Uno Michelin Star: Numero Deux

Sometimes, even I am in awe of how lucky I am.

(about a month ago...)

MW: Boyf, it's your birthday nexy weekend... Where do you wanna go to eat? I'll pay :) *MW secretly hopes that it won't be too posh for her student budget*
Boyf: I dunno MW, you choose.
MW: Hmm...
Boyf: BTW, don't be silly, I'll pay.
MW: Woohoo~

Hence, I landed on:
Aspleys, a Heinz Beck restaurant (one Michelin star) chez le luxury 5* Lanesborough hotel.

We booked for Friday as there was a fixed price meal deal on and it was just the sparkliest and most extravagant hotel/restaurant I have ever been to.

When I buy a house, I want chandeliers in my dining room!

Even though it was supposed to be a three-course meal, each meal had a "Chef's surprise" amuse-bouche. It was certainly a very welcome surprise!

A mini burger with pate instead of beef - yum! The contrasting textures were just incredible, and the little cubes of carrot were actually carrot puree - a lot better than cooked carrot cubes but I found it a little excessive xD

Then, proper starters: home-made melt-in-mouth pasta with bitter asparagus and mackerel salad. The pasta was just beautiful - didn't look particularly appetising but don't judge a meal by it's colour combo!

A mixture of breads. The paper thin crisp bread was delicious. I had so many helpings of it.

Then, another chef's surprise before the main. BUT I FORGOT TO PHOTOGRAPH IT and have since forgotten what it was... (This was about 3 weeks ago...)
Nevermind, our mains were: scallop and saffron risotto (fact of the day: saffron is more expensive than gold) and an Iberian pig shoulder with pig suckling wrapped in bacon (ie. lots of different parts of a pig piled ontop of each other xD)

The scallops were the sweetest things I've ever had. Seriously orgasmic. Such a pity there was only 2 :(

This is the second time we've had pig shoulder (the first was at the Athenaeum in the Hotel Mayfair). Such a succulent cut of meat. The suckling pig was basically ALL FAT - we left all of it, but the crispy bacon was lurvely.

Moving onto the dessert amuse-bouche of coconut and chocolate foam with a slice of caramelised banana... This was wasted on me a little bit because even though the delicate flavour of the coconut was aromatic and I can eat banana dipped in nutella all day long, I just didn't enjoy eating a mouthful of... foam, really.

The flower petals were a nice touch, but a bit bitter. Not sure if I was supposed to eat them...

Dessert proper was an ice-cream and sorbet collection and chocolate selection.

The ice-cream was a bit underwhelming: I was expecting a trio (or more :D) of ice cream and sorbet but it came in a champagne glass, dolloped ontop of each other and already quite melted :( The best bit about it was the long, burnt sugar stick coated in chocolate (at the back) and the sesame toast. So so so delicious.

The chocolate selection was better - fresh raspberries and chocolate is always a big hit with me, and the thin log of chocolate had a hidden surprise inside it! ^_^

Pistachio mousse piped into an empty chocolate frame coated with yet more pistachios - genius. A mouthful of dark chocolate brownie and fresh raspberries - heavenly.

Last but not least, a selection of petit fours (I had no idea what they were until I read someone's fine dining blog xD). From the bottom: soft almond biscuits, plain chocolate button, strawberry... thingy, lemon curd on a crisp-on-the-outside cake-like base and cappuccino chocolate.

Warning: the cocktails at the Lanesborough were toxic. It was basically all alcohol, no mixer which was quite difficult to drink without nibbling on something sweet immediately afterwards!

It was a lovely meal though: the atmosphere was very grand and not very packed' the music (although not live) suited the chilled out old-age romance setting. Furthermore, as we'd booked beforehand, we sat on an elevated platform away from the main seating area (under the chandeliers). The waiters were very Italian (Heinz Beck has a 3 Michelin star restaurant in Rome) and it was sometimes a little difficult to catch everything they said, but service was impeccable - maybe up to the point of excessive politeness and bordering on a bit intrusive...

Obviously everything was beautifully decorated and the vintage glamour theme was very cushy.

The classy toilet shot: embellished dress - Almost Famous | shiny leggings - TK Maxx | leopard print kitten heels - Faith

~*~

Naturally, with our faces, there were some funny moments.

"Go on, take the photo of my food..."

 ~*~

Mirrored cabinets.  On me: blue snakeskin clutch - Sam Ubhi | ceramic watch - Klaus Kobec | silver bracelet - Tiffany's | infinity scarf/snood - H&M (since lost!!! Nooooo). On him: black suit - Aquascutum | white shirt - TM Lewin

 

 

 

Overall, I had a faaaabulous time, darlings!

MW x