When I blogged about Dinner one year ago, my post received quite mixed comments. Obviously, some people are big fans of Dinner and the fact that the restaurant is always full just confirms it’s an incredible success. Sometimes you can’t judge a restaurant having visited it just once, so I started doubting about my judgement. Maybe I was wrong? Maybe Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is indeed the best restaurant in the world like the famous food critic Giles Coren once said?
Unfortunately, my second time at Dinner was even more disappointing. I ordered something completely different than one year ago. My starter was “Buttered Crab Loath with Cucumber, Pickled Lemon and Stone Crop”. The date of the recipe ( 1714 ) was the only thing interesting about this starter. The crab was served with brioche which has been soaked and had a very soft texture. On top of that, the pickled lemon overpowered everything. The bitter taste is all that I remember about this dish in fact.
Last time my main course was “Black Foot Pork Chop” which was very simple, but nice. I couldn’t say the same about the “Roast Halibut with Dandelion Leaves and Cockle Ketchup”. The fish was ok, but the garnish destroyed everything. Again, it was too bitter and didn’t really compliment the fish. If it’s what people used to eat in the 19th century (1830), then I much prefer modern cuisine. (At least I didn’t see any squirrels on the menu, also something our ancestors used to eat!).
The bread and the dessert ( “Taffety Tart, Apple, Rose, Fennel and Blackcurrant sorbet”) were the only things that I actually enjoyed. The concept of the restaurant is very appealing, the food not so much…
