Double birthday celebration at Ristorante Semplice

More birthday week feasting - I visited Ristorante Semplice this evening, with a friend whose birthday was only a few days apart from mine. We'd bought a Groupon voucher earlier this year for a 3-course dinner with apéritif and coffee at half price, and decided to use it for this doubly joyous occasion.

The restaurant was quite full and quite a few tables seemed to be made up of regular customers. Surely a good sign, I thought. Unfortunately, we were both late for our reservation due to work commitments (I arrived first and my friend about 15 minutes later - we'd called to inform the restaurant), and the reception we both received from the restaurant manager and other servers was rather frosty; the service then continued to be rather indifferent throughout the evening, with no apparent attempt to engage us as first-time diners. Whether it was because we were 'budget' Groupon customers, or because my friend was rather casually dressed, we'll never know for sure - but for a half-price dinner I was prepared to let all this pass. I didn't bother informing the waiters that we were celebrating two birthdays, lest they think I was trying to get more bang for the buck than I deserved.

I thought we'd at least get to choose from the à la carte menu since the dinner was supposedly worth much more than we'd prepaid for, but instead we got an obviously 'budget' menu that was completely different from the à la carte options that I'd checked out on their website prior to our visit. Based on my experiences in fine-dining, the menu in front of us certainly looked like a cheaper set lunch menu, which would have cost whatever we'd paid, even without a Groupon. Not an encouraging start to the evening, I have to admit - but I kept my mind open about the food and drink, and of course having good company helped.

Interesting long biscuit strips - pretty moreish.

This was our apéritif of a peach Bellini. It was very well done - a good balance of sweetness from the peach juice, and crisp acidity from the champagne.

Starter 1: gem lettuce seasoned 'panzanella style', baby monkfish milanese, soft boiled quail eggs.

I found out after the dinner that 'panzanella style' refers to the Florentine traditional dish of bread salad, soaked in water then drained again to produce a somewhat lumpy and mushy texture, and finally dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar - admittedly not the most appealing idea, but surprisingly acceptable to my uninitiated tastebuds when taken with the fresh crunchy lettuce. The breaded monkfish balls were good - crispy on the outside, and tender and succulent within. On the whole, a reasonably good, if basic, dish.

Starter 2: foie gras and chicken liver parfait, Sarawak red pepper, mixed berry compote, field salad garnish.

The parfait was excellent - very smooth and creamy, and its deep flavours were further intensified by an unusual surrounding layer of cheese. The salad garnish and sprinkling of pepper gave this rich dish a subtle, refreshing kick, while the sweet berry compote was utterly delightful when paired with the savoury parfait.

Main 1: cod with mussels and samphire, celeriac purée.

Positives first: it was a very generous portion of fish on the plate, and the surrounding accompaniments were effective choices in enhancing in fresh and natural flavours of the fish. The negatives: sloppy presentation - the accompaniments were strewn randomly round the plate; no apparent precision in the execution - the fillet had already flaked and fallen apart (a sure sign of careless handling), and was then hastily re-gathered under the skin before being served (just hope the bits hadn't fallen off on an unclean surface! No tummy aches after the dinner, fortunately). Does one really need to go to a restaurant for something that could have been pulled off by an average home cook? 

Main 2: roasted lamb, sautéed fennel with dried tomatoes and roasted new potatoes.

As with the fish course, there was very little sophistication or care involved in the execution and plating of this dish. It looked somewhat like a Sunday roast dish out of my hostel canteen. This portion was also much smaller compared to the fish. To be fair to the kitchen, all components were reasonably well cooked, but in a posh (and not inexpensive, even on a Groupon offer) restaurant like this, would it be unreasonable to expect more than just a solid meal of home kitchen standards?

Dessert 1: Giovanni Erbisti coffee tiramisu, coffee ice cream.

After a series of mostly solid but lacklustre dishes, this dessert packed a most delightful punch with intense coffee flavours permeating the plate. The first word I could think of to describe this dish was 'heady'; indeed, the caffeine rush that ensued with each bite was intoxicating, and yet at no point did the dessert taste overly bitter or 'burnt', as with more inferior beans. Everything from the rich ice-cream, to the velvety tiramisu and the coffee sauce studded with roughly ground beans, was testimony to the smoothness and well-balanced flavours of this famous Italian blend.

Dessert 2: yoghurt mousse, mixed berry purée with lemon thyme.

This was a pleasant and clean-tasting contrast to the coffee dessert. The dish was quite nicely plated and solidly conceived in taste; the addition of lemon thyme imparted a refreshing and aromatic kick to an otherwise predictable combination of yoghurt and berries. 

Petit fours: barely mentionable; two measly pieces of almond biscotti and dark chocolate buttons, plus coffee - you could find this in any reasonably good high-street Italian coffee chain.

Overall, it had been a reasonably pleasant evening, if only for the good company and desserts; service was pretty non-existent, and compared to other tables ordering fancy (and presumably more expensive) dishes, the staff showed largely no interest in us as 'budget' diners, and nobody greeted us at the door as we left. That said, we still had to pay the 12.5% 'discretionary' service charge, calculated upon the 'original' price of the meal; I would have refused to pay if eating on my own, but I was reluctant to spoil the occasion. 

Was this dinner worth the price we paid on Groupon? Maybe. (But in fact, for the same price, one could get much better food on a 3-course lunch menu at Michelin TWO-starred restaurants such The Square and The Ledbury.) 

Would I have paid 'full price' for it? Certainly not!! I was hardly convinced that this was even a deal to begin with - suffice it to say that I won't be returning; there are so many Michelin competitors in London where I can spend my money and feel appreciated for it. 

[Postscript 23/03: after this Groupon 'deal' I was quite skeptical of what I would be getting at another Groupon reservation with Rasoi, also a Michelin 1-starred restaurant. I was pleasantly surprised at the variety and quality of their tasting menu (see Rasoi review); now that was a real steal for which I wouldn't have minded paying full price plus service charge!]

Birthday lunch at The Waterside Inn (Menu Exceptionnel, Spring 2012)

There are many fine restaurants in the UK, but none of them quite as iconic as The Waterside Inn in the historic village of Bray-on-Thames. This legendary granddaddy of fine-dining establishments in the country, opened by the Roux brothers Michel & Albert in 1972 (shortly after Le Gavroche in 1967), remains a family business today, in the good hands of Michel's son Alain and his Belgian sous chef Fabrice Uhryn. The Roux family was, and still is, synonymous with gastronomy in Britain. This flagship restaurant has held 3 Michelin stars since 1985 and is the only one outside France to have maintained this honour for so long. I made a special trip from London this afternoon for my birthday lunch, and as you can imagine I was very excited about my first visit.

The cosy waiting area

Elegant table setting against an idyllic river backdrop

View across the bright and spacious dining room

The Waterside Inn is more than a restaurant - for guests who wish to experience the full extent of their hospitality (and who have lots of spare cash!), bed & breakfast packages are also available. This 'restaurant with rooms' concept is apparently quite popular in the Roux family's native France.

The cooking is unashamedly classic French as well - as you will see, nothing revolutionary (unlike its equally famous neighbour The Fat Duck by Heston Blumenthal), but always with great respect for the freshest seasonal produce available, and exquisite & elegant presentation. I was there just in time for the new spring menu, and went straight for the Menu Exceptionnel of 6 courses (tasting menu).

As they say, first impressions count, and both the front-of-house manager Diego and his team displayed a genuine passion for serving and provided me with a warm welcome. The overwhelmingly French presence and heavy French accents might seem pretentious to some, but once you look beyond that, you can tell that they really take pride in what they do.

On to the food - I was first served a most impressive canapé platter, really the biggest start to any meal that I've ever had at fine restaurants:

This was an nice assortment to really tickle the tastebuds and heighten one's expectations for the meal ahead, with (front to back): cheese sticks (very light, crispy and fragrant), roast duck on baby gem lettuce with a sweet and spicy sauce (very tender meat and delightful combination of textures with the refreshing & crunchy lettuce), Welsh rarebit with a spicy plum chutney topping (rich cheesy flavour was nicely enhanced by the slight spiciness of the topping), and cod brandade on potato chips with a crushed black olive topping (very fresh and savoury combination). A rose (for presentation purposes only) is artfully crafted from beetroot. If you look very carefully at the platter as a whole, you might even notice that the pieces make up the family name 'ROUX', in a most understated and elegant manner!

First course: flaked Devon crab and marinated sea bass served on a delicate carrot jelly lightly infused with ginger, with Royal Belgian oscietra caviar. Garnished with fresh sliced baby carrots, celery leaves, and a carrot & ginger macaroon.

Stunning presentation, with the freshness of individual components showcased in their full glory. The crab had a natural sweetness which was delightfully enhanced by the slightly salty caviar and sourish sea bass. The thin base of carrot jelly balanced the indulgent mound of seafood with its tartness, and the ginger infusion lifted the whole dish with a subtle spiciness. Despite the apparent luxuriousness of the dish, it felt incredibly light and was a nice contrast to the rather heavy canapé platter that had preceded it.

Second course: pan-fried escalope of foie gras Grenoble style, on a bed of beansprouts, with a caramelised slice of orange, sprinkling of sweetbreads & soybeans, and orange jus.

A straightforward combination that needs almost no elaboration - this was the most generous portion of foie gras that I've ever had, pan seared on the top for a really nice crispy charred layer. Pure delight on the inside - really rich and creamy. The orange was a good balance with its natural acidity, while the sprinklings provided an appealing crunch to the dish.

Third course: poached fillet of Dover sole flavoured with tarragon, langoustine tail, morels (a type of seasonal spring mushrooms), on a bed of spinach and peas, vin jaune sauce (a white wine of the Jura region in France which is yellowish in colour, hence its name).

My favourite dish of the meal. The arrival of this course struck my nose first with an incredible earthy fragrance, emanating from the generous use of seasonal morel mushrooms. Every bite, lubricated with the intensely perfumed sauce, was a delight. The firm sole fillet formed a kind of outer wrap for a light sole mousse within, that was studded with yet more morels. The langoustine tail was cooked to perfection and maintained a moist springy texture. Crunchy fresh peas and soft spinach were the perfect foil for this wholesome and healthy dish. I could have licked the plate clean!

Fourth course: spit-roasted Challandais duck studded with cloves, served on a bed of spinach, with a mead flavoured jus and poached baby broccoli & radish. Side of puff pastry, pumpkin purée and (dried?) oregano.

Classic French cooking has been given a really cute twist here, in terms of presentation, with the puff pastry in the shape of a duck. The duck slices were incredibly thin and even - takes great skill with the carving knife to pull off, I imagine! This was a really hearty and substantial dish. The duck, very tender and still slightly pink, was very nicely enhanced by the savoury mead jus with just a slight hint of sweetness. The poached vegetables were a fresh and delightful balance. The puff pastry was buttery, flaky and feather-light, and its sweet & creamy pumpkin purée filling worked very well with the naturally rich meat. 

Now for a slight diversion - this was the cheese trolley for the adjacent table. I'm not a particular fan/connoisseur of cheese myself but this looks like a nice variety they've got.

Palate cleanser: lime blossom sorbet, in a pool of elderflower infusion.

This was an unexpected little piece of heaven - Alain Roux really lives up to his reputation as a master patissier! After all the indulgent dishes that had preceded it, this sorbet was like a breath of fresh air, with just the right amount of acidity complemented by the unmistakable sweetness and aroma of elderflower. The texture of the sorbet was incredible - firm on the outside, maintaining good shape throughout without melting in the bowl even as I took my time with pictures, yet completely smooth, melt-in-the-mouth, and without the slightest hint of ice crystals on the inside, once I started eating. I really didn't want this to end so quickly.

Dessert: hazelnut florentine with ivory (white chocolate) mousse and passion fruit coulis.

Huge expectations had been built up for desserts, and this first one didn't disappoint. The presentation again made a rather strong impression with its geometrical layers. Food-wise, I thought the use of the word 'mousse' was a bit of a misnomer - the white chocolate component was in fact more like two solid dollops of cocoa butter cream/spread (not that I was complaining!), so thick, velvety and luxurious that any more would have been too cloying. This was well complemented, in terms of taste and texture, with the crunchy and sticky hazelnut biscuit. The passion fruit was a welcome balance to this rich dessert with its characteristic acidity and aroma.

Dessert: warm rhubarb soufflé enhanced with raspberries. A chunky sauce of fresh Yorkshire rhubarb and raspberries was poured into the centre cavity.

This was a nice contrast to the first rich dessert. The soufflé was feather-light and fragrant, baked using fresh eggs from the area, and the use of naturally tart rhubarb and raspberries ensured that this rather large portion did not feel in the least overwhelming. The chunky sauce added another textural dimension and a nice bite to this dessert. The form was rather disappointing though - most of the soufflé seemed 'stuck' to the ramekin and the one corner that did rise made the soufflé look quite ugly, especially with its contents spilling over the edge. Probably a case of not carving out enough space between the mixture and the ramekin in order for the soufflé to rise evenly while baking. Admittedly this is one of the most difficult desserts to make in the classical culinary repertoire and I'm probably being picky, but surely one could expect more from a world-class kitchen.

It was at this point that I received a nice extra from the kitchen for my birthday, a small piece of tiramisu with the words 'Happy Birthday' written stylishly in chocolate. I had mentioned to Diego my purpose in visiting the restaurant a few courses earlier, so this was a very thoughtful gesture:

Finally, to finish the meal, an stunning array of mignardises (or petit fours). I was pleasantly surprised when they brought out the two-tier platter - actually I was already quite full and then there was all this plus tea! - but it was too good to waste so I just took my time with the delightful pastries. For tea, I chose to have Chinese Gunpowder green tea to aid digestion after this indulgent meal.

Imagine a full afternoon tea set right after lunch!

Almost too good to be true.

Top layer: almond & pumpkin seed nougat (soft, chewy and crunchy), raspberry cake, lemon madeleine (both very moist and light), butter pastry (flaky and crispy).

Bottom layer: blackcurrant jelly, passionfruit tart, Valrhona dark chocolate ganache, hazelnut nougat, mini coffee canele, milk chocolate macaron. How could I find fault with any of these little gems?

Part of the attraction of The Waterside Inn is its idyllic riverside location, and no visit would be complete without a walk round the beautiful terrace, and a couple of pictures:

Accommodation cottages by the river

The private dock

Must be nice to sit out here in summer!

One of the two gazebos available for having
tea/coffee/aperitifs while enjoying the river view.

Don't lean too far back! ;)

Spring blooms I

Spring blooms II

Life must be so hard for them...

Overview of the dining room and terrace

It was an afternoon of pure escapism, surrounded by excellent cuisine, beautiful surroundings and fresh countryside air. Why isn't life like this more often? I can't wait for my next visit when my family visits me over the Easter break!

Sunday lunch at The Ledbury

The Ledbury is one of London's most popular fine-dining establishments, located in the rather upmarket Notting Hill residential area. With a string of official awards including 2 Michelin stars and Highest New Entry (34th place) in the 2011 San Pellegrino's list of The World's 50 Best Restaurants, as well as the unofficial honour of being London's best restaurant according to popular website Tripadvisor, getting a reservation there is no easy task. The Australian head chef Brett Graham is the protégé of Philip Howard, and had worked at his restaurant The Square, prior to opening The Ledbury in 2005. Obviously, I was very excited when I finally got a table for lunch today, after several unsuccessful attempts in the past.

Ledbury Road - largely residential area.

At a prominent junction - you won't miss it.

Small, elegant and cosy interior.

The Ledbury is probably the only fine restaurant in London that does a Sunday lunch sitting. Customers have two options: either a 3-course affair, or the full tasting menu. As it was my first visit, I opted for the former to get a feel of the cuisine without burning a huge hole in my pocket.

Canapé: squid ink biscuit with turbot purée and turbot roe, garnished with finger lime leaves (a native Australian citrus plant).

An artfully executed and very promising start to the meal. This canapé was a delightful combination of textures - incredibly thin & crispy biscuit layer (it looked so fragile that I thought it was going to break under the toppings when I picked it up), with thick & creamy purée and juicy & gelatinous roe. The piece as a whole tasted extremely fresh and full of savoury flavours from the sea.

Bread: As with the Roganic review, I feel compelled to write a short paragraph on the bread offerings here as they were simply amazing. Three types were offered - sourdough, crystallised malt, and onion & bacon brioche - not a spectacular variety but every piece was warm, oven fresh, and so fragrant and fluffy that I could keep going if not for the rest of the dishes! My favourite was the brioche - incredibly buttery, savoury (but not too salty), aromatic, with generous bits of onion and bacon scattered throughout. I had 3 pieces throughout the meal, which is quite a mouthful! The salted butter was also very rich, creamy and smooth and started to melt the moment it touched a warm piece of bread - simply comforting.

If only I could have this for breakfast everyday!

Amuse bouche: flamed grilled mackerel with artichoke purée, Celtic mustard, pickled cucumber, cucumber jelly wrap with smoked eel tartare, shiso dressing, and sprinklings of shallots and white sesame.

Simply a work of art!

How does one even begin to eat this? It was so beautifully plated that it became a work of art in its own right. This is actually a signature dish of the restaurant and a staple on the tasting menu, which the kitchen very kindly prepared as a special for my first visit. This Japanese-inspired dish tasted as stunning as it looked - the mackerel was extremely fresh and moist, and the natural sweetness and oiliness of the flesh was subtly enhanced with the creamy artichoke purée. The crispy charred skin went very well with the creamy eel tartare, while the use of shallots and sesame provided aromatic depth and a nice crunch. Despite its apparent richness, the whole dish tasted very 'clean' due to the use of cucumber in both pickled and jellied forms (very refreshing) and shiso dressing (in English: perilla leaf, a strong-flavoured herb thought to have anti-inflammatory properties). Flawless execution throughout.

My server told me that the chef's specialty is game, so I went with her recommendations.

Starter: roasted quail breast with a leg confit, on a bed of lentils, iberico ham and chanterelles, topped with chervil root shavings and parsnip crisps.

Every mouthful of this dish was an absolute delight. I have never had meat this tender and succulent - you could literally see the juices oozing with every stroke of the knife. An extremely savoury dish enhanced by indulgent slithers of the best ham and earthy mushrooms, amidst the roasting juices. The parsnip crisps provided an extremely appealing crunch. The only thing I didn't quite get in this dish was the chervil root - not much flavour or texture to speak of - but the shavings were, to the kitchen's credit, beautifully done (so thin and even, like white truffle discs!) and made for good presentation.

Main course: a substantial dish in 2 parts - 1) roasted pigeon breast with red vegetables (beetroot, chargrilled celeriac and pickled baby onions) and leaves, rhubarb (both diced and puréed), chantilly of foie gras; 2) leg confit, and on the skewer of liquorice root, various parts of the pigeon: wing, fillet and heart.

This dish caught my eye immediately with its extremely flamboyant and striking red colour scheme. Excellently cooked, just like my quail starter. The foie gras chantilly (the thick yellowish cream) provided a touch of luxury and complemented the rich savoury flavour of the meat perfectly. The vegetables provided an essential balance, and the rhubarb and pickled onions were particularly memorable for their extreme tartness, which cut through the richness of the dish effectively.

The cheese trolley for the adjacent table, with the nice waitress who took care of me for most of the meal:

Dessert: passionfruit soufflé with Sauternes ice cream.

This deceptively simple dessert was both very light in texture and infused throughout with the unmistakable aroma and taste of passionfruit. Passionfruit seeds scattered within the soufflé provided a nice additional bite. The ice cream was very smooth and rich but its taste was perhaps too subtle to match up to the overpowering passionfruit flavour. Despite the portion being rather generous, I did not feel overwhelmed at the end of it (perhaps due to the tartness of the fruit?), which was good.

Bonus dessert: dark chocolate pavé with milk purée and pumpkin seed ice-cream, with chopped pumpkin seed topping and a dash of pumpkin seed oil.

(I was tempted to order this actually but my server had recommended the soufflé - they seem to be able to read minds!) Another wonderful touch of service from the restaurant whose servers noticed that I was really enjoying the food. This is another of their signature desserts, which features occasionally on the tasting menu. The pavé was utterly indulgent (just like eating a huge slab of chocolate!), topped with roughly ground coffee beans, and sat upon a coffee-flavoured biscuit base. The richness of the chocolate was well matched by the ice-cream, and I thought that the dash of pumpkin seed oil was an ingenious touch, with its intense aroma and nutty taste.

Petit fours: dark chocolate with bourbon ganache filling, milk biscuit with Earl Grey ganache, and blood orange jelly.

Sweet endings; the Earl Grey ganache stood out for its rich bergamot taste, and the jelly was very tangy with a substantial chewy texture.

Two minor bugbears regarding the service - the bread waiter tried to take away my unfinished brioche during my main course, for which he promptly apologised; also both desserts arrived simultaneously, so I was scrambling to finish the ice-creams before they melted. Even if one of the desserts was complimentary, I'm sure the service could have been better timed by the kitchen, so that customers get to focus on and savour each dish completely, instead of shuttling between two plates on the table. 

Having said that, it was on the whole a wonderful first experience - great food and presentation with friendly service to match. I'll surely be back for the tasting menu when I am able to get a table!