Turner’s Restaurant Review by Daniel Darwood, November 2010

See Birmingham Revisited Part I

Located in a non-descript shopping parade in the Birmingham suburb of Harborne, Turner’s modest exterior belies the sophistication of the restaurant within. The dark paneling of the long narrow dining room is offset by striking wall of mirrors with the restaurant’s name etched on the glass. .

Turner’s is perhaps the most exciting of the city’s Michelin starred restaurants, producing modern European dishes with classical French influences. Cooking here is unashamedly complex and ambitious, with elements of molecular gastronomy. Nevertheless, clear and bold flavours take priority. Diners can choose from a carte of five starters, mains and desserts, a set lunch or a six course tasting menu, with optional matching wines. The restaurant is attracting a wide audience, as shown on the day we visited, when it had to turn away regulars from a fully booked mid week lunchtime service.

The tasting menu was a brilliant display of harmonious flavours, textures and temperatures, all dishes being beautifully presented.

Canapes of well seasoned salmon ceviche and beef tartare, served on spoons, came with a small dish of (molecular) melon caviar and goats cheese. Next came an amuse bouche of gently smoked cauliflower soup, enlivened with honey and cumin seeds. Both these dishes impressed visually and in terms of taste.

A first course of terrine of foie gras, properly marinated and seasoned, came with poached plums to cut its richness. Red wine syrup, salted meringues and sauternes jelly, all perfectly executed, added a range of complimentary tastes and textures.

A generous fillet of pan fried turbot was juxtaposed against braised oxtail and its consomme, with parsley root, kale, and baby onion garishes. The whole dish was carefully judged to allow the individual flavours to shine, the delicate fish not being overwhelmed by the robust, unctuous meat

Roast breast of grouse was not too gamey and came with a raviolo of its confit leg. This dish proved to be a master class in game cookery, with the seared foie gras and Madeira jus adding more depth of flavour. Bread sauce and swede helped to balance the richness.

Desserts showed the same high level of skill and attention to detail as the savoury courses. An exquisite assiette of rhubarb (poached, dried, jelly, sorbet, cheesecake, espuma in a tuile tower) showcased this versatile fruit at its best.

This was followed by a deeply flavoured and perfectly textured Prune and Armagnac soufflé, garnished with Earl Grey tea syrup and Armagnac ice cream.

Coffee and well made petits fours – the latter being boxed for later consumption – completed another memorable meal, enhanced by knowledgeable and efficient service.

Turner’s is a serious, fine dining establishment which thoroughly deserves the accolades it has gained. We shall watch is progress with interest.

Purnell’s Restaurant Review, By Daniel Darwood. November 2010.

In his spacious eponymous restaurant, set in the heart of the city’s financial district, Glynn Purnell has built on the success he first found at Jessica’s, and then on the “Great British Menu.” The elegant dining room, complete with venetian blinds, hung spotlights and balloon lampshades, has well spaced bare dark wood tables and comfortable leather seating.

The Kenny Everett of modern cooking saves his most inventive and fun dishes for his carte and tasting menu, which were popular choices at a weekday lunchtime when we visited. For those on more limited time and finances, the set lunch menu offers a viable alternative,

A warm amuse bouche based on feta milk spiked with crisp black Japanese rice provided a tasty, satisfying opening.

A starter of venison carpaccio was strangely under seasoned, the dish being saved by blue cheese beignets and an intense watercress puree

The main course of slow cooked belly pork was meltingly rich and tender. Cep puree, braised endive, confit potato and crisp were well judged accompaniments.

British and French cheeses, all in perfect condition, proved a satisfying end to the meal

The service was somewhat inconsistent: some dishes were described in great detail, others not at all. Nevertheless, when asked, the serving staff were highly knowledgeable in their explanations.

Simpsons Restaurant

Regrettably, due to circumstances beyond its control, Fine Dining Guide had to cancel its mid week dinner booking at Simpsons. However, attempts to contact the restaurant by phone during the day, including the lunchtime service, proved impossible, hence the need to visit the restaurant in person to cancel. The young lady who answered the door claimed she was the only person in the office that day and had been inundated with calls. Surely this well established restaurant with rooms can do better than this?

See Birmingham Revisited Part I

Odette’s is located on Regent’s Park Road, near the foot of Primrose Hill in an affluent area of northwest London. Given the area’s rich artistic, literary and media associations, as witnessed in the Primrose Hill Set of the mid 90s, it is hardly surprising that the décor and furnishings reflect a contemporary eclecticism. The bold floral chintz wallpaper, whitewashed brickwork, wall lights, blue and yellow backed chairs, and green carpet of the dimly lit, front dining room can provoke extreme reactions of loving or loathing. (Indeed one commentator has described it as a “whore’s boudoir.”) The lower dining area is more spacious, and is currently being refurbished with brightly lit bookcases, mirrors, prints and more comfortable banquette seating. The most luxuriously appointed area is also the least used: the subterranean bar has velvet banquettes lining two deep, restored alcoves. Al fresco eating is available in the terraced seating at the front and in the secluded walled garden.

Odette’s is located on Regent’s Park Road, near the foot of Primrose Hill in an affluent area of northwest London. Given the area’s rich artistic, literary and media associations, as witnessed in the Primrose Hill Set of the mid 90s, it is hardly surprising that the décor and furnishings reflect a contemporary eclecticism. The bold floral chintz wallpaper, whitewashed brickwork, wall lights, blue and yellow backed chairs, and green carpet of the dimly lit, front dining room can provokeextreme reactions of loving or loathing. (Indeed one commentator has described it as a “whore’s boudoir.”) The lower dining area is more spacious, and is currently being refurbished with brightly lit bookcases, mirrors, prints and more comfortable banquette seating. The most luxuriously appointed area is also the least used: the subterranean bar has velvet banquettes lining two deep, restored alcoves. Al fresco eating is available in the terraced seating at the front and in the secluded walled garden

His seasonal changing menus, many of the top quality ingredients being sourced from the family’s farm and nearby rivers

in North Wales, include a seven course tasting menu at £60 (or £85 including wines), a good value set lunch and early dinner from £16 for two courses and full a la carte menu (seven starters, eight mains and seven desserts, including cheese) available for lunch and dinner.

Most of Bryn’s cooking is unashamedly complex. Whilst techniques are classically French, dishes often feature unusual combinations which marry well; flavours are clean and often bold, and presentation is beautiful and immaculate.

Fine Dining Guide visited on a midweek evening and sampled dishes from the carte, with a tasting sample of Bryn’s celebrated signature dish.

An amuse bouche of beetroot foam with horseradish cream was gently light and sweet with a touch of heat.

A starter of three generous quenelles of whipped goat’s cheese was lifted by tiny drops of Regent’s Park honey. This richness was balanced by beetroot puree, whilst a sprinkling of pine nuts gave textural contrast. Visually, this dish was stunning.

A trio of roasted langoustines, perfectly timed to retain their sweetness and succulence, was enhanced by a deeply flavoured seafood foam. Although the accompanying gnocci might have been a little lighter, their blue cheese content was well judged so as not to overwhelm the delicate seafood.

Bryn’s signature dish of roasted turbot with braised oxtail, which he produced for the Queen’s 80th birthday, was a tour de force of robust flavours combined with artistic presentation. The crusted firm fleshed turbot held its own against the unctuous caramelized oxtail. Cockles, samphire and garlic foam, added contrasting textures and tastes, also helping to give the visual image of a coastal rock pool on the plate.

Another well executed fish main course saw steamed fillets of lemon sole garnished with brown shrimps – which also acted as a seasoning – and tiny cubes of cucumber and butternut squash. Attractively presented with a light cream sauce and puree of butternut, this dish would have benefitted from another vegetable to give substance and textural contrast.

Roast mallard duck, shot by Bryn’s uncle in North Wales, was presented in all its glory at the table before being carved. The simpler but well timed cooking did full justice to the gutsy, intense gaminess of the wild bird. The red wine jus, potato fondant and red cabbage complimented the richness perfectly

Desserts also demonstrated the kitchen’s all round high level of skill. We must not forget that part of Bryn’s early training was in Patisserie Millet in Paris.

Classic tarte tatin was well executed, with the correct degree of caramelisation of the apples and crisp pastry. The accompanying vanilla ice cream was a model of its kind.

Cranberry sorbet proved the perfect foil for a densely textured chestnut cake, decorated with confit chestnuts, cranberries and pistachios.

Food of this quality is worth waiting for, and indeed the gaps between courses were longer than some might expect. However, given the attention to detail and labour intensity each dish clearly required, the waits are understandable. Restaurant manager Paul Halliwell greets guests with a polished, understated charm. He organizes his team well, the resulting service being efficient, knowledgeable and unobtrusive.Overall, a meal at Odette’s is a memorable experience with cooking definitely of Michelin star quality. The restaurant has gone from strength to strength since Bryn’s initial involvement and subsequent ownership, its potential being very strong indeed. Let us hope this neighbourhood and destination restaurant achieves the highest accolades it deserves.

After a busy Monday night’s service, Lee Bennett emerged from the kitchens looking remarkably fresh. As he chatted to diners, a genuine sense of satisfaction was evident. Indeed, there was much to be proud of, having taken the cooking of this iconic restaurant to levels not reached under previous stewardship. In the past, the great and the good often came to Le Pont de la Tour to be seen, showing more interest in the chic surroundings and magnificent views than the quality of the food. Why else did Tony Blair bring Bill Clinton here in 1997?

Not that the setting of Le Pont de la Tour is unimportant. Nestled in the Gastrodome of Butlers Wharf, on the south bank of the Thames, in the shadow of Tower Bridge, its unrivalled location remains the envy of most London restaurants. Celebrities still come, but now their dining experience is at a distinctly higher level.

Certain attractions, however, have not changed since the restaurant’s opening in 1991: al fresco dining on the delightful terrace; the balustrade and large windows, giving diners the impression of being on an ocean liner; the stunning views of Tower Bridge, floodlit at night; and the long, low ceilinged dining room. The Restaurant – as opposed to the more casual Bar and Grill – has a more formal ambience. With tables smartly set with white napery, comfortable burr oak furniture and framed lithographs of early 20th century Parisian cafe society, it is one of the most elegant dining rooms in London.

The buzz and excitement which has always been part of dining at Le Pont de la Tour now extends more fully to the food. Under D&D ownership since 2006, and Lee Bennett’s arrival as Executive Chef in 2008, Le Pont de la Tour has turned more towards fine dining. This is hardly surprising given Lee’s impressive CV which includes working in the kitchens of Pierre Gagnaire and Alain Ducasse. His talent and hard work were recognized by his appointment as head chef (under Marcus Wareing) at the Savoy Grill, where he oversaw two restaurants, private dining and the chef’s table.

Such wide responsibilities, coupled with passion and skill, helped Lee win the Craft Guild Restaurant Chef of the Year in 2007. At 27, he was the youngest person to do so.

The wide range of Lee’s seasonal, impeccably sourced menu is impressive. Whilst seafood is much in evidence – an asseitte de fruits de mer, grilled lobster and Dover Sole with beurre noisette being best sellers – other dishes show the versatility of Lee’s cooking. Great respect is shown for top quality produce, avoiding excessive garnishes which can overwhelm the main ingredient. From a classical French base, he has created a stylish range of starters, mains and desserts which will accommodate most tastes. At £31.50 for three courses for lunch and £44.50 for dinner, the prices are a relative bargain. Sunday lunch (three courses £27.50) is more traditionally British, with Lee’s take on Roast Beef taking centre stage

Fine Dining Guide visited on a Monday evening in late November. Given the embarrassment of choice on the menu, it was at the discretion of the chef to compose a short tasting menu with matching wines chosen but the sommelier.

Aperitif: Champagne: Tattinger Brut NV

Lobster bisque was the first signature dish offered. Poured over a generous portion of lobster meat at the table, this highly refined, deeply flavoured soup was rich and velvety smooth. Enhanced by the moderate addition of fennel and dill, it was served warm to maximize the taste. This was an impressive start to the meal Wine: Charles Hours Cuvee Marie, Jurancon Sec, 2008 France

Next came a trio of cold seafood. Gently smoked salmon with a caviar garnish came on well made soft blini. Oyster en gelee would have benefitted from an acidic lift. However, the cocktail of crab was excellent: a jellied tomato consommé was layered with utterly fresh crab mayonnaise and topped with a light lettuce foam. Wine: Torbreck Semillon “Woodcutters” Barossa Valley, 2008 Australia

As a main course, Essex Middlewhite pork was served in two different ways: the slow cooked braised belly was properly unctuous and melting. It takes a brave chef like Lee to serve pork fillet pink, in the traditional French style. This brings a fuller flavour, avoiding the dry stringiness that can result if cooked to a more typical British taste. Curled crackling strips added a crisp contrast, whilst a not over-sweet honey sauce succeeded in bringing the dish together. A bouquet of buttered chantenay carrots was the perfect simple accompaniment. Wine: Almaroja “Pirata” Aribbes Castille y Leon, Spain 2007

The substantial main course meant there was only room for a tasting of three cheeses chosen from an impressive range of English and French varieties. . The Mont d’Or and Chambertin, especially, were in peak conditon Wine: Dettori “Muscadiuddu”, Sardinia

Of the assiette of three desserts, the Morello cherry sorbet was a model of its kind in terms of smooth consistency and fullness of flavour. Its intensity proved an excellent foil to the mild Jivara milk chocolate mousse. Somewhat surprisingly, in the context of the meal, the hazelnut financiers lacked the essential softness beneath their crisp exterior. Wine: Disnoko Tokaji, Aszu 5 puttonyas 2002 Hungary

Other aspects of the evening; the bread, the coffee and petit fours were all first rate, showing skill and attention to detail in all aspects of the kitchen. Service, under the efficient direction of Frank Moser, (with Duncan Pitfield as General Manager), was helpful, unobtrusive and utterly professional. Special mention must also go to the impressive Bart Williams whose understated selections from the restaurant’s extensive collection of fine wines made the dining experience complete.

Le Pont de la Tour has improved its position amongst the destination restaurants of London. Despite being open for nearly twenty years, it has not rested on its laurels, but has successfully worked hard to reach new heights of achievement. This is due to the enthusiasm of the current team which is palpable and infectious. The passionate dedication of Lee Bennett and his colleagues to their craft will ensure the continued success of the restaurant.