Last week, I had the good fortune of being taken to a chef's table at Corrigan's in Mayfair with work. I've done one of these before at Murano; Angela Hartnett's restaurant which is part of the Gordon Ramsay family. Critics have mocked Hartnett's portion sizes but I was adequately fed with the 'taster' menu there and anyway for me, a taster menu should do what it says on the tin and provide a 'taster' and leave you wanting more.
This is why I struggled with the menu at Corrigan's. We had 10 courses (and a different glass of wine with each) which though excellent felt rather drawn out and was just too much for the Gourmandiser.
Cauliflower soup and croque monsieur, octopus carpaccio seville orange and almonds, terrine of fois gras and caramelised apple, brill red wine and razor clam, tournedo rossini, pina colada, rhubarb souffle and ginger ice cream, cheeses and coffee/teas... equals exhausting!
The highlights were the soup and the soufflé - which our maître d' said would be like "eating air". I probably wouldn't pay to "eat air" at a Michelin starred restaurant but after seven courses it was just what I wanted. The soufflé was deliciously light and the slow cooked rhubarb chunks had just the right sweet-sour balance.
The lows were the octopus carpaccio and the beef. I'm not a fan of octopus at the best of times but with it thinly sliced and raw all I could picture was tentacles and suckers. I forced this out of my head and ploughed through as it is said to be Richard Corrigan's trademark dish. The orange and almonds gave it a lift and rescued the fishy flavour but I probably wouldn't order it a la carte. The beef was a bit disappointing- it was too salty and I had food envy looking at my fellow diners who were tucking into venison done three ways with ginger and pak choi- i suppose you can't win them all.
The tour round the kitchen was rather fun, I'm always shocked how hot it is in there and how the staff cope with such long hours. Stella McCartney was dining in the restaurant at the same time so I had a peek at the print out of her order.. all vegetarian dishes, naturally. I couldn't resist having a gawp at the main restaurant (and take a breather from the remaining courses) and glimpsed her on the way to the toilets. After the excitement I left before the cheese course which would have tipped me over the edge.
Undoubtedly Corrigan's is in the premier league but the food was a bit opressing as was the décor in our private room which had miniature game skulls dotted around the ceiling. I'd like to go back and try the regular menu (at someone else's expense) and sit in the main restaurant as it had more of a buzz - but only after some serious stomach-stretching!
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