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Alyn Williams at The Westbury: best yet

8/3/2013

9 Comments

 
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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.
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bread basket
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Western isles langoustine/finger lime/cracked wheat/spiced carrot
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Foie gras semi fredo/Amalfi lemon/liquorice/salted hazelnut caramel
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Orkney scallop/cuttlefish/mint/caraway
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Marinated quail/smoked egg/baked potato/pickled red cabbage
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Broccoli/almonds/green olive tapenade
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Hake/smoked eel/red wine/alexanders
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50 day aged middle white pork/quince/ bitter leaves
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cheese
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Cornish cheesecake/Yorkshire rhubarb/ginger crunch
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Chocolate cake/roasted white chocolate/marsala/mascarpone/ passion fruit
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Earl grey crème diplomat/coconut/streusel/ garibaldi
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bon bons
Alyn Williams at The Westbury on Urbanspoon
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9 Comments
Simon Baker
8/3/2013 01:11:55 pm

Lovely pics guys. Went for the first time Saturday for my birthday. Food is definitely 2 star and the service is some of the best I've had in a long time. Shame my pics didn't come out as good!

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tcc
8/3/2013 01:39:34 pm

thanks for the comment Simon, so glad you enjoyed Alyn Williams also. This is definitely a restaurant that keeps getting better and the second star is surely a matter of when.

ps, the restaurant is very tricky for pictures (and they turn the lights down even lower at night which doesn't help).

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Alan Spedding ( cumbriafoodie ) link
11/3/2013 01:15:58 am

Looks bloody wonderful....I`m going back.

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curiouseater link
10/6/2013 01:04:37 pm

Hello, just wanted to ask your opinion. We plan on eating at Alyn Williams in August and probably will do the tasting menu. We are going to ask to have the sweetbreads as an extra course. Are there any other dishes that stand out for you? I know you have long been supporters of Alyn and sampled a variety of his menus. Also, what is the 'chocolate cake' like? I emailed them to ask if it were a sponge cake in the traditional sense and they said it was but when you look at the (lovely) photo you took it looks for from sponge like.. Thanks for your help.

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TCC
10/6/2013 05:46:07 pm

with the tasting menu at Alyn's, it changes constantly, so there are not really recurring signature dishes that we would steer you towards. In fact, we think Alyn's menu continues to grow stronger so whatever is being served, we're sure you'll love it.

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curiouseater
15/6/2013 12:20:06 am

Thanks, that's good to hear. How would you describe the chocolate cake?

TCC
15/6/2013 03:11:05 am

sorry too long ago, can't remember

Scotlandeatsout link
28/2/2014 05:27:07 am

We are coming to London in June, would you this is one of the best 1 star restaurants to eat at?

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TCC
28/2/2014 05:29:16 am

AW is brilliant, definitely worth going.

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