T B's review of The Fat Duck

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.

Service throughout the meal was prompt, polite and thoroughly professional and was at no time overbearing or intrusive. We arrived early and were seated at our table where we were offered a choice of aperitif. I have seen some criticism from people who have said that they weren’t aware of the costs of these drinks; however, this was not the case and the choices and prices were made clear. Throughout the meal the topping up of bread, water and wine was faultless. Some people are critical that there is too many waiting staff who all perform a role in your evening and that this makes for an impersonal experience; however, I do not think that this is the case. In such establishments there isn’t the time or capacity to dedicate a single staff member to you and it is clear that at The Fat Duck all the staff can perform the duties of any other member. All staff work and interaction was well rehearsed and practised, and given the tight working space, demonstrated a degree of military execution. I was left in no doubt as to staff efficiency and from where I was sat witnessed the discreet passage of instruction between staff about every minor detail that required attention.

In terms of food we were presented with Green Olives on the table upon arrival, which had been carefully selected – light and not too bitter. The bread choice was limited to white or brown but it had a lovely light texture with a firm crust; we were offered salted and unsalted butter, of which the salted was perfectly balanced. When presented with the menus one criticism would be that as host, I believe that only my menu should show the prices, but here both menus had them printed on them. At RGR and The Waterside Inn, the staff knew without enquiring who was hosting and handed out the menus accordingly. Because we were eating a-la-carte we opted for advice from the Sommelier and this is one area that I think was done exceptionally well. The Sommelier listened carefully to our meal selection and enquired about our preferences before carefully selecting a number of options, highlighting the pros and cons in each case. I find it refreshing to be treated with a degree of respect in this area, and although I am no wine expert, I have found that in some establishments (The Waterside Inn and The Square) the Sommelier has come across as surly and disinterested, appearing dismissive and aloof and leaving you feeling belittled in this area. The polite engagement and discussion at The Fat Duck (as with both RGR and Pied a Terre) makes you feel valued.

For the amuse-bouche we were presented with the Pommery Grain Mustard Ice Cream and Red Cabbage Gazpacho, which was light and refreshing and the tartness of the cabbage complimented the Ice Cream perfectly. This was followed by the Oyster with Passion Fruit Jelly and Lavender – again the balance was just right and the Passion Fruit flavour was not too strong to overpower the oyster. For starters we had the Lasagne of Langoustine and the Crab Biscuit with Roast Foie Gras. The Lasagne was excellent, with the pasta being of perfect texture and the langoustines cooked to perfection – when cut there was no resistance and they had a beautifully smooth texture and a light pink colour – the truffle sauce provided a wonderful compliment, not being too strong to overpower the langoustine. The Crab Biscuit was light and crisp with a delicate flavour that did not detract from the sizeable portion of Foie Gras, which was deliciously smooth and perfectly roasted. For our mains we selected the Best End of Lamb and the Roast Loin and Braised Belly of Pork. The Lamb was preceded by a consommé of tongue with cucumber in ice filtered lamb jelly that acted as a palette cleanser. The jelly was delicately flavoured, with an almost smoked taste, and combined with the cucumber was crisp and refreshing. The main of Lamb was cooked very well, being light pink and striking the ideal balance between not being to rare, nor overcooked; this meant that it was soft and moist. It was accompanied by a hot pot of sweet breads and oyster, topped with potato; I would say that this was slightly heavy on the salt seasoning, though. The pork again was soft and moist, although I felt that the crackling was a little soft for my liking. The accompaniment of truffle gratin macaroni was rich and perfectly seasoned. The pre-desert was Mrs Marshall’s Margaret Cornet – based on a Victorian recipe and accompanied with a page of history notes, it demonstrated that little extra touch and a unique attention to detail. Deserts were the Delicé of Chocolate and Black Forest Gateau with Kirsch Ice Cream – the Gateau was sublime, with a rich, creamy texture and it had been constructed with the cherries inside. The chocolate was described to me as being the best ever eaten and in another surprising twist, the base was made from popping candy, as discovered by my fiancée who squeaked with delight upon discovering this fact. When I tried a piece I immediately realised what it was and it brought memories flooding back. This area of food psychology is one the HB is always experimenting with and uses to great effect. He is always searching for ways to enhance it further and although some people dismiss the idea as a gimmick, for me it worked and demonstrated why The Fat Duck is different from other establishments.

We finished up with tea and petits fours and I found the wide choice of drinks to be very well suited to finding a pleasant blend that helped settle the digestion. As a non-coffee drinker, I’m afraid I can’t comment in this area. The portion sizes were just right and we were both too full to attempt the cheese course, a decision I know was right to prevent spoiling the meal but one I still regret. What I did like was the option that we could have had our cheese the French way (before desert) or the English way (after desert). It was nice to see this offered, rather than the assumption made that because we are eating in England, we must have our cheese last. Although we had eaten a-la-carte, by the end of the meal we had tried a number of smaller selections from the tasting menus and so have an idea of what to expect should we go down this route in the future.

I would definitely recommend The Fat Duck on the basis of the a-la-carte menu and believe that it offers better value for money. People seem fixated about only dining in order to experience the tasting menu, and when this proves not to be some people’s taste they come away with a negative view because they have gone there with a very blinkered approach. It should be remembered that there is more to The Fat Duck than the tasting menu and I believe that the level of service, setting and the quality and quantity of the food, fully justifies the restaurant’s status as one of the best in the world.