Michèle's review of Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley

I have to ask how the London hotel trade is continuing to charge such exorbitant prices for an overnight stay in these hard times? I tried to persuade my husband that we should avoid the late night train journey home for our recent wedding anniversary, however he point blank refused to spend £400 on a pokey little box room, and suggested we blow it on an exceptional meal instead. Marcus Wareing had long been on my radar, so I didn't hesitate in picking up the phone! And boy am I glad that I am married to such a prudent fellow (some would say tight!). We had the tasting menu, of course, along with nearly everyone else in the restaurant that night. But it was difficult to refuse, as it is probably the perfect tasting menu for our personal taste. The pan fried fois gras with apricots and almonds was a marriage made in heaven. We asked the sommelier to recommend a dessert wine by the glass to accompany it, and he helpfully gave us each half a glass of the two wines that we chose, so we could compare and contrast them. The roasted quail was the only item on the tasting menu that I wasn't sure about, but it turned out to be the highlight. Cooked to perfection, it had the texture of velvet and was accompanied by what I can only describe as a baked potato mousse, which tasted and smelt of the crispy oven cooked skin of a potato, but melted in your mouth like a foam. Unusually for a tasting menu there was a choice of main dish and dessert, which is very welcome, as I have never known a married couple who agree on desserts! And if someone had warned me about the chocolate truffle trolley that accompanied the coffee I may have saved a bit more room. The service hit just the right note with us, we hate to be followed to the toilet! The staff seemed happy and relaxed and not the stuffed suits you find at a certain Hospital Road establishment. And the wine list lived up to its reputation. I'm afraid I will never be able to justify spending a fortune on wine when you can get a tasty new world variety for £50, must have been married to that prudent fellow for too long! However, am confident that anyone could find something they liked on that list. I'm afraid I could not resist telling our friendly sommelier as we left – better than Gordon!