Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

A modern British classic

The name Heston Blumenthal needs no introduction, one of the most successful chefs from Britain. His first restaurant at Bray, The Fat Duck: holder of three Michelin stars, was once voted the best restaurant in the world by Restaurant magazine. I was very much looking forward to seeing what his London restaurant had to offer.

The booking was a nightmare and it took me a while before I managed to get hold of a table, located in the super posh Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in Knightbridge, the restaurant is linked to the famous Mandarin bar, which does some very tasty cocktails. 

The service at the bar was top notch, very knowledgeable and they really understand the drinks and know how to interact with customers, we were guided to the restaurant after two rounds of cocktails, the décor of Dinner is excellent, a high ceiling with good amount of space and smart lighting, plus an open kitchen to see some very interesting stuff, such as pineapples being cooked on a spit roast.

Cognac base cocktail

The starter I went for is the famous meat fruit, which is chicken liver and foie gras parfait wrap in a mandarin jelly. This is a stunning dish, the chicken liver and foie gras were perfectly balanced, smooth, rich and creamy, the sweet and light mandarin clothing added an extra texture and taste in your mouth, wonderful to go along with the grilled bread. This is one of the best starters I've tasted in 2012 alongside the terrie of foie gras and smoked eel at Galvin La Chapelle, wonderful.

Meat Fruit:p

Up next for the main course is bone in rib of Hereford prime, a giant plate of Hereford prime served with mushroom ketchup & triple cooked chips, this is heaven if you are a meat lover, the meat was wonderfully cooked, packed with explosive meaty juices and bold flavours. I could easily finish it without the mushroom ketchup and sauces, as the meat was so rich, juicy and packed with flavours. I reserved the mushroom ketchup for my triple cooked chips which were beautifully fried, soft in the middle, semi crunchy around the centre and extra crunchy on the outer layer. 

Bone in Rib of Hereford Prime

I also managed to have a little bit of a dish called beef royal of my friend's, a beef short rib cooked for 72 hrs in a low temperature water bath. The meat was so tender and soft yet maintained the richness of the beef, this is a very high level cooking indeed, 
most people would tell you the best steak you can get in London is either Goodman or Hawksmoor, but I would say Dinner was that much superior.

Beef Royal

I had the tipsy cake for dessert, a spit roast pineapple sponge cake cooked in honey and alcohol. This is the low point of the evening as I found the cake far too sweet. The pineapple itself is already so rich in natural fruit sugar, adding extra sugar and honey turned the dish into a plate of sugar for me!

Coffee and pre dessert

Tipsy Cake

To end the dinner we had a Heston Blumenthal classic, the liquid nitrogen ice cream, we could not spot too much difference between normal ice cream to this version, although witnessing it live as to how ice cream is made instantly, was a very fun experience!

Liquid nitrogen in action

Result!

Overall my dinner at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal was a lovely experience, he certainly has imported some of his Fat Duck elements to Dinner with some very creative and playful dishes. It really justifies its one Michelin star. I just wish it was less expensive so I could visit more often! (100 pound pre head for 3 courses with 2 cocktails and still water) I recommend this place if you are looking for something different and a memorable fun evening.

Food 4/5

Executive chef: 
Ashley Palmer-Watts

What I paid: 
£98 per head, with two glass of cocktails

Average cost without drinks and services:
Lunch menu: £38
Dinner menu: £65


Dinner by Heston Blumenthal 
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, 
66 Knightsbridge, London, 
SW1X 7LA

http://www.dinnerbyheston.com