For reasons I have yet to fathom, the higher end restaurants I visit never seem to make it on to the blog. Today I’m making amends by posting about Heston Blumenthal’s Dinner restaurant, which I’ve been lucky enough to visit twice.
Dinner holds two Michelin stars and is currently rated the 5th best restaurant in the world. Its menu is based on historical British dishes ranging from the 14th to 19th century.
The service and attention on both visits to my gluten intolerance and nut allergy was exemplary. On the first visit when the waiter came to give us the menus he recited the specific nuts I’m allergic to – as always these had been provided on my booking. Usually when comment is made on my food allergies/intolerances by restaurant staff it is often just “you’re allergic to nuts” not the very specific nuts I can’t eat. On my second visit, when I called to make the reservation, my nut allergies were repeated back to me by the person taking my table booking as they’d been saved against my customer record. That’s impressive.
Given its starry status I am not going to enthuse wordily on the attributes of the food. It’s enough to say it is amazing. I’ll let the photos do the talking.
The famous meat fruit – mandarin and chicken liver parfait. So fantastic I had it on both visits.
Mains. Fillet of Aberdeen Angus with triple cooked chips. Normally served with mushroom ketchup. This isn’t gluten free but I was provided delicious alternative. Black foot roast pork with hispi cabbage side. This is no longer on the menu. Shame, the popping pork skin was amazing.
Dessert: Whilst I would have loved the spit roasted pineapple, sadly this wasn’t an option. Nevermind, the Chocolate Bar (served with passion fruit jam and ginger ice cream) was!
Cost: Upwards of £100 per head for 3 courses and upwards depending on wine pairings
Location: Mandarin Oriental Hotel Hyde Park, 66 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7LA
Would I go back? So good I did.