Arbutus

All the best

Black pudding, egg, chicken jus

Anthony Demetre is a busy man, he has been working closely with the Seracy group with a number of projects. It was also announced that his own restaurant: Arbutus is to relocate somewhere else in Autumn. Personally, I think it is a right move as the restaurant is never busy. This shows winning a Michelin star doesn't guarantee you commercial success. Once again, I went for the super value pre theatre menu, at £26 for a 3 course with a glass of Prosecco. They also offer a standard a la carte menu with the mains costing around the £20 mark, which make Arbutus pretty much the cheapest Michelin starred restaurant in London.

bread

Deep sea mussels, seaweed sauce

Cornish cod "Bouillabaisse"

I just wished my breakfast is like my starter at Arbutus everyday. It was a black pudding with a perfectly cooked egg with a rich chicken jus. I really enjoyed the robust and finely seasoned crispy black pudding with the egg yolk added a touch of creaminess to the dish. Slow cooked lamb belly was simply wonderful, moist and tender with a delightful savoury aroma, it had a melt in your mouth sensation with a silkily smooth potato puree, I would be more than happy to pay £20 just for that dish alone. The banana sticky toffee pudding was not the best looking plate, but the flavours could not be questioned, bold sweet flavours with a hint of coffee and bitter tone form the Guinness ice cream.

lamb, potato puree, purple sprouting broccoli

apple crumble, cinnamon

banana sticky toffee pudding, Guinness ice cream

This meal was a step above from my previous visit: from all the dishes I have tasted, to the service and even the bread, it seems like Arbutus has progressed to a higher level. Forget the debate if this place is worth a Michelin star, the place might not have the finest presentation or creativity in its cooking, but the food is simply solid, using top ingredients with a great flavour combination. Lastly, it is sad to see Arbutus moving away from Soho, because while there are plenty of restaurants in the area, there isn't really one that provides good quality modern brasserie cooking at a decent price. I hope the new Arbutus can maintain that level and wish the team all the best.

Food 4/5

Executive chef: 
Anthony Demetre

What I paid: 
£30 per head with a cocktail

Average cost without drinks and services:
Lunch menu: £26
Dinner menu: £40

63-64 Frith St, London W1D 3JW

http://www.arbutusrestaurant.co.uk/