Festive Lunch Hour at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester

This afternoon, just before my weekend in Copenhagen, I returned to Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester to try out their newly-launched Festive Lunch Hour for the Christmas season. It was my first visit since late last year and I was attracted by some rather rich and appealing items on the menu as compared to their usually lighter set lunches. Admittedly it is slightly more expensive than the normal set lunch, but still a very good deal at £65 for 3 courses and an amuse-bouche using pretty luxurious ingredients, accompanied by two glasses of red/white wine, the usual array of mignardises and choice of tea/coffee after the meal.

My usual seat

Emmental cheese goujons to start, dusted with black
pepper and bell pepper powders. Light and fluffy in
texture yet rich in taste, with just the right amount of
spiciness to stimulate the tastebuds. Very addictive too!

Selection of breads served warm - I chose
bacon and black olive, both excellent, as
was the velvety and creamy salted butter.

Amuse-bouche: Scottish salmon coated with sauce verte (a blend of coriander, parsley and spinach), served with caviar on a bed of potato lightly dressed with olive oil and chives.

This was a delightful way to begin the meal - luxurious yet light and wholesome. The salmon was only lightly poached so that its insides were still pretty raw but incredibly fresh and moist, and its characteristically rich flavour was well matched by a thick and aromatic coating of herb sauce. By contrast, the other part of this morsel, a potato salad of sorts, felt surprisingly clean and non-starchy in texture, and its delicate flavour was appropriately complemented by the light olive oil dressing and the refreshing salty juiciness of the caviar. The ingredients of this dish were generally basic, but their composition was both elegant and effective.

Starter: warm goose and foie gras pithivier (puff pastry parcel) with a sauce of white port and cognac, served with a side salad of cos lettuce and baby Swiss chard.

Wine pairing: 2011 Josmeyer Pinot Blanc 'mise du printemps', Alsace.

How complex can a pie be, you ask, and does it deserve a place in a gastronomical establishment? As it turned out, this was probably the most well-made, indulgent and tasty example that I've tried so far. What really struck me weren't the lavish fillings of diced goose breast and foie gras, but the sheer refinement and meticulousness in execution (as you see from the cross-section), and the variety of textures within a seemingly humble slice of pie. A feather-light, multi-layered and flaky puff pastry crust contained a thick wall of pâté en croûte made of extremely delicate and airy chicken mousse. This layer of mousse further encased some truly opulent and robust stuffings by contrast - the goose breast was moist and succulent with a rich gamey flavour, the foie gras was smooth and silky with a pleasant musky taste, and bits of leek and lardo di colonnata scattered throughout the filling enhanced the already intense flavours and aromas of this gourmet pie. The drizzling of a full-bodied and slightly sweet port and cognac sauce was but the icing on this proverbial masterpiece of a cake. A crunchy side salad of lettuce and Swiss chard provided a welcome balance as well as further texture.

Tasting notes for the wine: fruity, dry and full-bodied, with a good acidity and hints of oak, toast and biscuits. An excellent complement for savoury pastries, meats and pâtés as found in this starter.

Main course: roasted brill, baby squid, shellfish marinière (first photo: only shellfish sauce, second photo: additional sauce of parsley, shallots and baby spinach), celeriac.

Wine pairing: 2010 Chataigneraie-Laborier Pouilly-Fuisse sur la Roche, Maconnais (Burgundy).

Light and healthy, this was a pleasant contrast to the preceding starter. Fillets of tender and moist fish with a subtle flavour were aptly paired with bits of shellfish and squid. The latter were fresh and firm, but thankfully not too chewy as they are prone to be if overcooked. Slices of artfully-shaped celeriac made for very pretty plating and also complemented the delicate sweetness of fresh seafood, while the shellfish sauce imparted a greater depth of flavour. The green sauce that was then poured into the dish was not only equally tasty but also extremely aromatic due to the use of herbs and shallots, and only increased the dish's overall appeal.

Tasting notes for the wine: made only from Chardonnay grapes, this was very mineral, crisp and aromatic, with a lemony nose, and a long finish. Simple but appropriate and effective for delicate fish and seafood dishes.

Dessert: 'Christmas bauble' - manjari chocolate sphere and biscuit, enclosing rich fillings of coffee mousse, manjari cream and chopped caramelised hazelnuts. A hot juice blend of passion fruit and lemon was then poured over the sphere to reveal its contents.

This must have been worth 1000 calories - so unashamedly rich and decadent, just as desserts should be! In terms of taste this was pretty straightforward - you can't really go wrong with a combination of chocolate, coffee and hazelnuts - but the experience was elevated by the delightfully theatrical presentation; watching the contents unfold as the outer chocolate shell melted under the heat of the juice was quite a lot of fun indeed. It was a huge ball filled to the brim, and (though I wasn't really complaining) it might have been too heavy for a small eater; fortunately the rather acidic juice provided a most welcome balancing touch for the sheer sinfulness of this dessert.

Meanwhile, the customary array of mignardises had been placed on my table, and looking at my dessert I knew there was no way I could eat any of these in the same sitting, so I asked for a takeaway of these delicious morsels:

New macaron flavours: tonka & passion fruit, mint, coconut & raspberry. I was glad I waited till I got home to fully savour this absolutely stellar combination of flavours - probably the best I've got out of my three visits here so far. The coconut & raspberry macaron was unforgettable, with lovely bits of dessicated coconut within the delicate macaron shell (you can see the bumps as compared to the other shells with smooth surfaces).

I should mention now that there was a very pleasant lady next to me this afternoon, also dining alone. We chatted a little and she revealed that she was a lawyer from Israel, here on a conference, and she decided to do one special meal on her last (and only free) day in London. What a positive experience this must have been! She asked if she could visit the kitchen after the meal, and I decided to tag along too as I had not yet been behind the scenes. I managed to catch head chef Jocelyn Herland just coming out of a meeting, gave him my compliments on the food and asked for a photograph; he came across as a gracious and amiable person.

Very bright, spacious and well-organised main kitchen.

Pastry kitchen

Spotted these in one corner of the kitchen: precious Périgord black truffles in season, wrapped individually in cloth to preserve their aroma. These 'black diamonds' from France are supposedly comparable in aroma to the exalted Italian Alba white truffles, and should not be confused with their poorer cousins from other parts of Europe.

With head chef Jocelyn Herland

It was a very pleasant afternoon on the whole, with good food, unexpected company, and generally attentive and knowledgeable service. A bald male server who used to work at Guy Savoy in Paris stood out in particular for his friendliness, and while chatting correctly guessed my blogging hobby from the pictures I was taking and detailed questions I had on the food. Unfortunately, he left for a break (I think) around the time of dessert and I never got to ask for his name - but there will be a next time, I'm sure!

Impressive gingerbread model of The
Dorchester placed within its lobby.

This was my third and possibly my best visit to this restaurant so far. Having done both the set lunch and tasting menu my general impression is that regardless of the price tag, it is still much better value for its set lunch. The tasting menu I tried last year had some hits and misses, while the two lunches I've had have not failed to deliver on both quality and taste even at a considerably lower price. Perhaps I will try the hugely expensive seasonal menu one day when I can comfortably afford it, and that might send me straight to cloud nine - but for now I will stick to the basics.

Tasting menu at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester

After my first reasonably good lunch experience at Alain Ducasse in London, I was ready to give their tasting menu a try this afternoon. Those yummy cheese goujons to start are so addictive!

I love the way they present the butter.

Amuse bouche: spicy crab and broccoletti.

Beneath this foamy crab emulsion lies the most velvety crab royale (made with cream and eggs, like a mousse) and generous bits of crab and broccoletti to provide additional sweetness and textures. An intense starter enhanced by the mildly spicy strip of red paprika atop the foam.

First starter: crispy raw and cooked vegetable tart with fresh herb condiment (the green sauce - includes basil, parsley, touch of parmesan) and tomato reduction (the red sauce).

A very posh take on salad, with a variety of fresh and crunchy raw vegetables on the top layer and cooked ones at the bottom. The rather impressive base is made of very finely diced tomato (very sweet) and Japanese eringi mushroom (almost gelatinous texture - well done!). However, while the presentation was stunning, the overall taste was less spectacular. The dish was extremely refreshing and wholesome, but with the exception of the base it was also somewhat one-dimensional and bland.

Second starter: "sauté gourmand" of lobster on homemade pasta and truffled chicken quenelles (creamed chicken set into an egg shape with bits of black truffle), with sauce made of lobster, dash of cognac and tomato.

Possibly the best hot dish of the meal - the intense lobster sauce worked really well with a hint of truffle, quenelles were creamy and fragrant, enhanced by the eringi mushrooms whose full-bodied woody flavour was now fully unleashed with the warmth of the dish. The two pieces of lobster were reasonably well-cooked (but surely they could spare more than two tiny pieces even for a tasting portion!). Only real sore point was the pasta, which was definitely too al dente for my taste.

First main course: simmered halibut with celeriac, shellfish and squid.

Very well cooked - the halibut was substantial and meaty without being tough, complemented by delightful chewy bits of other seafood and slices of sweet and juicy celeriac (shaped like cooked prawns!). The buttery sauce accompanying this dish was very comforting indeed.

Second main course: saddle of venison, pumpkin (with a chestnut atop), beetroot and quince, with Grand Veneur sauce (veal and venison reduction with redcurrant and a dash of dark chocolate).

Compared to the preceding courses this was the first real disappointment - the meat was a tad overcooked and too substantial a chunk. The sauce, while being appropriately rich, also emphasised the gaminess of the meat a little too heavily. In terms of presentation the vegetable accompaniments seemed to be almost an afterthought, though they provided a much-needed balance (the baby beetroot and quince stood out in particular).

Cheese would have been part of the tasting menu but I wasn't really into them, so the maitre d' suggested this excellent alternative, especially after all the substantial courses that had passed.

First dessert: exotic fruit vacherin - two scoops of sorbet (mango and lime), meringue with toasted coconut, coconut tuiles, candied orange, in a pool of mango, passionfruit and pomegranate sauce. Tropical perfection throughout and a really delightful palate cleanser!

The usual complimentary mignardises before the final dessert, with different macaron flavours this time: liquorice, rose and chocolate. 

Final dessert: chocolate and hazelnut biscuit, with a scoop of hazelnut ice-cream. I shall let the following pictures speak for this magnificent end to the meal!

N.B. This was a newly-designed dessert (on the menu from just about 2 weeks ago) at the time of lunching. 

Not very even chocolate coating, but oh well ...
still tasted great!

Decadent layers of hazelnut praline and biscuit in the
bottom layer!

This is the infusion trolley - selection of fresh herbs for brewing such as rosemary, thyme, sage etc. I didn't take the tea but thought that the whole setup made for a nice photograph.

In summary: some hits and misses for the warm dishes, but particularly lovely desserts (as usual) and definitely the most generous restaurant so far with their mignardises. In terms of service, there was a French waiter who was attending to me most of the time and he was very friendly and patient with my questions; I learnt he would be leaving the restaurant at the end of 2011 to gain experiences in the fine-dining scene in Asia. Not much to say about the rest; no one seemed to remember or have noted somewhere that I was a repeat customer - huge minus for that - all the other restaurants I've visited a second time so far had at least one staff member recognise me immediately after roughly the same time lapse between visits.

Considering that this had been a Toptable offer with a substantial discount off the tasting menu, I would cut the restaurant some slack - but for now the main menu seems unlikely to undergo substantial changes, so I am not in a hurry to return unless something on the weekly-changing lunch menu really catches my fancy. 

(Update 15/01/2012: AD is also the only restaurant I've noticed so far to increase its prices for 2012 on all its menus.)

Seasonal lunch at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, London

I visited Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, one of only two restaurants in London to score the coveted maximum of 3 Michelin stars, for the first time today. Like any celebrity chef, Ducasse has a restaurant empire that spreads across much of Europe, USA and Tokyo. This London outpost is helmed by Jocelyn Herland, one of his protégés.

Entrance

Interior

Two glasses of red/white wine, a bottle of mineral water and coffee are included in the lunch menu, which is a real steal. I chose to have the pinot blanc which was very fruity and refreshing.

The most arty plate I've seen!

Yummy choux pastries to start, with a black paprika and cheese filling. Served warm, very light and fragrant.

Lovely oyster shell-shaped dish and porcelain table decoration

Bread was excellent enough to eat on its own, didn't really need the salted butter or cream cheese spread (which were also great).

Excellent esp. the black olive bread (left)

A rather substantial amuse-bouche of butternut squash with a dollop of Stilton cheese and dash of paprika. Wonderful combination of flavours - sweet, creamy and just spicy enough to prepare the palette.

Starter from the seasonal 'Nature' menu: soft-boiled egg, cep mushroom and crispy bacon, with mushroom velouté poured over. I love mushrooms and this full flavoured dish was just perfect, with the bacon providing a satisfying salty crunch. The egg was exquisitely done, with a totally runny centre and a solid but almost gelatinous egg white. Comfort food at its best.

The above was the wafer-thin crispy bread that went with the starter - with hazelnuts and fig/prune, I figured. Very nice complement!

Main course: Gilthead bream fillet with raw and cooked fennel and sauce vierge. Top-quality fish cooked to perfection, very fresh, tender, smooth and preserving much of its natural juices. The fennel and sauce were an excellent and subtle complement to the light taste of the fish. 

Pre-dessert: this was what really surprised me - can you imagine all that?! These were all complimentary extras not on the menu, made inhouse by the pastry chef. I was so full by the end of the actual dessert that I had to ask my server to do a takeaway of all these goodies, which he happily obliged.

Macarons - lemon, tonka (a type of chocolate), and raspberry flavours. Not too bad, but still nowhere near the standards of macaron specialists Ladurée and Pierre Hermé. It's really difficult to get these right.

A selection of dark and milk chocolates. The dark chocolates had a very distinct coffee filling, topped with bits of coffee beans, while the milk chocolates had a creamy hazelnut feuilletine centre - yummy.

Chocolate-coated almonds. This humble nibble was coated in the most intense dark chocolate and glazed over with a very thin layer of sugar - totally luxurious.

Salted caramel and soft nougat. 

This was amazing - the nougat so chewy and chock-full of nuts, and with a most unusual but delicious hint of candied orange peel. The caramel was so intense, buttery and melt-in-your-mouth, admittedly on the rather salty side but I loved it! There was an additional variety of caramel they gave me in my take-home pack, a really unusual and sourish passionfruit flavour, with visible bits of the fruit and crushed seeds.

Dessert served in a signature Ducasse 'cookpot': a stew of apples, lavender honey and ginger, topped with chopped pistachios. Sweet, spicy and fragrant - what struck me most was the presence of lavender as soon as the dish was presented. Very interesting combination that works surprisingly well although one usually expects spiced apple to be paired with cinnamon. This would be a perfect winter dessert, like those sold in German christmas markets.

This simple scoop of pistachio ice cream that went with the cookpot dessert was nothing short of a revelation - so velvety, light and not too sweet, made with the freshest cream that one can taste, and with delicious bits of pistachio in every mouthful.

Double shot of espresso to end the meal and put me through the rest of the day - this was potent and very well-made!

Quite a good first lunch experience and value for money - I know I will be back to try its tasting menu soon!

Old-world charm and opulence within the hotel

Entrance to The Dorchester