Dinner by Heston Blumenthal (London)

Dinner
Mandarin Oriental
Hyde Park
66 Knightsbridge
London

This is a remarkably good restaurant with exceptional food and service. The food here does not subscribe strictly to Heston Blumenthal's molecular gastronomy, but pays tribute to good ol' British cuisine, with a modern twist. Each item is listed in the menu with its corresponding provenance, and while some require explanation, i.e. "Salamugundy", which is a plate of chicken oysters and marrow bone (not pictured), others require none, i.e. "Chicken cooked with lettuces". In the end, this is a fantastic place of gastronomy, absent any inkling of snobbishness despite its location. The sommeliers are friendly and helpful, and make it a priority to match the wines with the food ordered. The spiced pigeon, cooked to a shade of peach pink, explodes with gamy flavor. The ale reduction atop which the pigeon sits is rich and dense. The grilled artichoke, with a sliver of smokiness, goes extraordinarily well with the game meat and the blooming dark fruits of the 2011 Terenus Reserva from Portugal.

3 stars to the restaurant, and 3 stars to the spiced pigeon.

Artisan bread.

"Rice & Flesh (c.1390)": saffron, calf-tail and red wine.

"Chicken cooked with lettuces (c.1670)": grilled onion emulsion, spiced celeriac sauce and oyster leaves.

"Spiced pigeon (c. 1780)": ale & artichokes.

"Tipsy cake (c.1810)": spit roast pineapple. The pineapple.

"Tipsy cake (c.1810)": spit roast pineapple. The cake.

Nitro ice cream.

Rules (London)

Rules
35 Maiden Lane
Covent Garden
London

Suckling pig and black leg chicken, at London's oldest restaurant. The suckling pig is flavorful and juicy, while the chicken is succulent and tender.

Browns (London)

Browns
84 St Martin's Lane
Covent Garden
London

Baked goat cheese, and chicken pie. Not a bad option after a night of theatre.

Il Bordello (London)

Il Bordello
81 Wapping High Street
City of London

Fantastic Italian home-cooking by a friendly staff in a cozy location especially characterized its relentless pursuit to keep its timeless 80s decor intact. The lobster linguini is a generously portioned dish with a whole lobster, off its shell, swimming neatly in a large bed of linguini cooked in a light tomato cream sauce. Simply world-class.

2 stars to the lobster linguini.

Peroni beer.

Eggplant in tomato sauce with mozzarella and black olives.

Beef carpaccio with sharp Reggiano.

Outstanding lobster linguini.

Profiterole.

PAUL (London)

PAUL
Knightsbridge
London

Bread in the World Cup theme, and a flavorful lemon tart.

Caviar House Seafood Bar (London)

Caviar House Seafood Bar
Ground floor, Harrod's
London

Decent seafood in a vibrant, bustling atmosphere.

Byron Burgers

Byron Burgers
33-35 Wellington Street
London

Solid, juicy burger; good private-label pale ale.

Rules (London)

Rules
35 Maiden Lane
City of Westminster, WC2E7, United Kingdom

Roast leg of rabbit with puy lentils and dandelion salad, golden syrup
sponge pudding with custard, the bottomless Stilton plate, and a
bottle of 2007 CdR Les Violettes.

If the City's dining scene is guilty of wrapping itself in the blanket
of tradition and non-innovation, Rules, as the oldest restaurant in
the City, is inevitably the mother of them all. Yet, the food at Rules
seems to impart a sort of well-honed harmony amidst the intensely
rich, buttery flavors that are so emblematic of traditional English
cuisine.

The dandelion salad was characteristically bitter, but provided a
refreshing herbal counterpoint to the gamey flavors of the rabbit. The
rabbit retained plenty of moisture and juices after the roasting, and
came out soft and easy on the jaw. The sponge pudding was a meal in
itself. As the pudding started to absorb the silky custard and the
syrup, the concoction became so intensely flavored that what remained
of the bottle of light Rhone became watery and characterless by
comparison. The Stilton was delicious and fresh, but could barely
register its aromatics after the intensity of the pudding.

Rating: 1 star to the restaurant for its high-quality food and deference to traditional game cooking.

Ben & Jerry's vending machine

A Ben & Jerry's vending machine, at Heathrow Terminal 3. What great
piece of engineering masterpiece.

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Sussex Arms (London)

A delightful, full-bodied Wells Bombardier ESB on tap, and steak
sandwich with whole-grain mustard.