Friday the 31st of March, dinner reservation, arrived early primarily due to the excitement. When we sat down in the bar, we knew this was going to be an experience worth remembering. Read more after this mouthwatering collage!
We were offered the drinks menu and decided on bubbly seeing it was for a birthday. Too bold to call it a glass of heaven? Perhaps, but this was sublime. We then were treated to canapés, let me break it down for you: a duck doughnut (just let that sink in), celeriac meringue with cheese mousse and a mini, baby, tiny like salmon mousse tart with white wine jelly. Precision and perfection.
We were there shown to our table, water poured and ready for the next taste explosion. This came unexpectedly from the bread, yes bread. Clotted cream Brioche, fig and hazelnut and sadly I forget the third one. These were served with 2 different types of butter – one a cow’s milk and the other a goat’s butter.
The Amuse Bouche then arrived, bacon broth with cheese mousse and pork crackling (heaven in a bowl). I personally couldn’t hear anything after bacon broth because I was too excited, luckily my girlfriend listened to the rest.
Starters came after that, I had the Cuttlefish with shitake mushrooms, wild rice, crystallised Ginger, Samphire & Bonito. While Kate had the Helford Crab, Radish, Granny Smith Apples, Shiro Dashi & Sea Purslane. Luckily we had decided to do sharesies before arriving so we got to taste everything, I loved mine, but was still envious of hers.
More champagne and then mains, I had the fillet of beef, smoked bone marrow, garlic and spinach – it was the most divine piece of meat I have ever had in my entire life. Cooked to perfection. Kate had the roast monkfish, red wine salsify, curly kale, sunflower seeds, Jerusalem artichoke & miso. Again, this place can do no wrong, it was amazing! Just to treat ourselves we had pomme puree and a leaf salad with flowers for the table.
Pre-dessert was a lovely light blueberry compote and yoghurt snow. It was light, airy and a delight.
Then came the crescendo of it all, the desserts: Thunder and Lightning cake tart for the birthday girl, saffron spiced clotted cream tart with ginger beer sorbet. I went for the chocolate bar with tuille heaven. Layer upon layer of chocolate variations, each with a tuille to match.
They were even sweet (get it) enough to bring out a chocolate brownie with a candle and a happy birthday plate.