Restaurant Review #8 - Dinner by Heston

Hi everyone,

Recently I dined at Dinner by the famous Heston Blumenthal, a 2 Michelin star restaurant opposite Hyde Park in Knightsbridge. It is located in the high-end hotel: Madarin Oriental Hyde Park and is surprisingly big. Many multiple Michelin star restaurants I have frequented tend to have an intimate dining room but Dinner was very spacious. Furthermore, it had an open kitchen which I enjoyed as you could see the chefs' work. The pace of work dramatically increases as dinner service gets underway and makes for quite a spectacle. You are welcomed by a friendly host that was eager to give recommendations. 

The menu itself is fascinating as Heston has taken recipes from centuries ago and added his own twist; the recipes are even referenced in the menu. There were two very tempting options as a starter: the famous meat fruit and the frog legs porridge. I decided to go for the frog legs porridge and was not disappointed. It was delicate but quite refreshing and a perfect way to start the meal. My friend decided to try the meat fruit and it was fascinating. The dish did indeed look like a fruit but it was quite a strong pate that was accompanied by delicious bread.

I followed the starter with a Squab pigeon. It was tender and of a similar quality to other elite restaurants such as Gordon Ramsay. The sauce that accompanied the pigeon was a welcome compliment and despite being a small portion, the richness was filling. It was also interesting to see how the chefs cooked my meal and the preparation involved in making such a delicate dish.

The desserts followed. I had a so-called tipsy cake. This cake was infused with pineapple and alcohol. This dish was recommended by the waiter as I was undecided in regards to ordering dessert. I was not disappointed as the texture and warm flavours were the perfect end to the meal. Or so I thought as the waiter let us know that for an additional £10 we could have ice cream that could be made right in front of our eyes.

After a small wait, the waitress came with a trolley. She explained the history and mechanisms of this device. She was utilising liquid nitrogen to rapidly freeze and make the ice-cream. When she asked what temperature liquid nitrogen is, I was very close with an answer of -200 degrees Celsius. In reality, it is -196 degrees Celsius. It was quite interesting seeing the waitress make the ice cream and giving us the choice of toppings. The ice cream itself had a decent flavour but it is the experience you pay for rather than the end product. Rather generously, the waiting staff had asked us if there was a special occasion to which we replied that it was my birthday. At the end of the meal the staff brought a small chocolate mousse with a sweet biscuit and a happy birthday message. It was a sweet finish to what was overall a great dining experience. 

Price: High End

Food: Creative and Memorable

Service: Very Pleasant and Attentive

Rating: 4.5/5

Fun Fact: Heston Blumenthal served the Queen of England brains and testicles as part of an experimental dinner.