Aubergine

Address:	11 Park Walk SW10 0AJ
Tel	020 7352 3449
Email:	info@auberginerestaurant.co.uk
Website:	Visit Aubergine website
Price: £86.00	Wine: £22.00	Champagne: £45.00
Opening Hours:	Mon-Fri 12N-2.15pm Mon-Sat 7-11pm

Square Meal review of Aubergine:

Legendary general manager Thierry Tomasin left Aubergine last year to set up his own restaurant, Angelus, but it hasn’t affected the service here & the front-of-house team continues to perform at the top of its game. But there’s more to Aubergine than slick service, & fans say the restaurant offers ‘a perfect combination of fantastic food, glorious wine list, pitch-perfect service & feel-good atmosphere’. Just like the decor (well-spaced tables & a peachy colour scheme brightened by a skylight at the back), the cooking from chef Billy Drabble & his talented team is accomplished rather than cutting edge. Deep-fried frogs’ legs come with a delicate mustard cream; seared monkfish with broad beans, girolles & chicken jus is simple but superb; & raspberry souffle with raspberry ripple ice-cream bursts with fresh berry flavours. The set lunch is great value (£34 for three courses including wine, water & coffee) & the seven-course menu gourmand (£77 or £130 with wine) is on hand for special occasions.

Wine List: This is a serious, classically minded list running to 54 pages. Burgundy, Bordeaux & the Loire stand out & there is a decent range by the glass & half bottle. The downside is that margins are unremittingly high. Best Buy White 2005 Lirac Cuvée de la Reine des Bois, Domaine de la Mordorée, Rhone Valley, France, £42. Best Buy Red 2005 Giant Steps Tarraford Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia, £42.

Chef: Billy Drabble

Aubergine is, of course, where Gordon Ramsay first unleashed his culinary prowess, but his successor, Billy Drabble has built up a solid reputation of his own since taking over in 1998. The popular Chelsea restaurant offers food & service that ensures it remains a premier-league one. The almost publicity-shy chef has maintained a Michelin star since taking over eight years ago & has picked up numerous other accolades along the way. Prior to joining Aubergine, Drabble had carved himself a stunning career that included periods at Chez Nico & Pied a Terre. Drabble’s refined cooking at Aubergine has earned him a following that most restaurants of this genre hanker after.

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