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L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon three stars

Address:13-15 West Street, London WC2H 9NE
Tel:020 7010 8600
Email:
Website:Visit website
Price: £83.00Wine: £25.00Champagne: £55.00
Opening Hours:Mon-Sun 12N-3pm 5.30pm-10.30pm (Sun 6.30pm- )

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With restaurants on three continents, Joël Robuchon trails Michelin stars – & it’s easy to see why. To experience the best of the stellar chef’s show-stopping firepower, book a seat at the bar in the dimly lit ground-floor ‘atelier’ with its dark, minimalist red & black surrounds & soundtrack of cool beats. The open kitchen deploys top-drawer ingredients to telling effect in the tasting menu, a cavalcade of intense, finely calibrated treats: the famous mini burger with foie gras & caramelised bell pepper; a scallop in its shell with delicious seaweed-infused butter seasoned with Espelette pepper; a layered construction of crab meat, fennel, tomato jelly & avocado guacamole served in a ceramic egg. Such finesse doesn’t come cheap, but ‘it’s worth every penny’ & a lunch/pre-theatre menu (£19/25 for two/three dishes) means you can sample the Robuchon brand & avoid bankruptcy. The first floor is a more spacious restaurant with a more formal style, while the top floor is home to the swish Le Salon Bar (see separate review).

Wine List: Providing choice at a wide range of prices, the list has a first-rate selection by the glass (including delights such as a 2001 Domaine de Trevallon). Classical France is strong, but you’ll also find Italian, regional French & Australian gems. Best Buy White 2006 Grüner Veltliner, Weingut Stadt Krems, Kremstal, Austria, £28. Best Buy Red 2004 Faugères, Domaine Léon Barral, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, £31.

Chef: Joel Robuchon

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon’s Chef - L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon chef Joel Robuchon Born in Poitiers in 1945, Joel Robuchon originally intended to join the priesthood, but family difficulties forced him to find work & at 15 he took on an apprenticeship at the Relais de Poitiers. In 1966 he became official chef to La Tour de France, where he learnt a variety of diverse regional techniques. At 28, he became head chef at Harmony-Lafayette, overseeing 3,000 meals a day. In 1981 he launched Jamin in Paris & within three years had received three Michelin stars. In 1996 he left his Parisian flagship, but maintained the direction of L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Tokyo. He opened another L'Atelier in Paris in 2003 & has since established outlets in Las Vegas, New York & London.

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Reader reviews of L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon:

Read all 19 reader reviews for this restaurant
12 Next
Lady B.
Reviews: 1

Lady B. ( Female )

We had booked a table for 4 to celebrate our son's 21st birthday. As we had been here before for another celebration we were really excited at the prospect of dinner (last time it was lunch). We had drinks upstairs for 15 and at 8.45 the Manageress came upstairs and told us that our table was not going to be available for at least 1/2 hour and asked us if that was a problem. As we had been drinking upstairs since 7.00 p.m. (they served some olives with the drinks) we had had barely anything to eat and were very hungry. We were offered the bar downstairs but we had specifically booked a table as it was more formal. We were offered their other restaurant but my husband insisted that we eat in L'Atelier. Finally at 9.05 we came downstairs for our coats (having managed to get a table at The Wolseley in Piccadilly) and I was told only then that they had managed to find us a table! It was too late… we left and will not be returning! What a disgraceful way to treat customers.

20 May 2010
Overall:1
Food and Drink:3
Service:1
Atmosphere:3
Value for Money:1
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MD
Gold Reviewer

MD ( 20s, Female, London )

A bit of an odd experience – one of those where the venue scores higly on some aspects but falters on others, not quite delivering a rounded experience. The atmosphere is intensely dark, seductive and very stylish. Sleek red and black interiors with touches of greenery elegantly exude Japanese influence . The menu, ample and all encompassing, proved slightly confusing at first but was quickly clarified by our helpful waiter.

Once the dishes arrived we were anxiously and curiously awaiting the next, with each of the diners in our party experiencing a flavour explosion in each mouthful. Ingredients are innovatively combined to create contemporary dishes that live up to both the style and substance you expect from a Michelin starred restaurant, and go some way to putting a smile on your face. The scallop with kumquat emulsion, avocado and blood orange guacamole and pan fried mushrooms with parsley butter and rocket were particularly well thought out.

However, there’s an unfortunate side to our experience, which slowly wiped the pleasing and satisfied smile off… More

29 April 2010
Overall:6
Food and Drink:8
Service:4
Atmosphere:8
Value for Money:7
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Lizzy E.

Lizzy E. ( 40s, Female, United Kingdom )

The best restaurant venue in London. The owners have actually thought as much about the ambience as the food (& that's saying something.) It felt to me like a beautifully intimate rose coloured Japanese flower garden. If this doesn't appeal,my dining companions loved it also but had no such similar view! Worth splashing out on for a special occasion.It stands out from the crowd.

14 April 2010
Overall:10
Food and Drink:10
Service:10
Atmosphere:10
Value for Money:7
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Kate B.

Kate B. ( 30s, Female, London )

Expensive, but well worth it for special occassions. Utterly faultless. Would recommend every time for those looking to go the extra mile for their loved ones or special guests.

4 January 2010
Overall:10
Food and Drink:10
Service:10
Atmosphere:10
Value for Money:5
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Michael P.

Michael P. ( Over 60, Male, London )

Not sure about this place. Its good French food meets retro 70's disco.

If at the end of my meal we are asked if we would like to take coffee in the bar I would invariably say yes. I know that from their perspective its an early opportunity to get the table back into play but its not a problem. This particular punter though is a chubby 65 and looks it! They would have known when making the suggestion that the lift to the said fourth floor bar was out of order.

So when I got there and recovered sufficiently to check the place out I saw that I was sitting almost in the corridor down which I had just puffed my way, the bar being full. We had some how become disconnected from our coffee and I briefly though of making a run for it – I couldn't decide whether it was height above sea level or the noise of the pop music that was making my ears bleed. The occasional waitress emerged from the blackness and seemed to sense that we were not rich pickings and dissolved back into the gloom. The coffee arrived, we drank, paid the £270 bill for the four of us on the pre… More

18 December 2009
Overall:6
Food and Drink:9
Service:7
Atmosphere:4
Value for Money:5
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Richard E.
Gold Reviewer

Richard E. ( 40s, Male, United Kingdom )

By far the best way to enjoy this restaurant is to sit at the counter and watch the theatre of the kitchen unfold. No sreaming Ramsay fits, but a group of people who genuinely seem to be enjoying themselves, and who are more than happy to take time out to chat with you about what they are doing.

The red and black, dimly lit decor isn't to everyone's taste, and the elevator music should have been left in the lift, but the staff are friendly, the service attentive and the food is supremely good. The tapas size plates are the most fun, with the ability for the kitchen to show what it can do. From simply sliced Iberica ham and basil infused pan con tomate, to foie gras stuffed quail every dish hits the spot, the highlight being pigs trotter on toast with parmesan. This has all the right ingredients: pork; check, cheese; check, bread; check, and the assembly is a small mouthfull or two of pure heaven.

Okay, so there is clearly a downside to the otherwise unending stream of superlatives; the price. Yes, the aforementioned pigs trotter is terrific, but at £12.00… More

2 November 2009
Overall:9
Food and Drink:9
Service:9
Atmosphere:8
Value for Money:7
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Tom H.
Reviews: 1

Tom H. ( 40s, Male )

Set lunch menu available in the evening as well for Pretheatre.Nice selection.Fresh products,tasty but we could not resist to order some extra dishes from the a la carte menu.Nice staff, nice decor .Highly recomended.

July 2009
Overall:8
Food and Drink:8
Service:9
Atmosphere:8
Value for Money:8
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Iris H.
Reviews: 1

Iris H. ( 30s, Male )

What an experience.On my second visit I moved upstairs in La Cuisine where Iwas able to order from the small tasting dishes menu. I liked the decor and the wood fired oven.Once again food was great, delicate and full of flavours.The staff is very attentive, professional and I want to go again and again.L'Atelier and La Cuisine de Joel Robuchon are two great places to entertain your friends and play with their tastebuds!!!

July 2009
Overall:10
Food and Drink:9
Service:9
Atmosphere:9
Value for Money:8
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Isabel L.
Reviews: 1

Isabel L. ( 30s, Female )

Went to L'Atelier for lunch and try their set menu.Very good value for money and friendly and professional service.Might want to again and try their a la carte.The food is to die for.

June 2009
Overall:8
Food and Drink:9
Service:9
Atmosphere:8
Value for Money:8
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Belle L.

Belle L. ( 20s, Female, United Kingdom )

This is one of the 2 star michelin in London, one which was awarded a new one from the original 1 star in 2009. Service was superb. Waiters were friendly and cheerful. The open kitchen environment and overall decor was really comfortable and provide a good dining ambience. Food was well presented and the texture and combination of food gives a very good layer of tasting for each delicate presentation.
Very satisfactory experience overall.

April 2009
Overall:9
Food and Drink:8
Service:9
Atmosphere:8
Value for Money:7
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