We love Alyn Williams as both a great chef and a great person, and we've enjoyed his cooking now for a number of years. His restaurant at The Westbury meanwhile has proved a huge success, quite something given both the economic times and food trends running in the opposite direction; that alone is a testament to the quality of his offering.
But as well as the quality, what sees us return to Alyn Williams again and again is a changing and evolving menu, such that on any visit, you can always ask 'what's new' and be spoiled with previously untasted culinary treats. Accordingly, while we have already posted several meals at AW on the blog, we can't resist sharing a further post because even for veteran diners chez Alyn, his food still has a vibrancy of freshness about it. But it gets better still for my meal at AW this week may well have been the best meal there yet, I simply adored it.
Dining alone, there's plenty of time to muse on the food and what struck me today was just how precise the flavour assemblage is. When Alyn wants a big bold flavour, like in the hake dish, bam, it's there, but when he wants just a whisper of a suggestion, there it is too, teasing the palate from the shadows. The result is that the meal conveys exactly what he wants it to convey, a truthful report of his culinary vision because he has the skill to deliver it. Put another way, you're eating precisely the meal he wants you to eat, and that's a very good meal indeed.
Alyn has now for many years been cooking at the two star level and he continues to do so every day at The Westbury (second actual star to follow).
PS, service there was again superb, and as always, achieved an excellent formal service/informal interaction balance.
But as well as the quality, what sees us return to Alyn Williams again and again is a changing and evolving menu, such that on any visit, you can always ask 'what's new' and be spoiled with previously untasted culinary treats. Accordingly, while we have already posted several meals at AW on the blog, we can't resist sharing a further post because even for veteran diners chez Alyn, his food still has a vibrancy of freshness about it. But it gets better still for my meal at AW this week may well have been the best meal there yet, I simply adored it.
Dining alone, there's plenty of time to muse on the food and what struck me today was just how precise the flavour assemblage is. When Alyn wants a big bold flavour, like in the hake dish, bam, it's there, but when he wants just a whisper of a suggestion, there it is too, teasing the palate from the shadows. The result is that the meal conveys exactly what he wants it to convey, a truthful report of his culinary vision because he has the skill to deliver it. Put another way, you're eating precisely the meal he wants you to eat, and that's a very good meal indeed.
Alyn has now for many years been cooking at the two star level and he continues to do so every day at The Westbury (second actual star to follow).
PS, service there was again superb, and as always, achieved an excellent formal service/informal interaction balance.
bread basket
Western isles langoustine/finger lime/cracked wheat/spiced carrot
Foie gras semi fredo/Amalfi lemon/liquorice/salted hazelnut caramel
Orkney scallop/cuttlefish/mint/caraway
Marinated quail/smoked egg/baked potato/pickled red cabbage
Broccoli/almonds/green olive tapenade
Hake/smoked eel/red wine/alexanders
50 day aged middle white pork/quince/ bitter leaves
cheese
Cornish cheesecake/Yorkshire rhubarb/ginger crunch
Chocolate cake/roasted white chocolate/marsala/mascarpone/ passion fruit
Earl grey crème diplomat/coconut/streusel/ garibaldi
bon bons
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