Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
Knightsbridge, London
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* Adam Tooby-Desmond has been promoted to head chef at Dinner, replacing Jon Bowring. Watch for a new review coming soon.*
Among all the steps, pillars, dark marble and even darker wood of the Mandarin Oriental's entrance, it’s easy to lose sight of Heston Blumenthal’s London showcase. The large, high-ceilinged room has as its central focus a big, brightly lit glass box of a kitchen – ‘watching the chefs' is almost more fun than observing your fellow diners or admiring the view out towards Hyde Park. The centrepiece is a rotisserie turned by an elaborate clockwork mechanism, on which one can see whole pineapples being roasted. But elsewhere, apart from some jelly-mould wall lights, flights of fancy are minimal, the decor fairly restrained, quite masculine (all browns and creams) and very comfortable. Rather than emulating or refining other chefs’ ideas, Blumenthal has followed his own path here, taking as his starting point historical English recipes from as far back as the 14th century. Eleven years on, the menu still offers many of the original dishes such as meat fruit (c. 1500), which mimics a mandarin while delivering a rich filling of chicken liver parfait. Other dishes have evolved over the years: the grand salad known as salamagundy (c.1723) is now a clever, beautifully presented collation of smoked confit chicken, salsify, marrowbone, pickled walnut and horseradish cream; frumenty (c. 1390), traditionally a thick porridge, here involves two plump, perfectly roasted scallops atop a smoky, umami-rich seaweed broth with a handful of old-variety wheat grains at the bottom of the bowl. Main courses, while beautifully executed, are less unusual, although they still champion all things British – from Cornish lamb ('absolutely on point') with sweet-and-sour pressed cucumber to cod (brined then roasted) alongside a tangy cockle ketchup. The kitchen dazzles again at dessert, where morsels of those spit-roast, caramelised pineapples are served with booze-soaked brioche in a wonderfully indulgent version of tipsy cake. Alternatively, elderflower and goat’s cheese come together in a very classy, witty sambocade 'cheesecake' (c. 1390) – ‘a dish that I would cross town to try again,’ observed one reader. The wine list is an interesting read with a potted history of each country, region and area covered. It will take you on a journey as far as your credit cards will allow, but there are more modest offerings, to which the sommeliers will happily steer you, if asked.
