The 4th choice by Annette was restaurant Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester. It was nearly 3 years since we last went to a restaurant with 3 Michelin stars – so thought it was time to add the 3rd one of these to our list. Also the restaurant was extremely helpful with the booking process – since I was travelling in Africa when the tables got released – but we managed to handle it all over email – so I didn’t miss out despite being away.
We started at The Bar at The Dorchester and for once we were really early so had good time to enjoy a few nice cocktails before dinner. When we were ready we got taken with the remain of our drinks to the restaurant where the first impression was that this was both elegant and spacious.
Tonight we had the choice between the Tasting menu or to choose 3 or 4 courses from the A la Carte menu. Here I think you see the difference between a restaurant with 3 Michelin stars and the ones with 2 or less – because the restaurant was totally flexible. We did not have to pick the same and if we wanted to change anything on the Tasting menu that was possible as well. Ingrid and I therefore went for the Tasting menu but both of us changed the fruity dessert with something more for the sweet tooth. The guys decided to do 4 courses from the A la Carte menu + the cheese dish.
The Sommelier helped us to pick some good wines and I got persuaded to try a French white, which actually grew on me and an Austrian red, which I found really interesting. Not sure I have ever tried an Austrian red before.
Before getting any of our food – they came out with a big bowl of some small delicious bread rolls. They were actually so good that we could not stop eating them – so the only minus was that we felt slightly full even before starting the dinner. However the dinner was really nice and I actually enjoyed most of the courses except that for the lobster dish both Ingrid and I thought the pasta was slightly under-cooked. I have no doubt it was cooked to perfection – but we liked it slightly softer – so told the head waiter and he got the chef to over-cook the pasta for us – the way we liked it :-).
Both Ingrid and Carlos got the BABA for dessert and when I saw they brought in the Rum tray and asked them to smell all the rums to decide which one they wanted for the BABA – I did get slightly jealous. However when I pointed out to the Head waiter that I would have loved one of the rums as a shot for my dessert – he of course sorted that our immediately without any extra charge – so a very nice touch.
For the first time Ingrid joined Carlos and I for the kitchen tour and we all 3 enjoyed meeting the team and get to talk to the Executive Chef Jean-Philippe Blondet. He of course knew we were the ones who sent his pasta out – but he did laugh and was still treating us nicely :-).
In the end of the night we got treated to both chocolates and macaroons but we were so full at that point that we got them to wrap most of it up for us. When we left the restaurant they also treated the ladies to a small box with some nice Chamonix cakes – so definitely has something for the sweet tooth the following day as well.
It was the most expensive bill so far – but for me the service really stood out and I think we all had a really good night. I have only got one minus, which have been the same for all the Michelin restaurants in the big hotels, and that is the toilets. First of all they are far away from the restaurant – but also you share them with all the other guests in the hotel – so slightly disappointing. Otherwise I was very pleased with my choice.
