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Restaurant |
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| London,
U.K. |
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Society
November - 2008 |
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6 Stars
& 6 Stripes
Overall - 'Cuisine & Service' |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
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| Executive Chef Eric Chavot has become a household name
in the rarified world of high-caliber gastronomy. His position as head chef of
the Capital Restaurant in London has earned him the recognition usually given
only to movie celebs, although by many he is seen as a culinary 'rock star' and
accomplished expert in his field. Chef Eric's genius has catapulted him into
the so-called 'seventh heaven' of globally exclusive chefs such as Ferran
Adrià of El Bulli and Gordon Ramsay of BBC's Kitchen Nightmares! He has
even had himself pictured as a participant of artist John Reardon's photograph
of the Chef's Last Supper, with twelve other high profile masters of their
trade, which hangs in the National Portrait Gallery. It was with all this
colorful anticipation that we entered the Capital Restaurant and sat down for
realistic personal appraisal. The first thing we noticed was the warm feeling
and high level coziness partially due to the ample amount of natural light
pouring in from the sizable windows and cascading throughout the elegant soft
colored décor. After dark, the blond wood paneling and antiqued mirrors
provided the sensation of more space as if you are sitting in a cultured
townhouse setting. The place was filled with upscale but not snobby or elite
patrons, seemingly energized by the restaurant's proximity to Harrods in
Knightsbridge just down the street. |
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| But we were here to sample the much-touted passionate
cuisine of Chef Eric Chavot. So we began with a golden yellow aperitif of
Gosset Brut Excellence NV, setting the stage for the dégustation
menu. Soon the relaxed but professional service kicked into play with a
presentation of fine house made breads served with sweet or salted butter. An
Amuse Bouche of Salmon Tartar with Cucumber Reduction brought us to the
edge of appetite arousal with its intense flavor profile. This was quickly
followed by Sweet Corn Velouté with Seared Scallop, which was
presented in front of us as a work in progress with the server pouring the
sauce over the whole thing. This entry was paired with a bottle of 2001
Riesling Spätlese, August Kessler, Reingau Germany and it proved to
offer a balanced display of white peach and citrus melding nicely with the
tender caramelized scallop. |
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| We paused while the off-dry
Riesling worked its lingering magic and welcomed the next course of Foie
Gras 'Exotic', a terrific exciting rendition of the darling of gourmands
worldwide. A big 'WOW' was all that came out upon tasting the elegant richness
from its presentation in a canning jar. The addition of a spoon-sized morsel of
pineapple-mango gave it the necessary 'exotic' tartness to carry the lush
flavor over the palate. |
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| It became obvious to us now that the focus of the
entire restaurant was on the incredible talent of Executive Chef Eric Chavot
and his creative instincts. The first main course of Lobster with Taglioni
Pasta and Sauce Vierge, was a masterful presentation of intense flavor
created by the infusion of tomatoes and basil in olive oil and lemon juice in
the form of a sensual sauce. The wine pairing turned out to be one of my
favorites, Puligny-Montrachet Vieille Vignes, Burgundy France, 2006
displaying a gentle well-balanced classic nose and an elegant glossy vanilla
finish. The second main course of Filet of Lamb with Cumin Jus and Spicy
Couscous, which was presented in two segments; the lamb cooked to a perfect
medium-rare doused with a modicum of cumin jus and the couscous, served
separately in a mini cast iron pot and accentuated with an assortment of
alluring spices reminiscent of cayenne and cardamom. A good medium-bodied
Bordeaux would be the obvious choice for this powerful dish and the Sommelier
recommended Château Sainte Colombe Côtes de Castillon 2005.
It exhibited a dark cerise color when held against the light pursued by floral
notes of fresh ripe cherries and plums. |
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| At this point there was very little room for more
food, but a spectacular cheese wagon appeared and enticed us to sample some of
the best selection of blue veined, soft, semi-soft and hard cheeses available.
This was followed by two lovely desserts of Orange Fleur Coconut Ice Cream
and Banana Ice with Coco Cream and Banana Chips making it a fitting end to
a satisfying review. We were offered 12 year old Glenturret Single Malt
Highland Scotch Whiskey of which I eagerly savored the clean, citrusy
caramel-like feel on the palate that made is very drinkable. It was now time to
conclude by paying our sincere respect to Chef Eric Chavot who we feel will
continue to bring the kind of novel pioneering touch to epicurean gastronomy
and remain a leader in his field. |
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by
Edmund Buehrmann & Thorsten Buehrmann
Editor: Ingrid
Lemme
Editor-in-Chief: John Lomitola |
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| © 2008 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes, Inc. |
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