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Sketch: Lecture Room & Library two stars

9 Conduit Street, London W1S 2XG

£104.00 Modern European Hanover Square, Savile Row
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Square Meal Review of Sketch: Lecture Room & Library ?

‘Make sure you know who is paying’ is sage advice for anyone about to stick their fork into a £45 starter at Sketch Lecture Room & Library. That’s not to say that über-chef Pierre Gagnaire’s wild London restaurant doesn’t deliver bang for your buck; a slew of raves from readers suggests it does. From the gold walls to the eye-popping carpet, ornate side tables & comically outsized vases, it puts London’s other gilded gastro-temples in the shade. Intriguingly titled dishes such as ‘perfume of the earth’ or simply titled ones (‘pig’) challenge the senses with audacious flavours & textures. Here’s one: ‘autumn’ – a starter comprising wild-duck fillet on toast, wild mushroom pickles, lettuce filled with bone marrow, hazelnuts, Paimpol coco beans, pumpkin velouté with coconut milk, autumn vegetables, & an apple & tandoori ice cream. Surrender to it. Clever, charming staff (all ‘consummate professionals’) are there to hold your hand.
WINE LIST: France takes the starring role in this tome of a wine list. Sketch is all about the classics, & Champagne is a particular strength. The extensive offer from Bordeaux & Burgundy doesn’t justify the high margins but helps to make the prices more digestible. BEST BUY WHITE 2002 André Bonhomme, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Viré-Clessé, Burgundy, France, £46. BEST BUY RED 2005 Tissot, Pinot Noir, Côtes du Jura, Jura, France, £56.

Overall Diner Rating

8.6
Food & Drink
8.6
Service
8.9
Atmosphere
8.7
Value
7.9

Based on 11 ratings. Rate it!

Information on holding a function at this venue.

Customer Reviews

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  1. Dell J.

    ( 30s, Male )

    Ate here for the first time recently on recommendation from a friend. Wow. I now understand why he has raved on about this place for so long. Difficult to describe really, but from the moment you are greeted by the maitre d and he flings the doors open to reveal the restaurant, you know you are going to be in for a treat. Theatrical, eccentric, dramatic. Its a whole new dining experience. Food was good and the service excellent, this place really delivered the whole package. Can't say too much more, just try it for yourself!

    • Overall: 9
    • Food & Drink: 9
    • Service: 9
    • Atmosphere: 9
    • Value: 9
    Was it helpful to you?
     
  2. Maram S.

    ( 50s, Male, Belgium )

    Good food, but I was expecting more after reading all critiques.

    • Overall: 8
    • Food & Drink: 7
    • Service: 8
    • Atmosphere: 8
    • Value: 7
    Was it helpful to you?
     
  3. Louise A.
    Silver Reviewer

    ( 20s, Female )

    There can be no doubt about it, this is a culinary journey worth trying! More of a dining experience than just a meal out, this is the place to devote a whole evening to.

    The Lecture Room is beautiful, with ornate gold walls, very high ceilings and a Moroccan/French feel. This apparently was Christian Dior's home before it became Sketch and you can see that it is truly a stunning building with his influence showing.

    The menu intially appears slightly confusing, however, the very attentive waiter will talk you through the menu and advise you. It essentially consists of many mini dishes making up each course. These are to be savoured slowly as each taste complements the other. For example I had Langoustine 5 ways for my starter and this was made up of 5 gorgeous dishes of langoustine cooked in varying ways. There are amuse bouche between the courses which again, are delicious. There is amazing variety of flavours, textures and colours within each dish. I am very daring with what I eat and would say that almost nothing is off limitis to me (within reason!) but if you are less daring then maybe you would not enjoy this experience as much as I did. It really is a phenomenal experience and I had sampled flavours there that my palette had never before experienced, all complimented by a delicious Hungarian…yes Hungarian…wine chosen by the sommelier.

    This is a fabulous experience that I shall repeat again soon I hope!

    • Overall: 9
    • Food & Drink: 9
    • Service: 10
    • Atmosphere: 9
    • Value: 8
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
     
  4. MD
    Gold Reviewer

    ( 20s, Female, London )

    Editor's pick

    Sketch has never ceased to amaze me, from appetizing cocktails in the futuristic and mesmerising gallery to beautifully flavoured tea and innovative pastries (the green tea and passion fruit éclair is a personal favourite). So this latest venture into the upstairs lecture room and library was filled with ample expectation.

    Without disappointment I was delivered with three courses of lunchtime indulgence, with consistency and grace. The starter of lamb cassoulette served with spinach and ewe cheese veloute was beautifully balanced with a sable paste which rounded the dish perfectly and brought all the ingredients together, as diverse and seemingly contrary as they were.

    In a defiant attempt to see if the vegetarian option was executed in equal fashion (I’m often sceptical of this and believe a good mark of a restaurant is one which shows equal reverence to all dietary requirements), I opted for the gratinated polenta with parmesan and pan fried vegetables, curried butter and a side of cauliflower & coconut soup – including aloe vera and green apple. My eyebrow was just as raised as yours is now. However, call it alchemy, call it a stroke of luck, the dish worked to perfection and reinstated my belief that vegetarian cooking can and should be just as creative and innovative.

    An aesthetically pleasing dessert of coffee parfait, plum wine paste and mascarpone cream served to further enhance the experience and brought the lunch to a delightful end. Service was equally exceptional and together with the light contemporary yet richly decorated surroundings proved a good combination for an afternoon of food indulgence.

    Proof that those Michelin star inspectors were right on the nose giving this worthy establishment one of their prestigious stars. Go see for yourself.

    • Overall: 9
    • Food & Drink: 9
    • Service: 9
    • Atmosphere: 9
    • Value: 9
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
     
  5. Joanna L.

    ( 30s, Female, London )

    Wow – what an experience, excellent from arrival to finish. Service was impeccable but not stuffy, food was exceptional and creative. Expensive but worth every penny. A truly theatrical culinary experience, in a good way!

    • Overall: 10
    • Food & Drink: 10
    • Service: 10
    • Atmosphere: 9
    • Value: 9
    Was it helpful to you?
     
  6. Jennifer D.
    Reviews: 1

    ( 30s, Female, United Kingdom )

    I dined at the Lecture Room last week with my parents for an anniversary present.
    This is not somewhere I would usually have chosen but I pleasantly surprised right from the moment we arrived.
    The menu was varied and when we asked for recommendations the staff were so helpful in advising on complimentary dishes. I am so pleased still with the experience I had at sketch and I would definately tell friends to visit here.

    • Overall: 10
    • Food & Drink: 10
    • Service: 10
    • Atmosphere: 10
    • Value: 10
    Was it helpful to you?
     
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    Pierre Gagnaire

    Sketch: Lecture Room & Library’s Chef - Sketch: Lecture Room & Library chef Pierre Gagnaire Although he says that his love of cooking took a while to develop, Pierre Gagnaire has matured into one of France's pre-eminent chefs, gaining three Michelin stars with both incarnations of his eponymous French restaurant. Born in 1950, he worked his way through various kitchens in France & the US before returning to cook at his father's restaurant, Le Clos Fleury near St Etienne, maintaining its Michelin star. At 30, he launched his own restaurant in St Etienne, gaining a second star in 1986 & a third in 1993. In 1996 he set up at the Hotel Balzac in Paris, regaining his three-star status within two years. He & restaurateur Mourad Mazouz launched the headline-grabbing Sketch in 2002.
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    Customer Reviews

    Been to this restaurant? Write a comment

    Write Your Review
    • 1Win fab prizes with free monthly prize draws!
    • 2See your views in print.
    • 3Collect your thoughts in one place.
    • 4Be rewarded with an Editor's Pick.
    • 5Rate restaurants and share your views.

    Showing 5 of 6 Reviews

    View all Sketch: Lecture Room & Library reviews

    1. Dell J.

      Dell J. ( 30s, Male )

      23 February 2012

      Ate here for the first time recently on recommendation from a friend. Wow. I now understand why he has raved on about this place for so long. Difficult to describe really, but from the moment you are greeted by the maitre d and he flings the doors open to reveal the restaurant, you know you are going to be in for a treat… More

      • Overall: 9
      • Food & Drink: 9
      • Service: 9
      • Atmosphere: 9
      • Value: 9
      Was it helpful to you?
       
    2. Maram S.

      Maram S. ( 50s, Male, Belgium )

      6 November 2011

      Good food, but I was expecting more after reading all critiques.

      • Overall: 8
      • Food & Drink: 7
      • Service: 8
      • Atmosphere: 8
      • Value: 7
      Was it helpful to you?
       
    3. Louise A.
      Silver Reviewer

      Louise A. ( 20s, Female )

      March 2011

      There can be no doubt about it, this is a culinary journey worth trying! More of a dining experience than just a meal out, this is the place to devote a whole evening to.

      The Lecture Room is beautiful, with ornate gold walls, very high ceilings and a Moroccan/French feel. This apparently was Christian Dior's home before it… More

      • Overall: 9
      • Food & Drink: 9
      • Service: 10
      • Atmosphere: 9
      • Value: 8
      1 of 1 people found this review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
       
    4. MD
      Gold Reviewer

      MD ( 20s, Female, London )

      March 2010
      Editor's pick

      Sketch has never ceased to amaze me, from appetizing cocktails in the futuristic and mesmerising gallery to beautifully flavoured tea and innovative pastries (the green tea and passion fruit éclair is a personal favourite). So this latest venture into the upstairs lecture room and library was filled with ample expectation… More

      • Overall: 9
      • Food & Drink: 9
      • Service: 9
      • Atmosphere: 9
      • Value: 9
      1 of 1 people found this review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
       
    5. Joanna L.

      Joanna L. ( 30s, Female, London )

      February 2010

      Wow – what an experience, excellent from arrival to finish. Service was impeccable but not stuffy, food was exceptional and creative. Expensive but worth every penny. A truly theatrical culinary experience, in a good way!

      • Overall: 10
      • Food & Drink: 10
      • Service: 10
      • Atmosphere: 9
      • Value: 9
      Was it helpful to you?
       
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