Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, located in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, is a two-starred Michelin restaurant that offers modern dishes, inspired by historic British gastronomy. Chef Blumenthal is an advocate for the importance of scientific understanding in cooking and a pioneer of multi sensory cooking, food-pairing and flavor encapsulation.

Image via Dinner by Heston Blumenthal website

For our second dinner in London, Keith made reservations at this place which we were very eager to try.  The dining room features floor-to-ceiling glass walls, giving diners a view of the kitchen and its unique pulley system. Modeled after a version used by the royal court, the pulleys rotate the spit on an open-fire. The ivory-painted walls are decorated with custom-made porcelain wall sconces in the shape of antique jelly molds and of course the uninterrupted views of Hyde Park brings the connection to history full circle.

We started with a light dish of Earl Grey Tea Cured Salmon (c.1730).  Arranged like a little forest on the plate, the fish was bright with a lemon salad, gentleman’s relish and wood sorrel.  I really enjoyed this starter, and Keith thought it reminded him of a ceviche of sorts, since the fish was cured in the tea.

Next, we shared the Meat Fruit (c.1500).  Chicken liver parfait was enrobed in a jelly and shaped to look like a mandarin, and served grilled bread.  This artful presentation was so elegant and paired expertly with the red wine we chose - a French Bordeaux.  This was probably the best version of chicken liver mousse that we've ever had.  The only criticism is that the stem was not edible.

For his main course, Keith enjoyed the Roast Iberico Pork Chop (c.1820) with spelt, ham hock and Robert sauce (a gravy).  The meat had a good sear and was cooked perfectly.  The pork skin added texture and the grilled onions imparted extra flavor.

I ordered the Chicken cooked with Lettuces (c.1670).  Though plain looking, the flavor of the chicken was impeccable with grilled onion emulsion, spiced celeriac sauce and oyster leaf.  The meat was tender and the grilled lettuce gave an extra charcoal flavor to round out the dish.

For dessert we shared the Tipsy Cake (c.1810), a rum-infused brioche cake served with spit roast pineapple.  The cake takes extra time to prepare, so it is suggested you order it with your main course if you know you want it.  The bread was very yeasty and soft, and balanced well with the pineapple.

We also shared the Sambocade (c.1390).  Goats milk cheesecake with elderflower and apple, perry poached pears and topped with smoked candied walnuts.  The goats milk was not as tangy as expected, but the flavor was delicious nevertheless.

Overall we had an elegant meal at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal.  The concept was interesting and the execution even better.  We were served a little chocolate pudding with caraway biscuit with our bill.  The location within the Mandarin Oriental Hotel only added to the posh ambience, with top-notch service, innovated cuisine, and a memorable meal.

Total Rating: 4.7
Food: 5, Price: 4, Service: 5, Ambience: 4, Accessibility: 5