Gauthier Soho

Comforting and classy French dining 

Summer black truffle risotto

I have lost counts on how many times I have been to Gauthier now, the iconic French restaurant in Soho is highly regarded as one of the finest restaurants in the area. Chef-owner Alexis Gauthier is a classically French-trained chef and he has earned a Michelin star not long when he launched Gauthier around 10 years ago. The ever-changing seasonal menu, based on modern French cuisine concept has turned Gauthier Soho into a top French dining restaurant and is still going strong after so many years of trading.

Beetroot and black cherry soup, tarragon

Roasted Scottish scallop, runner beans, yellow beans, tomato

Thyme and olive oil marinated cod, leek, brown butter

As usual, I opted for the tasting menu. The stand out dish for me was the roasted Scottish scallop, it was cooked perfectly, really moist and packed with a luxurious sweetness that you would only get from top quality and fresh scallops. The garnishes of confit tomato and basil also offered freshness, everything worked in harmony with a killer lobster bisque. Another top-level dish was the thyme marinated cod, the cod was so flaky with a great depth umami flavour, it worked extremely well with the classic combination of mushroom and butter, it was faultless. However, the main of duck was underwhelming, the meat was cooked fine but lacked seasoning. The garnishes of blackcurrant was also a touch too aggressive and the dish was just overloaded with sourness.

Beery and duck, onion, cassis, blackcurrant

Saint Nectaire cheese, melon

Golden Louis XV

The dinner was really enjoyable, but overall I felt the quality has dropped if I compared to my meal at Gauthier last year. Perhaps I went on a busy Friday night so the kitchen was under serious pressure, but for a top fine-dining French restaurant, this really shouldn't impact the output. On the other hand, as always, I found the decor so charming and comforting, 3 small dining rooms across 3 floors inside an old fashioned house, this is the uniqueness of Gauthier. For those who would like to give Gauthier a try, the lunch menu would be a great testing ground as is extremely affordable at £35 for 3 courses.



Food 3.5/5


Average cost without drinks and services:
£80

21 Romilly St, Soho, London W1D 5AF

http://www.gauthiersoho.co.uk/