Alyn Williams at The Westbury

Next level hotel fine dining

Giant lobsters

The latest Michelin 2019 Guide went out and Alyn Williams at The Westbury retained its Michelin star. This is actually a big deal as now Alyn is now also heading up the kitchen at Wild Rabbit in the Cotswolds so maintaining the standard of his London restaurant is no easy task. These days, head chef Tom Booton is heading up the kitchen at The Westbury, with an ambition to secure a second Michelin star. For this lunch occasion, Tom has offered us dishes taken from his new tasting menu.

Canapes

Colchester crab, oyster emulsion, wild rice, dashi

Native lobster tail, caviar, sauce Jacqueline

The native lobster tail... what can I say, it was truly outstanding. The seafood aroma was sensational, the sweet lobster meat went so well with the richness of the caviar, and there is the killer lobster and carrot sauce, silky smooth with an umami bomb aftertaste. The beetroot dish was like a piece of art, finely sliced like a flower with hidden treasure of smoked eel, ricotta, and pecans. It was a dish showcasing creativity, multilayer texture and balance of flavours, it was very clever indeed. The last savory course of Cartmel Valley venison was another winner. Cooked to perfection, it was tender and the earthy element of the mushroom, along with the venison sausage, acted as a great seasoning and really brought the dish to live with a depth of wonderful tastes.

Beetroot, smoked eel, ricotta, pecans

Cartmel Valley venison, celeriac, sausage

Yoghurt semifreddo, sour apple

Black fig, jam, marjoram

Chef Tom has cooked up a really top quality meal, it was easily the best out of all the time I have visited The Wesbury. The presentation and technical skill were brilliant, what I really enjoyed was the clean and light modern European style of the dishes, nothing heavy, just plenty of clean, fresh but powerful flavours at the same time. I got nothing but love for it. It is exciting to see Tom putting his stamp in the restaurant and see something different from the Alyn's days. I would keep a close eye to see how the restaurant would progress as I see Tom has the drive and experience to take it to the next level.



Food 4.5/5

Head chef: 
Tom Booton

What I paid: 
£85 per head with wine

Average cost without drinks and services:
Lunch menu: £35
Tasting menu: £90

The Westbury Hotel  37 Conduit St, London W1S 2YF

www.alynwilliams.co.uk