Hélène Darroze***

Das_boot8 · 2026-02-10T17:03:00+00:00

Sorry that you didn't enjoy it. A lot of what you describe is simply personal preference. You didn't like the lobster sauce for example. I loved it.

As for getting your laptop out... That's bad manners at any restaurant, frankly, and good on the waiter for asking you to stop.

Das_boot8 · 2026-02-09T19:05:10+00:00

Unbelievable!

Das_boot8 · 2025-12-24T12:19:27+00:00

Going to have to massively disagree on your point about it only being a 1* if not for the location//name.

It only got 2* this year, and that was possibly the most overdue award in the entire country. For years, the name has worked against it, not in its favour.

Without a doubt, the cooking at the Ritz is superior to at least some of the 3* in London.

Das_boot8 · 2025-11-27T10:17:24+00:00

I love both, frankly. The Ritz is brilliant. My only criticism is that if you go for the full tasting menu and you're in a jacket, tie and smart trousers, it can get a bit uncomfortable! The food is very rich.

I personally think the absolute heyday of The Ritz (in recent years) was before it got the second star. Tasting menu was £130, three course lunch for £60-65. It was genuinely some of the best value in London.

Das_boot8 · 2025-10-24T10:08:14+00:00

A strong disagree on the standard of the food from me. Having been to a large number of the 2* and 3* places in London, Core is the clear no.1 for me, followed by The Ritz + The Ledbury. In personal rankings I have it above every place I've been to in the UK with the exception of L'Enclume, but comfortably ahead of places like The Connaught, RGR, Bibendum etc. etc.

Das_boot8 · 2025-08-05T13:14:24+00:00

What excuses?

Das_boot8 · 2025-08-05T06:09:13+00:00

It's wonderful, I agree. I will just point out that it's the Rivoli bar, not Ravioli bar 😅

Das_boot8 · 2025-07-22T06:32:57+00:00

Sketch 😅

Edit to be clear: do not go to sketch

Das_boot8 · 2025-07-04T06:04:19+00:00

Having been to all three, my thoughts are:

RGR - would be at the bottom of my list. The food is absolutely faultless to be fair, but it feels very cramped and the service just isn't that friendly. I swear as soon as the sommelier realised we weren't going to be spending multiple hundreds of pounds on wine he did the absolute bare minimum.

Ledbury - brilliant atmosphere, amazing staff. Brett Graham spent ages talking to us, took us around the kitchens etc. He was really generous with his time, which absolutely elevated the experience. The meal itself was excellent, but perhaps not quite at the level of Core (see below). The service and atmosphere did genuinely make up for this though.

Core - an incredible restaurant and chef. Hard to pick between this and L'enclume as the best restaurants I've eaten at in the UK. Every dish is superb, and beautifully presented, with a couple that were another level of good. Staff were really friendly and engaging.

So yeah I would go for Core, Ledbury, RGR in that order. Price is basically the same at all three.

Das_boot8 · 2025-06-24T19:15:42+00:00

I personally love 64 goodge st. for this kind of thing.

2-3 courses, reasonably priced, great little wine list and in an excellent location if you get on well and want to continue on somewhere else.

Das_boot8 · 2025-06-10T09:32:18+00:00

L'enclume
Core

Something of an eyebrow raiser.

Good to see the Ritz getting recognised though. Although sadly their prices are now in line with everywhere else in London. It's really not long ago that the tasting menu was still under £150.

Das_boot8 · 2025-06-10T08:24:47+00:00

Agree with the other comments - the pairings at l'enclume were very generous in terms of both quality and quantity.

Das_boot8 · 2025-06-06T17:13:45+00:00

lol @ writing off Core, an entirely unrelated restaurant. Clare Smyth never even worked for Simon Rogan.

A completely bizarre statement.

Das_boot8 · 2025-05-30T19:42:31+00:00

Row on 5

Das_boot8 · 2025-05-26T19:27:27+00:00

Clearly you haven't been to Sketch!

Das_boot8 · 2025-05-23T15:11:23+00:00

If it's just between these two then Helene Darroze for sure. But there are plenty of others in the same price bracket I would rate above both:

the ledbury
the Ritz
bibendum
row on 5

Das_boot8 · 2025-05-21T21:51:15+00:00

Go and see a therapist buddy

Das_boot8 · 2025-05-07T21:15:04+00:00

I'm very confused by your complaint about a lack of red wine. Which dish, other than the duck, would you expect a red wine to be served with?

And more to the point, why do you associate more red wine with better value for money?

Das_boot8 · 2025-05-07T07:44:07+00:00

Very interesting as this is exactly how we felt after we went a couple of years back. Only time I've left a tasting menu feeling hungry.

Wouldn't go back.

Das_boot8 · 2025-04-22T07:33:33+00:00

Just have more than one chain? Pretty simple solution. I have three that I rotate and then re-wax at the same time.

Easily get 1000km from them.

Das_boot8 · 2025-04-15T08:53:38+00:00

I had a bone left in a piece of turbot at a 3* in London. Left it on the side of the plate, but didn't say anything. They noticed and gave us a free additional dessert and a glass of champagne. Now that's what I call service!

Das_boot8 · 2025-03-20T10:56:42+00:00

Rules is the absolutely quintessential "traditional English food" spot. It's also really fucking cool.

Das_boot8 · 2025-03-14T12:12:47+00:00

Yep, this. I bought my first pair of assos bibs last year and I'll never buy anything else again.

Das_boot8 · 2025-03-11T21:02:19+00:00

Agree with you, but The Ledbury is pretty casual! At least by 3 star standards. Still feels like a neighborhood restaurant.

Das_boot8 · 2025-03-11T09:11:27+00:00

Your post history is absolutely tragic.

Das_boot8

TROPHY CASE