QUINTESSENTIALLY | Insider | Rob Breaks

CONCIERGE
  • HOME
  • WRITERS
  • TRAVEL
  • FOOD&DRINK
  • CULTURE
  • STYLE
  • CITY GUIDES
  • NEWSLETTERS

Doing a Clarkson

Friday, June 11th, 2010

Porche_main

With the imminent arrival of our first child the wife and I decided we should kill two birds with one stone and have a little relaxing weekend up in the Lake District and also catch up with the family before our little bundle of chaos arrives.

In my opinion, taking the train tends to defeat the point of a nice weekend away given the usual delays or engineering works between Crew and Wigan that seem to have been going on since steam was king of the railways. Luckily for me our friends at Prestige Car Hire very kindly helped me out with a car for the weekend to save me from the terror of the trains and to travel, of course, with a little style.

PCH have long been a favourite supplier of Quintessentially and again the experience of this weekend proves why. I’d arranged to have the car delivered to my home on Thursday evening and true to arrangements at 5.00 pm I heard the unmistakable purr of the Porsche Cayman S pull up outside. After a very smooth run through of all the paperwork I was given a comprehensive run-down of all the features of the car – A good job since my previous cars have never been anything more exotic than a VW!

As you would expect, the car was in tip-top condition – only the existing mileage giving away that it had not come straight from the showroom. It was also reassuring for me knowing that I had 24 hours assistance should I need it, not only from PCH direct but for breakdown, recovery and a legal team should the worst happen.

At this point I could spend the next two or tree thousand words extolling the virtues of the car itself but perhaps it’s best leaving that to Mr. Clarkson – needless to say however, the joy of cruising around the Lake District for a weekend in such style has left me with a smile. Collection of the car again was a prompt and painless experience – except perhaps for the pain of having to let my new love go.

With a huge selection of cars available, ranging from a Mini Cooper S Cabriolet to the top of the range Ferrari F430 Spider F1 – there’s plenty for all tastes and all needs. On top of the service, Quintessentially Members will receive preferential rates and benefits dependent on the hire type and rental period.

Prestige Car Hire: http://www.prestigecarhire.co.uk


Return of Petrus

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

new_petrus_main

After a notable absence on the scene following Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing’s high profile rift, the wait is over and Petrus has returned with a very tasty identity all its own.

Although a huge contrast from the previous incarnations at The Berkeley and St James, the interior certainly gives the room a distinct look while the gorgeous wine cellar in the centre of the room adds a sophisticated edge with the promise of many a sweet sipping to come.

The menu is highly original. Starting out with pressed foie gras with confit and smoked duck really opened up the taste buds for the pear carpaccio and cardamom caramel – deliciously rich and smooth with a sublimely fresh aftertaste. Then came the roast lobster tail with braised pork belly, baby gem lettuce and cider sauce, quite outstanding on anyone’s palette. The bitter chocolate beer parfait and puffed wheat was a superbly refreshing finish, though spoiled somewhat by my guests choice – chocolate sphere with milk ice cream and honeycomb – so decadently tempting that I couldn’t help feeling jealous.

Unable to sample the house vintage this time round, we had built up enough thirst to taste a satisfying array of wines with a boatload of super-expressive flavours. Service was remarkably smooth for the first night and applauds go to director Jean-Philippe for keeping tabs on my Visa. A set price of GBP 55 per head for three courses will ensure that the crowds keep flocking to Petrus.

For more information, please see www.gordonramsay.com/petrus.


Let Them Eat Cup Cake

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

butterflycupcakes_main

Although I’m not usually a very sweet-toothed person, sometimes treats just jump out and grab your attention and this was exactly the case when I came across Mychelle’s Baketique housed in the eco-friendly  hotel Rafayel on The Left Bank. The very talented and creative Michelle Husserl honed her talents at London’s Le Cordon Bleu Institute and has recently opened the Baketique to fulfil her love of baking, and the treats on offer are very hard to resist and her client list including Jalouse, Whisky Mist and Eight members’ club shows the quality on offer.

With a huge range of products it’s not just cupcakes on offer with larger custom pieces available. Having sampled some of these delights I can see them going down very well for children’s (and grown up!) parties however I feel that there is the danger that will all the healthy options available including vegan, gluten free as well as fat and sugar free that the yummy cakes may have difficulty getting past the yummy mummys. Whatever you choose, it’ll be a pleasure.

Find out more at www.baketique.com


Sub-Continent Treasure

Monday, February 15th, 2010

moti_main

Living in South London I find myself spoiled for choice when it comes to Indian food with a great selection of different cuisine styles from the Indian continent. What I do miss are the higher end establishments which boast a much more unique style and selection of dishes. Because of this I was very happy to recently visit to Moti Mahal in Covent Garden heartily suggested to me by a couple of colleagues.

What I found was perhaps one of the most memorable Indian meals I’ve had in quite some time. The restaurant itself has a very pleasant, contemporary look to it , obviously aiming for the more discerning clientele. The relaxed and intimate lounge area and bar is perfect for a cocktail before sitting down and navigating through the menu.

The menu’s concept consists of dishes found along the Grand Trunk Road, a 2500km highway built by the Emperor Sher Shah Suri in the 16th Century. With a span from Sonargon in Bengal to Peshwar on the Northwest frontier of Pakistan there is a huge scope for traditional dishes along the way.

The menu is presented in a tasting style where several dishes will be ordered to build up a varying and exotic mix of tastes. Several dishes seemed to leap out off the menu, particularly Sorpotel, a Goan dish with an intense flavour with wild boar stewed with chillies, cloves, garlic and vinegar along with the smoothness of the Murgh Nazkat from Punjab and its basil poppy seed, cracked pepper and dill.

Having sampled seven or eight dishes I have to say I was very impressed. Although each dish had a strong and vibrant taste, none overpowered the other. I was also pleased that rather than the starters and the obligatory poppadoms that we were offered a large board of fresh salad – again a nice touch and the perfect way to start a meal.

Chef Ani has obviously put a lot of effort into creating the menu, placing emphasis on the finest local and global organic produce as well as a more traditional style of preparation by adopting the use of the “Thatee Grill” – a hallmark of rural Indian cooking.

Prices are towards the higher side but admittedly this reflects very well on the creativeness and quality of the dishes themselves, service is smooth and very warm as well. I’m planning on returning very soon to Moti Mahal with some friends as I know they will not be disappointed.

45 Great Queen Street, London WC2 www.motimahal-uk.com


2010 – The Year Ahead In Food

Monday, January 11th, 2010

DBHB_main

2010 is finally upon us, and is promising to be a good year in food. Towards the end of January, we do of course have the Michelin lists for the UK to look forward to, and the results will be as eagerly anticipated as ever. Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester is hotly tipped to upgrade from it’s “Rising Three” star status to become the second London venue to hold three stars. Apsley’s, under the guidance of Heinz Beck, is also tipped to receive recognition – from my own dining experiences at Apsley’s this will be a very well deserved award if successful. There are always a couple of surprises and it will be very interesting to see what’s in store for this year.

Moving on, 2010 promises some fantastic openings around town, such as the imminent launch of Gordon Ramsay’s Petrus, which has only existed in name since Marcus Wareing took over the helm at the Berkeley some time ago. Likewise, the Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge, featuring restaurants by highly acclaimed Brit superstar Heston Blumenthal and the 165 seat Bistro from NY super chef Daniel Boulud, promises a double delight for destination dining.

The French remain masters, and so Roux at Parliament Square, a new restaurant from Michel Roux Jnr in the Grade II listed premises of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. will provide an interesting option. Panoramic views over Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, on top of the great cuisine, will enhance its status as a true destination restaurant.

Looking to the East, a second branch of Hakkasan in Mayfair is certainly a bold move. However, given the success of the two Nobus in such close proximity, it’s not such a bad idea. A relaunch of the short-lived but popular Kyashi on Upper St Martins Lane will offer a sushi bar under the watchful eye of chef Jacky Yu, as well as a more formal dining area with a champagne bar on the mezzanine level for some chilled drinks.

There is plenty more to come, including the long-awaited relaunch of the Savoy Hotel and its restaurants. Considering all this, it may just be time to get that cheap gym membership in place so that you can enjoy the boundless amount of culinary delights in store.


Fin de siecle

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

whiteandramsay_main

It occurred to me the other morning that not only are we heading to the end of another year but also the end of the decade. The “noughties” for me seem to have passed pretty damn quickly and it seems to me rather like the next decade is going to go just as quick. The end of this decade also signifies a 10 year milestone of my work on the restaurant scene, including nearly eight years at Quintessentially.

Looking back over the decade, the restaurant scene has evolved in a fascinating way. When I started, Jamie Oliver was a little known trainee, and Gordon Ramsay, the ex-head chef of Aubergine, was just beginning to make waves on the restaurant scene. Fast forward ten years and Jamie Oliver has become a huge success and gathered a reputation as a crusader for food education. His series Jamie’s School Dinners caught the attention of the Government and creating a huge amount of publicity at the time.

And Gordon Ramsay is, well, Gordon Ramsay. Although his star has slightly faded in the past year, there’s no doubt that he remains a highly astute businessman, a genuinely iconic public figure and a hugely talented chef. Expect 2010 to see a resurgence. We should also expect to see his one-time protege Marcus Wareing, another incredibly able chef, become as much of a household name as his mentor; his restaurant at The Berkeley is often described as the best in London, most notably by Harden’s Guide.

We’ve also seen Marco Pierre White reduce his empire quite drastically, along with John Burton Race. Pierre Koffman also retired, taking La Tante Claire along with his delicious signature dish of pig’s trotters and morel mushrooms with him, although he has returned briefly for his hugely successful pop up at Selfridges. Reassuringly, the current rumours are that that he will return to the scene very soon.

We’ve seen the rise of the Asian food scene with Alan Yau’s huge successes with Hakkasan and Yauatcha, Zuma and Nobu have rocked the scene for fine Japanese cuisine and A-list hang outs, and more recently the huge success of Nobu Berkeley, a mere 500 yards from its older sister, has proved that a winning idea can be replicated without over-saturation. With the arrival next year of Heston Blumenthal at the Mandarin Oriental alongside Daniel Boulud, the London restaurant scene looks only to be getting even better – so all I can say is “roll on 2010!”


« Back