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Yannick Alléno is an alchemist. Hand him a courgette, a couple of haddock and some sprigs of lavender and he’ll strip them down to their constituent parts using the kitchen equivalent of bell jars, test tubes and bunsen burners. When the chemistry is over, Alléno will slide you a delicate pool of dazzlingly green sauce that tastes as fresh as if you’d just pulled the veg from the patch, trawled the fish from its ocean, and plucked the herbs from a garden.
What’s the point? Well, what’s the point in not? Such adroit gastronomy – which includes the actual patenting of his Extractions® technique, his fondness for fermentation and coy way with cryoconcentration – has earned the French-born Alléno a whopping 15 Michelin stars. This makes him the second most-awarded chef that’s ever donned whites, but despite global renown and decades in the business, Pavyllon is his first ever London restaurant. What took him so long? Was he prepping his very own distillation of the city; syphoning St James through a sous vide machine, before whisking Muswell Hill into a thorough frenzy and dolloping it all on top of a reduction of Camberwell? Well, almost.
Was he prepping his very own distillation of London; syphoning St James through a sous vide, before whisking Muswell Hill into a frenzy and dolloping it all on top of a reduction of Camberwell?
The standout feature of the beautifully bright Pavyllon is the long counter which sits by the kitchen, offering 30 plus diners an intimate chef’s table experience atop teal, velvet stools. Those expecting tense drama however, might be disappointed, as a zen-like calm and military precision is precided over by head chef Benjamin Ferra Y Castell.
Unsurprisingly, considering the location and name above the door, these French classics made with the best British ingredients are eye-wateringly expensive – it’s fair to say that the words ‘cost of living crisis’ have never, and will never, be uttered between these walls. But if you have the cash to splash, then a starter of steamed cheddar soufflé with watercress coulis and bacon butter was sheer bliss. Soft and souplike, it felt almost like a pudding; sweet, decadent and not akin to a spongy cloud made of high-end Cathedral City. King crab in farmhouse cream infused with blackcurrant sage in a kombu broth was a gulp-inducing £58, but fresh and light and unlike anything I’ve ever put in my mouth.
Mains were similarly punchy in price but also in flavour. Red mullet with chorizo butter, chermoula sauce, clams and parsley was a triumph; the fish perfectly flaky and topped with tiny potato crisps that brought to mind a sophisticated scattering of Squares. We wish we hadn’t thought that the squidgy helping of naked clams looked like dog foetuses, but there you go – we cannot always claim responsibility for our intrusive thoughts. A roasted crown of pigeon and legs confit with blackcurrant gel, wild dill puree and a chunk of gratinated foie gras toast was a lot to type, let alone eat, but each constituent part vibrated on an increasingly higher plane.
We were perhaps too full for dessert (possibly down to an as yet undeclared creamy linguine with pesto verde, shrimp extraction and langoustine tartare as well as a crisp curry man’ouche with black garlic, pistachio and ginger gel), but ate it anyway. A sizeable chocolate souffle followed by wild strawberries under a pomegranate veil – which isn’t a lost Victorian bonk buster but rather a sensationally sweet fruity treat – proved Alléno’s tricks will keep you enchanted from start to finish; if your pockets are deep enough.
The vibe Chilled out but thoroughly finessed gastronomy in a plush Mayfair hotel.
The food Creative French favourites cooked with style, class and a little bit of magic.
The drink Visit the adjoining Antoine’s Bar for potent cocktails, which come with requisite fancy hotel platter of nuts, olives and capers.
Time Out tip A la carte is majestically expensive, so opt for the weekday lunch tasting menu, which at £55.50 seems the essence of good value (and it includes that cheese souffle).