Those of you interested in Angela Hartnett’s (MBE) progression as a chef, rejoiced at the news that she has finally left Gordon Ramsay to make her own name, though truth be told, the charismatic chef has already built a formidable reputation over the years. There are very few – if any – negative reviews written about her restaurants, and she’s my favourite chef on TV. Her years with GRH had led to critical success where she famously won her first Michelin star while at The Connaught in 2004 and then another after just her first year of stewardship at Murano in 2009. My my, how far she has come, since her waiting days with Hans Schweitzer.

Following in the steps of Wareing and Atherton, Angela joins – what is now – a rather illustrious Gordon Ramsay alumni. She leaves on good terms, buying out El Gordo’s stake to take the helm at Murano outright, which as far as we know, is to become her sole restaurant venture, as of writing. Practically however, it is business as usual, Murano is still, by Angela Hartnett. Success also means that there will be difficulty in securing a table at either of her restaurants. I had to wait until the 2nd week to secure a table at Murano; the week before, I managed a very late lunch at the Gordon Ramsay restaurant – which she will soon part company with permanently- she oversees, York & Albany. We loved the meal at York & Albany, so needless to say, we were looking forward to sampling the unhindered rendition of Angela’s cuisine.

Murano is nestled within the comfortable environs of Mayfair, and much like Y&A, public transportation will take you close enough, but you’ll need to trek to the restaurant on foot for a good 10 minutes. Helps to work up an appetite I suppose.

Like all Gordon Ramsay restaurants, no expenses are spared in the decor, or staff threads, this restaurant swings in the big leagues. The overall theme is green and gold, like a marbled forest in fall, or a little bit like Royal China. To be honest, I found the exuberant design to be a little old fashion what with the mirrored walls and such, catching my own eyes was disconcerting.

As per usual, I sample the ala carte, £60 for 3 courses, and the better half went for the well-priced set lunch at £30 for three…. and advanced apologies for not getting the names of the dishes, I forgot to write them down.

Starters

From the set: Confit Salmon, lentils.

I tasted a sliver of the fish, the insides were pink like it was cooked sous vide, lending a fluffy and delicate texture. The missus seemed to enjoy the straightforward, and substantially sized starter.

A la carte: Lobster linguine, spring onion, chilli and garlic, cherry tomato fondue (supplement £5)

The chances of us visiting Murano again in the short term was slim, so I thought I may as well aim for the priciest dishes on the menu. But not the Autumn specials, a sleuth of Alba truffle-enhanced dishes for a hefty £50 supplement. Hmm, I’m still in recession.

Expectedly, the stringy noodles were cooked on point and al dente, with generous chunks of lobster meat. The recipe may be Italian accented, but it reminded me of Chinese lobster noodles. The dish was simple, well seasoned and cooked well. Boring, but it was delicious.

Mains

From the set: Sea bream.

The way the fish had been pan-fried looked interesting – the crusty skin was rigid and eerily flat. Again, it is cooked perfectly, with a mildly interesting green curry puree, but on the whole, the recipe was lost on us. The missus thought this was pedestrian, in comparison to York & Albany meal. Well cooked, but unfortunately, it didn’t dazzle.

A la carte: Monkfish tail meuniére, grilled leeks, garlic purée, baby fennel, watercress

The memories of the fabulous baked lemon sole at York & Albany was still fresh in my mind as I received this dish.

But first to digress. I was left feeling lost when we were ordering; Our waitress didn’t explain the dishes to us, even when I inquired. About the only thing she said to us were that partridges were in season… yes, I realise this is pedantic of me, and I don’t want to come across as an twat, but I do appreciated it if staff take the time to explain the various dishes to diners, especially in a place which has a Michelin star. Surely there are redeeming signature dishes on the menu which deserve a few minutes of exposition to help whet appetites?

As the dish landed, I noted the superb visual impact – the crust was a fried impenetrable armour, a shimmering example of a fillet of fish. Monk fish is a temperamental ingredient, and I was glad to find that the kitchen had cooked this perfectly, just under, muscular tenderness. Aside from the technical quality of cooking, however, I was underwhelmed by the recipe. Truth be told, after three days to reflect on the meal, I can’t recall much of the puree, perhaps it was garlic, perhaps it was something else. I was trying to love the dish, trying to decipher some kind of USP about it, some sort of opening of the umami dams, but I just didn’t get it.

Amuse and palate cleansers

I almost forgot to mention the excellent amuse bouches (more nibbly than an amuse to be fair) we started with; Truffle infused arancini balls and a mini board of prosciutto, salami and bread, complete with Manni olive oil, a luxury essential (oxymoron surely) that is now used by other Italian accented joints in London, such as the mighty Zucca.

To cleanse the palatte, a visually enticing two-tiered rack of assorted sorbets – I sussed the green coloured, basil flavoured one.

Desserts

From the set: Lemon Cream

Simplicity, not alot to add to this really. Like a double palate cleanser.

White Chocolate Creme Brulee with White Alba Truffle, £15 supplement.

A £15 supplement I can afford! Sadly, the pudding was a trainwreck. The white Alba truffle shavings, on there own, were divine. A potent puff of the distinctive flavours of truffle unravelling in the mouth, very fragrant and pleasing. The brulee had a scrambled eggs texture, but it tasted wrong. Like pungent overnight socks stuffed in between a cheesecake. Or perhaps like a cheesecake that was made with Époisses de Bourgogne… which is to say that custard and truffle do not, and should not mix. At least, not in the way it was presented. I tried to divorce the truffle shavings from the pudding…but alas I couldn’t. Upon reflection, I’m bemused as to why I ordered this weirdly indulgent dish, that seemed like a throwback to the excessive years gone by, than something so cutting edge, that is deserved of a star.

Don’t chastise me for this, and it does pain me to have to write this, but I didn’t like Murano. There are shades of glory, but I think it misses the boat on the crucial parts of the meal, more glitz than substance, and toward the lower end of the one starred spectrum. You couldn’t fault the cooking, it was superb of course, and service was generally top notch (the Maître d’ always addressed the lady, and not the bloke) but gosh those recipes, they seemed tried and tired. I loved York & Albany, and I read all the reviews, and I tried to like the meal, but there was no wow factor, in complete contrast to Y&A, I think the problem with this meal was that it felt anonymous to me.

Toward the end of the meal, Angela emerged from the kitchen to speak to some guests, and naturally, I was spellbound, put in a daze that my heroin was merely steps away from me…. I don’t really know what etiquette when it comes to these things, but if I had a copy of Cucina, I would have surely mustered the courage to shake her hand, and ask for her hand. I mean her autograph. Seeing as to how it was Angela herself who oversaw the kitchen during our lunch, I can’t say this could be chalked up as an off-day. Comparisons are inevitable, and if Murano can manage a star on this form, then perhaps L’anima deserves one too, or even two.

The Gist.

Murano
Italian, £75pp
20 Queen Street W1J 5PP
Tel: 020 7495 1127
Underground : Green Park

The Italian Job : Matt Norman ; AAiL ; A Girl has to Eat ; A forkful of spaghetti ; Andy Hayler

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Whatever reservations I may have about the man and his empire, I respect El Gordo’s achievements above all and can’t help but admire the sheer talent that has passed through his stables. Ramsay’s first class have all but graduated, they now lead their own macaron-winning ventures, and whose names are probably as brand-worthy as Gordon’s. Undoubtedly the leading lady of the pack is the straight talking, effervescent character that is Angela Hartnett. Slogging it out through the years and the ranks across Ramsay restaurants from the Dizzy Lizzy days at Aubergine in the nineties, to sharing a kitchen with Marcus Wareing and through the Connaught years.

We all know her in some way via her faceted TV appearances, and I’ve always taken to her no-shit attitude, I’m a total Angela fan. Fall 2010, it is time for Angela to finally spread her wings, with the recent good news that Angela has bought out GR’s stake to take the helm at Murano. The news is significant to York & Albany, since the boutique hotel cum serious but laid back restaurant that lies on the fringes of Camden and Regent’s Park, is directed by Hartnett. Only until the end of the year, and after that, I guess Colin Buchan – who is the current head chef – will assume outright leadership.

So the rationale for my visit to Y&A – which has no obvious public transport route, aside from a brisk walk from Camden Town – to try it while the menu still carries Angela’s fingerprint. The décor is nothing short of Bauhaus brilliance. Marble and double height ceilings, wrapped in juicy natural light, thanks to the multi-windowed walls. As you’d expect from Ramsay restaurants, Y&A is an opulent yet comforting design, giving out a whimper of elegance. We were seated in the dining room firstly, which when full, seemed stressful, though the missus had already fallen in love with the front room/lounge area as we walked in. We gleefully switched to the more serene environs, and slinked into the large cushy chairs which were a little too high for the knee-hitting coffee table.

I drank a glass of suave (£5.50) and the missus, the Purple Haze (£5). As per usual, she opted for the hugely affordable set lunch competitively priced at £18/£21for 2/3 courses… and I went a la carte.

Starters

From the set menu: Mussel, cider and fennel soup, smoked garlic butter.

The foamy soup was brisk, with the discerning taste of the sea, interestingly, the cider had resulted in a surprising flavour of pickled fennel, dare I say, like a kimchi without the spice. Can’t say the missus was entirely convinced of this soup, but I thought the soured taste was an intriguing and a good twist.

Great sourdough – white and brown – to rival St John’s.

A la Carte : Salsify velouté, frog’s legs, pancetta, garlic chips £9

I naively assumed that only the Chinese eat frog’s legs, while the Japanese eat their beating hearts, but evidently so do the Italians. Ordering this was a necessity. Being Chinese, I’m more than acquainted with frog legs – like spring chicken.

Ahh… the trademark pour-it-on wowness, a gimmick oft experienced in Ramsays – still a charmer. The coffee coloured salsify veloute is simply regal, releasing hints of flavour as it hits the legs, mmm, indeed just like spring chicken wings. Wonderful, warming cappuccino-like soup, expertly balanced, the liquid tastes as elegant as it appears. For texture, crispy fried garlic chips slowly turned soggy like cornflakes in the soup, and for flavour, the pancetta and I surmise olive oil, added a viscous finish to the hugely satisfying mouthfeel. I loved this.

Mains

From the set: Roasted corn-fed chicken, parsnip cream, sprouting broccoli, red wine jus.

With this dish, there was little doubt that the Y&A kitchen were at the top of their game – I felt the cooking was superb. This was a chicken so well roasted, that even Uncle Lim would be proud. Slithery, juicy, and the softest pairs of breast my lips have ever licked. The skin was glazed with a sort of caramalised syrup, perhaps this was the red wine jus, adding much needed, stocky flavour. Simple yes, and for chicken – dazzling.

A la Carte: Baked lemon sole, chorizo purée, poached octopus, warm anchovy vinaigrette, chilli, lemon £20

At first, I worried about a chorizo puree, that it might be an overpowering, a blinding mush which could mute the dish – but not this one; this one was delicately deployed, and is whipped as light as air. A citrus vinaigrette completed the colourful plate, with smoky flavours perhaps from the anchovies, and the chorizo. Judging by the redness, the slices of chorizo on the plate are the finest Iberico. Oh gosh.. the octopus.. it melts..it just melts…! It seems as if it had been poached ever so gently, or maybe injected with a disintegrating potion, whatever the case, the slithering texture was rapturous. The overriding theme to this dish seemed to be one of lightness. The fleeting textures, and flirtatious flavours chipped away at the palate, enticing and entertaining.

Finally, the fish itself was bang on the money, baked only ever so slightly under, with just enough natural juice to maintain the supple, flaky textures. I mopped up every last drop of the juice with the excellent sourdough, sending back a spotless plate as a compliment to the chef.

And to finish..

From the set: White chocolate brulee, Victoria plums.

A wobbly pannacotta (rather than a sugar topped custard), flavours of sugar, butter and milk balanced against some lovely caramlised plums. Great, long finish.

We finished with two coffees, and looked out the window and gazed into the distance of Regent’s Park. Strangely I felt a sense of calm, a rare feeling to come away from a London restaurant, which are usually turbulent. The final bill was £70.88, pretty good value really. In the two years York & Albany has stayed opened, it has enjoyed a sleuth of positive reviews, and I think it deserves the props. Most recently, Jay chose to dine here, to soothe his soul, after his mum’s passing, writing a heartfelt account of his experience. I offer my condolences, Jay and raise my glass to Claire.

Cooking is feminine and on point, flamboyance is allowed to trickle through, resulting in food that offers a sense of reprieve. I really enjoyed the lunch, and wouldn’t mind returning, I hear good things about the ten rooms upstairs (sans porn but wifi enabled), and of a sterling breakfast. Lately I’ve developed this nutty habit of looking to the choice of flooring to gleam whatever personality behind a restaurant, and Y&A has chosen to be finished with unpolished wood throughout: Naked, solid and weathered. And loved.

Put it on yer list.

The Gist.

York & Albany
British/Italian, £45pp
127-129 Parkway NW1 7PS
Tel: 020 7388 3344
Underground : Camden Town

Before Angela, after Gordon: Jay Rayner ; The Hardens ; Dave Sexton ; G.Coren ; No Red Meat ; Laissez Fare

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Wow, what great weather! It’s late september but summer has finally arrived. I knew it, all those months of rain and cold have finally given way to sunshine. I understand what global warming is doing to the world now – its pushing the seasons back a few months.

Its been a pretty hectic week so far, lots of updates and changes on the site, I’ve been busy contributing some of my stuff for metrotwin (you’ll hear more of this next week), and I finally completed my first wine post. Last week’s conquests included Great queen street and I settled for some nice gelato at covent garden. 

Here’s some of the stuff I’ve been reading about lately:

Alibi

Tony Naylor at word of mouth was writing about this new magic drink called Alibi which is marketed as an ‘active pretox drink’ that helps ward of nausea and headaches. So hangover medicine. I don’t really get drunk that often i must admit. The last time I was absolutely hammered was probably by eight (or was it nine?) shots of absinthe . I laid in bed for the whole day. It’s days like that which make me want to be a better man.

Menu Radar

I’ve been quietly following the developments at the Connaught. There has recently been a change of stewardship at the restaurant. The previous patron, Angie Hartnett, whom I have great respect (she’s really funny too I find) for, has moved to launched murano. It looks like a great place for her to explore her Italian roots. She’s still very much apart of the Gordon empire, I’ll have to come try this place someday soon.  

Back at the Connaught, young Helene Darozze’s menu looks and sounds great. She has this signature series section which looks good…

SIGNATURE
LES CHIPIRONS DE LIGNE…
sautéed with chorizo and confit tomatoes,
black and creamy “2006 Vintage” Carnaroli Acquarello rice,
Reggiano parmesan foam