Kitchen Antics: Le Champignon Sauvage

It was 9am on a Wednesday, and whilst I'd usually be at work wishing I was anywhere else, on this Wednesday there was no place I'd rather be.

Stood at the door of Cheltenham's 2 Michelin Starred restaurant - Le Champignon Sauvage - I braced myself for a day behind the scenes, "helping" out in the kitchen.

I've been to Le Champignon Sauvage a few times before, so I was relatively familiar with David Everitt-Matthias' food and style of cooking (not that I could recreate it with such ease), and being a mid-week lunch service, the restaurant was thankfully not fully booked - phew! Oh, and whilst I'm here, despite me writing this post on their set lunch menu back in 2014, it is still the same unbelievable price of £32 for 3 courses. An offer you'd be a fool to resist. But anyway...

The team had been there a couple of hours already - no doubt making sure they were ahead of schedule in case I came in and wrecked the joint - and I was instantly made to feel welcome. Introductions made, chefs whites on, I nervously slipped into my first role prepping the roasted white chocolate mousse dessert. Given a list of ingredients and measurements, I literally cracked on (dad joke - sorry) separating an obscene number of egg yolks.

Looking round, you can see that David runs a tight ship, but the atmosphere is nowhere near like what you see on those dramatised TV chef programmes. No shouting, no swearing, it's heads down, funky tunes on and lots of singing. There's a huge amount of respect held within the team, and that alone makes it a pleasant place to be - no wonder then that David has never missed a shift in the 29 years Le Champs has been open! Having his wife Helen by his side, ensuring each customer receives a seamless friendly service, is sure to make things easier too.

With the mousse made (roasting white chocolate in a pan is a new one to me - and utterly delicious too), I used my painting skills to paint silicone dome moulds with a mix of white chocolate and freeze dried raspberries, poured in the mousse and placed them in the chiller for use the following day.

Next up was to make the rhubarb and hibiscus sorbet that accompanied the white chocolate. Cooked, blended and strained, I was told to try it to double check the sweetness. Not really knowing what it should taste like, I asked for a second opinion and Chef decided that what it needed was a pinch of salt. Instantly the flavours came together... Mind. Blown.

With that churning away in the ice cream machine, my next assignment was to tackle butchery with David. On the menu was Saddle of Cinderford Lamb, so with some guidance I learnt how to remove the meat from the bone. I can't say I did the best job - I only managed one in the time that David did two - but it was quite a satisfying task. Skinned, trimmed and the fat scored, the saddles went in to marinade with garlic, thyme and olive oil for the next day's service.

Ok, you probably won't find me doing some epic butchery in my teeny tiny kitchen any time soon, but David gave me some great tips on how to cook a saddle at home - flatten, stuff, roll, BBQ and slice. Yum. Though I might need a garden to do this too... Bugger.

Prepping canapés was the last thing before service started. I had to artfully dot the squid ink sponges with taramasalata, lay some shredded oyster leaves on top (they really do taste of oysters!), then dust each one with a tangy vinegar powder. David made sure I had one to taste, along with a blue cheese and parmesan crisp - serious snack game.

With guests arriving, the music gets turned off and the kitchen waits with anticipation. Canapes go out, checks come in, and I'm in charge of putting the gorgeous bread selection in the oven to heat up. Two guests, two of everything, one minute in... Out, into the wooden trays, over to the pass, knock on the door and cross it off… *Breathe*

At the same time I watched the guys start plating up starters - lots of squeezing sauces from bottles and precision placing with tweezers. Then, mirroring what they were doing, I got to plate up a couple of the mackerel starters myself and sent them out of the kitchen (let's hope the diners didn't notice their dishes weren't quite as good looking as usual).

After trying a spoon of the beef tartare (served with smoked mayonnaise and charred onions), David suggested I plate up the mackerel dish to eat myself - lucky! Seared mackerel, squid ink quinoa, salt and pepper squid; beautiful.

Mains were in full swing, and I loved watching David work in such a relaxed way. I think you can really see this in his food; sure there are lots of processes and components, but it's not overly-fussy or overdone. He simply aims to get the best out of every ingredient, and constantly experiments with flavours along the way (note the burnt jerusalem artichoke and liquorice purée and that Thai green curry sorbet - swoon). There's a reason Jay Rayner said his experience at Le Champignon Sauvage was one of the best meals of his life!

I was handed a pressed pigs trotter and caper galette to try - part of the pork belly dish - and who thought piggys feet could be so tasty? I'll have a plate of those with a decent glass of wine please.

We chat a fair bit about wine - it's clearly no secret that I drink a lot of it - and you'll be surprised to hear that the restaurant doesn't have a huge mark up on bottles (as is the norm for most other Michelin places). Death row dishes are another topic; I float the idea of a steak done well (definitely not a steak well done), though I know I would never be able to decide. David hasn't even nailed down an answer himself yet - and he must get asked a lot. There's favourite ice cream flavours too; I couldn't choose. However, having tried a spoonful of the chocolate Mexican mole ice cream, which went with the salted caramel mousse, I think I may have a contender.

Checks started coming in for dessert, and I watched each dish come together, helping with the final garnishes. Helen had come in with some foraged pineapple weed earlier in the morning, which we were then able to use on one of the dishes. How lovely is that?!

I ended where I began; the roasted white chocolate mousse. I'd seen the finished product go out of the kitchen, so my final task was to plate one for myself. The frozen dome was accompanied with raspberry purée, fresh raspberry pieces, (clumsy) spoons of raspberry jelly, sharp raspberry powder, basil leaves, and the rhubarb and hibiscus sorbet. I tried to do the rocher (one handed quenelle) all by myself, and I very nearly did it; it was just a bit big damnit. I'll get it right next time. After photographing my achievement, I dived in and don't think I said anything other than 'mmm' until I'd finished scraping the plate clean. The perfect ending.

There really are no words to describe how much I enjoyed my time in the kitchen at Le Champignon Sauvage. As soon as I left I had to phone The Chap to tell him all about it before I burst with excitement, then even when he got home from work that evening, he said I still had the biggest grin on my face (something that never happens with my usual 9-5 job). I'd go back again in an instant.

David Everitt-Matthias is a fantastic chef, and Le Champs truly is a fantastic restaurant. The fact that it will be celebrating its 30th anniversary next year says it all. Just wow.

Tom Kerridge “David is just true to what he believes. He’s never swayed by fashion, and he’s always updating what he does. It is one of the most phenomenal restaurants this country has, yet one of the least known.”

Heston Blumenthal "David Everitt-Matthias is the epitome of what a truly great modern chef should be. David has been quietly revolutionising modern British cooking - a gastronomic visionary whose imagination is expressed so beautifully through his cooking."

Tasting Menu at Purslane Restaurant Cheltenham

The first Thursday of every month sees Purslane Restaurant in Cheltenham host their 'Taste' evening. For £45 per person, customers are able to take a tour of some of the options on the A La Carte menu, sampling five seasonal dishes plus a few added extras.

Despite always recommending Purslane, it had been ages since we'd actually eaten there ourselves (shamefully it was their special Lobster Night back in August 2014!). Armed with some vouchers given to us by Father Christmas, The Chap and I were very excited to be going along to the March event. 

With just a handful of tables, Purslane is an intimate space, though with decent lighting - none of that so low you can barely see what you're eating stuff here - and a tasteful grey and lemon yellow colour palette, there's a more friendly neighbourhood restaurant vibe about it. And being instantly greeted by the bubbly Parisian manager Stephanie, you get this impression as soon as you walk through the door. Coats are hung up, you're shown to your table, given menus to peruse, and relax; you know you're going to be well looked after.

Although the menu has a strong focus on seafood - all their fish are caught in Cornwall and served up the very next day - there are meaty dishes and veggie options too. The kitchen prides itself on sourcing as much as possible from nearby suppliers - vegetables from Vale of Evesham, an abundance of local cheeses and rare breed meats from the Cotswold Hills - and chef Gareth Fulford sure knows how to get the best flavours out of each and every one of them.

We began with homemade breads, taramasalata and seaweed butter. I'd remembered that their bread selection was good last time, and here we had slices of sourdough, treacly soda bread and a fennel seed roll. Serving seaweed butter instead of the straight up kind was a nice twist (and a good nautical nod); it had a fresh "green" flavour to it, whilst still having the saltiness you require from your classic bread 'n' butter.

The taramasalata was a dream too; not the blancmange pink kind you'd normally find in shops, instead, a desperately pale salmon colour, jujjed up with a pinch of paprika. Paired with a glass of Champagne, we were off to a fine start.

Our amuse bouche was an oyster, topped with saucisson and a green apple granita. I've had oysters in many forms, but none quite like this. Pork and apple, apple and shellfish, citrus and oyster; it all just worked, and kind of set precedence to our official first course.

Pressed suckling pig, black pudding, langoustine, celeriac and pickled pear. Although sounding quite hefty with double pig, it was wonderfully delicate and the langoustine wasn't overpowered. The creamy ribbons of celeriac and the sweet-sour pear kept it light, whilst the crackling added a welcome texture.

Our fish course was John Dory, monk's beard, sea kale, wild garlic and spaetzle. Monk's beard is all the rage right now; similar to samphire, but a lot less salty, I've seen it crop up in fish dishes all over town. And I'm sure that every chef is happy about the fact that wild garlic is just coming into its bountiful season too! Including it in this dish, along with the sea kale, made it like a foraged feast from both land and sea.

Of course, those were just counterparts to the beautiful fillet of fish and the buttery spaetzle (little noodle-cum-dumpling-kind-of-things - The Chap and I tried making them once...we don't talk about it now). With fish as their forte, it came as no surprise that this was a highlight, and Stephanie's pairing of un-oaked Chardonnay was a cracking choice.

Wye Valley duck, breast and croustillant, heritage carrots and chicory was our main course. Not only did it look incredible with pops of bright yellow carrot puree against its sultry orange, brown and green tones, but every mouthful was equally a joy to eat. The tender pink strips of duck draped themselves over the chicory - like a drunk uncle at a family wedding - being propped up by the more sturdy croustillant (confit duck in a crisp casing).

What we notice is that whilst we had root veg galore, there was no starchy-carb-overkill, which would have easily seen us roll home. And that's what I find so great about a tasting menu; restaurants aren't out to fill you up in three over-portioned courses, they want to excite and tease your tastebuds with a number of delicious dishes, leaving you feeling satisfied not sick!

Our wine match for the duck was a Fleurie, which was full of red berries and spice, and it had just the right balance of tannins and acidity in order to lift the dish rather than overcomplicate it.

Yorkshire rhubarb, white chocolate delice and rose meringue was our pre-dessert, paired with a tawny port. The rhubarb came in four ways - jelly, ice cream, poached and puréed - a sea of pink and cream in contrast to the black plate; it looked amazing. Sweet and creamy vs. cold and tart, harmonised by the strong floral crunch of the meringue. Out of all the options on Purslane's A La Carte dessert menu, this is the one I'd have picked, and The Chap said he preferred it to our final course too!

Hazelnut fondant, malt ice cream, salted caramel and milk stout jelly. Fondants are more often than not in some sort of chocolate form; get them right and they're great, get them wrong and they're unsalvageable. As a lover of hazelnuts, but not of Nutella, this really appealed to me - and it didn't disappoint!

Cutting into it, its lava-like liquid centre oozed out onto the plate, putting the toasty ice cream, bitter jelly and the tongue tingling salty caramel in their places. This is a dessert that means business, and with the spirity heat of a glass of Amaretto, Purslane's Tasting Menu ended on a high.

Tea, coffee and petit fours followed (after a much needed break I hasten to add), and The Chap and I both said that this was the best meal we'd had out in 2016 so far! Fresh and clean flavours, put together with flair and imagination; I'm annoyed at myself for not returning sooner.

The next Taste on Thursday is April 7th priced at £45 per person - you can view the menu here. The Tasting Menu is also available on Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the month, priced at £55 per person, and the accompanying wine flight - 2 glasses of fizz, a white, a red and two dessert wines/spirit - is £35; quite a bit cheaper than some of the other fine dining restaurants in Cheltenham!

Just make sure you book before visiting Purslane, having only 12 tables you don't want to be turned away!

Tasting Menu at Lumiere Cheltenham

I'm not sure how it's ended up like this, but it seems that I visit Lumiere in Cheltenham once every 2 years. The first visit saw me and The Chap have a straight up 3 course meal, the second saw me surprise him with the Tasting Menu there (which you can read about here), and most recently a group of 6 of us went for dinner having the whole shebang - Tasting Menu (£80) with matching wine flight (£50). Having won the Cotswold Life Food & Drink Award for Restaurant of The Year 2015, against Purslane and Prithvi, it was guaranteed to be just as good as I remembered.

After a few glasses of English fizz at - you guessed it - The Grape Escape (see my previous post), we headed over and jointly decided to take the plunge without even attempting to look at the menu. Atmosphere can often make or break a place, and Cheltenham's fine dining scene can sometimes be a bit odd in this respect, but thankfully the restaurant was full and everyone was clearly enjoying themselves... We were also charmed with the pungent but pleasing aroma of truffle, which, as we soon found out, was thanks to the bread rolls (pretty much everyone opted for the truffle one out of the selection).

Some beautifully presented appetizers arrived at the table, though I cannot for the life of me remember what they all were. The inky puffed rice cracker with taramasalata was the stand out for me; there's just something about eating black foods, maybe it's the inner goth in me or something, but your brain kind of kicks in to tell you not to eat it, yet you ignore it and enjoy the eating experience even more. I imagine that that's what eating at The Fat Duck or Noma would be like, but obviously on a bigger scale.

Sweetcorn Veloute, pancetta and parmesan straw was our amuse bouche, with a chilled glass of Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs 2007. Sweet, salty and smoky, the cheese straw added the crunchy element that is sometimes needed with velvety veloutes. And Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs will always have a place in my heart after we had a bottle of the '98, post-engagement, at 131 The Promenade. The '07 isn't quite as breathtaking - it needs a bit of time - but it's still a stunning English Sparkling Wine.

Laverstoke Park Mozzarella Sorbet, smoked watermelon, chorizo, apple and pickled green strawberries was next. Mozzarella has such a delicate flavour, making it prime savoury sorbet material. Light and summery, it paired wonderfully with the crisp Massaya Classic Rose 2013 from Bekaa Valley, Lebanon.

I remembered this next dish from our last visit, and second time round it was just as good; Diver Caught Oban Scallops, pork belly, carrot, orange, star anise, cumin. It's a combination of flavours that just can't go wrong, and the complex, mineral Fuchs Pinot Gris 2012 from Alsace cut through it with finesse.

The award for the most attractive course of the night has to go to the Wild Eyemouth Sea Trout, smoked eel, cucumber, keta, borage. A similar award should obviously be given to the bubble wrap plate; I really wanted to take it home! The trout was cooked beautifully, the smoked eel added some depth to the light dish, and the bursts of intensely fishy flavours from the salmon caviare made it a joy to eat. We were treated to another English wine; Shoreline 2014 from Lyme Bay, Devon. Obviously, from its coastal origins, it desperately wants to be drunk with fish and seafood, and this did it justice.

The Tequila Slammer was a real highlight when we came to Lumiere last, and I'm glad it's still a feature of the menu. Food and booze spliced together with some kitchen wizardry is my idea of heaven, and thankfully, it's nothing like doing shots of that unbranded tequila (probably turps) in sticky-floored clubs as a teen.That said, I'd quite happily do shots of this tequila sorbet; not sure how well that'd go down with the other diners though.

Butts Farm Limousin Veal, carvelo, grelots, borlotti beans, celeriac, morels was our main course, and by far the best of the night; the juicy hunk of veal was so good that I felt like I could eat it all over again instantly after (I'm greedy, I know). Deep, meaty flavours ran through the glossy sauce, whilst all the other components felt quite light, and the fruity, spiced Muddy Water Pinot Noir 2010 from Waipara, New Zealand, tied it all together.

Our first dessert was Strawberries, Champagne and Elderberry. Champagne and strawberries; how very British! And that tart elderberry meringue shard... So good.

Valrhona Chocolate, English cherry, beetroot, coffee; another stand out. Cherries, chocolate and coffee are probably my desert island dessert dream, and here they arrived in various tastes and textures. The earthiness from the beetroot added another layer of flavour, ensuring that this is definitely a dessert for grown-ups. Served with a glass of red Banyuls 2013 from the Rhone Valley; sweet, full of black fruits, with notes of cocoa, it was an obvious choice for the dish.

Lastly, 'Pearl Melba' Souffle, raspberry, sweet cicely and vanilla. I keep persisting, but I really just can't get my head around soufflés. All the elements of a good dessert are there, but for some reason I just don't like them. Light and fluffy, yep, I like that, but combined with the fact that it's eggy and hot, no. The Muscat de Mireval 2013 was great though; mouth watering-ly crisp and floral.

From looking back at my previous post on Lumiere's tasting menu, I'm quite surprised to see so many similarities; I'm glad I hadn't reminded myself before going! I suppose if it ain't broke, don't fix it, but still, after 2 years I'd probably expect a bit more variation. And, although I've got a really sweet tooth, having three desserts seemed like quite a lot, especially as there were sweet or fruity elements in a few of the other dishes too.

Nevertheless, all 6 of us had a fantastic time. It really is one of the best restaurants in Cheltenham, and I'd visit again tomorrow if I could... Though I'll definitely be hitting the a la carte next time.

All Smoke & Fire at Stockholm's Ekstedt

Back in June we went on a family holiday to Stockholm. Having booked it months before, The Chap and I, along with my parents, were seriously looking forward to sampling all the authentic Scandi style food; think proper meatballs - without even a hint of Ikea - coupled with lingonberries and pickled cucumber, herring galore, dill fronds fondling everything, and plenty of cardamom buns…

Low and behold, a month or so before our trip, Stockholm was featured in the finals of Masterchef. Now, as you could probably have guessed, food programmes are my thing, so getting this little foodie insight into the city got me extremely excited about the whole thing. The finalists first cooked at Gastrologik, which has a minimalist "new nordic" approach - along with a Michelin Star - and as such, is quite pricey. The second restaurant, Ekstedt, which also has a Michelin Star, seemed to be in a league of its own.

With no gas or electric appliances in the kitchen, every item of food is cooked over the restaurant’s beastly fire pit, in a wood-fired oven or on top of a wood burning stove. And whilst stripping back the kitchen might sound easier than tackling some sous-vide techniques, making gels and foams, or playing with liquid nitrogen, Masterchef showed us that it clearly isn't; the flustered finalists did provide some great TV entertainment though.

After watching it, I immediately urged my folks to do so too, and gaging their response - equally in awe - I decided to book us a table.

Ekstedt is one of those 'blink and you'll miss it' restaurants. Having no bells and whistles on the outside - the reputation is enough - there's just the faint scent of smoke to lure diners in. And once you're in, you'll find some of the best in Scandinavian design; birch, leather, copper and stone run throughout the timbered interior, and with some good tunes in the background, it's both rustic and relaxing. The open kitchen also gives you the privilege of seeing the super stylish tattooed chefs, in checked shirts and signature denim and leather aprons, executing every dish to perfection.

"Dinner at Ekstedt is more than a meal. It’s an experience for life." Using just heat, soot, ash, smoke and fire to infuse flavour, texture, and taste is as old school as you can get, yet here it seems fresh, inventive and exciting. The chefs swear by the Scandinavian wood they use in order to create "superior flames", giving the food a truly unique character – one, they assure us, that you can’t get anywhere else in the world.

With a menu based on ingredients from the sea, forests, meadows and fields, you can choose either the 4 course option (which is what we had) or 6 courses - easy - no tricky a la carte decisions to make! There's also a matching wine flight available, which is deemed "as ambitious as the food"; they buy small quantities of great wines, preferring them to be as natural as possible to compliment the natural flavours of the food. In other words, there are probably some very interesting and somewhat 'funky' wines being served. Trying not to blow all our Swedish Krona in one go, we decided to just get a bottle to share between us; I don't remember the specifics, but it was a cracking USA Pinot.

Almost as soon as we were seated, out came some appetisers; miniature pizzas! A thin, crispy sourdough base, topped with chanterelles, podded broad beans and goats cheese. I couldn't help but think that scaling this up to a full sized pizza would be an absolute dream, and I definitely didn't want to share these mini slices!

More breaded goods arrived at the table in the form of the springiest hunks of warm sourdough. That alone would've impressed me, but the butter it came with made it even better. Freshly churned in-house, it was served in a little dish along with a splash of tangy buttermilk (the by-product of the process of making butter). We were all banging our heads on the table wondering why we'd not thought of doing this before! Needless to say, we polished the bread and butter off pretty quickly - it was too good - and asked for more.

Apologies for the poor photography; we weren't near any windows and it was dimly lit, so my poor iPhone had no chance of being able to take any good snaps. However, our first course was smoked char with beans and Swedish seaweed. I think it shows an incredible amount of skill being able to cook something as delicate as a piece of fish purely on some ferocious flames; it would only take a matter of seconds for it to be overcooked. Smoky, salty, green and fresh, it highlighted the simplicity of the ingredients, allowing each to speak for themselves.

Next was an absolute stunner, beef baked in hay with salsify and ramson capers (seen above too). I consider myself to have had two exceptional beef experiences lately; firstly, that Galician beef at Kitty Fisher's in Mayfair, and secondly, this. A thick black crust around the outside framed the blushing red meat in the middle, and it was making eyes at me as it sat glistening on a separate 'sharing stone'. It was one of those moments when you take a bite and have to put your cutlery down to really think about how bloody good it is; even the strip of fat just melted in the mouth. The caramelised salsify and ramson (wild garlic) capers were an inspired touch, but the beef was obviously the star, and The Chap unashamedly licked his plate clean.

The last of the savoury dishes was controversially a veggie one; you'd usually expect the meaty course to be the 'main'. New potato with truffle and woodfired oven baked onion. The new potatoes weren't like any I'd had before; essentially a salty crispy shell with fluffy carb-y goodness inside - a little like mini jackets, but better - and the onion was succulently sweet. The shavings of zebra-esque truffle did it for me too.

Dessert was frozen yoghurt with raspberries and pistachio. Fresh and clean flavours, combined with a sweet nuttiness and deep, smoky honey notes, ended our dinner on a high, and we all proclaimed to have loved every inch of it.

I guess there's something very primitive about Ekstedt; man hunts food, man makes fire, man uses fire to cook food, etc. And with many restaurants now housing Josper Grills and Big Green Eggs to play with fire and smoke, is this really that different?... Yes, yes, a million times yes. To have nothing else in the kitchen other than fire is exactly what sets it apart, and the fact that it's not overdone is why it's so great. It'd be far too easy to char every ingredient, making the whole menu taste quite samey, but Ekstedt use their creative cooking skills to add delicacy and elegance to dishes, each one permeated with the essence of the restaurant. Just beautiful, and a real eye opener in the Swedish food scene. 

So, if you're cracking out the BBQ this week, crowning yourself king (or queen) of the flames, then you might want to rethink that status; Niklas Ekstedt owns it.

If you're planning on visiting Stockholm, why not take a look at my Vinspire blog post on the best bars to go to...

Hibiscus: 15 Years and 8 Memorable Dishes with Claude Bosi

Last month The Chap took me to London for my birthday; he'd done his research, and where we were going was meant to be a surprise, but quite frankly he could not keep it to himself! I don't blame him though; he'd pulled out all the stops by getting a reservation at Claude Bosi's Hibiscus.

Coincidentally, we were going during the month that the restaurant was celebrating its 15th anniversary, and throughout June they were offering diners an extra special eight course tasting menu, based on guests' favourite dishes from over the years. Quite a few people had cast their vote in the poll, which was then whittled down according to season and availability, producing a menu of the finest summer combinations... A summertime "Greatest Hits" if you will.

Claude Bosi originally opened Hibiscus in Ludlow, before relocating to London in October 2007. It has held two Michelin stars since 2003; has five rosettes in the AA Restaurant Guide 2015 (retained since 2003); it has a 9/10 rating in the Waitrose Good Food Guide 2015, and is ranked 5th in the UK. Flippin' heck.

Bosi brings together classic French cooking with modern techniques and the best ingredients from the British isles; a formula that has proven highly successful. And so, the celebratory £135 tasting menu - the crème de la crème of Hibiscus' 15 years - was one that we couldn't miss. And although we weren't going to go down the wine flight route (especially at an extra £95 each), after a chilled glass of Billecart Salmon Rosé from the Champagne Trolley - YES, A CHAMPAGNE TROLLEY - we were totally sold on the idea. We're weak, I know.

Looking back on it now, it probably wasn't the wisest decision, especially as our table was at 9.30pm, which was also way too late to embark on a mega tasting menu (we didn't have our final course until gone midnight!). No doubt these factors fueled the fire with the snooty people on the next table, and unfortunately their "we're so much better than you" attitude completely ruined the end of my spectacular birthday meal, leaving me exiting the restaurant in tears (the wine flight definitely didn't help with that either, haha). But enough about that, it happened, and we're actually returning to Hibiscus next month to make sure we leave with a smile.

The menu kicked off with Foie Gras Ice Cream, mango and sherry vinegar caramel, served with a fine flute of Alfred Gratien Champagne Brut, 2000. Since posting a picture of this on Twitter, I received a backlash of animal rights comments from randomers, but hell, it was worth it! A mini cone filled with sweet mango puree, topped with an unexpectedly light liver-y ice cream, swirled with a tangy caramel, and sprinkled with what can only be described as 'savoury crunch'. It gave your typical cornetto a run for it's money.

Next was the Clarence Court Egg with pea, coconut and Thai curry. I've had a "filled egg" at many a restaurant now - it's particularly favourable around Easter - but just like dippy eggs and soldiers at home, it still brings out the child in me. Fresh and fragrant, it made sure I was ready for more food, and the fantastic bread that came out (courtesy of Mikael Jonsson of Hedone), slathered with salted butter, certainly hit the spot too.

The delicate and dreamy Devonshire Crab dish, with gel like pearls of elderflower and new season almond was served with a 2013 Karner Gabor Rizling from Hungary; a beautiful match, and a beautiful wine! (No surprise - we're riesling fiends!)

The Spring Onion Ravioli was one I was looking forward to after seeing some photos of it on Social Media. With broad beans, lime, Moroccan mint, and a creamy sauce, the humble pasta pillow was elevated to new heights, and it confirmed that I should definitely order ravioli when eating out more often. It was partnered with a crisp glass of Les Enfants Sauvages Cool Moon 2012,  from the Roussillon region of France; the floral, stone fruit nature of the blend of Grenache Gris and Grenache Blanc, ticked all the boxes against the very 'green' flavours in the dish.

Although the Cornish Cod ‘Grenobloise’ isn't the most attractive plate of food you'll ever see, I must remind you that you should never judge a book by it's cover. Grenobloise is a classic French sauce, composed of capers, nutty brown butter and lemon - simple - but Bosi's version sees a cream coloured foam covering the entire plate. It's a rich-but-sharp sauce that, thanks to the aeration, doesn't leave your mouth feeling coated with butter, therefore, letting you really enjoy the other textures in the dish (i.e. the meaty flesh of the cod). It was matched with a glass of biodynamic Eugenio Rosi, Anisos, 2011, Trentino, Italy; the honey, blossom and nutty flavours complimented the cod 'Grenobloise' wonderfully, and the bitter finish cleansed the palate.

The next dish was Native Lobster with fresh cherries and black pepper sauce; a plate of food containing lobster and cherries totally has 'Lucie' written all over it. There were also some little deep fried lobster ravioli served alongside, which I could've scoffed all night long. The wine match for this was an orange wine, tasting a little sherry-like, Domaine Julien Courtois Savasol, 2008, from the Loire Valley, France. It was probably the only wine of the night we were unsure about.

Both of us agreed that the tenderest hunk of Milk Fed Veal with girolles, apricot and chervil was THE BEST course. The fact that it came with our only glass of red wine probably influenced this; Broc Cellars “Syrah 13.1” 2012, Sonoma County, California. The sweet meat melted in the mouth, and the earthy mushrooms were backed up by the black pepper, spice, dark fruit, and powerful tannins from the wine. Neither of us wanted it to end.

Photo Credit (as mine was blurry): Genuiness Blog

Our first dessert was Gariguette Strawberry, celeriac and szechuan pepper; a mini trifle of sorts. The combination of strawberries and pepper is not an alien concept, however, the nutty celery flavour with the szechuan Asian punch, felt inspired. It was partnered with Vial-Magneres Banyuls 2009, Roussillon, France; tinged gold, with full fruit flavours, it ensured us that we were in 'sweet' territory, then the final course sealed the deal.

A deliciously dark chocolate tart case, filled with a mousse of New Season Peas, infused with mint and topped with pop corn, toyed with our taste buds. The most perfect quenelle of snow-white coconut sorbet added an extra dimension; an English garden with a twist of the Caribbean! And with just enough naughtiness from the chocolate, freshness from the peas and mint, and creaminess from the coconut, it was a stellar end to the tasting menu.

Upsetting experience aside, Claude Bosi's Hibiscus rightly lived up to it's reputation; every course was a delight! And I'm just thankful that we get to go again in a month's time...

Hibiscus, 29 Maddox Street, Mayfair, London W1S 2PA