Sunday, February 11

Matt's birthday dinner at L'Atelier du Joel Robuchon

Coming up to Matt's birthday and I ask him what he'd like for his present. The tv that we had in our living room had developed the sulks- for no apparent reason, the screen would go blank. Usually when Matt's watching cricket or soccer... I USED to giggle, whenever it happened, as mild-mannered, quietish Matt would chuck a very loud tantrum at the tv. However, it started happening one too many times, and finding a replacement tv ended up being a birthday request.

A couple of generous friends (Dave and Nicky, you know who you are) decided that we could have their 32 inch tv in exchange for a couple of bottles of wine and a chicken parmagiana dinner(at Matt's and my insistence- will blog about this when it happens). So, what else could I have given to a person who had everything?

Ta-dah! Decided that Matt's birthday would be a perfect occasion to use the voucher that I'd won, in the Menu for Hope fund raising raffle. Johanna, from The Passsionate Cook provided the prize and kindly asked what I thought, of my dining experience there.

Here goes...

A quick trot from the tube station leads us to this quiet street off Covent Garden/ Leceister Square. It's all shiny black marble and impeccably dressed hostesses who enquired whether we'd like to sit at the counter, or at our own table. Having read in reviews that watching the chefs in the open plan kitchen is part of the fun, I don't hesitate in picking counter seating.

We're lead to the down lit counter, and it's a bit of a struggle for me, hopping onto the bar stools. But the wait-staff are friendly and we order some drinks as we peruse the menu. Lots of mini taster dishes, some asterisked to show that they are recommended as starter dishes.. A lot of interesting dishes, but we opt to both have the menu decouverte. An amuse bouche, 6 mini dishes and 2 desserts.

I picked the wine. Can't remember what it was- but it was a lovely, light red, from France.

Our amuse bouche- a platter with a deep fried, crumbed roll of foie gras (yum), a shot-glass of fennel cream garnished with a dab of sea urchin roe (which I loved... intense, sweet, and a taste of the sea), and a little toastie with some tuna tartare. All very different tastes and textures - Our tastebuds perked, we were looking forward to the next plate.



Crabmeat in a citrus jelly, and avocado. This came in a pot that looked like a ceramic egg. We were told to "dig deep" into the container to ensure we got a bit of everything. The crab sat on top of some tomato-ey puree, some red-flecked citrusy/ zingy jelly and some crushed avocado on the bottom. A more healthy version of your plate of nachos?


Next, a platter of pieces of potato pieces, drizzled with truffled oil, some salad leaves and shavings of truffle ("truffle chips"). I made Matt sniff the dish, before he tried a bite. Think this is the first time he's had fresh truffle... The potatoes were just cooked, and went well with the truffle. Flavour explosion!






The next course was to be a serve of frogs' legs, but we were told that it had to be replaced with a langoustine fritter- more the sweet flesh of the langoustine wrapped in a springroll-y wrapper and deep fried. Lovely fresh seafood, but I wasn't that fussed about it.




We then had the next course served in a martini glass- Eggs cocotte served with a wild mushroom foam. Searching on the internet, eggs cocotte are eggs which are baked in a water bath in the oven. This as beautiful- one of my favourite dishes of the night. The egg was still liquid and the yolk went so well with the flavoursome mushroom foam... and the random pieces of morels that we found in the glass were unexpected, but oh so yummy.

Another lovely dish. A Saint-Jacques scallop perfectly grilled, on a bed of pureed watercress. Simple, but effective.



With the last of our savoury courses (thank goodness, I was getting a little full by then).We had a choice of calf's sweetbread with a sprig of laurel or foie gras stuffed grilled quail served with truffled potato. So we got one of each. I had the quail first. Nice, but I was really too full to do it justice. I did prefer it to the sweetbread (slighly bland, compared to everything else we had tonight).









AND THEN, we had two desserts to get through.. and full sized ones, too! Some chocolatey mouse with white chocolate foam, and with crispy chocolate biccie bits throughout, as well as a citrus and liqour-y souffle which the waiters ceremoniously opened up and put a bullet of pistachio icecream. Nice. Bit bitter, warm souffle and cold icecream.










We sat next to this older American couple and had a bit of a conversation with them. Mainly about whether the older French gentlemen and his much younger dining companion was his daughter or his "Ma Petite Ami"!

Matt reckons that it's best dining experience he's had. I think I have to agree. Not saying that the food was the absolute best we've ever had, but the fact that everything worked together that night. The constantly changing plates and tastes, watching the chefs, dressed all in black, working together, weaving in and around each other kept us entertained. I reckon there was a tad TOO much food (never thought that I'd say that, either) in the taster menu!

I'd love to go back another time. Though, I'd only pick a couple of dishes and make sure that I leave enough room for dessert!!!!! I would definitely recommend that you head there, if you get the chance.


L'Atelier du Joel Robuchon, 13-15 West Street, Covent Garden, WC2H 9HQ

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