We recently enjoyed the tasting menu at Hibiscus and the restaurant delivered what we both agreed at the time and on reflection to be our best UK restaurant experience this year. It was as close to perfect as we feel you can reasonably get. There were three elements that made it so.
First, obviously, the food. Truly exceptional. Original, creative, beautiful to look at, beautiful to taste, perfectly cooked and so on. We'll spend some more time on this below.
Second, the service. It was exactly the level and type of service we expect from a 2 star restaurant. We were greeted with a smile at the door and the genuine warmth and friendliness of the restaurant staff never went away. Super knowledgable about the food, efficient throughout, they made a pefect read of our table and what we wanted. Sarah Cooper, restaurant manager, was first class.
Third, the sommelier, Roman. Great and original food-wine pairings with a focus on organic wine that benefits from the process. He provided great explanations of the wines and what we could get out of each of his selections. It really enhanced the meal
We again did the tasting menu though at Hibiscus, it's a little different to normal. It's different because you don't know what you're getting - chefs choice! They ask you about allergies but otherwise you're in their hands. It added a nice little bit of extra excitment not knowing what would be next out of the kitchen.
The amuse bouche was a delightful little creation, a Hibiscus & Pineapple Soda, straight out of the cold store, the glass still frosted. We were told to take a few sips and then shoot the remainder. No menus, cocktail amuse bouche and being told how to eat the food, it was like being back at El Bulli. The cocktail itself was very fresh, sweet and bitter, and slightly fizzy with the bubbles lighter and softer than say champagne giving the feeling of nano-bots cleaning and preparing your tongue. This was a very playful way to start the meal.
First, obviously, the food. Truly exceptional. Original, creative, beautiful to look at, beautiful to taste, perfectly cooked and so on. We'll spend some more time on this below.
Second, the service. It was exactly the level and type of service we expect from a 2 star restaurant. We were greeted with a smile at the door and the genuine warmth and friendliness of the restaurant staff never went away. Super knowledgable about the food, efficient throughout, they made a pefect read of our table and what we wanted. Sarah Cooper, restaurant manager, was first class.
Third, the sommelier, Roman. Great and original food-wine pairings with a focus on organic wine that benefits from the process. He provided great explanations of the wines and what we could get out of each of his selections. It really enhanced the meal
We again did the tasting menu though at Hibiscus, it's a little different to normal. It's different because you don't know what you're getting - chefs choice! They ask you about allergies but otherwise you're in their hands. It added a nice little bit of extra excitment not knowing what would be next out of the kitchen.
The amuse bouche was a delightful little creation, a Hibiscus & Pineapple Soda, straight out of the cold store, the glass still frosted. We were told to take a few sips and then shoot the remainder. No menus, cocktail amuse bouche and being told how to eat the food, it was like being back at El Bulli. The cocktail itself was very fresh, sweet and bitter, and slightly fizzy with the bubbles lighter and softer than say champagne giving the feeling of nano-bots cleaning and preparing your tongue. This was a very playful way to start the meal.
Hibiscus & Pineapple Soda
The first menu course was a Carpaccio of Cornish Pollock & Radish with Almond & Truffle Vinaigrette. This came with a piece of super delicate crisp like object that we would later learn was flattened and dehydrated pollock that had been lightly fried and then coated with vinegar powder. The combination of fried crisp with a vinegar edge and the carpaccio of pollock gave for a 'fish and chips' type moment without of course any potato. The fried pollock had to be eaten with your fingers which made this dish somewhat playful also. The carpaccio itself could have been a little more strongly flavoured but this though would be the full extent of any criticism of the meal today.
Cappacio of Pollock & Radish
Roast Hand Dived Scallops, Pork Pie Sauce, Pink Grapefruit and Wood Sorrel was next. Where to begin? How about the pork pie sauce. Yes, you've read that correctly, it's a pork pie sauce. I tasted this first by itself and I was amazed, this really was a robust pork pie tasting sauce in which you picked up both a deep pastry taste and a meaty filling. This was super stuff. Apparently, they do actually use whole pork pies to make this sauce (together with fish stock).
The scallop meanwhile was divine. Crusted with hazlenut, breadcrumbs, apple puree, butter and mustard, the scallop top had a beautiful crunchy surface and was perfectly cooked through. The grapefruit jelly was picture pretty and added some zest against the heavier pork pie flavour. Together, it all came together unexpectedly and delighfully. One of the themes of the meal we think was to put familiar ideas in unfamiliar places and make it work, or to create familiar ideas in orignal ways. We've already had 'fish and chips' that wasn't and now we pair pork pie with scallop. This is really exciting food.
Wine wise, this was beautifully paired with a Chateau de Beru 2008, an organic Chablis.
The scallop meanwhile was divine. Crusted with hazlenut, breadcrumbs, apple puree, butter and mustard, the scallop top had a beautiful crunchy surface and was perfectly cooked through. The grapefruit jelly was picture pretty and added some zest against the heavier pork pie flavour. Together, it all came together unexpectedly and delighfully. One of the themes of the meal we think was to put familiar ideas in unfamiliar places and make it work, or to create familiar ideas in orignal ways. We've already had 'fish and chips' that wasn't and now we pair pork pie with scallop. This is really exciting food.
Wine wise, this was beautifully paired with a Chateau de Beru 2008, an organic Chablis.
Roast Hand Dived Scallops, Pork Pie Sauce, Pink Grapefruit and Wood Sorrel
The next course was one that we had seen on the a la carte menu and that we requested be put on our tasting menu, something they were totally happy to do. Ravioli of Hen's Egg Yolk & Smoked Potato with chopped Autumn Truffle. Cutting into the ravioli, as can be seen in the second picture below, the egg yolk oozed out in generous proportions. The smoked potato (in fact, it was actually a smoked butter from Wales that had been added) had a huge earthy feel and with the truffle sauce around the outside, this was a perfect Autumn forrest dish. The combination also elicited flavours of smoked pork though there was none present. The colours of the dish too were in perfect harmony and colour is utilised consistently throughout the dishes served to us.
The wine here was a medium bodied white, Jakot, Dario Princic from Italy. Jakot is a play on the name Tokaji given the Hungarian trademark though this was not a sweet wine, more dry. With notes of textured herby fruit, it was another enjoyable pairing.
The wine here was a medium bodied white, Jakot, Dario Princic from Italy. Jakot is a play on the name Tokaji given the Hungarian trademark though this was not a sweet wine, more dry. With notes of textured herby fruit, it was another enjoyable pairing.
Lots going on in the next dish: Cornish Skate Wing roasted in Brown Butter, Jerusalem Artichoke & Vanilla Puree, Burnt Sweetcorn and Buttermilk foam. The skate was cooked perfectly and the balance of flavours was genius. This dish was also a great example of texture with the addition of the corn fricassee.
Skate wing roasted in brown butter
The 'main' course was Roast Mortimer Forrest Venison, Pear confit in Mulled WIne, Smoked Chocolate and Savoy Cabbage Puree. Also with this (but missing on the menu description) is a chicken liver parfait with pumpkin seeds, not something that you might normally think to pair with venison but something that did work incredibly well. This was another great seasonal dish with venison and chocolate giving haute cuisine the comfort touch.
Roast Mortimer Forrest Venison, Pear confit in Mulled WIne, Smoked Chocolate and Savoy Cabbage
Pre-dessert was Apple Puree, Sweet Celeriac and Chestnut Cream paired with Sydre Argelette (French cider). A light refreshment after the venison, a little sweet, a little acid. A nice transition.
Apple Puree, Sweet Celeriac and Chestnut Cream
The dessert was heaven. Cep Tart, Macadamia Nut Ice Cream and Blueberry Puree. That's right, ceps! Pork pie sauce and now cep tart. It was totally delighful. The pastry too was probably the best pastry we've ever tasted, fantastcially textured, crumbly and itself full of caramel flavours. Goodness knows how much butter was in there to make it taste that good; we don't care, it was worth it. The tart itself was very toffee caramel with the ceps more of a backnote than making it full on earthy mushroom tart. The ice cream was indulgent and beautiful; together, this proved to be not only one of the great dishes of the day but one of the great dishes of the year.
Cep Tart, Macadamia Nut Ice Cream and Blueberry Puree
We think Hibiscus delivered a first rate tasting menu in a first rate fashion. Indeed, MrsCC commented that she was 'knocked sideways' by the food. There were so many original ideas going on that each and every dish was special. Each and every dish was also perfectly cooked. And each and every dish was served with a smile by staff who really seemed to care about the restaurant, the food, and not least, about us as customers.
The bill wasn't so bad either for first rate 2 star dining, coming in at around £165 a head for eight courses and seven wines. We also got a little box of petit fours to go. The competition at this level of restaurant is tough: last week, we thought the food at Pied a Terre was excellent and likewise, earlier this year we really enjoyed The Square. We would certainly relish eating at both of those venues again, but given that Hibiscus was superlative throughout the meal on every aspect, if we had to pick one, then it would have to be Hibiscus. Our new 'best restaurant in London'.
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The bill wasn't so bad either for first rate 2 star dining, coming in at around £165 a head for eight courses and seven wines. We also got a little box of petit fours to go. The competition at this level of restaurant is tough: last week, we thought the food at Pied a Terre was excellent and likewise, earlier this year we really enjoyed The Square. We would certainly relish eating at both of those venues again, but given that Hibiscus was superlative throughout the meal on every aspect, if we had to pick one, then it would have to be Hibiscus. Our new 'best restaurant in London'.
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