WORLD'S BEST RESTAURANTS

Fat Duck - theatrical and culinary experience

 

The Fat Duck is located in the countryside of Bray, Berkshire, about an hours drive from London, in a small country house on High Street. Heston Blumenthal is the owner Chef and "chemist" of Fat Duck.

 

It opened its doors in 1995 and is one of four restaurants in the U.K. to hold a 3 Michelin star which it received in 2004. Zagat Survey and Restaurant Magazine call Fat Duck the best restaurant in the world.

 

Two month wait period for a table

 

On February 27, 2009 Blumenthal closed his restaurant indefinitely due to food poisoning of all his diners caused by sewage infected oysters from a supplier. After this recent debacle, you would think it is easier to secure a table. Wrong! On March 12, 2009 he reopened with an unbelievable two month wait period for a table.

 

 

There is no dress code for the restaurant and most of the waiters are French including the maitre d', who told me that even Heston had to wait 2 weeks (few months ago) to bring in his own family. You must reserve at least 2 months in advance for a table. The maitre d' told us that there are 42 Chefs working of which 5 are in the experimental Lab across the street with Heston, 20 Chefs in the kitchen full time plus 10 voluntary Chefs which revolve; 75 staffs; 15 tables are served for one sitting each at lunch and dinner which seats 46 people. They only serve a 4-hour degustation menu to all guests and the menu rarely changes, he just refines and perfects his repertoire of smell, sight and hearing which is a truly exhilirating experience.

 

It is Heston's love of science and research in the molecular world of ingredients which help him create some fun and consistently amazing food. He is a true genius. His food is delicious, definitely thought provoking and even entertaining by tuning in to our senses using music, chemistry and humour. He plays on psychology of flavour. He also experiments with ancient recipes or what he calls "Nostalgic Foods" and tries to perfect and refine them.

 

After 4 hours of pure bliss and fantasy, the french maitre d' took us on tour of the kitchen since our party was francofon (which he was happy to share some fun, inside stories). Imagine the sight of a 25 sq. meter kitchen with an impeccably well-organized working space and over 20 Chefs constantly working and moving around like busy ants. Unfortunately, photos of the kitchen were not allowed.

Most amazing culinary experience I have ever had

 

You may not love every part of the menu but you will definitely love the Fat Duck's theatrical and culinary experience The Fat Duck is located in the countryside of Bray, Berkshire, about an hours drive from London, in a small country house on High Street. Heston Blumenthal is the owner Chef and "chemist" of Fat Duck. of wizardry and surprise, involving all our senses and emotions...even now, I sit writing this, thinking it is the most amazing culinary experience I have ever had...

Some may argue this is the second best restaurant in the world, narrowly trailing El Bulli. My next culinary stop - El Bulli - before Adria shuts down in December 2011. Bookings at El Bulli for 2010 are all filled up, bookings for 2011 start end of this year and if you cannot get a table then for 2011, I am afraid you will have to wait until 2014 until it reopens.

 

 

 

 

Cooking with chemistry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MY MENU

 

Here is a glimpse of my menu in that order which was paired with different wines:

LIME GROVE:
A spoonful of cream, green tea, lime and vodka placed in liquid nitro (-196˚) made into a meringue: green tea opens the pores of the palate, lime stimulates taste buds and vodka cleanses. The ball of meringue explodes in my mouth releasing contrasts that go to my head @#^%!!??#@

RED CABBAGE GASPACHO:
A scoop of mustard icecream in a soup of red cabbage gaspacho, it's a crazy combination of many different savours, leaving me in awe and confusion.

JELLY OF QUAIL, CRAYFISH CREAM:
Using liquid nitro on an oak moss centerpiece, a wonderful truffle and horseradish toast and scoop of chicken liver parfait in a pool of crayfish cream - a burst of several flavours rouse my taste buds.

ROAST FOIE GRAS:
Slow roasted foie gras on braised Konbu topped with crab tuile and rhubarb sauce, the result exquisite.

MOCK TURTLE SOUP:
Recipe dates back to Victorian days when turtle soup was very popular. The presentation is so impressive and intricate. We receive a tea bag in shape of a gold pocket watch which is gelitanized bouillon wrapped with edible gold paper. When we pour hot water onto it, it disolves into a delicious consomme with gold leaves. Alongside we get a dish of caterpillar made of ox tongue, mock turtle egg from turnip puree which also gives appearance of caterpillar head.

 

 

SOUND OF THE SEA:
The waiter shows up with iPods and asks us to put them on while the dish is brought out which looks like a seashore with the smell of brine. This dish features seafood and various edible seaweed on a bed of sand-like tapioca with the sound of sea waves and sea gulls. Your senses are on a journey of discover

 

SALMON POACHED IN LIQUORICE:
Salmon is poached at very low temperature in licorice jelly, a dish I would disagree to eat until it hits my tatse buds and melts in my mouth...

POWDERED ANJOU PIGEON:
Another recipe dating back from 1700s. A method used to slowly cook the ruby red French pigeon breast , its leg confit with sweet spices in puff pastry, surrounded by onions and thyme foam.

TAFFETY TART:
Dates back to 1660s. Made of caramelized apple, fennel, rose and candied lemon.

 

 

NITRO SCRAMBLED EGG & BACON ICE CREAM BREAKFAST:
One of Fat Duck's signature dishes. Fabulous grand finale presented as breakfast scrambled eggs but actually a sumptuous desert. The waiter breaks the eggs in front of us and cooks it in liquid nitro, the eggs are bacon and egg flavoured ice cream, mysteriously sweet and delicious, the making of molecular gastronomy at its best. I did some research on the egg and discovered its contents are pure chemistry.

HOT & ICED TEA:
So bizarre, yet so cool. The finish is a "hot and cold tea" presented in a double-layered glass cup. When you take a sip you feel the liquid in your mouth one side cold and the other side hot. Its weird, its wizardry...!! The waiter would not reveal the secret. Still researching on this. Beats me!

WHISKEY WINE GUMS:
And to round it off in "woww", I was served a plexi display with a map of Scotland and wine gums shaped like whiskey bottles stuck all over various regions of scotland. Each gum tastes of different area. You peel off the gum and place it on your tongue and let it dissolve. This must be a joke, hilarious!

LIKE A KID IN A SWEET SHOP:
You receive a candy bag with lots of small goodies: inside was honeycomb chocolate, a caramel with edible wrapper , tobacco-soaked shredded coconut in a little bag that looked like chaw, a Lik-a-Stik that tasted woody and a white chocolate with Queen of hearts like from a deck of cards.