Hibiscus London
We were unable to go to Claude and Claire Bosi’s Hibiscus in Ludlow this year - because they’d closed down in April and moved to Mayfair, opening on 24th October. So we booked ourselves in for a Wednesday night in mid-November, and took the train down to London for what we expected to be our culinary highlight of the year.
And it didn’t disappoint.
Although in an urban setting a few metres from Regent Street, the atmosphere in the new Hibiscus is similar to the old location in Ludlow’s Corve Street. The new restaurant has similar oak panelling, neutral colours and familiar glass plates and white crockery. The welcome is friendly, including from Claire Bosi who manages front of house efficiently.
But while the atmosphere is relaxing and welcoming, the food is the real star:
Cheese choux pastries
Amuse bouche: Hibiscus & elderberry soda
Cornish crab, avocado, apple jelly
Lamb sweetmeats (yes, testicles), tartare of oyster & sweetcorn
A strange combination of tastes, adventurous and not really to my taste!Mortimer Forest venison, chocolate sauce, foie gras ice cream, cabbage puree, potato and chestnut gratin
The undoubted star of the meal - the venison was meltingly tender, and the potato and chestnut gratin was a gorgeous combination of creamy flavours.Cheeses: 3 French, 2 English, eaten in a particular order from strong to creamy.
Pre-dessert: Granny smith jelly with lemon grass foam
Hazlenut mille feuille, butternut squash and pine nut ice cream, mango jelly
Apple tarte tatin, ginger and lentil ice creamCoffee & petit fours
While both the service and the food were excellent, there were some (very minor) disappointments compared to our previous (5) times. The basket of three home-baked breads has been replaced with a basket of a single sourdough; there was no home-made chutney with the cheese; no madeleines with the petit fours. But these were really minor, and I hope that Hibiscus gets it’s two Michelin Stars back in it’s new location.
John | Food, London, Restaurants