Shining star
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| Cornish turbot, morels, peas, beef jus |
It has been far too long since I have last dined at a Michelin restaurant, and Bonhams is one of the very few remaining ones in London I have yet to visit. Newly awarded 1 star in the 2016 UK guide, Bonhams is located within the London Bonhams auction house near Bond Street. Head chef Tom Kemble's cooking is modern French in essence, using well sourced ingredients. It used to only operate for lunch service on weekdays so it was pretty much impossible to book in unless you have taken a day off. But recently it has opened for dinner from Wednesday to Friday starting from 7pm. The dinner service offers a fixed 5 course menu at £60 and nothing else, so if you are not an adventurous, bonhams might be an ideal dining place for you.
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| Canapes |
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| "The in trend" sour-dough |
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| Asparagus vichyssoise, fresh curd, caviar |
The Cornish turbot might not have the best presentation, but the flavours were banging. It had just the right level of seasoning, the sweetness of the peas combined wonderfully with the freshness of the turbot. I also really enjoyed the creative element of using a beef jus, which worked surprisingly well with the meatiness and moist texture of the fish. The show stopper of the day has to be pigeon course, it was cooked perfectly, pink and moist. The smoked potato along with the peppery tone of parsley really brought the whole dish to life, every single piece of the ingredients were cooked magnificently. The weak link on the menu was the final dessert, the raspberry feuillete. The sourness was far too sharp which totally dominated everything else, however the formage blanc sorbet was light and yet contained such a lovely buttery, creamy and fresh taste.
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| Roasted Squab pigeon, confit leg, smoked potatoes, parsley, piquillo pepper, offal sauce |
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| Alfonso mango sorbet, coconut foam, passion fruit, basil |
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| Tulameen raspberry feuillete |
Without question, Tom Kemble is truly a top chef and Bonhams fully deserved its Michelin status. The ingredients were top notch as was the execution of the cooking. Bonhams has to be one of the strongest 1 star restaurants London, while the whole meal wasn't faultless, the cooking clearly showed how talented the kitchen team is. The only downside of this place is the lack of choices in the menu, and the decor itself is rather plain and lifeless. The ambience of the restaurant is more suited for a business meeting rather than a friends gathering or a date. But if you are only interested in top food, Bonhams is definitely one of those places well worth a visit.
Food 4/5
What I paid:
£69 per head
Average cost without drinks and services:
£60
7 Haunch of Venison Yard, London W1K 5ES
http://www.bonhams.com/locations/RES/
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