Doubts About Wine Pairings. Michelin Updates. Critics and More.
Grace love Café Francois. Tim and Marina put on the Ritz. And Andy walks in The Park.
Hi, everyone. Greetings from the USA. I’ve been here for about 24 hours and already managed shrimp and grits. Things are going well. Some fascinating topics this week. Keep reading. I have questions.
Keep an eye out for this week’s feature: My latest Chat Over Lunch, this time with Tim Hayward from the FT. And it’s dirty.
Are Wine Pairings a Scam?
A provocative assertion from the Telegraph’s Ed Cumming: “After years of patient study, I have come to the conclusion that ‘the wine pairing’ is one of
the great restaurant scams, a ruse engineered to con unwitting diners out of paying for the meal twice over.”
I’ve had mixed experiences with wine matches over the years. Some have been sublime. At three-star Single Thread in California, the matches were stupendous and the wine far out of my normal reach. Expensive, but superbly paired. So the experience was worth it, adding meaningfully to the meal.
On the other hand, at three-star L’Enclume a couple of years ago, the matches were an unapologetic rip-off. A huge sum for mediocre wines that weren’t very well paired with the courses. The pours were tiny in spite of the eye watering cost, and there was never anyone around to do a refill. The experience was sufficiently frustrating that it interfered with the dinner.
Similarly, at two-star Story many years ago, the drinks matches were so weird and discordant that they actually wrecked the experience.
There was a time that I loved the surprise of a wine pairing and the promise of a good chat with a smart sommelier who might teach me something new. These days, I always ask to see the list of the wines in the pairing before agreeing to order it. I guess I’ve been fleeced once too often.
The World of Restaurant PRs
Here’s a topic that sits right at the confluence of Professional Lunch and my own Professional Life:
has an excellent interview with a group of the most significant restaurant PR consultants. They explore everything from how they select their clients to the voodoo of maintaining relationships with the top critics.My favourite bit is the discussion of influencers. Gemma Bell nails it for me:
My rule of thumb is if someone emails me wanting to visit a restaurant for free to go on Instagram, then I delete the email. They will always email saying can we collaborate with you or can we partner with you? What does it mean, ‘collaborate’? What you are asking for is a free meal or a free night in a hotel to post on your Instagram.
I worried a long time ago that the growing “industry” of influence was liable to consume itself — undermining its own authenticity and credibility — and I’m not sure there’s a better example than in the hospitality sector. I see so many people in Instagram and Threads just selling themselves for a free meal and a bit of cash, and I don’t believe that most of that content does any good for the restaurant or the influencers’ audiences.
Andy promises that this is part 1 of 2, so it’s worth subscribing to make sure you see the second part.
September Update is Big on Vegan Spots
Michelin is out with its additions to its UK Guide for September, and it’s heavy on veggie. Holy Carrot in Kensington leads the way with Plates in Shoreditch hard on its heels. The Park, Whyte’s, and Alsatian bistro July also make the cut.
The new UK & Ireland guide will launch at the end of January or early February, so we are right around the cut off point for places to open in time to make an impression and be awarded stars. For me, early front runners for those coveted stars include Roe, Camille, and Josephine Bouchon. We’ll find out in a few months.
Critics Wrap-Up
✍🏻 indicates a review that you should read for the writing.
🍽️ indicates a place that sounds excellent and is probably worth a try.
✍🏻 Tim Hayward (FT) continues his reevaluation of “fine dining” at the Ritz, joined by friend and fellow critic Marina O’Loughlin. “Every course was faultless, not a beat was missed. The menu comprised mainly ancient classics, but the invisible kitchen brigade reimagined each, fresh and bright.”
✍🏻 Grace Dent (Guardian) reviews Café Francois in Borough Market. She loved it. “As an all-day canteen that caters to the world and its dog from the nearby market, Café François is far better than it really needs to be, but this team are proud and diligent types, and far too good to allow their new place to be rubbish.” I tried Café Francois last week for a Chat Over Lunch with Tim Hayward from the FT. Report coming soon.
🍽️ Giles Coren (Times) visits Ambassadors Club off Regent Street. It’s the newest project of JKS, the team behind Gymkhana, Hoppers, and so many more. “Anyway, the food was great.”
David Ellis (Standard) aims to save Polish icon Daquise in South Kensington. “Over the years there have been fires, changes of ownership, imperceptible refurbishments, and countless menaces to its mere being. Another looms.”
Marina O’Loughlin (independent critic) heads to ABC Kitchens in Knightsbridge. “Loved the seriously good pistachios lacing the guac and the ceviche'd scallops that came with kohlrabi and shiso for wrapping, like a Peruvian riff on miang kham.”
Andy Hayler (independent critic) tries the Park, which I reviewed a few weeks ago. “As with most of the restaurants from this stable, the formula appears to be to offer a menu of classic dishes that people actually want to eat, served in an attractive dining room by well-trained staff. The food itself is not exactly an afterthought, but is not the key attraction.”
Gavin Hanly (Hot Dinners) goes to Wildflowers in Belgravia. “This gets a strong recommendation from us.”
Jules Pearson (LOTI) reviews Sael in St. James. “Sael is another hit for Jason Atherton, with one of those menus that reads so well and then delivers the goods.” I visited Sael this week and will publish my own review in a week or two. Spoiler: It’s good.
Chris Pople (Cheese & Biscuits) heads to Camille in Borough Market. Timely, given Rob’s write-up last week and mine a few months ago. “The menu at Camille is so enticing, with unusual eye-catching ingredients prepared in exciting and distinctive ways, that it's almost enough to spoil any other dining experience by default, and it makes you wonder if they can do it, why can't everyone else?”
Douglas Blyde (Drinks Business) heads to Petersham Nurseries in Richmond. “Ingredients are nurtured with care, while, as Giovanetti shared, wines are crafted with a deep, long-term respect for the environment.”
Steve Dinneen (City A.M.) is the latest to try Ibai in Farringdon. “Ibai is no steakhouse. It has the kind of menu that fills you with FOMO, practically forces you to over-order and all but guarantees you will return.”
William Sitwell (Telegraph) was in Oxfordshire. Charlotte Ivers (Sunday Times) was in Newcastle. Jay Rayner (Observer) was in Exeter. Tom Parker Bowles (Mail on Sunday) was in the Lake District. Nick Lander (jancisrobinson.com) reviews two more restaurants from his recent visit to India.
Thanks for reading this week’s update. Please weigh in on the wine match debate in the Comments. And subscribe if you haven’t already.
Thank you so much for the mention, I really appreciate it and glad you liked the piece. I'm editing part 2 right now and there's so much good stuff that I already have a bonus part three about the rise of Gordon Ramsay ready to go.
Very interested in your comments on wine pairings. I enjoyed the Ed Cummings piece and agreed to an extent but I think you are correct, when done really well (e.g. Moor Hall) it can add hugely to the enjoyment of the meal but too often there's just not enough effort put into them.