the greenhouse

we were invited for a dinner at this restaurant for the first time!
the entrance as a start was out of this world! very zein, and impressive!
the service is super impressive which makes you feel in amichelinstar restaurant!
i had the white aubergine as a starter and the pigeon as a main! not to mention the plates in between! and the deserts are to die for!

the greenhouse restaurant is a favourite of mine ever since arnaud bignon took over the stoves from antonin bonnet, who has returned to paris to head up his own venture, le sergent recruteur. bignon was recruited from spondi (greece) probably with the very aim of elevating the restaurant to 2michelinstar status – a feat which was achieved in 2013. coincidentally, i was dining here the same night that their new status was announced.

the greenhouse in mayfair offers unique and contemporary interpretation of the french cuisine. the entrance matches its name, just like you are entering into a garden.. unique to the place and different from other places i have went. the kitchen is lead by chef who was recently appointed the secondmichelinstar 2014, a big congratulations and after the meal i wasn’t surprise why they got it. the food is refine, modern, balanced and delcious. we booked for the set lunch offer on toptable and it was worth it… before we start a beetroot meringue filled with wasabi mascarpone was serve… airy, light and amazing wasabi and beetroot was a perfect combination. with this served to get ready for the main meal, let see what they have in the current set lunch.

first beetroot with capers, horseradish and smoked duck fillet and crab with coriander, rocket and artichoke. the beetroot was amazing.. fresh, sweet and slightly acidic married well with the horseradish with a hint of luxurious truffle and savour smoked duck.. i dish i just enjoy every single bite..the crab was fresh and sweet and the foam of rocket and artichoke adds that depth of flavour but the downside was the saltiness of the pasta which was abit too strong for me.

for mains its lamb with coconut rice and pineapple and whiting with curry, spinach and pequillos. the lamb was tender, savoury and still retain the lamb profile which amazing went well with the sharp and creamy tropical coconut rice…

the whiting was flaky, sweet and super fresh and the peppers and curry adds that nice heat and aromatic character.. the downside is i think a crispy skin would have elevated the fish and a little bit more curry would be perfect but overall a delicious, light dish. for dessert its cox apple with hazelnut ice cream, caramel crumble follow by their petite four. usually i’m not a big fan of apple crumble but this was delicious, tart apples cut by the slightly salty crumble and nutty hazelnut was perfect balance of texture and flavours….

the petite four were perfect in complimenting your tea or coffee such as the raspberry crumble, lime marshmallow, passionfruit jelly.

the greenhouse without a doubt deserve that second star, the dish had the right balance of flavours and texture… refine, simple and contemporary… with a set lunch at only £25 for three course is one place you must try when in london!

the greenhouse is a fine diningmichelinstarred restaurant in mayfair. it’s been on our list for a while so i thought it would be a good place to try for dinner during my gentleman companion’s birthday weekend. it’s down a quiet side street and you could easily walk past the entrance. walk through the gates however and you’re faced with a beautiful garden. it felt very fancy indeed. our welcome was warm from the ladies on the front desk and even though we were twenty minutes early we were shown straight to our table. the dining room was very formal; white table cloths, immaculately dressed staff and hushed tones from diners were all present. it was also very dark. for dinner the menu is far from cheap; we opted for the a la cart which was £75 for three courses. two tasting menus priced at £90 or £110 were also available – we’re talking serious money! three stunning amuse bouches got things off to a winning start. a beetroot meringue had a hint of horseradish, a long thin biscuit was t

words and photography by marina benjamin i first ate at the greenhouse in hays mews, mayfair back in 2003, when bjorn van der host presided over the kitchen. already the food was inventive, yet confidently simple, and anyone with a half-decent palate could see thatmichelinstars would soon be raining down on the forward-looking kitchen. one duly arrived that year, and its guiding rays have been drawing the well-heeled of residential mayfair though the greenhouse ’s unassuming wooden doors ever since. the décor, too, has moved upmarket, but without sacrificing comfort. cream leather chairs and banquettes are clean-looking and functional. and the glass-fronted installations of twigs, covering several walls, feel more arts & crafts than high art. the greenhouse is also pleasantly unstuffy. a relief to anyone who disdains those austere – and i think chilly – ‘cathedrals of food’ where no one speaks above a whisper for fear of attracting a glare from the maitre’d.   the night i went along

although i have been to the one-starmichelinrestaurant the greenhouse before, this lunch was my first visit since it was refurbished in january 2008. my previous visit was at dinnertime, and my memory of the restaurant was that it was rather romantic. h