Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

British Restaurant in Knightsbridge
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal image
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8 / 10 from 3 reviews
Address
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
66 Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge
London
SW1X 7LA
Map
Telephone
020 7201 3833
Cuisine
British
Region
Knightsbridge
Nearest Station
Knightsbridge
0.06 miles
Opening Times
Monday Open 12:00 - Closes 14:30
Open 18:30 - Closes 22:30
Tuesday Open 12:00 - Closes 14:30
Open 18:30 - Closes 22:30
Wednesday Open 12:00 - Closes 14:30
Open 18:30 - Closes 22:30
Thursday Open 12:00 - Closes 14:30
Open 18:30 - Closes 22:30
Friday Open 12:00 - Closes 14:30
Open 18:30 - Closes 22:30
Saturday Open 12:00 - Closes 14:30
Open 18:30 - Closes 22:30
Sunday Open 12:00 - Closes 14:30
Open 18:30 - Closes 22:30
Restaurant Facilities

Disabled Facilities

Children Welcome

Credit Cards Accepted

Booking Advisable

Heston Blumenthal eschewed the molecular cuisine he became famous for when he opened this restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental. Instead he chose to plough the annals of British food history, with dishes like meat fruit on the menu along with their dates of origin (in this case circa 1500).

They even honour the little details that hark back to olden days, like a pulley system in the kitchen that’s modelled on those used by the Royal Court. Floor to ceiling views offer views of Hyde Park, and the private dining room has antique-looking lion head light fittings; in short, the restaurant is stunning.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal Picture Gallery

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal Picture
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal Picture
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal Picture
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal Picture
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal Picture

All In London Review

I was wowed by the surroundings, but sadly not by my dinner

Review Image
The cab pulled up and a whisp of self-importance got the better of me as we were invited to proceed up the main staircase into the grand, marbled entrance of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. The grandeur of the hotel’s lobby was impressive (although in all honesty, rather OTT), but as we entered the restaurant both my companion and I involuntarily both ‘wowed’ as we walked past the wine stores and noted the pristine open kitchen and beautiful views of Hyde Park towards the back.

The restaurant (on a Sunday evening) was packed; there are 126 covers in total making this a huge restaurant by anyone’s standards, not least Heston’s own with his other non-London restaurants having a comparatively piddley 40 covers on average. The volume that accompanied all the diners as well as the bustling staff was something that we commented on as a buzz initially, but as the evening wore on, our feelings changed and we decided it was more akin to sitting in a canteen. At least eavesdropping wasn’t an option for anyone here!

We were seated very efficiently, although then the drinks order was a little slow in being taken and when our water was poured (ok I know this is picky!) both glasses had spillages next to them; a little slapdash at this level? We perused the a la carte menu with interest; you’ll likely know that the restaurant’s ‘USP’ is its use of historical recipes in the design of the modern menu. Each of the restaurant’s dishes had printed next to it the author of the original recipe on which it is based and its original print date ranging from 1390 for the ‘Rice & Flesh’ to 1940 for ‘Cod in Cider’.

The wine list was impressive with many countries, regions and vineyards represented. There was also a good selection of wines available by the glass, and prices per bottle started at £35. We chose a smokey and delicious Pomerol (£55).

There was one vegetarian main course and there were no vegetarian starters on the menu; I have been spoiled of late with top class restaurants offering full vegetarian tasting menus and courses, so this was a slight disappointment. Five years ago I would have expected nothing more – I still remember the waiter at J Sheekey having to dust off the vegetarian menu which he got down from a top shelf (with the help of a footstool)! Once the head waiter came over however, he was able to go through several options which were adaptations of the standard carnivorous versions.

I had the Nettle Porridge - £14.50 (c. 1660) to start which was served with smoked beetroot, garlic, parsley and fennel. The nettle was a very gentle flavour and was complimented in flavour and texture by the sharpness and crunch of the beetroot. I struggled to taste the fennel or parsley they were so subtle. It was an interesting dish and tasty, but unfortunately didn’t have any knock-out qualities.

My companion ordered the Buttered Crab Loaf - £16 (c. 1714) which was served with cucumber, pickled lemon, herring roe and stone crop. The loaf itself was delicious and buttery, similar to a savory brioche. The presentation was perfect and all the flavours (including the accompanying crab) worked beautifully together; this was a triumph.

For the main course I had the Rice and Flesh (c. 1390) (minus the flesh!) which is normally served with saffron, calf’s tail and red wine, but in my case came with pickled beetroot. The rice was undercooked to the extent that it crunched and stuck to my teeth! I also found the picked, acid flavours very strong and despite it being a reasonable sized dish, failed to finish it all. I mentioned to the waitress that I felt it was underdone as she was clearing the plates, and she told me it was supposed to be like that due to the aged rice that they used and that it’s cooked al dente. I didn’t appreciate this; I know al dente from undercooked!

My companion’s main faired a little better; the Hereford Ribeye - £32 (c. 1830) served with mushroom ketchup and Heston’s famous triple cooked chips. The plate was brought with a huge piece of meat and nothing else; the condiments and chips being served separately. The cut was very clearly ribeye despite the hefty price tag with a good portion of gristle and fat. The chips were delicious; perfectly crunchy on the outside and still moist and floury on the inside. The ketchup and beef sauce were lovely and flavoursome, but in all honesty this dish was ‘just’ steak and chips as you’d find in any good pub.

For pudding, we pre-ordered the Tipsy Cake - £10 (c. 1810) served with spit roast pineapple, which we’d been told had a ½ hour preparation time, and then also chose the Quaking Pudding - £10 (c. 1660) which came with an intriguing combination of pear, perry, caramel and lime. The Tipsy Cake was lovely, light and flavoursome, in a light brioche-style; not knock-out, but very good. The Quaking Pudding really did wobble to perfection as it was brought over to us, and the accompanying flavours were bold, but delicious. This was the stand-out dish for me. Unusual, flavoursome and hugely tasty!

I haven’t mentioned much about the service, probably because it wasn’t really a notable feature. It was good, but there were so many different people involved and none engaged in any conversation (because of the volume of people that they had to serve I assume) that it felt rather impersonal, although efficient and professional.

In summary, I was wowed by the surroundings and interior, but then (particularly given Heston’s reputation for producing ‘wow’ food) rather underwhelmed by the offering, and to quote my companion felt rather like I was in “a Michelin-starred Pizza Express”; friendly, efficient and perfectly tasty, but impersonal and catering to the masses (of sorts).

Reviewed by All In London
Published on May 22, 2012


Best For

The best chef's tables in London picture

The best chef's tables in London

Be part of the kitchen action

An eight course tasting menu comprising smaller versions of the main menu’s dishes is available here, with thorough explanations provided by the staff. Up to six diners can make use of the chef’s table, however as with the main restaurant expect a lengthy waiting list.

Our pick of London's celebrity chef-backed restaurants picture

Our pick of London's celebrity chef-backed restaurants

Have wossisname off the telly poach your egg

Before Heston, you could be forgiven that thinking molecular gastronomy had something to do with genetically modified produce, but as well as favouring experiments with liquid nitrogen, the wacky chef is particularly fond of digging deep into the history of food. At Dinner you’re more likely to find lamb soup cooked to a 1700s recipe than a pear foam.

London's best molecular food picture

London's best molecular food

For the very smallest of appetites?

Heston Blumenthal shows us just how innovative our forebears were when it came to cooking, with pre-20th century dishes like the salagamundi, a salad of smoked chicken with horseradish, bone marrow and salsify.

Restaurants with the best set menus in London picture

Restaurants with the best set menus in London

Side-step the hassle of decision-making

Historical recipes from the 14th century onwards are faithfully reproduced here. The set menu only offers two options per course, but it’s £38 for three courses which is a snip compared to the a la carte.

Our pick of London's best hotel restaurants picture

Our pick of London's best hotel restaurants

You'll find some of London's best dining

The Mandarin Oriental launched Dinner to tremendous hype; here the science-loving chef delves into the history of British food as far back as the 14th century. Ahuge success, the meat fruit – a “mandarin” stuffed with foiegras and chicken liver – has become one of London’s most talked about dishes.

London's most beautiful dishes picture

London's most beautiful dishes

Top grub, looking pretty

One of Heston Blumenthal’s most famous dishes is the meat fruit. It looks like a perfect mandarin, but slice it apart and you’ll find silky chicken liver parfait. The whole process – alcohol reduction, terrine, mandarin jelly and creating a perfect stem – takes five days.

User Reviews

inher30s

Jan 31, 2014

The hype around Mr Blumenthal's Dinner meant that it was impossible to secure a reservation for the night-time meal, so I settled for a Sunday lunch. One advantage of arriving in daylight hours is the view out over Hyde Park - necessary as the room is a little corporate for a romantic meal a deux. But we are seated by a large window and romance is saved.

It wouldn't be a Heston restaurant with some quirks thrown in, no normal eating here, no sirreee, our waiter explains a little about the concept of Dinner.
Sooz

Jan 16, 2013

Very impressive surroundings - all glitz and glamour in the entrance hall and just the scale of the restaurant and central kitchen gave it a wow-factor. The food was a mixed bag, but was clearly good overall.. some dishes were markedly better than others - the risotto being the let-down and the puddings the highlights! The service was efficient throughout if a little impersonal.
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