You know how I am in a food relationship with Simon Rogan? (if you are wondering who Simon Rogan is, well, he owns some of the best restaurants in the UK – Aulis, Roganic, L’enclume and he is my food crush). Anyway, the way I feel about Mr. Rogan is similar to how Neal feels about Tom Sellers, owner of Restaurant Story ha! Our first ever taster menu experience in our hometown, London, was at Restaurant Story and we were hooked! So much so, got my niece hooked too when she had her first tasting experience when she visited from the states. We have also been to pop-up events, so yeah, you could say we are fans! It was a no brainer that we were back here to relive the experience. but more significantly. it feels so good to be back out and about in our city!
It felt lovely to be back here and sat at the same table where we had our first tasting menu – full circle moment ha! The food was even better than the last time we were here like for real. Yes, there were changes, but it was a bonus to us. We started with the chef’s intro which was a selection of snacks – the beloved storeo, cod skin, crab tartlets (this was just divine) but the wagyu crumpets .. lisssteeennnn! It was the business.
We could not wait for this menu to begin. Our first course was grilled Maldon Oyster served in the shell with chicken fat, XO sauce and sea lettuce. The aroma was intense, like smack-you-in-your-face type aroma, the chicken fat with the oyster was truly a wicked combination. I particularly liked that even though the oyster was in the shell, you still had to use a little spoon to lap up all the yummy sauce goodness and still slurp from the shell just because you don’t want to leave anything 😋!
Custard was the next course and no, it did not look like your everyday custard. It was custard with preserved perigourdine truffle. Yep, you read right, custard and truffle 😮. Custard was infused with mushroom making it savoury and sweet but oh so truffle! And you know I love me some truffle! It was yummy!
Candle also lovingly known as dripping is an ode to the chef’s father and his love for bread and lard!
Candle is a parker house roll in the form of a candle which is then lit to melt into a pool of beef extract at the base of the candle stick. Served with bread which you dip to scoop the lard of the candle, as well as pickled celery for freshness.
Dorset snail ‘bolognese’ was a foam dish.
I mean do you see this dish? The presentation of this was very 😎. Halibut was the next course which was served with white asparagus and morels.
Neal devoured this course and he is not a fish person. But this halibut was so good, flavour, texture .. check! I too went IN, the sauce was creamy, ugh! It was delish! Lamb Caesar was a rack of lamb, sweet bread and young’s salad. Can we just give yet another appreciative moment for how this dish was plated up?
Like 👌! To be honest, they had me at the sweet bread! Paddington bear was foie gras, cardamon and marmalade!
Come on now! I mean this menu literally had all of my favourite things and I was here for it! We ate this with our hands, the base was a cheesy tartlet. The rhubarb & custard was vanilla, tapioca and pistachio.
Think rice pudding. It was warm underneath and got cooler towards the top. It was like rice crispy / risotto but with parmesan.. It was comfort food at it’s finest! We ended with a selection of treats
Ahh Restaurant Story, we will never tire of eating here!
Cheers
Ndidi
