Back in London after our short trip to Berlin, and as my partner has never been to The Ledbury I thought it would be nice to come here for a leisurely and reasonably-priced Sunday lunch - £50 for 3 courses and you get to choose from a range of dishes from the standard à la carte menu (i.e. not exactly a 'budget' set lunch with limited options). There will be some dishes here which I've had in previous visits to this restaurant, but I don't suppose anyone ever complains about having great dishes once again!
Canapé to start: Gruyère cream and shavings in a poppy seed tartlet, topped with crushed dried black olives.
This little morsel packed quite a punch - similar to, but even richer than a Parmesan tartlet I've had here in the past. The characteristic intensity of Gruyère cheese, complemented by the slight nuttiness of poppy seed, and given further flavour and texture with the crunchy and salty dried black olives, was perfect stimulation for the tastebuds.
Unusually, we ordered juice to go with our food today - a first for both of us. We would normally just have had water, but our friendly waiter for the day James suggested two concoctions we couldn't refuse. At only £5 extra per (rather large) glass, these must be a steal by fine-dining standards!
This was cucumber and apple juice with a touch of elderflower cordial. Incredibly refreshing and well balanced, with a delightful hint of sweet elderflower aromas in every sip.
The other excellent concoction, watermelon juice with mint and a touch of vanilla syrup. Every sip of this was like inhaling a breath of fresh cool air. The vanilla syrup provided a lovely warm hint of sweetness without disrupting the essentially crisp and light taste of this drink.
Their bacon and onion brioche needs no further elaboration - I only go for this amongst the other (admittedly good) breads on offer!
Amuse-bouche: heritage tomatoes with goat's cheese, dried olives, sourdough crumbs, green tomato juice and herbs.
Coincidentally enough, I had been given this very amuse-bouche on an individual visit exactly a year ago. It is actually a standard menu item (under starters), and a truly solid dish in its own right, using the best French tomatoes money can buy, from a farm slightly north of Paris. Lovely way to start indeed; I shall direct my readers to this review for a full commentary on this dish.
Starter 1: boudin of rabbit with artichoke soup and a velouté of Wiltshire truffle.
I had a very similar dish earlier this year as part of the tasting menu (see review here). There were now some changes in the accompaniments due to seasonality, as might be expected of any self-respecting kitchen: here we had a bed of diced cep mushrooms instead of enoki, and instead of chervil shavings and thyme velouté we had summer truffles with marjoram garnish. The dish was no less excellent though; the truffles and ceps combined to complement the rich flavour of the game sausage with a truly intense earthiness, while the sweet citrusy freshness of marjoram wafted through in every bite, providing an essential balance.
Starter 2: salad of green beans with fresh hazelnuts, sliced nectarines and grated foie gras.
This was one of the most unusual combinations I have encountered in a salad. Green beans with foie gras? Make no mistake though - this dish worked surprisingly well. I actually thought the focus was more on the foie gras, with its undeniably rich and musky flavour. Its grated appearance was also very arresting; I had mistaken the brown powdery topping to be hazelnut until I tasted it, and wow! - the creaminess was completely unexpected. I couldn't quite figure out how it was done to such a fine degree (remembering it's generally much softer in texture than cheese). The rest of the ingredients seemed to revolve round the foie gras element, highlighting various aspects of its flavour whilst contributing their own textures. Fresh hazelnuts provided a somewhat gelatinous crunch while giving the foie gras a greater depth with their delicate but characteristic taste. The delightfully juicy nectarine slices complemented the sweet muskiness of the foie gras perfectly, as did the green beans, albeit with a much milder flavour. This starter was indeed as wholesome as it was indulgent.
Main course 1: North Yorkshire grouse with mirabelles, foie gras cream, red vegetables and leaves (beetroot, chicory, pickled onion etc.).
I had reviewed a very similar dish after my first visit to this restaurant (see here). It wasn't quite new for me, but I did recommend my partner try it as this restaurant is well-known for its game. Again, seasonality was key: both grouse and mirabelle plums are at their best right now. The intense flavour of the grouse was very effectively enhanced by the rich foie gras cream and deep earthiness of the roasted beetroot, and balanced by the bitterness of chicory as well as the delicate acidity of mirabelles and pickled onions. The side plate containing the wings and heart was also very tasty.
The one component that particularly caught my attention (because I didn't get it on my first visit) was a mouthful or two's worth of grouse consommé served in a water glass. This had been infused with heather, thyme and rosemary, and it also contained a smattering of elderberries and tiny balls of whisky jelly. I stole a sip and was instantly won over: it was as if the flavours of the main dish had been concentrated in that glass, fortified by potent little bursts of whisky and the sweet aromas of herbs (rosemary had the strongest hint), with the occasional astringency of elderberries to keep things in check. Simply delightful.
Main course 2: loin and neck of lamb with aubergine, garlic and Padron peppers.
According to Laurens who served this dish, Padron peppers are grown alongside rivers in Spain, and their flavour develops according to the amount of sun they are exposed to. Only 10% - 20% of the crop turns spicy or bitter, while the rest remains relatively mild in taste. The peppers were featured here in a puréed form and tasted surprisingly bitter (I presume that means they were amongst the best), which was the perfect foil for the intensity of the lamb. The meat, roasted for 8 hours, was incredible; the loin (right) was lean yet tender and succulent, while the neck (left) had a most velvety melt-in-the-mouth texture. The unmistakable aroma of garlic came through in every bite, although I didn't really spot any on the plate. The aubergine terrine in the middle was sweet, rich and creamy, with a pleasant kick from chilli and pepper in the mix. Garnishings of chopped tomatoes, cress and fennel completed this picture of Mediterranean perfection.
On to desserts, and together with our actual orders, Laurens gave us the restaurant's signature passion fruit soufflé with Sauternes ice-cream on the house and beamed, "I always think that our first-time guests should try this, even if they've ordered something else." Of course he was right!
Dessert 1: brown sugar tart with stem ginger ice cream and Muscat grapes.
My recommendation to the partner, and still as good as ever third time round! (See here for a full commentary from my first tasting menu experience.) I know this isn't palm sugar but I'm always amazed by how close to gula melaka the tart tastes. So exotic, yet so familiar!
Dessert 2: black figs from Provence, with sourdough ice cream and cracker, cocoa nibs, honey jelly and jellied vanilla balls, black olive purée and olive oil.
Unlike the more common cultivars, black Provençal figs have a very limited seasonality; they are usually harvested from the beginning of September to the first week of October, so I was very lucky to have been here at the right time. What better way to showcase its wonderful flavour and texture than au naturel? These had an incredibly deep sweetness and rich texture. Balancing them were the two sourdough-based accompaniments, which provided a mildly acidic flavour and a light crunch (in the biscuit). This could have been sourdough bread with fig jam in a more humble setting - no less delicious, to be sure - but this version in front of us had infinitely more flair and creativity, especially with the addition of other unexpected accompaniments in judicious amounts, such as cocoa nibs with a good crunch and a strong bittersweet taste which enhanced the sweetness of the figs, and salty olive purée which imparted a lovely sweet-savoury dimension to this dessert. The drops of olive oil were also very effective with their fruity and bitter taste. On the whole, this was a deceptively fuss-free creation which displayed an utmost respect for ingredients, whilst managing to combine them in a way that was both a challenge and a delight for all the senses.
Petit fours followed to round off another excellent meal here: blood orange jelly, chocolate ganache with eucalyptus filling, and juniper biscuit with caramel cream. The last of these was new to me, and the combination of bitter, spicy and sweet flavours was indulgent yet fresh all at once. Lovely.
We both felt very well taken care of this afternoon despite the full house; good service always deserves a mention as it can be taken for granted, especially in such establishments. I reckon I will be back at least once more before relocating home for good!
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