Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

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Dinner by Heston Blumenthal Review

Exceptional olde English-inspired dishes executed with ultra-modern precision in an open kitchen is the schtick at Ashley Palmer-Watts' acclaimed award-winner at the Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbrige (Palmer-Watts was the protégée of superstar chef Heston Blumenthal, who has now moved on to pastures new and green). As you take in the view of Hyde Park, you simply must slice into a Meat Fruit starter (c.1500), deceptively shaped like a mandarin, but encasing the smoothest, most creamy chicken liver parfait on the planet. A plate of Rice and Flesh (c.1390) is a picture of yellow saffron rice with calf's tails and red wine, and fans will recognise the snail-and-girolle Savoury Porridge (c.1660) from Blumenthal's Berkshire flagship, The Fat Duck. There's juicy Beef Royale (c.1720) cooked sous vide at 56°C for 72 hours, plus tender cod in cider with mussels and chard (c. 1940). Head off with the marvelous spit roasted pineapple Tipsy cake (c.1810)—a triumphant homage to traditional English spit-roasting from centuries past. For conversation-piece dishes, you can do no better.