Lunch at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is a two Michelin Star restaurant in Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park Hotel, London. This restaurant by famous chef Heston Blumenthal is also a regular entry in S. Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards. We had a taste of some of Heston Blumenthal’s creations in Singapore when his Hind’s Head gastropub made a pop-up appearance at the Singapore 2019 F1 Paddock Club. On our recent trip to England, we decided to have lunch at Dinner.

The signboard of the restaurant Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is very modest, almost undetectable. The restaurant has a dark solemn appearance. It is quite a large space. It was busy but not full when we were there. All the tables by the windows facing Hyde Park were taken, with some of the tables in the inner, dark areas unoccupied. It is best to specify a window table when making a reservation for lunch.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal Menu

According to the Dinner website, the menu is inspired by historical gastronomy. The menu items are based on British dishes that originated in the 14th to 19th centuries. They are given a modern twist by Heston Blumenthal and the head chef in the kitchen, Ashley Palmer-Watts. The latter was formerly the head chef at the three-starred The Fat Duck. Here is an article in Great British Chefs that gives an excellent account of his culinary achievements

There is an a la carte menu at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, a 3-Course Menu (£45.00 – Available Monday to Friday except PH) and a special FT Weekend Grand Siecle Menu (£140.00) per person which is available till 30 November 2019. We opted for the more affordable set lunch menu.

The wine list at Heston Blumenthal Menu is impressive with close to a thousand entries. The wines by the glass selection is also vast, with around 50 types available.

We had fun picking different wines which we have never heard of to try over the course of the lunch, starting with these glasses of refreshing white wine from Loire, France and Italy

The Starters

We tried both of the starters on the lunch menu – the Hay Smoked Salmon (c.1730) (above picture) and the Dressed Snails (c.1880). The starters look absolutely modern and did not look or taste historical at all. They both tasted exceptionally good. The key I think lies in the quality of ingredients and the complex sauces. The smoked salmon has a wonderful taste and a texture that reminded us of a good thick slice of sashimi.

The Mains

The main courses were Lamb and Cucumber (c.1832) and Roast Cod & Admiral Sauce (c.1830). These had hints of historical dishes. We can imagine a dish of lamb and pickled cucumber cooked in brown sauce and served in a castle in the 19th century. Likewise for the cod which was served with little shrimps. The fish was fresh and perfectly cooked. The shrimps may be small but packed a punch of seafood flavour. Consistent with the theme of the restaurant, presentation of the dishes was pleasing but uncomplicated.

Desserts

Our desserts were Bohemian Cake (c.1890) and Quaking Pudding (c.1600). The chocolate cake & yuzu mousse was a good combination of sweet and zesty. The Pudding was a beautifully presented dessert with a pudding accompanied by spiced pears, pickled apple, almond biscuit & perry caramel. The receipe for Heston’s Quaking Pudding can be found here.

We are sometimes apprehensive about restaurants with celebrity chefs. In the case of Dinner by Heston Blumenthal London, the decision to have lunch there was a correct one. Apart from the good food, the ambience was nice. The service was professional and friendly. Most importantly, the price was right.

Ratings:
Food: 5
Service: 5
Value: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Overall Rating: 5 TOPs 

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
66 Knightsbridge,
London SW1X 7LA
United Kingdom

Tel: +44(0)20 7201 3833

Opening Times:
Sunday – Wednesday & Public Holidays
Lunch
12:00 – 14:15
Dinner
18:00 – 21:30

Saturday – Thursday
Lunch
12:00 – 14:15
Dinner
18:00 – 22:00

Website

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The Ordinary Patrons | Real Dining Experience of Ordinary People
an independent Singapore food blog