flavour that rode subtly upon the rich taste of the duck, while the sourish gherkin slice was an apt balance for the overall lushness of this canapé.
The feather-light cheese & olive oil sticks (no close-up shot) were a burst of savoury flavours, studded with bits of brined anchovy that had a firm bite and strong taste. These seem to be a staple canapé here, with good reason I suppose - they are very moreish indeed!
First course: lobster salad served on a delicate citrus jelly, with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing.
This was a refreshing masterpiece, full of vibrant colours, which set the tone for a luxurious, sophisticated and elegant meal ahead. A generous amount of lobster chunks was simply sat alongside thin slices of citrus jelly and fresh fruit (including grapefruit and clementine), and a light raspberry vinaigrette dressing was poured over the dish. The judicious use of raspberries and citrus fruit accentuated the natural sweetness of fresh lobster very effectively, without any risk of overwhelming its delicate flavour with their characteristic tartness. The lobster itself was very well handled, resulting in an exceptional texture - firm, moist and with a good spring in the bite. This was gastronomy at the highest level - unfussy, precise and harmonious, allowing the quality of each ingredient to speak for itself.
Second course: terrine of pressed foie gras and supreme of guinea fowl with truffle, young red chard salad leaves, leeks, pickled girolles and celery & broccoli purée. Served with a slice of warm toasted brioche (not pictured).
I had requested for this dish from the à la carte menu to replace the original chestnut and champagne velouté course in the tasting menu, which was obliged by the assistant restaurant manager without any hassle. I had a good reason to do so - The Waterside Inn is one of only two restaurants in the UK (the other being Restaurant Gordon Ramsay) to offer authentic pressed foie gras au torchon ('in a towel'), made from whole lobes of liver briefly roasted in the oven, cut into pieces and set in a mould, then wrapped in a large towel and kept under a traditional press for 24 hours, before being sliced and served at room temperature. In keeping with true French tradition, goose liver, not the by-now cheaper and more common liver of duck, is used in this restaurant - its higher fat content and smooth texture make it the perfect ingredient for cold preparations such as terrines (cooking at high temperatures causes it to disintegrate quickly).
Here, the marvellous slab presented in front of me was incredibly dense and velvety in texture, with a delicate musky flavour. Two thin layers of autumn truffle shavings within the terrine and drops of truffle sauce boosted the aroma and taste of the dish with their characteristic pungence. On the side, a cone of guinea fowl consommé jelly provided an intense savoury focus, while the vegetable garnish provided a welcome breath of fresh air amidst this sheer indulgence. Two unusual components are worth mentioning: first, the pickled girolles, which had been marinated in vinegar, then dipped in honey just before serving to give it a really nice sweet-sour taste, in addition to its naturally earthy flavour (perfect with the truffles) and succulent texture. Also, the celery purée had a surprisingly deep savoury taste whilst remaining very light and refreshing in texture: upon further enquiry with my server, it was revealed that broccoli had been in the mix to impart additional flavours to the purée. A thick slice of toasted brioche, which was wonderfully warm, crisp and fluffy to the bite, completed this truly amazing take on a classic French dish.
Third course: fillet of turbot baked in a vine leaf, served with white grapes, celeriac, cucumber and a verjus emulsion.
Along with the lobster starter, this was one of my favourite courses from the tasting menu. One bite of the fish was all it took to convince me that this was the epitome of perfection - I appreciate how difficult it is to cook fish well (a few minutes either way makes a huge difference to its texture and taste), so I was really in awe at how smooth, moist and tender this rather thick chunk of fish turned out. Its fresh, delicate flavour (lightly seasoned with only salt, pepper and olive oil before baking on a bed of rock salt) and natural moisture were completely retained and enhanced by the subtly fragrant vine leaf (picked from Michel Roux Sr.'s vineyards in Provence and blanched), the sweet sliced grape topping, and, most importantly, the verjus sauce - a velvety reduction of cream, fresh butter, shallots (their wonderful aroma rode upon every bite of this dish!), celery, fish stock, and verjus, the juice from pressed green grapes which possessed a mild acidity that balanced the overall sweetness and richness of the dish. Celeriac was offered as an accompaniment in three different ways: as paper-thin deep fried chips, sitting atop a thick purée blended with milk and cream, and also as a boiled cube, on which a whole grape and amaranth shoots were sat for mainly aesthetic purposes. Finally, prior to serving, the fish was lightly drizzled with argan oil (produced from the kernels of argan trees in Morocco, and known for its health-giving properties), which gave it a very subtle nutty flavour. On the whole, this course was the ultimate in culinary elegance - sophistication at its core producing a tasty, well-balanced and seemingly effortless result.
(You can watch a video of Alain Roux preparing this dish here.)
Fourth course: roasted loin of venison in a pastry crust stuffed with spinach and a mousse of chicken and wild mushrooms, garnished with broccoli florets, sautéed girolles, and Hermitage wine sauce with blackcurrant vinegar.
The venison loin, done medium rare on the assistant restaurant manager's recommendation, was extremely tender, succulent and easy to cut through despite the thickness of the chunk. Its full-bodied flavour was well matched by the red wine sauce, made from Syrah grapes grown in their spiritual home on the hill above the town of Tain-l'Hermitage, south of Lyon, in the northern Rhône wine region of France. The earthy and berry flavours of this wine sauce were also complemented by the wild mushroom pastry stuffing and the garnish of girolles and blackcurrants. A touch of blackcurrant vinegar in the sauce mix imparted a mild acidity that effectively cut through the richness of the meat. Vegetable accompaniments of broccoli and spinach provided a healthy balance to this lavish and satisfying course.
Pre-dessert: basil sorbet with passionfruit mousse.
This was a most welcome relief after all the excellent and indulgent courses that had preceded it. The sorbet was jam-packed with the refreshing taste and aroma of basil, and this was paired aptly with passionfruit mousse that both cleansed and set up the tastebuds for the following desserts, with its characteristically acidic flavour. This reminded me instantly of the little treat that I had received at the end of my 8-course meal at Silvio Nickol in Vienna in late July.
Fifth course: sliced pears and blueberries in shortbread biscuits, served with a red fruit coulis.
The first thing that struck me about this dessert was how much richer it tasted than it looked. Sandwiched between two pieces of delicate and buttery shortbread biscuits were thin slices of fresh pear that had been soaked in pear liqueur for an hour to give an incredibly soft, juicy texture and deep flavour. The cream atop the pear slices also carried strong hints of pear liqueur. Despite the rather generous amount, the cream never felt too cloying due to its surprisingly light and airy texture. The accompanying red fruit coulis, with blueberries and mint, had just the right balance of sweetness and acidity, and was a refreshingly effective contrast to the understated intensity of the pear-and-shortbread sandwich.
Sixth course: warm golden plum (mirabelle) soufflé.
There is nothing like a good soufflé to finish a fine traditional French meal, and this certainly didn't disappoint. A classic of The Waterside Inn and a seasonal staple since the early days of the restaurant, this soufflé was at the same time feather-light & fluffy in texture, and robust in flavour, due to the use of mirabelle schnapps in the crème pâtissière (flour-thickened custard) base. According to Alain Roux, the addition of alcohol to all sorts of dishes for an extra 'kick' in flavours is the family's signature style (to which the previous dessert can surely attest!). The crème pâtissière base was blended with mirabelle purée and fresh soft meringue to a consistently smooth texture before baking. The result, rising beautifully and evenly from the ramekin, tasted every bit as good as it looked - fruity but not overly sweet, with juicy whole mirabelles poached in light syrup (scattered within the mixture as well as placed on top), and the powerful and invigorating taste of mirabelle schnapps in every spoonful. A soufflé might look very plain and simple, but is in fact incredibly difficult to execute as masterfully as this!
(You can watch a video of Alain Roux preparing this dessert here.)
The customary tea and petit fours at the end of another brilliant meal here:
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| White nougat, lemon madeleine, palmier, raspberry financier |
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| Dark chocolate ganache, caramel macaron (new), Gianduja nougat, pear & vanilla pastille (new), passionfruit tartlette, cannele |
Great food, outstanding service - quite simply the perfect way to spend a weekend afternoon. I look forward to returning for the winter menu early next year!
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