Great value fine dining
My second visit to Alyn William's single Michelin starred restaurant in the smart address of Mayfair within the 5 stars Westbury Hotel. I am a big fan of Alyn, voted national chef of the year in 2012 at the Restaurant Show and probably one of the most down to earth and friendly chef in the business. My previous visit back in late 2012 was the reason why I went back, it was a solid dinner with quality service, totally deserved it single star which was awarded back in September last year.
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| amuse bouche |
The décor is typical modern luxury hotel setting with plenty of spaces between each tables and high ceiling. Just like last time, we went for the tasting menu but a lot has changed since then. Unlike most restaurant with bread basket pre made and ready for all the diners, the bread here was freshly baked for each table which is a nice touch and I wish more restaurants start doing that.
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| bread |
The crab "Pot au feu" was a beautiful dish that served in a cocktail glass, the crab meat itself was fresh and sweet, the dash of crab roes added a great layer of texture, the rich and lightly bitterness taste from the roes matched the sour and milky cream brilliantly. It was like a flavours map in a tiny glass.
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| Crab, pot au feu, milk with celery crisp |
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| Orkney scallop, cuttlefish, mint, caraway |
The quail was the best dish on the day, the meat was sweet, smooth and tender. The smoked egg and potato acted as great support ingredients and provided good depth of texture, but it was the red cabbage that sealed the deal with that sharp, sweet and bitter notes which created a perfect harmony for the whole dish. It was one of the finest quail meat I had and I just wished all my Sunday roast dinner can be as quality as this dish, it was really quite something.
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| Marinated quail, smoked egg, baked potato, pickled red cabbage |
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| Cod, coco beans, pastis, spring truffle |
The Devon ruby red sirloin was done rare as requested, a fine cut of beef with top notch seasoning, bags of earthy and rich flavours within the meat. Great choice of vegetable with the asparagus, the peppery and hint of bitter taste accompanied the robust flavours of the beef beautifully.
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| Devon ruby red sirloin |
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| Cheese |
Desserts was the weak link in the meal, while the Cornish cheescake was good on its own, it was overpowered by the icy pineapple crunch and it really knocked off the balance.
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| Cornish cheesecake |
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| Chocolate cake, mascarpone, passion fruit |
Overall it was another solid meal at Alyn Williams. The only issue I had was the desserts offering, it was a bit weak compared to the savory dishes. Service again was very professional and good timing between each dishes. Really enjoyed the whole experience and when price is factor in, this was really good value for money, £60 for a 1 star tasting menu in Mayfair? You can't get better than that.
Food 4/5
Executive chef:
Alyn Williams
What I paid:
£85 per head with a glass of wine and cheese
Average cost without drinks and services:
Lunch menu: £30
Tasting menu: £70
| The Westbury Hotel 37 Conduit St, London W1S 2YF |
www.alynwilliams.co.uk
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