Meursault

We are big fan of L'etranger so when Meursault opened we were quite keen to try. It was a very disappointing experience overall. Food was average but more importantly, service was just awful, everything went wrong to the point that we started to think it was all intentional.
We waited for almost an hour for our food to come with no waiter apologising and one waiter rolling its eyes when we finally started to complain. Then they told us they had “no idea when the food was going to come as they could not reach the kitchen”
We had to ask about 10 times for water and cutlery, so we had to eat with our spoons.
There were more waiters than tables but instead of apologising and trying to be helpful, they decided to look annoyed at our complaints
We found the way we were treated very offensive and I will never go back to this place. I have lived in London for 8 years and this has been my worse experience in a restaurant so far

Meursault is the new wine bar in L'Etranger.'s basement. Given the name, and the news that they had recruited a lauded new chef, expectations were high.

Our first surprise was that the drinks list contains no Meurault. And the cheapest wine by the glass (125ml) was £9.50, rapidly rising to £15. Retaining our cool, we decided to go for cocktails. This went fine until they delivered my Vesper, which was a sweet, lemony concoction. After a short argument about whether it was a Vesper, their “molecular mixologists” (really, see the website) eventually delivered a (just about competent) dry martini.

While the start was unpromising, the susbsequent meal was depressing. We started with the selection of burgers (or sliders in the new parlance). They were truly awful. I can't even tell you about them, they were that bad. Stale buns, Wagyu burger with no taste or texture, lobster burger that was just bread and lettuce. All this when the burger is finally making an appearance in London (if you want a slider, just head for the Opera Tavern, don't come here).

So onto the main courses, and there's no good news here either. Seabass Tsukury had good flavour but around 50 grams of fish (a decent forkfull) for £12.50 . These are “large sharing plates”.

Shishamo ( a Japanese saltwater fish) is traditionally served with the roe inside. The fish was fresh but it didn't respond well to a tempura approach – possibly why the Japanese (who know about these things) tend to simply grill them.

After a 25 minute wait our third dish, the beef teriyaki, decided to turn up. It wasn't bad, but neither was it good. The accompanying grilled aubergine was fine, but only what you would find in any Japanese household on a daily basis.

It's hard to find anything positive to say about Meursault. Perhaps that the toilets are lovely and new, and mainly covered in marble? But my abiding memory is of the manager standing outside, having a fag, after one of our party had spent minutes trying to get past him as he blocked the way to the toilets, engaged in deep conversation with a recently-arrived blonde.

If you are tempted by Mersualt, go to (in order) Zuma, Nobu, Dinings, Yashin…Or just stay in and get a takeaway. Honestly, you will have more fun.