Food: The nibbles were very disappointing, I can see where they lost their Michelin star! The first was a fancy cream cracker, just like Jacob’s! I’ve never tried a Jacob’s but dad has! It was ersatz; completely ersatz. The second nibble was a salmon and a lemon thing which wasn’t lemony at all! Plus, mum’s was dry! The second was; well would you believe it?! I’ve forgotten! That’s because it was bland beyond belief! The amuse bouche was way too salty. It was a pea purée with an asparagus foam, the foam was the salty thing; I think the salt pot was very heavy, and the hole was big. Then, the starter. It was disappointing. The cubes of chives were bland – although the first bite was strong – and did NOT work with the fish. The best part was the parsnip crisp. The main, it was basically fancy baby food. Too many purées and not enough crispiness. Plus, the jelly was too rubbery, you really want the sort that you put on the top of pork pies that melts in your mouth, this wasn’t that! The cheese was well chosen, they said that you start with the pêchegos (the third best), then go on to the tomme (the second best) then the chèvre (the worst) and then the Roquefort (THE BEST!!!!!!). The pre-dessert (so French) was the dish of the day! A sorbet of lemon, a sorbet of passion fruit and a bergamot biscuit. They all worked really well together! That’s more than you can say about any of the other dishes! Although, the bergamot was almost, not completely but almost non-existant. The dessert was disappointing. We were geed up by the pre-dessert being GREAT but actually, it was rubbish. It was a biscuit with chestnut cake filling, chantilly cream, chocolate shards and silver. On the side was a sorbice-cream. The reason I call it that is because it was supposed to. Be an ice-cream but it was watery like a sorbet. No where near as good as mum’s. The coffee and petits fours were ok, the madeleines were horrible, but the passion fruit ones were wicked! They will never get their star back. I’m sad to say that the bread was pretty much the best bit.
Service: not good! They didn’t even tell us the menu mauzac before
we ordered.
Atmosphere: meh
Quirky Bits: nada riento
Little Bits That Were Nice: cotton tablecloths and serviettes.
Bad Bits: too up its self for what it is.
Hi — Crikey Iggs – shan’t be going there then the only bits that sound good to me are the cheeses and the chocolate !! But – as usual extremely well written, with excellent punctuation – Paddy said that not me – I never understood full stops and commas – so I just do dashes – it drives Paddy mad – keep ’em coming though – you are my Ms Pamplemousse
Cant wait for the day I visit your 5* place xxxxxxx Suki
Purée AND FOAM… Say no more.
Frankly, I’m still laughing at the ” too up itself for what it is ” . Can’t be doing with foam…I mean really, foam? Reminds me of a meal we went for years ago for my Sister in law’s 40th …I’m sure the staff are still laughing about the fact we actually paid hard cash for a glass of mint foam, a tiny little bit of meat and a miniscule slice of chocolate cake. Meh indeed !
Terrific – take no prisoners. XX