november-2012

eat: london
Jane Wright on a three michelin star experience and a ‘squatter’ restaurant in islington
appetiser
Squatters’ rights in Chapel Market
From three Michelin stars to a part-time ‘squatter’ restaurant
in north London. This brilliantly simple idea takes an eatery
that opens only during the day and turns it into something
else completely in the evening. Tucked away in Chapel
Market, one of London’s most established food markets, The
Seagrass usurps Manze’s traditional eel pie and mash shop,
fly to london four times daily. brusselsairlines.com
alain ducasse at the dorchester
53 Park Lane, Mayfair, +44 (0)20 7629 8866, alain-ducasse.com
Tasting menu for two with wine: £550 (€680)
There is something wonderful about approaching the smart liveried
doormen at the Dorchester, feeling that frisson of anticipation as they
usher you into the grand lobby towards the restaurant of arguably the
most famous Michelin-starred chef of them all: Alain Ducasse.
Here at the Dorchester, Frenchman Lucien Herland presides over the
state-of-the-art kitchen with a well-honed team of 20 responding to his
every instruction. Out in the restaurant, a high-ceilinged dimmed affair
with a view over St James’s Park and a private table concealed by an oval
light-bejewelled curtain, restaurant director Nicolas Defremont greets his
diners with a genuine, easy charm.
After an aperitif of two different it seemed only
Champagnes, sommelier Vincent right to choose
Pastarello would guide us through
the autumn tasting
a vast wine list, expertly matching
and contrasting the dishes before menu, full of
us. It seemed only right to choose earthy, seasonal
the special autumn tasting menu,
flavours
full of earthy seasonal flavours
– ceps, chestnut, pumpkin and truffle – starting with a fleshy halved
Scottish langoustine topped with briny caviar. The foie gras ravioli with
pumpkin and chestnuts in a delicate duck consommé that followed was a
beautifully balanced dish and vividly redolent of autumn.
Hard pressed to choose a favourite from a menu that included fillet of
beef Rossini matched with a delightful surprise of crunchy cos lettuce
(though hung for 32 days, was a little on the gamey side for my taste), and
wild sea bass served with girolles and lapsang souchong, I decided on two.
The first was a spiral of roasted Scottish lobster with a Paimpol white
bean gratin, a truly revelatory marriage of flavour and texture, the bean
gratin an exceptional version of comfort food. But perhaps even that was
trumped by a simple truffled Brie de Meaux to finish, which I could have
eaten by the spoonful until the lunch service began the next day. When
the kitchen sent over a wickedly strong rum baba ladelled over with a rich
amber Venezuelan rum, I wondered if we would make it home. We tripped
out into the crisp autumn air feeling replete, and not a little indulged.
complete with original ceramic tiling, wooden booth tables
and glass pendant lighting. The brainchild of four passionate
and enterprising foodies (including Bonnie & Wild’s Ruaridh
Emslie), The Seagrass serves up seafood and game as its
name suggests, including wild Highland pigeon, lobster
thermidor, haunch of venison and pan-fried squid. Three
courses cost £30 (€37) and it’s bring your own bottle too.
The Seagrass, 74 Chapel Market, Islington
+44 (0)20 7837 5270, theseagrassrestaurant.com
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