Never heard of him. Apparently something to do with a TV show I’ve never watched. His food is deftly designed and presented with flair and humour. We had the celeriac with truffle -fantastic, bread presented with chicken skin butter (why not) agnolotti with mushrooms covered in foam, monkfish with puréed carrot and grouse!! It was Grouse!!
Apparently the chef of Frog is somewhat of a celebrity. Having placed as a runner-up in MasterChef, Mr Handling did what any self-respecting competitor had to do, open his own restaurant. This is how I ended up in version 2, based on the strident endorsement of a friend of a friend, dangerous people those are. The problem with such tangential relationships is that accountability is somewhat far away. On such occasions, if things did not go as well as I hoped, retribution (or at least harsh words) would be difficult to deliver.
This lovely restaurant is a gem in London. see how a great chef cooks your food before your eyes, it's incredible. Amazing food, full of new flavors and very original. I recommend a visit to all lovers of good food
It was the best restaurant I have ever gone to. The theme of using leftovers and 'having a bit of fun with it' was really creative and good for the environment. The snacks and the non-main course dishes they offered and the idea of 'taking you along the UK' (all sorts if food found around the UK) was extremely creative. The presentation of the food was nice, the atmosphere, attitude of the waiters, and everything was perfect in general. I will come back again to eat! P.S. The head chef is good looking.
Absolutely incredible! One of the best meals I've ever eaten, in a wonderful setting with the most wonderful service and an amazingly talented kitchen team. The scallop dish was probably the best plate of food I've eaten. Absolutely magical. Can't recommend them enough!
We had the most wonderful meal. We felt so relaxed enjoying the amazing flavours in the beautiful setting. As a vegetarian I was very impressed that every dish was both absolutely delicious and completely different. Often vegetarian tasting menus rely very heavily on mushrooms, but yours was so much more. And it perfectly matched the meat tasting menu my friend had. However what really blew us away was the exceptional service and kindness. Accommodating our theatre trip was like nothing we had experienced before and we were so grateful. We can’t wait to come back!
British nose-to-tail cooking at its very finest, Adam has constructed a line up of low-mileage delights that surprise and delight at every corner and will leave you feeling stuffed to the brim with creativity, technique and dollops of flavour.
Special attention goes to the service, which was the very best combination of respectful, empathetic and engaging. It is refreshing to go on a fine dining experience and instantly feel that every single member of staff is equally passionate and proud about the project, and not shy to share their enthusiasm.
The cocktail bar downstairs is a great place for an after-dinner drink. The cocktails are inspired by (and largely made from) the cut offs out of the upstairs kitchen, while the staff here is equally at tentative, even at midnight on a Saturday.
This is pricey eating, but for a very good reason.
Wow what an excellent experience! Everything was perfect from top to bottom, service was great, food was amazing, my allergy was also addressed properly. I'm not a super fan of fish in general but I gotta say, every dish was proving me wrong. Attention to detail is the key to describe the evening, from the graphic design of the menu to the ceramics and plating. The open kitchen is great to watch and they are very quiet. The only small downside was the mocktail olive garden which to me was too olive-y and I couldn't drink it. Atmosphere was nice but maybe the lighting and decor could use some more work to increase the cohesiveness of the experience!
Overall, I would definitely go back!
It was the most amazing day at the restaurant. The food was absolutely sensational and the staff were beyond helpful. Me and my now Fiancé had such a special day in the restaurant and it'll live long in our memory for so many reasons - the food, the staff, the atmosphere. The attention to detail was simply magnificent. The best meal of my life. The Egg was my fiancés fav and mine was the scallop. Indescribable 😋 👏
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What a fabulous evening. Our favourite restaurant is Core by Clare Smyth and we have been looking for a restaurant that could come close to their standard of dining. The Frog has come the closest to achieving that. The food was absolutely outstanding. The tasting menu has optional extras (for an extra charge) which we didn't choose and didn't need. The snacks at the beginning were a highlight, as was the chicken, and the way petit fours are offered is a nice touch. What I also really loved was the way the dining is organised. Every table faces the open kitchen and so does every chair so every guest can enjoy watching what's going on. So many times one of us is facing a wall so I thought this was an excellent touch.
Service was great from Annie (?), more casual than other fine dining restaurants we have been to. We did have to wait a few minutes for our wine to be topped up though by the sommelier.
Only slight gripe re the wine - the first bottle we chose was out of stock, the second bottle, we were told there was only one left , and the third bottle , again the last one (although we wouldn't have gone for another one) it's clear that they don't carry much of the cheaper bottles.
We are coming back for a special birthday in November and can't wait!
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Fun and filling! 9/10
*Edit: upgraded to 5/5 stars. Still 9/10.
*an aside: I personally did not pay for my meal.
Ambience:
As far as trends go, the interior of Frog is very much following current styles with its mid-century modern designs and beige/dark green/millennial pink color palette
Although not wholly original, its execution of decor is top notch and incorporates the namesake of the restaurant in themes of nature and its emphasis on sustainability.
There is an open kitchen concept where you can see the staff preparing your dinner, but it was still relatively quiet.
Service:
Our main server, Florin, hopefully I'm spelling it correctly, was amazing. Knowledgeable, professional, and attentive.
There was a small hiccup with our main course options, but before we could even tell her it was totally fine and ok, she immediately rectified it. She went above and beyond my expectations!
Food:
Be prepared to spend at least 3 hours for dinner. You definitely get more than enough to eat and nearing the end we were already stuffed. Efforts on sustainability was shown throughout the menu.
Starting with some misses, some dishes didn't work out the way it intended for me. One was the crab and elderflower jelly tart. There was nothing wrong with the flavor, but the tart "shell" was incredibly chewy and made me question if I had eaten an inedible paper cup the shell was baked in as I had already finished eating the filling and was left chewing the shell.
Another was the mackerel and snow. The concept was interesting, and I love mackerel, but the acidity of the "ceviche" flavored snow overpowered everything else in the dish. The snow was also very coarse and the coldness just amplified the unpleasant mouthfeel.
The soup dish was another that left me wondering how it could have been better. The flavor was too raw and herbaceous, and coupled with the foamy and crunchy mix of textures, it was not my favorite.
My favorite dish by far, however, was the "leftover" Monday roast chicken sandwich. With the hot sourdough loaf, exceptionally savory but not overly salty chicken, butter, and amazing liver spread, it was a dish that I could eat over and over again.
I had the pigeon for my main course and it was perfectly tender, but firm enough to give it substance. Paired with a nicely charred hen of the woods and the pleasant bitterness of the black garlic sauce definitely hit the mark.
I loved the woodruff and blackcurrant dessert. It was beautiful and everything about it just worked. Greatly balanced between the fruit and the sorrel ice cream. My first bite and my eyes instantly lit up on the perfect way to end this meal.
Overall, this experience was a 9/10. Great concept highlighting modern British seafood and cuisine.
I went for a solo experience. I was quite grateful to the wait staff who served me. He made me feel at home.
The course was super long and the portion was really generous. Overall, the food was good and the service was on point.
The only thing I didn’t quite enjoy was the roast chicken with bread. 😂😂😂
Well. What an experience that was. Superb drinks at Eve bar. Had the Bone Veal martini. Nice!
Went into the restaurant after drinks. Food was immensely enjoyable. Staff were super friendly. Kitchen staff again working away producing some real works of art. So delicious and delightful.
Adam was there and he very kindly agreed to have a photo with us and the kitchen staff. George the restaurant director was really welcoming and knowledgeable. Made us feel very comfortable.I'd Recommend this establishment to anyone. A great night by all accounts.
Enjoyed very much!
We will definitely be back again.
Staffs- extremely friendly, attentive and great knowledge of their foods. We had a bit of special requests due to the pregnancy, they were very positive and suggesting different options.
Foods- where can i start. Every single dish we had, could tell that chefs puts a lot of thoughts into it. Also the order of overall tasting menu was well programmed that compliments each dishes. Not to mention the beautiful presentation.
Cleanness- very clean everywhere.
They were very accommodating of our dietary needs. Presentation was great. Food was as good as I’ve ever had in a British-centered restaurant.
What an experience! Sitting at the chef’s counter certainly added to the excitement of the evening. The tasting menu is the way to go. The continuous plates along with the highly knowledgeable staff and sommelier offering wine pairings was a perfect dance. Each dish tapped into my senses, an array of colors, smells, and textures. It was a treat!
Family meal downstairs in a private room. Outstanding food. I thought the tasting menu looked a bit boring, but everything was great. They really know how to make things look and taste incredible. Our lovely Moldovan host was fantastic and explained everything beautifully. I even ate the broccolli paste and I HATE broccoli!
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It’s not dinner, it’s an experience.
Friendly welcome, service on point throughout, great aromas, beautiful furnishings and this is before you’ve even sat down.
The food is unreal with flavours igniting every inch of the palate as you’re lead through a story of cuisine narrated by a remarkable chef.
Adam Handling is very much present and enjoys what he creates - it’s evident and playful, smart and thoughtful. Carefully selected ingredients and the constant thread of nothing being wasted is subtly mentioned throughout. Adam is on hand to talk through his creations with his guests and expedite - he makes it all look easy but in reality, the swans legs are kicking underwater.
The whole thing is theatrical and well thought out. Liquids extracted from an unassuming table plant, popping candy fizzing away in your mouth.
The sommelier Nadia is fantastic. A beautiful champagne was ordered twice it was that good! Her up selling and knowledge were phenomenal. Staff are impeccable.
The ONLY thing I would change is the artwork. I understand he is celebrating London and of course, art is down to personal taste but the pieces picked were to mine.
Still didn’t lose a mark though!
Special occasions, a dinner adventure, once in a lifetime - go.
Truly an experience of a lifetime. The food was sensational. Almost perfect - only 1 or 2 dishes that I felt were not. The decor of the restaurant is beautiful - understated and cool. Celebrating Britishness. Adam was working front of kitchen so it was great to be able to see him. The service was absolutely fantastic. So attentive and we had lots of really nice conversations with different waiters. Incredible choice of champagne too from the sommelier. A very special experience for me.
We enjoyed a fabulous tasting menu tonight. Everything was delicious and artfully presented, along with tips as to how best to enjoy each course. The wine pairings were excellent and described in great detail by the sommelier.
Though each individual dish was small in size, the flavours were varied and complementary, and there were enough courses presented that you will not leave hungry.
The atmosphere in the restaurant was lovely and I wouldn't hesitate to go back for a special occasion.
This place blew my mind!!
This isn’t just a restaurant with amazing food, limited yet well selection of wines, smiles at every person working there, smart casual yet elegant…in this place, everything has a story, every item participates of the adventure of the tasting menu including your flower arrangement by the table!! Focus on zero/minimal waste, everything is utilized throughout your courses. I simply cannot fault anything, every detail of every dish, the food makes you live a private story that translates the passion of everyone involved making the night of guests, like myself, not just special but unique!
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