Medlar is a
one Michelin starred restaurant located on the King’s Road in London’s Chelsea.
A little less formal than many
places bestowed with a star, Medlar
was one of just a few new stars awarded in the 2013 publication and is seen by
some as part of the red guide’s apparent attempt to modernise their approach
and keep up with the Jones’ (aka Hardens, The Good Food Guide and Restaurant
Magazine’s Top 50 list etc…)
I'm still not sure what to make of
Medlar. My wife certainly did not enjoy the experience and has said she
wouldn't go back. Personally, I’d be happy to give it another go.
Food wise, we found it a bit of a
mixed bag – instead of a Tasting menu or à la carte, Medlar serve a three course Prix Fixe menu. We loved one
of our dishes; quite liked another but sadly disliked one too.
Food aside, one of our main gripes related
to heat - we visited on an (admittedly mild) January evening and were seated
upstairs. I was wearing a standard cotton shirt without a tie or jacket but as
the evening wore on I became uncomfortably hot (as did my wife).
Michelin star restaurants at the one
star level are supposedly judged on ‘what is on the plate’. Certainly elements
of the food warranted the one star accolade. But I am not a Michelin inspector
and I judge meals on overall experience - sadly over overriding memory of
Medlar is not a memory of good food but a memory of being hot and
bothered.
By the end of the meal, we were both
desperate to leave. Perusing the menu earlier I had fancied the Tarte Tatin for
dessert but instead opted for the sorbet.
Likewise, noticing that they serve
quality selection supplied by the Rare Tea Company, I also planned to have a
tea - but there was no way I was going to be able to take a hot drink. Instead
we paid up and escaped into the cool night were I insisted we stroll for a while
before hailing a cab.
What the Michelin guide says: ‘The two young owners, both
alumnae of Chez Bruce, have created a charming and successful local restaurant.
David and his team provide warm, knowledgeable but unobtrusive service; while
Joe produces easy-to-eat dishes with a French base and a light touch, where the
component flavours marry perfectly.’
Foie gras and smoked eel terrine with beetroot relish, sunflower seeds,
horseradish and toasted brioche. This was the dish that my wife enjoyed the most – a
generous hunk of toasted brioche with a beautifully indulgent terrine paired
with the classic flavour combination of beetroot and horseradish.
Scallop sashimi with oyster beignet, ponzu dressing, ginger, chilli and
cucumber. On paper
this dish jumped out at me as it featured some of my favourite ingredients and
flavours. The oyster beignet was good but, despite appearances, the rest of the
dish just didn’t seem to come together or balance well. The overriding flavour
came from the wasabi marinated tobiko.
Cornish turbot with Jerusalem artichoke purée, braised chicken wings,
crisp pancetta and salsify. My wife didn’t like this one and gave most of it to me. I agreed with
her assessment that there was far too much going on and some of the flavours
did seem to jar – especially the sweet, sticky braised chicken wings. In the
dishes defence, each component was cooked well and the Jerusalem artichoke
purée was top drawer.
Under blade fillet with Café de Paris snails, salad, triple cooked chips
and béarnaise. I
loved my main – the triple cooked chips were the best I have eaten; the snails
were plump the meat was pink, tender and full of flavour and the béarnaise was
rich, buttery and piquant - a fab dish!
For dessert I fancied the Tarte
tatin but by this point I was so hot that I ordered the Passion fruit sorbet with almond nougatine in an attempt to keep
cool. It was a good sorbet but did not wow me.
My wife selected the Almond panna cotta with PX, poached pear
& ricciarelli. She enjoyed the panna cotta with Pedro Ximénez but found the
poached pear a little lacklustre.
If I did ever go back, I’d insist on
a table downstairs when booking which would hopefully lift the whole
experience.
Tweet
Follow @HungryHoss
No comments:
Post a Comment