Sometimes, in the upper echelons of the London restaurant world, punters might be forgiven for doing a double-take at the restaurant that they’ve been frequenting for years, as it seems to have changed chef and atmosphere completely. Thus, visitors to the still-excellent Roussillon are now trying Daniel Gill’s cuisine, while those who want to sample that of the original chef, Alexis Gauthier, need to head to his eponymous establishment in Soho. Just for fun, this is the establishment that used to be Richard Corrigan’s Lindsay House, and Corrigan has now moved onto Corrigan’s Mayfair. It can all get confusing.
What isn’t at all in doubt is Gauthier’s excellence. Having launched in May 2010, it soon attracted enormous critical attention and plaudits, including a recently awarded Michelin star. The atmosphere, as with that of Roussillon’s, is serious, respectful and grown-up – don’t expect raised voices or phones ringing every few moments. Instead, this caters to gastronomes eager to try Gauthier’s spin on traditional French fine dining.
Two distinct menus are offered. The first is an a la carte selection that allows you to choose from 3, 4 or 5 dishes – effectively this means that you can have a fish and meat course, or choose between such delights as soft fillet of Dover sole with clams and baby squid and rosemary scented cuts of Welsh lamb. Starters, meanwhile, could include honey smoked duck foie gras or black truffle risotto. Yes, in case you hadn’t already guessed, very little is done by halves here.
The tasting menu, as so often, comes to the rescue for the terminally indecisive, offering a Cook’s tour (sic) through the delights on offer. It’s perfectly balanced, with everything from the aforementioned risotto and Dover sole to a stunning finale of Gauthier’s famous Golden Louis XV dessert, which rumour has it was inspired by the eponymous Alain Ducasse restaurant in Monaco, and can only be described as the Kit Kat of your dreams. The only dish we weren’t wild for was a breast of pigeon as a main meat course, but this was less due to the cooking than personal taste. Wines accompanying the courses are elegantly and classily chosen; a Lebanese white, the Chateau Khoury ‘Reve Blanc’ set the stall out early on, and a particularly good late harvest Tokaji acts as a gorgeous accompaniment to dessert. It’s all good value as well – the tasting menu is a not-excessive GBP 68, with the a la carte starting at GBP 35 for three courses.
Alexis Gauthier would make no bones, I presume, about his commitment to offering a truly deluxe gourmet experience. This excellent restaurant is a pleasure to visit, and long may it remain so.
21 Romilly St, London W1 www.gauthiersoho.co.uk
