Weekly Review: Dorian
An outstanding place to impress and be impressed.
Do we really need another review of Dorian? Must we retread this ground?
Well, yes.
Because we need to answer an important question: Can a ‘hot’ and ‘buzzy’ restaurant that attracts the Beckhams and other celebrities also be a good place for lunch with a colleague? Can a headline-seeking owner-run restaurant actually be a good place to eat? In other words, can a London hot spot also be good for professional lunch? I felt it was my obligation to find out.
So, let’s start here:
When Dorian was announced, co-owner Chris D’Sylva told the Standard that, “Notting Hill is my home. This is where my London roots are. We want Dorian to be an anti-Notting Hill restaurant for people that live in and love the area. It will be the place to eat at every day — as well as celebrating your most special occasion. I want it to feel like it’s been there forever.”
That sounds like it could be bullshit. After all, people are now crossing London in droves to try Dorian.
Except that my host for lunch a few weeks ago, who lives around the corner from the restaurant, had been there for dinner the night before.
And Dorian does feel like it’s been there forever. The decor is timeless. The vibe is pleasant. There’s a familiarity about the place that gets people talking with one another. By the end of our lunch, the two tables next to us were sharing their desserts and gossiping together.
The service was wonderful. It helped that my friend was a regular and knew everyone. The virtue of a neighbourhood place is that you do get to know the team, and they get to know you.
But Dorian isn’t just a neighbourhood place. As D’Sylva also told the Standard, “The team we’ve put together is phenomenal — they’re all embedded in the local community and are some of the most talented people I’ve ever worked with. They’re rockstars.”
That’s true. Head Chef and co-owner Max Coen was previously Head Chef at two-starred Ikoyi. He also did stints at two-starred Kitchen Table and three-starred Franzen. His deputy is George Williams, who spent a long shift at the River Café. Corbyn & King veteran Ben Whitfield managed the opening and built the front of house team.
With all of this pedigree, it makes sense that Dorian won a Michelin star about 10 minutes after it opened.
And Dorian is, without doubt, a great place for a professional lunch.
Because it is hip and fashionable, the menu changes every day. All of the food is for sharing.
But my friend got straight to the heart of the matter when we first set our mind to choosing: “Do you want to go big steak or not?” That really is the choice. If you go big steak, you’ll want to go lighter on snacks and starters, because Dorian’s take on a slab of beef is truly Flintstonian in its proportions.
I was eager to try the widest range from the menu that I could manage, and the pork and duck were both crying out for attention, so I suggested we skip the Brontosaurus sirloin and focus elsewhere. My friend readily agreed, and off we went.
I was told firmly that we had to start with rösti. And I am very glad we did. The red prawn and steak rösti was a work of art. It was also a stunning concoction born of true genius. The crab and broad bean rösti balanced the sweet crab meat oh so well with the savoury notes from the beans.
A salad from blood peaches kicked off the second round. Again, the dish was visually stunning, and tasted better than it looked. There was lovely beef tartare with homemade crisps. A liver parfait elevated a classic.
But the meaty mains won the day. The duck included a beautiful rare breast and a wonderfully cooked leg to gnaw on. The pork chop was merely dino-medium, so think Dilophosaurus instead of full Bronto. But it was charred and juicy and well seasoned and just perfect.
The desserts were so good that we demolished them before I could take photos. But the cream and strawberries were the highlight.
We enjoyed everything with a wonderful red Burgundy, picked from Dorian’s epic wine list by my friend.
The whole experience was a joy, and I would gladly return to Dorian.
From the perspective of a professional lunch, and in spite of its neighbourhood pretensions, Dorian is a show-off restaurant. It’s a place to take a potential client who you want to impress. Just getting a booking will be impressive enough. But if your guest likes food, wine, or people even a little, the experience will impress even more.
Quick hit: First rate food and drink in a welcoming atmosphere that’s sure to impress friends and colleagues.
Details: Booking essential (and difficult). Notting Hill. ££££.
Restaurant website. More on Instagram and from Michelin.
Find it on Google Maps. 105-107 Talbot Rd, W11 2AT.
Thanks for reading this week’s review. Have you been to Dorian? What did you think? Tell me in the Comments. And please subscribe if you haven’t already.
Lovely. Small note that George is not second in command. He left a while ago and is now co head chef at the fat badger.