Once sat down, an amuse bouche arrived to whet our appetite and after a further fifteen minute wait my Negroni finally arrived. I hate to complain about time, especially if the wait ends up producing something that wasn’t worth the time – but actually the Negroni here at Roux was absolutely stunning. Very strong but just the way i like it. That and a bread selection with some addictive salted butter helped settle us in to our meal. Subsequently filling us up before we even made it through to our starters. Only I’m to blame for that.
A classic Paris mushroom soup was served with a little creme fraiche and hint of nutmeg. Soup is a very underrated dish, if done right it can easily be the best part of your meal. Filling, smooth and punching a strong condensed mushroom flavour. Beautifully light and aerated, with the creme fraiche only helping it to soften it up even more. A very classic soup that was perhaps not pushing any boundaries or technicalities but you couldn’t fault any element of it. Portion size was perfect too.
Our other starter arrived but resembling the size of what we thought was a main course, it was enormous. A large piece of seared salmon was coated in toasted sesame seeds and cooked very well. A spoonful of Japanese rice was incredibly dull and as a starter really wasn’t needed, or even added anything else to this dish. Peas and pea puree on the other hand not only added some much needed vibrancy but also a lovely delicate flavour to it all. Still by this point we were already getting full up.
The glazed collar of Lincolnshire pork with a gooseberry compote, runner beans and gravy was another heart stopper – in its size at least. Another huge pile of food that was incredibly heavy, rich and actually quite simple. The meat cooked well, was soft and tender. The gravy was actually the best part of it all with a lovely deep and meaty flavour. Peas were nice, gooseberry compote perhaps a little weak for this dish but otherwise an enjoyable plate of food. The only problem we’d had was that given the prices charged here at Roux – we were really struggling to get excited.
The favourite of the dinner here at Roux at the Landau was this grilled and confit rabbit leg with carrots, saffron cracked wheat and pistachios. The meat was beautiful, shredding at the touch of a fork and as juicy as duck could possibly be. The thing that really brought this dish together was the element of saffron. It gave a lovely pure, clean and fresh element to it, but with that touch of finesse and intensity. The pistachios didn’t really add much to the dish but at least added offered another texture. Dollops of saffron sauce and a little gravy – i struggled to fault pretty much anything about this dish, much like my soup.
Cheese course, which we didn’t need but of course couldn’t resist. Was an epic choice. A huge trolley with well over twenty varieties, quince, bread, crackers and a lovely selection of after dinner drinks. My favourites being the rich and nutty Livarot. Pure and earthy Saint Maure and a sublime crystallised and gorgeously flavoured Comte. A stunning selection which came very close to becoming one of my favourites, it just needed a couple more accompaniments. I’m still yet to have another cheese course like the one i ate at Avante-Garde in Eindhoven.
Portion sizes never ceased to amaze me here in Roux at the Landau. Every dish that arrived was oversized, although my photos don’t really give that away. Our dessert of caramelised banana and lime shortbread with milk chocolate and malt ice cream arrived looking like a piece of art on a plate. As complicated and as technical this dish looked, it was surprisingly simple in flavour and actually some areas of it were a little weak. Such as the banana filling inside the sphere didn’t have quite enough depth, and something on this plate was quite bitter – i couldn’t quite put my finger on it.
Roux at the Landau was possibly one of my most curious meals this year. For some reason i thought it had a Michelin star, and an abundance of AA rosettes but in fact it didn’t. It had no stars, and oddly only one AA rosette – even the most simplistic of restaurants manage that. One thing i did discover is actually there’s a reason why this restaurant, in a gorgeous grand dining room hasn’t manage to gain it’s star yet, and it’s solely down to the food. Good as it is, it isn’t always carefully plated, portion sizes are out of sync and the food feels more like brasserie dining. Maybe Roux isn’t after a Michelin Star. While as much as we enjoyed our food here, and the excellent service there still remains a problem in the way – the price. Food here is priced at the level of one or two Michelin star restaurants, which is a lot for a meal which could be taken elsewhere in Marylebone at a higher level, but lower price point. I think the prestigious hotel and Roux name behind it adds a supplement.
7/10
