Since
it opened back in 2012, Dabbous has
remained one of London’s “hottest tickets”. On every visit I’ve made to the
capital in the last couple of years I’ve tried and failed to get a reservation. Our booking cancelled at the ill fated Le Chabanais (it closed just a few days before our planned trip), I
logged onto Dabbous’s website with feint hope of securing a last minute table... my luck was finally in!
Making
fine use of quality ingredients, the Tomato
Bread was a delightfully simple and delicious dish, so much so we ordered
two extra servings.
We
decided to order from the a la carte over the Set Lunch and Tasting menus. As
you’d expect the Spring Onion and Pea & Mint dishes were light and
fresh with subtle flavours. The Smoked
Eel and Langoustine impressed
too for their sophistication and clarity - the Langoustine especially being a
bold, confident yet unshowy dish.
In
terms of impact and flavour, the dish that really wowed was the Quail – the flavours of fenugreek and
sweet clover coming defty balanced and enlivened through smart textural interactions
of crunchy lettuce, smooth puree, earthy quinoa and almonds.
What
Michelin say, “One of the hottest
tickets in town - the kitchen adopts the 'less is more' approach; the food
comes with elegantly restrained finesse and a bewitching purity. Most have the
7-course menu with its stimulating and sublime combinations of ingredients. The
ersatz industrial room has a simple elegance.”
Toasted Mixed Nuts with Honey & Espelette
Tomato on Toast
Peas & Mint
Spring Onions with Marigold Leaves, Lime, Pistachio & Fresh Sheep Milk
Curds
Smoked Eel in a Light Broth
Grilled Langoustines, Fennel Pollen & Virgin Rapeseed Oil Mayonnaise
Grilled Quail with Fenugreek, Quinoa, Lettuce & Clover
Roast Veal Fillet with Summer Vegetables, Basil & Spenwood
Raspberries with Barley & Strained Yoghurt
Strawberry Tart
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