Fat Duck

I had the wonderful opportunity to dine at Heston's Fat Duck last month and I would like to share my experience with you as it was so amazing! It's the best dining experience I've ever had and totally worth it in my book. My friend, Lisa came to visit from Sydney and she booked us a table exactly 2 months beforehand from Sydney. She arrived at about 6am in London and we were having lunch at Fat Duck by 12! We got a train to Maidenhead from London and then a short taxi ride to the restaurant.  It's quite unassuming from the outside and surprisingly small on the inside. I say surprising as I expected it to be bigger - don't ask me why. It's very well staffed with very polite, courteous and knowledgeable staff. 

The whole experience really was just incredible. I'm quite a fussy eater and when I first looked at the menu I thought I wouldn't even eat half of it. I did ask for a few modifications and they were extremely obliging. The food was superb and the presentation just stunning.  If I could afford it, I'd eat there again in the future! 

 tasting menu

 Nitro Poached Aperitifs - this is one of my favourites. I chose Vodka and lime sour. Its cold and light with a crisp, meringue like shell on the outside and just melts in your mouth leaving a lovely refreshing taste. 

 Red Cabbage Gazpacho with pommery grain mustard ice cream - interesting flavours, very refreshing

 oak moss - the strips in the box melts in your mouth and gives you a flavour of the moss 

 jelly of quail, crayfish cream, chicken liver parfait, and truffle toast - one of my favourite courses of the meal. 

 love the 'special effects' 

 snail porridge, Iberico Bellota Ham, shaved fennel (I had mine without the snails) - probably my least favourite course 

 2nd favourite course- roast foie gras rhubarb, braised konbu and crab biscuit

 mad hatter tea party 

 mad hatter tea. the waiter tells you the story of the hare and the gold watch from alice in wonderland. He brings a gold watch in a box (I didnt get a picture of it - arrgh!) and puts it in your tea cup and asks you to stir it. It becomes the broth with edible gold pieces. 

 

 sound of the sea. You listen to music from the ipod whilst eating this. The waiters only tell you what it is AFTER you've eaten it despite numerous requests for an explanation beforehand. Everything is edible on top of the glass plate and it was really delicious. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. 

 Lisa's favourite course - salmon poached in a liquorice gel, artichoke, vanilla mayonnaise and golden trout roe. I was dubious about the liquorice to start with but it was delicious. 

 My alternative main course as I definitely could not stomach the one on the menu. It was absolutely gorgeous and I'm so glad I went with this. The fish was perfectly cooked and the mushrooms and baby onions complement it well. 

 This had pieces of fish and ?crayfish or some sort of large shellfish and something else - it was an accompaniment to my main meal. 

 main course - anjou pigeon, blood pudding, ...

 ... served with risotto of spelt and umbles. 

 hot and iced tea - this was amazing! as you sip it, the left side is hot and the right side is cold! It's an earl grey flavoured tea which was very refreshing. 

 galette of rhubarb, neroli scented yoghurt ad rhubarb sorbey and bits of coconut. Not my favourite flavours but I thoroughly enjoyed this. 

 Black Forest Gateau

 These were cute! The come on a picture stand which is placed in front of you and you have to eat them in order. They melt in your mouth and tasted better than normal wine gums! 

 finally you get a bag of sweets with this menu card 

 

Have you ever been to the Fat Duck or somewhere similar? I would love to hear your experiences.  My next trip to Sydney, Lisa has promised we can go to Tetsuya's :)