Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

An dieser Stelle mal wieder ein kleiner Tipp an alle London Touris: Tut euch und eurem Gaumen einen Gefallen und kehrt hier zum Lunch ein. Mittags bekommt ihr hier für relativ kleines Geld eine Qualität, die ihr von Essen vielleicht noch gar nicht kanntet!
Außerhalb der Lunchkarte bietet die Küche einige Gerichte, die es mittlerweile zu regelrechtem Weltruhm in Gourmetkreisen geschafft haben: die Meat Fruit, der Cheesecake, der Tipsy-​Cake oder einfach mal die besten Pommes Frites der Welt!

Amazing, nice view of the kitchen as well as Hyde Park. Went for lunch and ordered from the set menu which made things a little easier on the wallet. Ordered the pigs ear, quail, and millionaire shortbread as well as the nitrogen ice cream. All were amazing — nitrogen ice cream was prepared and served table side which was quite the eye turner. Loved! And that quenelle — super sexy !

Had the chance to return to Dinner by HB over the Christmas holidays, and once again, it was one of the top 3 dining experiences of my life (the other 2 being Tickets, in Barcelona, and Grace, in Chicago). I was excited to share the meal with 2 friends this time, allowing us to sample many more dishes than when I dined alone. Things I love about Dinner? An attentive, friendly and non-​stuffy staff… their unique approach to food, updating old school recipes with a modern day twist… a casual atmosphere… plate-​licking-​good food (okay, you probably shouldn’t really lick your plate)…and reasonable prices, at least when compared to American Michelin-​Starred restaurants. If you are in London… I highly recommend that you treat yourself to a meal at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. You can thank me later.

Requires a booking in advance for sure, it’s that popular. This is a fantastic restaurant and essentially every dish on the menu is pitch perfect. Definitely go for the Meat Fruit, which is a pâté disguised as a Mandarin orange, it’s rich and rife for instagram opportunities. Every single main is amazing, I cannot stress this enough (or at least those that I tried). Your meal should end off with their Tipsy Cake for dessert (and you MUST have their dessert), which is a pineapple on spit roast with some cake thrown in and a marvelous innovation by Chef Heston. If you want to pick one fine dining place to eat in London, this is it. Book early to avoid disappointment.

Service was great and friendly! Food tastes great, but unfortunately I got she’ll in my crab salad, and a bone in my fish so a bit disappointed.
We ordered from the a la cater menu, but also choose their 3-​course set lunch menu which was great value for money, highly recommend!
View of Hyde park was nice!

Had dinner at Dinner. Great location in the heart of Knightsbridge inside the Mandarin Oriental with a Michelin star by Heston Blumenthal so there are some expectations it had to live up to.
Unfortunately it was overhyped. The inside is very modern and service is indeed spectacular. However, all of the dishes we ordered (we ordered a variety on the menu) was good but not special. I was really disappointed as the flavour didn’t really have a ‘pop’. We could have been eating at our local gastropub. The only dish which had a unique taste was the pineapple dessert. Even the ice cream which was made in front of you with dry ice was all show and no go — nothing unique about it.
Their cocktails were good as well — but again, nothing too spectacular given the other options at the cocktail bars around London. Unfortunately I won’t be coming here again.

We had lunch at Dinner by Heston. The experience began even before the food arrived — well presented menus and a very knowledgeable waiter who described the history of how the recipes were acquired, and modernised. We only knew of the meat fruit so ordered that — we were lucky to get a plum meat fruit instead of the usual mandarin orange.
The main dishes were excellent, well presented and served timely. The tipsy cake was gorgeous, they will ask if you want it before your main arrives due to the time taken to cook it, make sure you say yes!

Dinner by Heston is located in the Mandarin Oriental next to Kensington. I would consider Heston Blumenthal the Thomas Keller of England. I really wanted to do the Chef’s Table but they only book it for 4 or more guests. I personally thought it was complete bullsh*t policy but what the f*ck ever. Therefore, I had to settle for dining in the main room with no tasting menu. Here are Dinner by Heston’s accolades:
1) 2 Michelin star in 2014
2) 2 Michelin star in 2015
3) #5 on the San Pellegrino 2014 World’s Best Restaurants
4) #7 on the San Pellegrino 2015 World’s Best Restaurants
Anyway, Dinner is a very elegant restaurant and you could see the kitchen through a glass window. We went to Stonehenge in the morning and had an early flight to catch the next day. It was our 2^nd day into an 18 day tour of 11 countries and 12 cities with a sh*t load of landmarks, bars and restaurants on our agenda. The service was decent and I expected more from a 2 Michelin star establishment. I didn’t appreciate it when our server walked away then rolled his eyes when we decided not to have wine with our dinner due to our extensive agenda. F*cking prick.
Now, the food. We had a number of items on the menu to try to get a feel of whether the accolades were warranted.
1) Savoury Porridge — The porridge was served with frog’s legs, smoked beetroot, garlic, parsley & fennel. It had a really comforting taste and feel to it like eating chicken soup when you’re sick. The frog legs were fried and the crispy batter had good texture to it. It wasn’t overly dry but tender and moist.
2) Roast Marrowbone — The roasted marrow bone was served with snails, parsley, anchovy, mace & pickled vegetables. I wasn’t a big fan of this dish. I didn’t like the textures and flavors of the ingredients. The snails and bone marrow didn’t complement each other well. The snails were chewy while the bone marrow was silky and buttery. The dish had too much going on like someone claims to be an entrepreneur, Unilocal Elite, actor, blogger, traveler, philanthropist, muay thai fighter, certified crossfit trainer, DJ, motivational speaker, and Judo Black Belt.
3) Roast Iberico Pork Chop — The pork chop was served with spelt, ham hock & robert sauce. The pork chop was cooked to a medium well and surprisingly tender. It wasn’t overly or unevenly salted. The seared marks on the pork chop added a nice charred flavor to it. It had the right amount of juiciness to it like B.I.G.‘s famous track.
4) Hereford Ribeye — Okay. Here’s the deal. I’ve eaten some of the best steaks in the world. I’ve had A5 Japanese Kobe, A5 Japanese Wagyu, Australia’s Blackmore Wagyu, and the ever sh*tty American Kobe. In addition, I have an ample supply of A5 Japanese Wagyu at home. Therefore, it’s really hard for any steak to live up to those legendary pieces of beef. If I haven’t had some of those legendary pieces of beef, this steak would have been good. However, I thought the ribeye was decent at best.
Overall, I was extremely disappointed of the Chef’s Table policy. However, I didn’t factor it into my review. I only considered the service and those four dishes I had. I thought the whole experience was meh. The service was mediocre and the food was decent to okay. There wasn’t any dish that made me say wow I want to slap my mama. Anyway, I expected more from a two Michelin star and the San Pellegrino #7 World’s Best restaurant in the world. Final score: 3.25 and rounded down.
US 2015 Michelin 3 Stars Count: 12 Down. 0 More.
2015 Michelin Rated Restaurant Count: 31
San Pellegrino 2014 World’s 100 Best Restaurants Count: 22
San Pellegrino 2015 World’s 100 Best Restaurants Count: 24

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal:
Knowing of the infamous Heston Blumenthal and his edible wizardry, I desired to sample his cuisine while traveling to London. Originally, I desired to dine at The Fat Duck, but sadly, I learned that it was not due to return to Bray until the end of September 2015; we visited the UK a few weeks too soon! In any event, we decided that dining at Dinner by Heston should satisfy out gastronomic cravings. We dined in September 2015.
Our experience was tepid overall. We enjoyed the food, yet we felt that aside from the iconic classics– Meat Fruit and Tipsy Cake– the food was not extraordinary. The service was also patchy and unexpected. We were abandoned throughout our meal and felt like an afterthought. While we dined at 9:45pm, the time of night should be irrelevant; the staff should be as attentive at 10:00pm as they are at six in the evening. Our water glasses were filled once initially and then never again, remaining empty throughout the meal. Upon ordering dessert, the waiter informed us that they had run out of certain options– absolutely unacceptable for a Two Michelin Star establishment.
I had such high hopes for Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, but I’m left with a sense of disappointment. See below for a more complete review.
Reservations:
We had a full day of activities planned in London, so I imagined 9:45 in the evening would work well with our schedule. Upon arrival, we were kept waiting and were not seated until 10:00pm. The restaurant appeared rather empty, and the wait staff seemed exhausted.
Décor:
The restaurant itself is inside the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. The dining room was large and open with high ceilings. The kitchen was adjacent and with near floor-​to-​ceiling, you could peer into the kitchen, although it was rather quiet at that time of night.
Libations:
We ordered a glass of unremarkable red wine to sip throughout our dinner.
Bread:
The rustic sourdough bread with English farmhouse butter was average. I wish they had a bread trolley or a more extensive selection.
Appetizers:
The 16^th Century Meat Fruit was the most exquisite dish of the evening. It is Blumenthal’s signature dish here, and it exceeded expectations. The foie gras was velvety and unlike any I’ve ever had. The staff did replace the accompanying bread– one of their only attentive acts of the evening. The late 14^th Century Frumenty octopus had a nice flavor and was enjoyed. We also tried the 18^th Century Salamagundy chicken oysters, and we found them to be excessively fried and salty.
Entrées:
The late 17^th Century Powdered Duck Breast was cooked to perfection– still quite rare and tender. The accompanying fennel and spiced beetroot were also a nice touch. The duck was draped in a rather thick, chewy layer of fat, which was a bit much for me. Furthermore, dare I say that the portion was too large; this should have been an appetizer, as halfway through, I was longing for some new favors. The early 19 Century Roast Iberico Pork Chop was too well-​done and very dry. Neither entrée was stunning, but the duck was the better of the two.
Dessert:
My disappointment culminated when attempting to order dessert. Our server informed us that they simply «ran out» of their new, popular dessert, Beekeeper’s Chocolate. An esteemed two Michelin star establishment should never «run out» of something, let alone a popular dish. The disappointment was further compounded when I was told that there is a minimum order or two when requesting the infamous nitro ice cream; unacceptable once again in my eyes. The server should have made an exception, especially as he was unable to provide my first selection of the Beekeeper’s! My dining companions only wanted to share my dessert selection, so we all nibbled on the famed Tipsy Cake. This dessert was truly exceptional. The hype is true, and this dessert must be ordered.
Service:
As a well-​versed gourmand, the service we received was not even of a one Michelin star establishment. Our water glasses remained empty throughout our entire meal, never once being checked on. We felt abandoned and a bother to the staff, whom appeared more than eager to retire to their flats for the evening.
Summary:
Heston Blumenthal’s iconic dishes certainly deserved high accolades. The Meat Fruit and Tipsy Cake were extraordinary. The device left a lot to be desired, and I am left puzzled, since this establishment has been ranked among the top ten for several years, according to San Pellegrino World’s Best.
My Recommendation:
Go. Heston Blumenthal’s iconic dishes alone would draw me back in. I hope that my rather cold experience with the staff was uncharacteristic and a fluke, which should never happen for an establishment to this caliber. If I have the opportunity again in the future, I will return.
2 stars
Michelin Stars: Two (2016)
San Pellegrino World’s Best: #7 (2015)

With the name comes high expectations, which can someone times be unfair. We had a late booking of 21:45 as that was the only time we can obtain on late notice, 2 weeks prior.
We arrived well before our time slot, to sit at the bar and hope that another reservation may not arrive. Unfortunately we were unlucky but had a great time sampling the amazing, unique cocktails, one using chilli oils. The bar staff were great to start but soon dwindled and we were forgotten about, having to grab their attention on many occasions.
We were then seated at the exact time slot. The waitress was great and they even remembered my conversation on the booking advising that one of us was a vegetarian and happily talked through the menu making suggestions to suit.
The sommelier then arrived and he had to be the highlight of the night. He made us feel so relaxed, but also made us constantly laugh and smile. However, more importantly, he was extremely knowledgable and talked through different options we could try to match.
Now the important bit, the food. The classically famous meat fruit. A lot bigger than I imagined with incredible flavour. I would say that there was at least one of these going to every table and would highly recommend trying it. The main was a ok but very forgettable.
Overall the experience is something you wont’t forgot anytime soon, but does it warrant the high prices. I don’t think it does. Would I could back? Probably not, I believe it’s a one time only ‘special occasion’ venue. (Visit — 28/​07/​2015 Dinner)

The whole evening was faultless from start to finish. We were seated by the window in the corner so could get a good view of the restaurant. The service was outstanding and the staff knew the menu back to front when I asked them questions about certain dishes. The menu is inspired by historic British dishes which explains the date next to each dish and is also referenced at the back of the menu with more information if you want to dig deeper.
Meat Fruit (c.1500)
This signature dish won it for me and set the bar up high for the rest of the dinner. What looks like a plump mandarin was in fact chicken liver and foie gras parfait cloaked in orange fruit jelly served with grilled sourdough bread. It was my most eagerly anticipated dish and hit every single spot. I’m still dreaming of it now.
Powdered Duck Breast (c.1670)
I really liked the smoked beetroot, it complimented the duck and umbles so well. The waiter did tell me why it was called «Powdered» and I think it was to do with powdering the duck in salt in preparation for brining. But whatever they did, the duck was delicious and perfectly cooked. It was served with the brine juice, giving it that extra kick of flavour.
Tipsy Cake (c.1810)
This dessert is another signature dish which needs to be pre ordered at least 30 minutes before serving, as it is made to order. The brioche was light, soaked with brandy at the bottom and warmed up my mouth with each bite. The pineapple looked impressive hanging in the kitchen, roasting on a spit to caramelise but I didn’t think was all that.
The birthday surprise — Heston’s Chocolate Gâteau
After dessert we had a brief conversation with the waiter then behind him someone brings out a birthday cake. What a lovely surprise and kudos to my boyfriend for organising. The cake was constructed beautifully but there was no way we could finish something so decadent so had it wrapped and boxed to take home. I did try it the day after and it is a chocoholic’s dream. Very rich chocolate ganache with orange jelly in the middle and a crunchy biscuit base with an element of surprise, popping candy.
The whole dining experience was perfect. The food lived up to its standards and my taste buds experienced new flavours it never knew existed. I would love to come here again especially for the Meat Fruit but for now this is one restaurant I can happily tick off my list.

I came here last year while on my honeymoon and it was fabulous. The best service and helpful staff. The food was devine and cooked perfectly. I say this because my husband isn’t big on fine dining and he really likes this place. So much that we went a 2^nd time when they opened in melbourne 2 weeks ago. So our 2^nd time was last saturday with our friends from indonesia and they also love it and want to have dinner here again. Our favourite dish and probably everyone elses is the meat fruit. Don’t be deceived by this dish, it’s foie gras shaped and looks exactly like a real mandarin. I love the idea and the taste of it. Very smooth and silky. My husband really loves the steaks here as they cook it perfectly and it just melts in your mouth. Oh and don’t forget to get dessert. yummm! The mouth watering tipsy cake is delicious. Trust me, you’ll regret not ordering it. Definitely recommend this place if it’s your first time fine dining to get that grwat experience.

Wow.
Food
This may be the best food iveever eaten. I literally had to stop my friend from talking because the flavour was so rich I needed to concentrate on tasting it. I had the meat fruit, which was like intensely flavoursome pâté. The duck was perfectly cooked. Don’t both with the sides as it was all very heavy in butter and fat that there was no space. I have to say the carrots were a little too sweet and potato was so smooth it bared to resemblance to potato. The tipsy cake was like sweet fluffy broiche with a treacleesque yummness.
Atmosphere
It was formal but not pretentious. Open but intimate if you liked. Nothing of note. A clean nice restaurant
Service.
Amazing.beginning to end, explanations, politeness, friendly, incredibly apologetic when they took a while with my white tea. I came in trainers and noone cared
Additional
They gave me and my friend an extra Earl Grey desert because it was my birthday
See photos

Maybe expectations make the experience. We went there for lunch and as such we didn’t do the full monty. Might be one of the reasons for the slightly let down feeling I ended up with.
Let it be said: the Meat fruit is fantastic. I order you to order this! But don’t for a minute think that this tv-​infused Heston-​ish feel will go through the meal. Its not all disguised food and fun weird dishes, its not molecular gastronomy. It’s reinvented british dishes — and well prepared no doubt about that. But I missed the WOW effect after the meat fruit. It’s actually hard not to expect bells and whistles with all the Heston we’ve seen on tv, and with the meat fruit on the table.
Yes the food is Michelin class, and the surroundings are worthy of a king. But the service is a bit stiff and I’m not sure they approve of kids (and mine are well behaved in restaurants!). So if I should go again it would be a ‘no kids-​all night’ kind of thing!

What a let down.
Maybe it’s my fault for being sucked into the whole «celebrity chef» thing.
For the starter I had the smoked salmon. Yeah, it was nice. But so was the packet of smoked salmon I got from sainsburys the other day.
After waiting about 30 mins (the wait staff did apologise) for the main of pork belly I was not impressed. It was not slow cooked. The skin was still fatty. I couldn’t eat it.
The wait staff did offer the fish dish but by this stage I was over it.
Amazing service (although it took forever) but the food was a major let down. And for the price i’d never return.

Dinner by Heston is a spacious, comfortable restaurant with an great outlook over Hyde Park.
The menu is British in style and consists of carefully researched starters, mains and desserts referenced by their source of origin and approximate year of inspiration. Try, for example, Meat Fruit circa 1500, spiced pigeon circa 1780 and chase it down with Tipsy Cake circa 1810.
Being my first experience at Dinner, I opted for the Express Lunch menu. A decent 3.5 stars my book. Very good, but not great for a restaurant touted to be no 5 in the world.
The Ragoo of Pigs Ears on Toast was absolutely delicious. Melt in your mouth, rich in flavour.
The slow roast pork belly was disappointing. The layer of fat beneath the skin wasn’t at all silky smooth and was quite gristly and difficult to digest. I was expecting melt in your mouth brilliance.
The Shrewsbury Goose Tansy Tart was fine. Something that you could expect to pick up from your high street bakery.
That said, the table service was exceptional and was very apologetic to the wait time being entrée and main course being served.
A great experience overall, but nothing magical.

This is not an orange. It’s FOIE GRAS.
If that’s not enough to piqué your appetite, I don’t know what will. I’ve never been one to jump up and down at the prospect of foie gras, but the very idea of stuffing a mandarin with the stuff is insanely creative and will titillate even the most stubborn tastebuds.
Be warned it is ridiculously difficult to get a reservation. The only time they had available all month was 9:45pm on a Wednesday. We jumped on it and had no regrets.
There seem to be two things you should always order here: the meat fruit (foie gras) appetizer and the tipsy cake. I abhor the «wisdom» of crowds sometimes, but in the case of Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, the crowd WINS. You should absolutely conform to popular opinion and get the foie gras and the tipsy cake. I’m a sweets person, so the tipsy cake was a freaking mindblower. It takes like creamy vanilla bread pudding, but infinitely better because of the pineapple side and the warm crispy, crunch, creaminess of it all…
For my main I got the duck. I think I got lucky because it proved phenomenal. The side of blood was DELICIOUS… and I say this without cringing or the least bit of irony. It was a perfect complement to the duck, which was crispy on the outside and absolutely juicy and smoky delicious on the inside. Just make sure you cut against the grain (I’m one of those knife noobs who always forgets how to use the knife because I usually stick to veggies and hot carbs).
Speaking of carbs, not only did I order the tipsy cake, but I went all in and got a nitrogen ice cream as well. They come around with a trolley to whip up the ice cream in front of you, spinning this machine that shoots fog out (see it to believe it). I’m not sure if I’m enamored with nitro ice cream like the rest of London, but it was quite an experience watching our server make the ice cream from scratch, explaining how it’s done. The ice cream itself is only one flavor (vanilla), but you can choose ²⁄₄ toppings (I went with the nuts). The thing about nitrogen ice cream is that it is SO cold but will melt fast, so you better lap it up quickly.
All in all, the service was impeccable. Our servers were very friendly, engaging with us in conversation about where they were from and where we were from, German accents and such. Wonderful experience.

We ended up having lunch at Dinner due to a mishap with Alitalia coming in from Rome. While we would have preferred to dine during dinnertime, we knew we couldn’t miss it during our very brief 18 hours in London!
This is for sure in my top 5 meals of all time. The food was outrageously wonderful — loved the meat fruit and the steak especially — and the overall experience was very memorable and special. Highly recommend for a special occasion!

Dinner here ranks among my top three meals of all time, but sadly it’s «across the pond» for me. I was disappointed that when we came to London, Fat Duck was closed for renovation. But Dinner made up for it, if not better.
From the minute we walked in, everything was top notch. We were seated by the window with a view of Hyde Park, our servers were friendly, and knew us by names (probably because we were staying at the hotel). Menu was very interesting, the number after each item represents the year of the original recipe that chef got his inspiration from. Because they only offer tasting menu for Chef’s table, which I believe is for 4 people only, we had to choose among all the yummy options on the menu. We had the meat fruit, seafood porridge, duck breast, and beef royale, which was actually part of the tasting menu, hence not part of the normal menu and they only offer limited quantities to the dinning room.
Meat fruit lived up to the hype, and just when I was wondering how I was supposed to finish it with my one last bite of bread, they brought another piece of freshly toasted bread to the table. Talking about service! My duck breast was perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned, and perfectly complimented by the jus and duck heart. My husband’s beef royale, per him, is the best piece of beef he’s ever had. Based on the look, the meat looked tough, but it melted in your mouth and exploded with flavors. Ashley Palmer-​Watts is a genius.
For dessert, of course we both got the tipsy cake. The tipsy cake itself was already good enough and balanced by the pineapple. But our lovely server recommended this dessert wine that brought out the sweetness of the cake even more. PLEASE ask for dessert wine recommendation to go with the tipsy cake, because I don’t remember what we had. I promise you won’t regret it.
I really need to make an annual plan to return here, my wallet may hate me, but my stomach will thank me.

Wow wow wow. I was simply blown away by my dinner experience here. Service was so attentive, food was astounding. This is my 4^th Michelin starred restaurant I’ve been to and so far it’s definitely been my favourite. I can definitely say it was an eating experience rather than just a meal.
I went for the Meat Fruit, which looks like a clementine with bread but is the most delicious pâté. Highly recommend going for this as a starter. My main was the powdered duck, which was the most perfectly cooked duck I’ve ever eaten, and for my dessert I had the tipsy cake (which you have to order early on so that they can start preparing it, as it takes a while to cook) — my goodness this was possibly one of the most delicious desserts I’ve ever eaten. The brioche style of the cake was delicious and baked to perfection.
As it was my birthday I decided to treat myself and also order the icecream which they make right in front of you. I definitely recommend going for this dessert too (you might as well splurge!) they make it right in front of you and pour the liquid nitrogen into the cream mixture so it’s like a mini show.
I cannot recommend this place enough. Yes you might have to save a bit before you go but if you’re a foodie this is definitely one you have to try.

I was looking very much forward to my dining experience at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. Many have touted several mainstay menu items as «unique, must-​haves» so I had to check it out for myself.
I would say the food and the overall experience were solid, but not mind-​blowing. All the dishes were plated and constructed perfectly, but perhaps my tastebuds are tired of «textbook» meals and yearn for the x-​factor. I’m not saying that I want all of my dishes to look haute cuisine or something straight out of a science-​fiction movie. I just like the flavor profile of what I eat, especially when I’m doling out big bucks, to be a bit imaginative.
This is where I would take corporate clients or a sexy date to. Especially if you’re trying to impress with the brand. On the other hand, this is not the place I would take my most well-​travelled, self-​proclaimed foodie comrades.
Some tips:
Try: the meat-​fruit — it looks pretty and the «orange skin» introduces a nice citrus taste to a smooth pâté Try: the tipsy-​cake dessert (must be ordered at the start of the meal)
Try: the pork tenderloin if you’re a meat-​lover and are looking for a substantial dish
Resos: book well in advance
Dress: business casual at the least

Une vraie expérience ce Dinner comme on en trouve certainement pas en France, je suis rester sur le cul par ce déjeuner, je m’attendais pas du tout à trouver des plats moléculaires à la sauce British old school.
De quoi choquer papy et mamy, mais ravir les palais les plus blasés.
En un mot j’adore, voir la chronique sur mon blog:

Man bekommt nicht immer, was man erwartet…
Ok, wenn man das siebtbeste Restaurant der Welt besucht, dann hat man Erwartungen.
Bei einem der wichtigsten Protagonisten der Molekularküche erwartet man Sphären, Schäume, Dekonstruktion. Im Dinner bekommt man traditionelle britische Gerichte bis zurück zum 14. Jahrhundert, zubereitet nach modernen Kochmethoden.
Bei einem Restaurant in der besten Hotelkette der Welt erwartet man stocksteife Bedienung und bedrückende Eleganz und bekommt einen warmherzigen ehrlichen Empfang, freundschaftlichen Service bei höchster Aufmerksamkeit in modernem Ambiente.
Das war definitiv das bisherige Highlight meiner jungen kulinarischen Entdeckungstour. Wenn die Gerichte auf allerhöchstem Niveau aus der verglasten Küche kommen, ist das fast selbstverständlich. Aber eine Begleitung des Aufenthaltes vom Empfang über die Bedienung bis zur Rechnung und der Verabschiedung, die so offen und herzlich ist wie hier, ist nicht überall so und nur erfahrbar, wo relativ junges Personal den Service prägt.
Ich werde hier wohl nicht mehr her kommen, weil ich andere restaurants erleben möchte, aber ein bisschen bereue ich das.
PS: Leider hatte ich keine Zeit, das Eis aus der fahrbaren Stickstoffmaschine zu probieren. Vielleicht komme ich doch noch mal her.
PPS: Das Selective Lunch (3 Gänge) kostet GBP38! Und ist jeden Penny wert!

Fin de mon repas au Dinner et voila t’il pas que Heston Blumenthal débarque à ma table, passablement affolé.
— Alors, t’en a pensé quoi ?
— Ecoute Heston, outré l’atmosphère bourdonnante fort plaisante de ton troquet, j’ai passé un repas tout à fait satisfaisant !
— Vraiment, c’est pas possible, dis moi pas que…
— Oui, les plats sont délicieux et le l’unité du tout est admirable. J’ai même du me cacher honteusement pour rouziguer la cote de porc cuite (sous vide) et assaisonnée à la perfection. Même le Millionaire’s Tart qui n’est qu’un mars élaboré, m’as laissé un souvenir impérissable !
–Je t’en conjure né le dis pas sur internet, on déjà trop de monde, je vais devoir embaucher 9 réceptionnistes tellement ton influence est majeure !
— Mais les gens doivent savoir Heston, telle est l’éthique que je n’impose
–Mais…
— N’essaie pas d’entraver la liberté de la presse !
Et en plus j’insiste pour payer !

We were at Dinner in the Mandarin Oriental on an early Thursday evening. While the restaurant is nicely decorated and so beautifully situated looking into Hyde Park, it is quite big and thus busy. We had already three waiters at our table literally in the first minute, placing the chairs, asking for drinks, which I personally found quite distracting and uncomforting. I usually dont come into a restaurant so exhausted that I need an aperitive in the next thirty seconds. Besides that, the food was as great as you would expect by the name of Heston Blumenthal and the price tag coming with it. The Meat Fruit as a starter is a nice thing to look at and delicious, but it is quite filling and maybe your tastebuds will get bored before you finished, if you dont take enough from the excellent bread. While Salamagundy as a starter was not really exciting, but good, the meat of the main dishes is outstanding. Period. For dessert you should take the Tipsy Cake, it is sublime. The Taffety Tart was good, but nothing to rave about. By the time of our dessert the place had become so noisy that we decided to end the evening at a different place. It was a nice evening with good food, but I would not go there again. Id rather spend the money in restaurants with less name and more excitement. And quieter ones.

Actualmente tiene una estrella Michelin y ocupa el 9º puesto de la lista S. Pellegrino de los 50 mejores restaurantes del mundo, para más seña es la segunda marca del cocinero Heston Blumenthal (3 estrellas Michelin con Fat Duck
) e ironías de la vida ha superado en esta lista de los Top 50 a su casa matriz que ocupa el 13º puesto.
Decoración muy masculina con ese aire british caracterizada por su sobriedad pero elegante en el uso de materiales nobles como el suelo de madera oscura, las mesas en color wengué, las sillas, o más bien sillones, de piel marrón oscuro, lámparas circulares con mucha personalidad, sofás rinconeros con telas de motivo espiga.
Bodega climatizada a la vista tras unas amplias cristaleras donde guardan verdaderas joyas mimadas por su sommelier.
Curiosamente no hay menú degustación sino platos recuperados de la cocina tradicional inglesa con una elaboración y presentación impecable basado en materia prima excelente como pescado ahumado, pies de cerdo pata negra, Aberdeen filet Angus, etc.
Carta de vinos espectacular llena de curiosidades como vinos chinos, de Brasil y de otros países inimaginables.
Imprescindible pedir el helado preparado al momento. Todo un ritual ante los propios ojos del comensal y como si fueran alquimistas del siglo XXI usan una heladera, una pócima mágica vertida sobre el vaso del aparato, una reacción gaseosa, et voilà ya tenemos el cucurucho preparado para añadirle el topping para customizarlo a nuestro gusto. Recomendable disfrutarlo lentamente y con los ojos cerrados para que el sentido del gusto esté más concentrado y acertado en el descubrimiento de sabores de esta excelsa creación.