Restaurants

By Guy Dimond

Recession my arse, I thought, gazing around the dining room. Large, important-looking men in dark suits seemed as comfortable as if they were in their own living rooms, the sort who clearly think nothing of spending three figures on dinner. Each. For this is The Connaught hotel (est 1897) – still the grande dame of London hotels, one of the last bastions of the bourgeoisie and still a place where they like things done properly and hang the cost.

The wood-panelled walls, army of waiting staff, silver cloches and armagnac trolley still creak of old money, despite The Connaught’s various attempts to get down with the kids in recent years; some of these gambles have been less successful than others. As was the case with Angela Hartnett, who parted company from the hotel last year, along with her attendant Ramsay publicity machine.

Now, after months of French polishing, some new fabrics and some stunning new tableware, The Connaught’s historic dining room has now been reinvented with the arrival of Hélène Darroze – a chef with a truly stellar (two Michelin stars, in fact) track record, who also runs one of the best (though most expensive) restaurants in Paris.
Darroze and her team have brought not only culinary verve, but real personality to The Connaught for the first time in years.

At this price level, it’s the attention to detail that sets the truly memorable apart from the merely good. There are, of course, flurries of amuse-bouches; inter-course appetisers; and chocolates that all arrive unbidden. But never before have I been handed a miniature menu, itemising exactly the dishes and wines which I had ordered – presumably as a souvenir – with the bill.

Service was urbane, if a little too attentive – at one stage, we seemed barely able to finish a sentence without yet another waiter asking if everything was to our satisfaction. Everyone was getting the same pampering treatment, regardless of wallet size.

Darozze’s cooking came as a surprise. We’d expected old-fashioned French technique; instead, we had a succession of top-quality ingredients which were almost rustic in the intensity of their flavours, from a simple starter of chargrilled vegetables with herbs, to pigeon that was so rare it was the colour of an old Bordeaux. As Darroze is originally a native of the Landes region, the flavours of south-west France are particularly well represented. An amuse-bouche of foie gras was served like a crème brûlée, topped with a tiny apple sorbet then – curiously – a tiny layer of peanut emulsion. Most dishes showed unusually thoughtful combinations if flavours, though to my taste, the ginger-steeped discs of turnip (yes, turnip) which accompanied the pigeon had an overpoweringly sharp taste.

The savouries courses were very good indeed, but the desserts were outstanding. A panna cotta flavoured with bay leaf had a layer of lemon jelly between it and flavour-packed marinated strawberries, and a scoop of strawberry sorbet; it was the essence of summer on a plate. Poached apricot was another stunner, even though the accompanying ice-cream didn’t taste of the advertised sichuan pepper.

The wine list is the only thing that might spoil your appetite. It has great bottles, but they’re all exorbitantly priced, and the choices by the glass are very limited indeed. More customer-friendly wine lists offer an extensive choice by the glass.

The Connaught’s new restaurant wowed us as effortlessly as their excellent Coburg bar, which is immediately next door. Like the bar, it ain’t cheap, but you definitely get what you pay for here.

Time Out Issue 1980: July 31-August 6 2008