Texture had been on our list of places to go to for some time and not just because of the new fascination with Nordic cooking or because, famously, Chef Patron Agnar Sverrisson doesn't use butter or cream to create sauces for the savoury dishes, rather, the whole place just sounds interesting.
Chef Sverrisson is yet another product of the Le Manoir stable where he ended his time there as head chef. Originally from Iceland, he's now doing his own thing which encompasses elements of what is widely becoming labelled the 'Nordic tradition'. It's not so obvious here, unlike say North Road that's an out and our play on Noma's runaway success, but influences are there for sure. As for savoury dishes not having butter or cream, we're not completely sure whether that's a play on the Nordic angle or rather, a move towards a healthier cooking style. Traditional sauces are therefore are of course absent while dishes like cheese souffle on double cream that's served at Mayfair neighbour Le Gavroche will find little by way of competition here.
They do indicate that they are happy to use some cream in dessert dishes though ours as we will see in due course remained borderline healthy.
The other driving force behind Texture is Master Sommelier Xavier Rousset who is also former Manoir where he was head sommelier and where he was to meet Sverrisson. One should therefore expect an interesting wine list and we thought wines were fairly priced . We were also impressed with our sommelier that day (not Xavier) who helped us on the white wine choice and delivered an excellent South African white at a price somewhat below budget which showed real integrity.
Before sitting down for lunch though, while waiting for guests to arrive, we took a drink in the bar which did allows us to enjoy the fantastic round tables that have a cut out in the centre which is filled with ice so doubling up as your ice bucket. The tower of crisps served with a yoghurt dip while we were waiting was also varied, interesting and tasty.
Chef Sverrisson is yet another product of the Le Manoir stable where he ended his time there as head chef. Originally from Iceland, he's now doing his own thing which encompasses elements of what is widely becoming labelled the 'Nordic tradition'. It's not so obvious here, unlike say North Road that's an out and our play on Noma's runaway success, but influences are there for sure. As for savoury dishes not having butter or cream, we're not completely sure whether that's a play on the Nordic angle or rather, a move towards a healthier cooking style. Traditional sauces are therefore are of course absent while dishes like cheese souffle on double cream that's served at Mayfair neighbour Le Gavroche will find little by way of competition here.
They do indicate that they are happy to use some cream in dessert dishes though ours as we will see in due course remained borderline healthy.
The other driving force behind Texture is Master Sommelier Xavier Rousset who is also former Manoir where he was head sommelier and where he was to meet Sverrisson. One should therefore expect an interesting wine list and we thought wines were fairly priced . We were also impressed with our sommelier that day (not Xavier) who helped us on the white wine choice and delivered an excellent South African white at a price somewhat below budget which showed real integrity.
Before sitting down for lunch though, while waiting for guests to arrive, we took a drink in the bar which did allows us to enjoy the fantastic round tables that have a cut out in the centre which is filled with ice so doubling up as your ice bucket. The tower of crisps served with a yoghurt dip while we were waiting was also varied, interesting and tasty.
As a small group, after much back and forth we finally decided on the tasting menu when we realised that it contained the dishes most people were going to order anyhow. Launching the menu was English Beetroots: goat's cheese, oats, mizuna. This was okay but struggles be more than beetroot and goats cheese. Following this we had Anjou Pigeon: chargrilled, sweetcorn, shallot, bacon popcorn, red wine essence. The first thing that really does strike you when the plate is put in front of you is that the pigeon's claw is very much attached to the leg which was generally seen as unnecessary by most with one commenting 'I want to eat it, not shake hands with it'. This dish itself tasted pretty good however, the popcorn, which tasted chewy and stale let it down, especially as this is there largely for textural elements.
English Beetroots: goat's cheese, oats, mizuna
Anjou Pigeon: chargrilled, sweetcorn, shallot, bacon popcorn, red wine essence
Icelandic lightly salted cod: barley with shellfish jus is understandable on the menu though the first reaction on tasting was that despite being labelled as 'lightly salted', it was in fact quite over salted. It detracted a little from what was otherwise a good dish with barley and shellfish jus managing to achieve a natural richness to the dish that made it quite comforting.
It was the next main that was most disappointing, Grain fed beef, Rib eye: chargrilled, ox cheek, horseradish, olive oil bearnaise. First, on plating, it looked so uninspiring, like there was no real idea here. If the idea was however to deliver the best piece of beef ever, the plating would all be easily forgiven but the sous vide cooking of the beef here had failed to develop any complex beef flavours and nor was there even an outside char. The ox cheek faired a little better but overall the proteins were a let down. Chips served on the side were suitably fat and nicely crisped though far from healthy I'm sure but a long way from being able to rescue the dish.
It was the next main that was most disappointing, Grain fed beef, Rib eye: chargrilled, ox cheek, horseradish, olive oil bearnaise. First, on plating, it looked so uninspiring, like there was no real idea here. If the idea was however to deliver the best piece of beef ever, the plating would all be easily forgiven but the sous vide cooking of the beef here had failed to develop any complex beef flavours and nor was there even an outside char. The ox cheek faired a little better but overall the proteins were a let down. Chips served on the side were suitably fat and nicely crisped though far from healthy I'm sure but a long way from being able to rescue the dish.
Dessert also seemed quirky and failed to work for anyone round the table. First of all, served in a pot, Icelandic Skyr: rhubarb, muesli, granite, really did seem like a breakfast pot that just didn't work mid afternoon at the end of a lunch. The granite was also so cold that the very roots of our teeth were humming on taking a bite. And given how fresh this was, it also seemed to bump up against the pre dessert that was also a granite.
pre dessert looking rather similar to the actual dessert
Icelandic Skyr: rhubarb, muesli, granite
Overall this was a disappointing experience with the main beef course a let down, a dessert that didn't work and a beetroot salad that is exactly that. The pigeon and cod were both good but can't fully compensate for the other shortfalls. With a Michelin star to its name from 2010, we had expected something a little more but sadly, it failed to deliver.
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