Apsleys

The notes below are for a meal in late 2009. 

The meal today was even better than my previous experience, perhaps suggesting that the kitchen is settling down. Breads (made on the premises) were a little better than last time. The olive rolls were still good, and today a bacon roll was enjoyable, as was thin, crisp flat bread (16/20).

Nibbles, including a pumpkin soup, were very good though not out of the ordinary (16/20). However a slow cooked duck with red cabbage and candied pumpkin had lovely deep duck flavour, the red cabbage providing an excellent earthy foil to the duck (17/20), Salt cod with buffalo ricotta and cherry tomatoes confit had nicely balanced tastes (16/20), Game ravioli with butternut squash cream featured superb pasta, the game flavour coming through strongly, the butternut squash cream providing a lighter contrast (17/20). 

Partridge crepinette with polenta included very carefully judged partridge, nicely seasoned (17/20). We then tried a rabbit ravioli with asparagus and pistachio, again the pasta delicate, the filling delightful (17/20). Roast pigeon was cooked pink, served with pearl onions and mustard seed sauce, the pigeon of good quality and the mustard seed sauce a nice balance to the pigeon (16/20). 

For dessert, creamy cheese cake with lemon ice cream was superb, with lovely texture and just a hint of acidity from the carefully controlled lemon ice cream (18/20). A dessert of a crisp chocolate dome with salted pine nut ice cream, garnished with a little gold leaf, was a wonderful example of how to make a chocolate dessert, with high grade chocolate, the salt of the ice cream just enough to bring out the flavour even further, without interfering with the main component (18/20). Coffee was of good quality, and petit fours were also very good (17/20). Service was excellent throughout; a superb meal.

Further reviews: 18th Dec 2013 | 21st Sep 2013 | 23rd Jul 2013 | 05th Apr 2013 | 09th Feb 2013 | 08th Oct 2012 | 01st Mar 2011 | 01st Sep 2010 | 01st Feb 2010 | 01st Sep 2009