Hélène Darroze: Michelin cooking at the London’s eponymous Connaught hotel

Cuisine: French gastronomic.

Visit: March 2013

Price: Very expensive.

Hélène Darroze at Connaught hotel

Chef:  Hélène Darroze is among the rare breed of female Michelin star chefs. Being awarded two of these coveted Michelin stars at her Connaught hotel restaurant, she established herself as one of the top chefs in London. Hélène Darroze displays her French roots in her native Landes region (south-west France) through her cuisine. Provenance is very dear to her and the menu shows it. Each of the featuring dishes informs the diners about the origin of the meat, seafood or vegetable. She seems to be proud of knowing her sources well, which in today’s scandalous world (the horse meat scandal, etc.) has become one of the priorities for many foodies.

chef Helene Darroze

Food: Origin, freshness and innovative assemblage of ingredients. Starting with the signature Raviole of “Institut de Beauvais” potato with Pecorino from Tuscany, confit bacalao from Bilbao, Basque pork chorizo, watercress and roasting poultry jus, I knew that I am not going to be having a simple meal. The potato dough based ravioli à la Italy, filled with Basque fish and spicy sausage and accompanied by Tuscan cheese screamed almost as a “fusion” cuisine to me and thus I would think of her cooking rather in these terms than just purely French defined.

One of the signature dishes of Helene Daroze

Sampling another starter from my partner – the L’araignée de mer de Norvège – Spider crab from Norway seasoned with coral mousseline, fresh coriander and Meyer lemon, palm heart tartare flavoured with Bourbon vanilla olive oil, “yam kung” jelly, shellfish tuile and consommé) was refreshing, yet not mind-blowing delicious. Nice with a glass of champagne, but I would not have it again.

For my main course I have ordered another one of the chef’s signature dishes – the La Saint-Jacques XXL de plongée (Hand-harvested XXL scallop cooked with Tandoori spices, confit carrot and citrus mousseline, spring onion reduction with Lampong pepper and fresh coriander. The vegetables on the side were pleasant, yet the texture of the scallop was too meaty for me, not tender as I love with high quality scallops, but rather robust and thick.

Seared scallops

Dishes like Le porc basque “Kintao” – Black pork from Pays Basque and some other main courses must be ordered for two people, so you will need your “tastemate” and order it together.

Drinks: The wine-by-the-glass selection is tempting and we were easily seduced by it. Many of the wines are served from a magnum size bottle, which makes them mature a bit slower. Starting with a glass of white Chablis Le Clos Monopole, Château de Béru, which was served by Magnum, I managed to pair the minerality of this Chardonnay  with my potato ravioli and the bacalao fish. I felt like continuing with a red and the only one grape varietal that rarely disappoints me with seafood and white meats is Pinot Noir,so I went for one from Eaton Family in New Zealand’s Marlborough region. It was fresh, lightly strawberry scented and managed easily not to overpower the scallops since they were more intense than usually.

The Connaught hotel has tremendous cellar so if your pocket allows it and you want something special, rush and get one of these rarities:

• Château d’Yquem, 1er Cru Supérieur vintages 1900 or 1891 
• Château Margaux, 1er Grand Cru Classé 1945
• Champagne, Henriot 1928
• Marsala Superiore “1860”, Marco De Bartoli 50cl  

Atmosphere: Serious, old school, classic interior with heavy wooden features. Dress smart, men are preferred to wear a jacket. The chairs are comfortable and service quite friendly, despite your complaints about the food (I just cannot pretend at a 2 Michelin star restaurant that I am delighted by the food when I am not).

Opening hours: Closed on Monday and Sunday. Tues – Fri: Lunch: 12:00pm – 2:30pm, Dinner: 6:30pm – 10:30pm. Sat: Brunch: 11:00am – 2:30pm, Dinner: 6:30pm – 10:30pm

The restaurant will be closed between Tuesday 6th August until dinner on Tuesday 20th August 2013

Address: Carlos Pl, London W1K 2AL, United Kingdom

Contact: Tel:  +44 (0)20 7107 8880, Email: dining@the-connaught.co.uk 

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Rasoi: simply the best Indian food outside India

Cuisine: Indian gastronomic.

Visit: March 2013

Price: High (but the quality of ingredients and complexity of the dishes compensates the price, an intimate atmosphere makes a dinner or lunch here a special occasion).

Chef: Vineet Bhatia is the first Indian chef-restaurateur ever to receive a Michelin star at an Indian restaurant (London’s Zaika restaurant in 2001) for his “Indian gourmand experience“, and later another one in his own establishment Rasoi (meaning “kitchen“) in 2006. Thus he is the first Indian chef in the world to have two Michelin stars.

Achari Pheasant

His childhood dream of becoming a pilot was not fulfilled, but his fascination with food and cooking together with an ” ambition and determination to prove myself” as he wrote in the foreword of his cookbook called simply “Rasoi: new indian kitchen“, made him one of the stars of Indian cuisine not only in his home country but worldwide (with restaurants in Geneva, Dubai, Doha, Mauritius, Moscow, Mumbai, …). After an amazing meal at Rasoi I had to purchase the chef’s book and cannot wait to follow his guidance to assemble some of the complex ingredients-rich yet balanced and light dishes I had.

Rasoi: New Indian Kitchen by Vineet Bhatia

Food: Classical Indian dishes in a much lighter gourmet coat, which the chef calls “evolved Indian food“. As the chef reinvents and refines the Indian dishes so wonderfully that his cooking seduces the palates of even those so far deterred by the heavy, oily and rich curries, fill pastries (samosas) and creamy sauces. I have eaten all across India and I have never tasted anything more sublime than Bhatia’s cooking. He is a true master of spices and elegance as he blends the flavours in a perfect harmony. It is rare to have a tasting menu or try more than eight dishes at one restaurant and like every single of them! And, that is what happened at Rasoi.

The naan and crispy roti breads as well as the trio of crunchy various vegetables filled samosas (fillo pastry in triangle shape) were freshly prepared, the dips generous yet not too rich or spicy and all the dishes intrigued our palates. I must elevate the Spiced Home-Smoked Salmon, red Onion, Cucumber and Dill Raita which charmed the palates of all four of us dining at the table. The salmon was so tender that one did not need to chew on it, jut let it melt with all the wonderfully integrated spices from the marinade. Smoking the fish added depth while adding yoghurt into the marinade calmed the smoky flavours just to perfection. The recipe is in the chef’s cookbook, so if you dare you can try it at home.

Spice crusted sea bass

The Stir-fried Chilli Paneer, Spinach with Potatoes and Pickle-flavoured Tomato Sauce was another superb creation. The paneer cheese is perhaps the most important dairy product used in Indian cuisine. Vegetarians come across the dishes peppered with paneer very often. In Bhatia’s take it got a more gastronomic dimension and an eye-catching presentation as with most of his creations. The paneer was soft and spiced with mustard seeds, ginger, chilli, curry and fresh coriander and sever atop of the tasty spiced Spinach with potatoes and thick savoury Tomato Sauce.

The trio of Chicken Tikkas was like a tasting contest in which each of us had a personal favourite. They were delicious all, tender and almost did not taste like chicken how well-integrated the marinades and sauces were.

The Lamb ‘Shikampuri’ Skewers in a kebab-like fashion did not stand behind and we were so impressed by all the food that although we were all full we still managed to nibble on the pre-desserts brought together with the warming cups of sweet Chai tea served traditionally with milk.

Dessert at Rasoi: Blueberry and black cardamom kulfi

Atmosphere: Rasoi is located in a small townhouse in Chelsea just off the Sloan Square. If you did not have the address and were not going to the restaurant you would probably passed it without noticing it. There is a bell on the door, so you ring the bell, a suited person opens and invites you in. Turning right you pass a tiny bar area and walk through to the cosy restaurant room. With 13 tables spread across two small dining rooms and two private rooms upstairs it really feels like in someone’s house rather than at a restaurant inside. There is no music, no distractions, only authentic decoration in the truly Indian spirit that Rashima, the wife of the chef, created herself.

Drinks: The wine list is impressive as it should be at a Michelin stared restaurant. The list of Bordeaux and Burgundy is particularly food-friendly that we went for the same bottle of red Burgundy twice. I would never have thought of drinking Burgundy with the spicy Indian food, yet Bhatia’s cuisine is more elegant and balanced than most of the super spicy and creamy Indian dishes you might know so it matches the elegant Burgundies. I was disappointed not see a wider tea selection considering India being one of the world’s biggest tea producers, yet the spicy-warm Chai Masala tea after the dinner soothed my tea cravings enough.

Opening hours: Mon-Fri: Lunch: 12:00–2:30 pm; Dinner: 6:00–10:30 pm; Sat: Dinner: 6:00–10:30 pm; Sun: Closed.

Address: 10 Lincoln Street, Chelsea, London SW3 2TS, UK.

Contact: Tel: +(44) 020 7225 1881; email: info@resoirestaurant.co.uk

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Dolce Stil Novo: gastronomic adventure in Turin

Cuisine: Gastronomic Italian.

Visit: November 2012

Price: High (starters above €20, PRIMI: first courses above €20 and SECONDI: main courses starting at €29; a 7-course tasting menu for € 70,00 or a 9-course for €90,00 are of a better value).

Chef: Alfredo Russo is from Turin, but his cooking goes beyond the borders of the Northern Italian Piedmont region. With his wife Stefania he opened Dolce Stil Novo in 1990 and only after three years he was awarded his first Michelin star for his innovative Italian cooking. He also published two books “Da Idea” and “Il miele in cucina”, participated in numerous conventions devoted to high cuisine as well as in a TV show in Israel. His concept of taking traditional dishes and ingredients, elaborating them from an idea and create something new stands behind the title of his first book Da Idea. Alfredo Russo gives cooking classes at his restaurant as well so you can learn how to create  Michelin star dishes like his.

Modern and sleek Dolce Stil Novo

Atmosphere: Simple, open and classy. This a gastronomic restaurant located just next to the former summer royal palace of the Italian kings and it feels very upper-class. A quiet, large dining room with high ceilings and views of the palace is made as if royals were to come for a lunch or dinner here. Dress accordingly to the restaurant’s stately attire, either a jacket or a formal shirt for men and a dress or elegant pant suit for women is appropriate although it is not required. Dolce Stil Novo can be a great spot for a romantic date since the restaurant’s location in the suburban Torino near the sprawling park next to the castle invites for a nice walk before or after you eat.

Food:  Playful, modern and rather complex than simple Italian. I was impressed by the starter of Vitello tonnato di fassone piemontese con caramello al limone, which is one of my favorite Italian starters. Usually a thin-cut veal slices are patted with a layer of rich and creamy tuna sauce with capers in this dish, but the version of Alfredo Russo is mush lighter and elegant. He wraps the thin veal around a spoonful of the tuna sauce and adds much more of a refreshing lemon juice creating a delicious appetizer that will not fill you up before the second and third courses arrive. Great with a glass of the local red Barbaresco or perhaps some white from Gavi.

Punte di asparagi con uovo di fattoria croccante e sale di vaniglia

Another starter or you can have it as your “secondo” is Punte di asparagi con uovo di fattoria croccante e sale di vaniglia. This is a fun plate. An asparagus cream with vanilla salt covered with cheese shavings is a discovery for most of the diners. It is creamy, yet fluffy and light at the same time. Multiple textures from creamy smooth to dry and rough mingle on your tongue as a pinch of sand on a layer of cream in a fresh milk bucket. This is one of the vegetarian dishes the restaurant offers, but there plenty of others including various pasta and rice-based plates.

In the mood for seafood? Then start or continue with the lobster. The Astice scottato alla piastra con cremoso di melanzane viola is light, fresh and juicy. The succulent pieces of lobster with juicy marinated vegetables are drizzled with a thick drops of balsamic vinegar. It is a nice dish for light eaters, but it was not my favorite from the menu – I found it quite boring and the lobster was far from its Maine (US state) relative, that is much more tasty and complex.

Lobster tails.

One of his signature dishes also suitable for vegetarians are the “Pasta in bianco olio e parmigiano”- Alfredo Russo. In this lasagna-like pasta he combines three layers, each of a different age, of parmigiano cheese. The meat lovers will not be disappointed at this Piemontese restaurant either. The special beef main course of Spalla di manzo con intingolo alle erbe aromatiche is good but quite small, so you will still have some space for a dessert or a cheese plate. It is the most expensive meat on the menu though, so I would not pay for it.

We skipped the desserts, although we got from the chef one pre-dessert of a creamy mouse with sorbet, which was delicious, and later with tea the chef treated us to a tray of chocolate and caramel lolies and small sweets so we did not miss out any sugar that night.

Chef’s pre-dessert

We could not resist the wide cheese selection on a trolley. The offer of mostly local cheese from mild cow cheese to stinky blue goat cheese lets you savor the flavors of all cheese corners of Piedmont. I would not recommend the stinky goat blue cheese as it tasted like a stinky wax for all of us who tried it, the cow and goats cheeses with rind were nice though. Overall, I was a bit disappointed by the restaurant’s selection. Italy has excellent cheeses, so why not to show these instead?

Drinks: The wine list has a great selection of price-friendly local wines. It was a pity though that the sommelier recommended us wines that we did not love as they did not correspond with our requests and her description. The choice and quality of teas is tremendous! Having a cup of a local herbal blend after a multiple-course dinner is all one wishes before getting to bed. You get a small hour-glass to measure exactly the length of steeping your tea in water, so you can remove it in time to obtain just the beneficial substances from the tea. Many restaurants and even tea houses neglect the right steeping time for teas, so I give a huge credit to Dolce Stil Novo for making the tea experience proper for their guests.

Tea selection

Opening hours: Dinner: Tuesday to Saturday: from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm; Lunch: daily from 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm except on Monday and Tuesday.

Address: Piazza della Repubblica, 4 – Venaria Reale (Torino); Italy

Contact: Tel: +(39) 011 4992343 – Mob: +(39) 339.1996218; Reservations are required for both lunch and dinner.

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Le Gourmet at La Coquillade: Asia meets France in the local gastronomy of Luberon

Cuisine: Provençal French with Asian influence; gastronomic

Visit: August 2012

Price: High (although not too much for a Michelin star restaurant – €52 for a three-course discovery dinner menu)

La Coquillade – meaning the lark

Chef:  The restaurant is in hands of a Michelin starred chef Christophe Renaud. He uses mostly local ingredients and, as became recently very popular between chefs, he grows aromatic herbs and flowers in the organic garden of the Domaine La Coquillade. His previous experiences from restaurants in the USA and in the French Alsace region formed his cooking talent, which he now utilizes using Provençal ingredients at Le Gourmet.

Amousse bouche of melon gazpacho

Atmosphere: Nature with an eternally buzzing sound of cicadas create a relaxing environment. Wooden furniture, linen and beams inside and outside on the peaceful terrace remind you that you are in the middle of lush green countryside. During the day you can spot the flocks of vineyards surrounding the domaine and the hotel. Dress comfortably yet  not too casual since, despite being in the middle of nature, you are still dining at a Michelin starred establishment.

Food: Artistic, colorful and inventive. The chef blends Mediterranean flavors with exotic cuisines such as Asian. Most of the dishes include vegetable either playing the first violin or just tuning the other food instruments on the plate.

For the curious gourmets I recommend starting with L’Assortiment d’entrée – a tapas style assortment of three appetizers changing daily. They represent the breath of the chef’s cooking.

During the evening we dined there each of the starters seemed to come from a different corner of the world, at least in terms of flavors. The first – Beignet de mini carotte fane au cumin, sauce thaï – had an Asian twist. It was a vegetable tempura served with spicy, sweet-sour and soy-like varieties of sauces. It was a great snack with a glass of white wine I had as an aperitif.

Beef carpaccio starter

The second took mostly a French coat. The Rouleau de bœuf “Blonde d’Aquitaine”, croustillant au câpre, sorbet aux herbes fraîches du jardin – was an exquisite, genial and refreshing dish. A thin slice of beef wrapped in a fresh creamy sauce, all topped with crispy cheese cracker, fresh herbs sorbet and a tangy caper. It was one of the best beef starters I have ever had. Rich yet refreshing, bursting with different flavors, it was a bespoken and original recipe for Le Gourmet.

Another excellent tongue-teaser was the Sablé au parmesan, Baïaldi de légumes, marquereau mini-cuit infusé à la livèche – a parmesan biscuit, vegetable Baïaldi with mackerel infused with herbs. Delicate and surprisingly not as fishy as one would expect for a mackerel.

Sable au parmesan

The main courses usually include one fish, one meat and one vegetarian meal. I went for the fish – Poisson de petit métier de Méditerranée – from the à la carte menu. The flavor boosting crispy red mullet was served with red rice and vegetable maki and crispy rice à la rice popcorn. It was delicious and went well with a light red wine rather than white since the wine’s character might have been overpowered by the intense flavors of the sauce served with the fish.

Fish

For a desert you can either go for a discovery with La trilogie de desserts – selection of three daily desserts – or stick with the regular menu.

We have not had either since we had cheese and delicious hams from the nearby Gordes farmers market waiting in our room to be eaten with a bottle of red Aureto wine we got as a welcome present upon check-in at the hotel housing the restaurant.

Drinks: From the very affordable Aureto wines from the Domaine La Coquillade through other local interesting wines to the French icons, the wine list has little to offer from many French regions.

Contact: +33(0) 490 74 71 71

Address: La Coquillade; Demeure de Prestige; 84 400 Gargas; France

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