MD's review of The Ledbury

Our group visit to the Ledbury was on the bitterly cold Burn's night last month, so we walked in to warming restaurant with relief, as well as high expectations of the night ahead – given that we would be sampling the much revered seven course tasting menu.

The restaurant was already full with waiters buzzing about in a busy yet calm manner. Service here, aims to please with sharp knowledge and professionalism and it makes a big difference when partaking in tasting menu's which require interaction. We opted for the menu with paired wine, which really made a difference with each course and it was pleasing to see that the vegetarian menu has its own wine list rather than just serving up the same wine as the table.

Now to the food, dish after dish we were served with ingredients that had been carefully prepared and skillfully cooked, using advanced techniques that wowed the plate and palette, as well as justifiably explaining the second Michelin star the venue has just been awarded. It was an eye opener to see how the food was cooked, with our waiter informatively displaying the celeriac baked in ash within dough to keep it cool and moist. A risotto of squids (literally rice sized squid pieces) was also perfectly combined with sherry and cauliflower – two ingredients I was sceptically curious to see function together but somehow managed to dazzle. With an army of dishes come and go, I didn't think I'd get to the final but thanks to perfect portions, I managed to sample the scrumptious caramelized banana galette with peanut butter ice cream, in one word, divine!

There are restaurants where the food and atmosphere are both key to the success and then there are restaurants like the Ledbury, where the food is the only star. Here, there is a reason why the walls and furniture fade in to a fog of beige and brown, its because the only thing diners eyes will be focused on is the food on their plate…and my what inspiring and delectable food it is.