Review: Roux at the Landau
What strikes you when walking into Roux at the Landau – the collaborative restaurant from the father and son pair – it just how high the ceiling is. It is a marvellous, stately place, and instantly sends your expectations skyrocketing.
A meal here is no run-of-the-mill occasion. Every table of varying size had the whiff of a special occasion about them, meaning that the atmosphere was wonderfully jovial. In fact, the only stiff thing around was the starched napkins. It’s a credit to the staff that it manages to be impeccably smart yet relaxed.
After being gently ushered to our table, we started off with an amuse bouche of olives stuffed with venison, and coated in breadcrumbs. They were salty and rich and juicy and all round as good as they sound. Firmly a destination restaurant, the menu gives off the air of knowing it's good, featuring classic, well-executed dishes rather than going in for Heston-esque experimentation. My black pudding starter was chewy and textured, while my dining partner’s scallops were perfectly tender. Both were accompanied hearty servings of bread and butter so rich it had an almost cheesy flavour.
Our mains followed suite, the meat being the star of the show, with the delicate accompaniments showing a true flair for flavour. My lavender-hued venison was a case in point: the meat and the jus were wonderfully fragrant, and set off perfectly by the sweetness of the parsnip. My partner’s lamb was falling off the bone, the meat left predominantly unadorned to speak for itself. We had opted to pair our wines with the courses – a decision which really came into its own with these dishes. The Bath and Beck Cabernet Sauvignon presented was weighty but lifted with delicate notes of vanilla. Most impressive of all, however, was the generous enthusiasm with which our waiter, Gianni, poured it.
Pudding was a no-brainer. My bitter chocolate millefeuille looked stunning, but the salted caramel ice cream was the highlight of the plate. The crème brulee was enormous, and it ginger-infused flavour was perhaps the most experimental dish of the evening.
We spent an unhurried few hours at our table, admiring the swiftly-moving waiters and leisurely-looking diners. Top restaurant or not, a trip to Roux at the Landau will not necessarily test your taste buds. Sometimes, though, excellent ingredients excellently done is all you need for an exceptional meal.
http://rouxatthelandau.com
A meal here is no run-of-the-mill occasion. Every table of varying size had the whiff of a special occasion about them, meaning that the atmosphere was wonderfully jovial. In fact, the only stiff thing around was the starched napkins. It’s a credit to the staff that it manages to be impeccably smart yet relaxed.
After being gently ushered to our table, we started off with an amuse bouche of olives stuffed with venison, and coated in breadcrumbs. They were salty and rich and juicy and all round as good as they sound. Firmly a destination restaurant, the menu gives off the air of knowing it's good, featuring classic, well-executed dishes rather than going in for Heston-esque experimentation. My black pudding starter was chewy and textured, while my dining partner’s scallops were perfectly tender. Both were accompanied hearty servings of bread and butter so rich it had an almost cheesy flavour.
Our mains followed suite, the meat being the star of the show, with the delicate accompaniments showing a true flair for flavour. My lavender-hued venison was a case in point: the meat and the jus were wonderfully fragrant, and set off perfectly by the sweetness of the parsnip. My partner’s lamb was falling off the bone, the meat left predominantly unadorned to speak for itself. We had opted to pair our wines with the courses – a decision which really came into its own with these dishes. The Bath and Beck Cabernet Sauvignon presented was weighty but lifted with delicate notes of vanilla. Most impressive of all, however, was the generous enthusiasm with which our waiter, Gianni, poured it.
Pudding was a no-brainer. My bitter chocolate millefeuille looked stunning, but the salted caramel ice cream was the highlight of the plate. The crème brulee was enormous, and it ginger-infused flavour was perhaps the most experimental dish of the evening.
We spent an unhurried few hours at our table, admiring the swiftly-moving waiters and leisurely-looking diners. Top restaurant or not, a trip to Roux at the Landau will not necessarily test your taste buds. Sometimes, though, excellent ingredients excellently done is all you need for an exceptional meal.
http://rouxatthelandau.com