Come Dine Round Mine part II

We would all like to write our own reviews in an ideal world. Can you imagine the stained laminated boastings of the greasiest of spoons declaring their deep fried mix grill to be the 'best in town' a 'culinary triumph' a 'well balanced interpretation of an old classic'. It may make for a more level playing field; everyone could have a crack at the RP whip and it could be a case of 'who dares wins' - sadly there is never enough space for all the food outlets to get a fair percentage of the market and the better places are sure to reign.

I am rambling far from the point of the this post which is to outline the menu for Come Dine Round Mine part II (CDRM). In relation to the inane sentences above i am not going to shake my adjectives and get down with the similes as it would be most innapropiate and with any luck we will have a diner review coming soon.

The menu (partially pictorially illustrated):

Olives and sweet paprika almonds

***


Spanish duck rillettes (pepped up with loads of cumin seed, fennel and thyme) with purple radishes and crusty bread

***

Sea bream with a vierge sauce (olive oil, lemon, chilli, mint, cherry tomatoes & spring onion) blanched fennel and a beet smash

***


Poached peaches and a Cava granizado - the mulling liquid is reduced further frozen and stirred until a sweet boozy slush is achieved.... works so well and is refreshing enough to leave room for cheese.

***

Cheese - Gorgonzola dolce, Stilton, Comte,

Independent diner review to come....

Morgan M


Morgan M’s Paradise Park location contrasts with its interior of green serenity. Stiff but slick dickey-bowed waitrons bow and nod when necessary and leave you just enough alone. The rather odd tribal wall hangings that also adorn Morgan’s business cards serve as a motif that seems to depart from the rather classic theme; nevertheless we were there for the food and décor caused little distraction.

Chef patron Morgan Meunier has been cooking this side of the channel for a while, he aided Alex Bentley in achieving his star and headed up the brigade in the Admiralty Restaurant at Somerset House. In 2003 he headed to Highbury and has been flexing his modern French cooking that tends to nod in an occasional easterly direction.

The summer tasting menu has six courses, three of which have two options. First up was slightly chilled gazpacho with an olive oil and tomato sorbet and a wafer tuille. On first gulp I noticed a distinct lack of chill but when the sorbet and its sliky partner got together out came the perfect temperature.

An exact terrine foie gras came next supported by confit of cherry and perfectly pickled chanterelles. Rather than detracting from the flavour and feel of the liver the terrine upheld maintained the deluxe ingredient which one has to look upon as a great treat.

Seared fillet of Red Mullet, a poêlée of razor clam with braised fennel and a saffron broth was definitely the most attractive plate out of the six. Elegantly sliced razor clam and tomato hammocked in the razor shell crossing the red blaze below. As perfectly cooked at the mullet was there seemed no hustling in the dish for first place. All three major elements sat together with out any agro as is the case with dishes that promote three distinct main players.

The monumental portion of lamb came two ways; the shoulder confit and a rolled more refined cut accompanied by a barigoule source, a time-consumingly prepared artichoke and the most stunning Israeli couscous. Not only was this dish massive in tasting menu terms there was so much there that I kept on forgetting what was going on as to heap it all on to one forkful would have been to detract from the separate elements. The couscous deserves a special mention; its pearl like appearance was at odds with the creamy smooth texture that surprised the mouth with a citrus zing and just anough of a savoury bite to balance the heavy intensity of the lamb. Chef Meunier’s generosity here was only matched by his presence at our table, a real treat that to my embarrassment was not awarded to any of the other diners.

I would have liked to have suck my spoon in to another portion of the couscous from the previous course rather than the rice pudding that came as a pre-pud. It wasn’t that the rise pudding wasn’t up to scratch or in anyway unappetizing I have never been a lover of the starchy delight so oft coveted. Still its appearance wasn’t out of sync with the chef’s elegant but practical skills.

Macerated strawberries, vanilla cream a perfect and tiny madeleine and meringue sticks was a homely ending to summer tasting menu. Summery and simple, crisp, sweet and icy and warm in its different components all led to a warm feeling of contentment and familiar satisfaction of the basics done really well.

At £48 excluding wine we are looking at good value for money compared with more central eateries of this calibre especially when considering the portion size. To give the place a more styled and slick interior would make it seem lost and out of place, and for this reason Morgan M’s is accessible, accurate and will hopefully be around for a while longer.