The Ledbury

Best in class

canapes

2014 has been a great year for The Ledbury, rated as one of the top 10 restaurants in the world by the World 50's Best Restaurants Guide and awarded the best restaurant in the UK from the Observer OFM awards. But what makes this place truly special is the desire and determination to progress and take it to the next level, on top of that the service at The Ledbury strikes a perfect balance of professionalism and charm.

chantilly of oysters, seabream, radishes & frozen wasabi

bread

white beetroot, smoked and dried eel

For my 6th visit, I returned to The Ledbury for a special 11 course tasting menu and it was truly sensational. The white beetroot baked in clay had a lovely settled earthiness and sweetness, which blended in nicely with the smoky and meaty eel. Likewise the Jerusalem artichoke had a beautiful soft texture and the crispy sturgeon's saltness acted as a creative seasoning with the soured cream linking up all the elements wonderfully.The jowl of pork was a pure joy to eat, the crackling on top with the moistness and sweetness of the meat was just to die for.

jerusalem artichoke, soured cream, sturgeon & caviar salt

hand dived scallop, pumpkin, mandarin and ginger

fillet of sea bass, grilled leek, Cornish prawns & arbois

jowl of pork, celeriac, cracking and fig

Game dish on the night was roast teal with dried blackcurrant, the lovely mild fruitiness of the blackcurrant worked surprisingly well with the soft tender gamy teal, this was a great example of how the kitchen truly understands flavours without being gimmicky. The Herdwick lamb again was another spectacular dish, the rack was perfectly cooked and finely seasoned. Caramelised banana delivered a plate of tropical flavours from the passion fruit with the crunchy peanuts adding depth and texture to complete the dish.

roast teal, dried blackcurrant, red leaves & vegetables

Herwick lamb, salt baked kohlrabi, ewe's milk & padron

sweet clover custard, frozen blood orange juice

caramelised banana, passion fruit and peanuts

dark chocolate, pave, lovage ice cream, milk puree

My super long dinner at The Ledbury was one of the finest dinners I've ever encountered in my life, the cooking was just pure class, nothing overly complicated, just exceptional ingredients cooked with a high level of refinement and sophistication. But what makes The Ledbury such a special restaurant is more than just the expectational food, from the world class service to the atmosphere of the restaurant, it is an experience that you will never forget, if you have yet to visit and are after a special dinner, you know where you need to go. 

Food 5/5

Executive chef: 
Brett Graham

What I paid: 
£140 per head with 1 glass of wine

Average cost without drinks and services:
Lunch menu: £50
Tasting menu: £115


27 Ledbury Rd, London W11 2AQ

www.theledbury.com