ANGELUS – Chef’s Table (take 3) London, UK 0

Yep – this was our 3rd time back to the Chef’s table at Angelus – time 1, I’ve written about, time 2, I didn’t (was good, but not amazzzzzzzing, and I couldn’t be bothered) but time 3, this time, well there was no way I wasn’t going to!

It wasn’t really a case of 3rd time lucky, as we hadn’t been ”unlucky” the first 2 times, but it was certainly a case of ”3rd time was the best time” – not that that’s even a saying, but that just sums it up!

The first time we went with 6 people, the second time with 5 and the3rd time with 4 – and I think this, along with several other factors, which we’ll get to in a second, made the experience more pleasant. If you’re going to do the Chef’s table – do it with 4.

Chef Martin Nisbet is still on top of his game – he runs a tight kitchen – like clock-work,  no messing about and you can almost feeeeeeel the efficiency in the air (if that’s possible), however, those dining in the space, and believe me, you are IN the kitchen, still feel extremely relaxed and comfortable as you sit and watch in amazement, the magic taking place.

We start with a quick drink in the bar. Husbies and I await our guests with butterflies in our tummy…..we’re always excited to bring people here as we never tell them that we’ll be eating in the kitchen and we love the look on their faces as they enter it! Guests arrive, hugs all ’round we have another drink and we are then escorted down the stairs. Our friend John says ”Ah…where are we going?” and Husbies replies ”We’ve got to check out the kitchen to make sure it’s ok before we eat here”. John being too polite to question tentatively says ”Ok.” Anyway – once the kitchen door flies open and we get warm and friendly G’days (well, not quote g’days but greetings) from all the kitchen staff, we are sat at a wooden table, in the kitchen and then it all clicks.

Chef Martin comes over, says hi to us and introduces himself to our friends. He is very cool and calm with a great Scottish sense of humour, making all feel at ease, in what is often not an ”at ease” environment (anyone ever watched ”Hell’s kitchen???”) His ego is almost non-existent and he tells us that it’s nice to be surprised by the courses, so he won’t run through what we’re eating in one hit, but rather as each course comes out. Suits us.

Husbies orders some wine, apparently a really nice one, (as if I’d know) and it’s emptied into a fancy decanter (is that what they’re called) to air or something – this is a PHOOD blog, not a wine one – but even knowing nothing about wine, all this decanter business just adds to the ‘special feeling’ that I have.

Course one arrives – Vol-au-vent (small, hollow case of puff pastry – like a basket) filled with creamed leeks and snails – ok, now wait a second. You know from reading this blog, that whilst I do enjoy a fancy meal every now and then, some of the most glowing reviews on this site are from our local Lebanese and Pizza take-aways – so don’t go thinking that I’m some snails on toast 5 nights a week kinda bird. In fact, before this meal, I’d never had snails in my life….BUT…….I can genuinely say, this was one of theeeee most DEEEEEEELICIOUS things I have ever eaten! The snails had been cooked through obviously then pan-fried in oil and garlic and then added to the rest of the content of the vol-au-vent. Didn’t leave a drop on my plate – nor did my companions.

Course 2-  Poached Halibut with Roast frogs legs – *sigh* I shall start with the fish – well ….. it is actually beyond me how any individual can cook a piece of fish as perfectly as this halibut was cooked. It must have been poached, probably in milk but it was done to freakin’ PER-FEC-TION – honestly, the most perfectly cooked piece of fish I have ever eaten. Now my memory escapes me – which is why I should write these review straight away – but anyway – it was served on a sauce, maybe a chervil jus or something….with…..FROGD LEGS – again – same as the snails – hadn’t had them before – LOVED THEM – they were delicious – roasted again with oil and garlic and maybe some herbs – tasted like a cross between scallop and chicken- ahahahaha – laughing at myself – THAT sounds disgusting – but it wasn’t I promise – and I was soooooo glad that I was served it in this situation as there is NO WAY I would have ordered it and I definitely would have been the one missing out – haymazing!

Semi Course 3 – Pigs Trotter – by now some of you probably think this is a joke – how can I explain that it’s not!!!!!! Chef Martin was kind enough to offer us a little intermediary course just to let us all taste something that none of us had tasted before – PT’s!!! AND YES – AGAINNN – out of this world deliciousssssssssssssss!!! Basically looked like a small creme brulee ie 1 inch high, round, kinda like a terrine looking thing, but hot, a bit gelatinous, all the meat had been removed from the trotter, cooked, re-sealed – oh gosh I don’t know how to describe it – but it tasted like a cross between honey roasted Christmas ham and pork belly mmmmmmmmmmm!!!! We had a fork-full each and moved on to……

Real Course 3 – Beef Cheeks with Red Wine sauce and Caramelised Onion Mashed Potato – triple quadruple sigh like never before – the cheeks had basically been cooking for a thousand years, not only did the meat fall apart when you simply looked at it, but when you put it in your mouth it was like silk, just slid down, soft as , well soft as, oh gosh I can’t think of something as soft as it but I think this was probably the highlight of my food-night. I should say I THOUGHT that was the highlight of my food night, because what I tasted next could easily make a grown man cry. Caramelised onions had been somehow incorporated into the creamiest, lightest, fluffiest, satin-like mashed potato I have EVER eaten. mmmmm – mmmmmm – truly truly scrumptious. Chitty chitty bang bang style, for you fans.

Course 4 – Dessert platter consisted of:-

Pistachio ice cream – My worst nightmare…..normally and Husbies’ fave…….normally – but tonight – my fave AND Husbies’ fave – absolutely haym – really subtly flavour, sat on a bed of crushed sugared biscuit and surrounded by candied pistachios – mmmmmmmmmmm!

Salted caramel mousse – I can’t remember the last time I’d had salted caramel – but I do remember that I disliked it – AGAIN – not tonight! Delicious – tiny tiny log of mousse – the size of a matchbox and just the perfect balance of sweet and salty!

Chocolate fondant – Had it here last time, a classic, always perfectly volcanic in the centre and rich and crunchy on the outside – not a hint of it remained on my plate – on any of our plates.

Course 5 – Petit fours – Marshmallow, Madeleine’s, Choc truffles, Mini Sugar Biscuits – all delicious, but after the dishes described above these were certainly not features ….. just a gorgeous little ending to the perfect meal.

*Deep breath* – look, what more can I say, I’d go again, and again, and again, and again to infinity. Not only is it a fun, theatrical night out but the food is always first first FIRST  class, the service is fantastic and the atmosphere is truly just totally buzzing.

I said it last time and I will say it again, ONYA ANGELUS!