The Fat Duck

T B (30s, Male, United Kingdom)

This was the first time that I have eaten at The Fat Duck and having previously dined at the UK's other 3-star Michelin restaurants, I wanted to be able to compare and contrast. Reading numerous website reviews, it appeared that opinion was more or less divided into two: love or hate. With an increased public profile over the past few years, The Fat Duck has developed a reputation and renown that appeared to focus mainly around the tasting menu. However, because we were eating late and my fiancée did not want to half-heartedly tackle such a gastronomic challenge, we opted instead for the a-la-carte menu.

With The Fat Duck (and also Restaurant GR), people are often critical of the booking system, but I view it is a device that is operated to both enhance and protect the restaurant's reputation. I believe that being critical achieves nothing and is simply a means for people to vent their frustration at not being able to secure a booking; to me, it is a right that has been earned. Yes, it requires perseverance and compromise to get what you want and in this case I was fortunate to able to take a cancellation that suited me. I found the reservations team to be polite and courteous at all times and very helpful.

The decor of a restaurant is often a contentious area of discussion but ultimately it is subjective and down to personal taste, so is difficult to pass judgement on. In the case of The Fat Duck you are greeted by a smart, low-ceilinged, English country cottage. The walls are whitewashed and decorated with a few bright oil paintings and in keeping with the setting, the oak beams are exposed. I think that it would be unrealistic to expect the decor and style found at RGR or the grand dining room of Les Ambassadeurs to be transplanted to a village in Berkshire – it simply wouldn’t fit in; I believe that the effect and style is simple and suitably blends into the environment. With limited natural light, good use is made of spot lights to illuminate the dining area. Furnishings are of a high standard, with a carpeted floor and comfortable leather chairs, and the toilets were impeccably clean and highly finished. The atmosphere overall was very pleasant and is not as formal or staid as somewhere like The Square. Some people view the size of the restaurant (low ceiling, close proximity of tables) as being a little too stuffy and, therefore, loud – but personally I don’t view it this way. The spacing of tables was no worse than at Pied a Terre, which could also be described as cramped. I believe that it has a degree of warmth that can sometimes be lacking from the clinical finish of other restaurants. It may not provide the perfect setting for a romantic date, for that I would recommend The Waterside Inn or Le Gavroche, but I think it is better than most.

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