Review: Chez Sebastian

Okay, not really a review as such, but notes from the Easter Feast.

I was a little worried that half a bottle of Champagne per person wouldn't be quite enough, and that we should have put some house fizz in the fridge just in case, but as it turned out, just over three bottles was about right for eight of us, leaving most of a bottle for buck's fizz the next morning. Oh, the hardship. Other notes on the pre-dinner nibbles. RJ's revision of his Christmas chicken liver canapes with duck liver were just as nice, perhaps even an improvement. Heston Blumethal's tea smoked salmon may seem a bit extravagent, but whilst being about 20% more expensive than the standard stuff, was at least twice as nice. My red onion marmalade was quite tasty as well, and the quails eggs were tasty, but an awful lot of faff to peel.

The Mackay's French onion soup was superb. I'd never have guessed it was vegetarian without being told. RJ's asparagus was impressive, given the rather half-hearted attempts at Spring we've been seeing, but the Hollandaise was a work of art. Marcus's trout was really good, but the passion fruit and cucumber salsa he served it with was right there into exquisite.

Ramesh's sorbet was ever so clever. Pea and wasabi, rolled up with seaweed into maki, with ginger in the centre. So fun and clever. And delicious. The main course was lamb boulangere, which wasn't quite as good as the last time I did it, but everyone seemed to enjoy it, so I can't complain too much.

Pudding was a lovely cheesecake (again from the Mackays), with the most amazing chocolate sauce. Indulgence in liquid form, oh yes. Then we had some fantastic cheeses (from cathedral_life and Sue), which would have been the focus of the table, if it weren't for the port.

Fonsecca 1977.

Oh yes.

We did drink some other things, which RJ will probably tell you about in the comments, and ate some fruit for dessert, of which the grapes were particularly lovely.

It was Easter as it should be, as I'm sure our Lord envisaged it. Thanks to all who made it happen. See you again next year.

Review: Drunken Monkey

This'll be a quick one. My latest monthly dinner with borusa.

We had planned to go to Drunken Monkey last month, but we never managed to make a date work, which I can't entirely complain about, because it meant I wasn't restricted to the veggie options by my Lenten fasting.

I started with the Lavender Lady cocktail - camp? who? me? It was delightful though - gin, triple sec, lavender syrup, lemon juice, egg white - I think I'll be recreating soon. RM had a beer.

We ordered a fairly full platter of food off the bat, with particular highlights being the honey chicken, the drunken ribs, and the crab meat and pork dumplings. Our assessment was - at least half as good again as Ping Pong, at about 3/4 the price*. Certainly it was enough to order another wave of food, and the Pak Choi that turned up then was divine.

Not every dish was perfect, and there's no doubt you could get better dim sum in Chinatown at lunchtime, but for somewhere which serves in the evening it's hard to do better, and the cocktail menu is a big plus.

Enough food to leave two very good eaters feeling replete, plus two drinks each and service came in just under £75

*this was confirmed when I had lunch at Ping Pong today. It was, y'know, fine.