Reviews Helene Darroze At The Connaught

Getting up close and personal with the lunch menu at 2 Michelin Star London restaurant, Helene Darroze at The Connaught. Helene Darroze was voted ‘Best Female Chef’ for 2015 at the World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards and has restaurants both in London and Paris. You won’t believe the dishes I’m served – combinations that are inventive, yet somehow strangely work!

Judging from the sample menu, it has a mixture of dishes in the manner of classic fine dining style as well as some global influence, such as the tortilla stuffed with chicken confit leg...

The idea for the Dimanche Poulet at Hélène Darroze at the Connaught came out of one of the side-effects of having your fine dining restaurant hosted inside a 5-star hotel. If you're a standalone operation like Gordon Ramsay on Royal Hospital Road or Five Fields, then you have the freedom to open Monday-Friday only and give yourselves a couple of days of well-needed rest on the weekend. And nobody at all will blame you for doing so. But hotel guests need feeding on weekends too, and refusing to do anything as ordinary (or, let's face it, English) as a usual Sunday roast, Darroze decided what she'd do is introduce Londoners to the joys of Landes chicken from her homeland of south west France.

The Connaught has always been one of my favourite hotels in London particularly because despite the ritzy ambience and sophisticated design, service really lies in the heart of everything they do. Plus, on a more personal level, the Connaught Bar plays a very strong martini game and they definitely have the best dirty dry tipple here.

Also, it introduced me to two rather inspiring women who, coincidentally, are proteges of the only three-Michelin starred chefs in London (Ramsay and Ducasse). Angela Hartnett’s Menu was my first favourite London restaurant until it closed when the hotel had a £70M refurb in 2007. When it re-opened, Hélène Darroze took over the kitchen and has gained two Michelin stars.

It's taken years of procrastination (and eating) for me to finally start this blog, what better way to introduce "I will be the judge of that" than with a Saturday brunch at Helene Darroze. Helene Darroze is a 2 Michelin Star restaurant located in the Connaught hotel. On Saturdays, the restaurant offers the ultimate weekend Brunch where starters and desserts offered are buffet style, while the main course is chosen from the menu, all for a fixed price. My boyfriend is a firm lover of hotel buffet breakfasts, so for his birthday, I treated him to the brunch of his dreams.

I went to Hélène Darroze last night hoping I'd still be able to say it is my favourite restaurant in London. I am happy to report I was not disappointed. This is definitely a well-oiled haute cuisine machine!

We were welcomed to our table despite a ridiculous delay due to the tube strike. The friendly French sommelier asked us to choose from five types of champagne by the glass (three white and two rosé). We went for one of the rosés, and it was a very pleasant way to forget about our traffic trouble. Our (French) waitesss arrived with the menu - an innovative affair that looks like a game of marbles. You are supposed to choose either five or seven (or, if you are brave, nine) of the main ingredients for so many courses on your menu. We were reasonable (for once) and went for the five courses!

The amuse-bouche consisted of a pea velouté, cheese croquettes (delicious) and a confit tomato tuile with freshly cut ham from the South West of France (where Hélène is from herself). They also have amazing artisan bread and two types of butter (one of them with chilli pepper!).

For our first course, my wife went for the caviar dish, which was nicely presented in a bowl with tiny beautiful garnishes, but we were unable to tell what they were, as they were quickly drowned in a sauce. My foie gras starter was beautifully presented and was also very tasty. It was placed in a jelly with cherries and wild berries.

For second course, we both went for the smoked eel - this was really good and we wished there were more of it!

My wife then went for one of Hélène's signature dishes: the tandoori scallop - a good size and beautifully presented. The spice was not overpowering, but you could certainly feel it.

My choice of lobster was a bit less inspired, not because of the lobster itself (a few nice pieces were served), but because of the garnishes (I'm not a big fan of vegetables on the best of days, but these were definitely not so impressive).

For the fourth course, we both went for the fillet steak (which is only served for two diners). The steak was beautifully cooked medium rare, cut in half at our table and presented to us with a minced snail crust on top, some extra snails on the side, fennel and a bordelaise wine sauce. This was all very very good.

Before our dessert, the waiter asked us if we wanted to add a cheese course - goat's cheese with honeycomb. We said yes, of course (who can resist cheese?), and,again, this was beautifully presented.

For dessert, my wife went for a decadent savarin with armagnac, and I chose the strawberry panna cotta (with rose jelly and lychee). We were also served macarons with salted caramel and blackcurrant jelly and some choux with a tonka bean cream.

The wine list is impressive, but we decided to follow the advice of our friendly sommelier and opted for two glasses of a beautiful Mosel riesling and two of a very nice Italian red, whose name I forgot. To finish it all off, while my wife was sipping on a fresh mint tea, I just had to have some of their fabulous armagnac (courtesy of another branch of the Darroze family).

The staff were all very attentive, chatty and friendly, and they also went above and beyond when I asked them for a painkiller for my terrible tooth ache. They did not find any at the hotel reception, but one of them returned a little later with a fresh box of ibuprofen from the pharmacy - amazing service.

This does not come cheap, of course, but it is definitely worth it for a special occasion (and ours was a double special one!)

Then, I moved on to the baked Eggs Benedict. The light curd-y texture of Espelette’s baked Hollandaise sauce was like a match made in heaven with these perfectly poached eggs and the fluffy, heavenly light English muffins. If you found this a little too c

Well I've only gone and found the best brunch in London. A bold statement, but allow me to explain.

The Connaught is a prestigious five star hotel nestled in a quiet corner of Mayfair Village and is home to the two Michelin-starred Hélène Darroze restaurant.

Each Saturday, in the dark wood panelled room with carpeted floor and Damien Hirst originals, you will find a feast available in the form of a buffet brunch. Or as I like to refer to it, 'two Michelin-starred all-you-can-eat'. Yes, you heard. I suspect this needs no further sell. But indulge me.

There are three courses to this exercise of epicurean endurance. The first and final course are self-serve buffets. Take any preconceptions associated with the dirty b-word, and along with those dark and lingering memories of the petite mort experienced the last time you overindulged at Mr Woo's £12.95 all-you-can-eat-MSG offering, lock them in the basement of your mind.

Instead take this word and elevate it to the highest pedestal in the land, because it's these dizzy heights of ingredient quality and exceptional front of house service we're dealing with. For your main (and middle) course, a menu is available to make a single selection from and this is prepared and delivered whenever you are damn well ready for it. No rush, no pressure. Just uninterrupted, unadulterated pleasure.

Pictures speak more than words can do justice to this meal, so I'll let them do most of the translation from the tangible we experienced to the viewable equivalent.

Starters

Charcuteries: Basque black pork from Pierre Oteiza; ham seasoned with Espelette pepper sliced 'a la minute' on the antique Berkel machine; saucissons; Jésus; chorizo (above).

Home-made pork terrines and galantines. Grilled vegetable antipasti and aubergine caviar.
Assortment of fresh salads including a Mariette with orange citrus dressing; Mesclun (small young leaves) with chervil; The “Connaught” Caesar with parmesan and anchovies; bitter chicory and Stilton.

My favourite was a beautiful pink beetroot and buffalo mozzarella of which I kept returning to.

Smoked Scottish salmon, smoked halibut and smoked eel with the choices of garnish from: capers, dill, spring onions, chives, confit tomatoes, olive tappenade, sour cream, Greek yoghurt.

Scrambled eggs with Royal Bortago (cured fish roe).

Recline and perhaps take a little stroll to the lobby and back for some tactical internal space making. Maybe order a pot of green tea to assist the digestive juices.

Ready for the next course?

Mains

From the main menu, both Matt and I initially ordered the braised Aberdeen Angus beef ox cheek burger, mounted by a saddle of duck foie gras. What red-blooded human wouldn't order that?

With the gathering benefit of hindsight realised half way through my second helping of starters, I decided to change to the oysters to ensure I had room for everything to follow. These were Maldon oysters from Kent served with shallot vinegar, apple and celery, lime emulsion, and French pork crepinettes (a type of flat sausage).

In all honesty, these were not the best oysters I've had (the reigning title holders are those from The Wright Brothers Oyster and Porterhouse), but I should have known better. As they say, one should only eat oysters in a month containing the letter 'r' to get them at their peak (i.e. September - April) and we are indeed a whole four days into May.

I doubt my palette is that attuned to the changing tides of seasonal produce, but I certainly found them lacking in that unmistakable flavour of the sea. But I find the slippery bastards difficult to resist when they flirt so outrageously with me from the menu. The hot porky balls of goodness served on a square of slate were delicious though.

The burger was delivered in a package smaller than a usual burger, a welcome sight after a no holds barred round of starters.

The braised cheek patty was thick and intense with the concentrated flavour from the prolonged low cooking and with the slab of fatty duck liver astride, the combination delivered wonderful rich and meaty flavours laced with a hint of iron, lightened by the small side salad that accompanied it.

In addition was a pot of chips which were essentially a single potato cut into four large wedges and an espresso cup filled with home made tomato sauce. Some might say the chips were an unnecessary addition to the already hefty burger bundle, but they went well with my oysters.

Other options from the main menu included eggs Benedict with York ham and black truffle from Perigord (£5 supplement); macaroni and cheese with an aged Comté and Bellota ham gratin; and a chicken based one I alas can't recall.

Dessert

You'll likely be a good hour and a half to two into this marathon by now. Hopefully you've paced yourself, strategically not filled up on the incredible breads, gone for a short jog around the block, and have room for yet more. And quite a bit more there is.

My third plate consisted of sourdough filled with hazelnut and raisins enjoyed with the assortment of cheeses, grapes and cubes of quince. Generous slabs of Manchego and Comté along trinket sized mounds of goats cheese. The nutty sheep's cheese of Manchego is one of my favourites and I indulged in a couple more visits back to the board.

A wonderfully friendly French man of statuesque Amazonian proportions guarded the dessert corner - tables laden with fresh fruit, cookies and cheesecakes, brownies and mini-cup cakes, poised ready to slice and plate up as small or large a portion as you desired.

But probably more importantly, he stood behind a large bowl of waffle batter and a waffle maker. Say hello to freshly made waffles with your topping of choice at the wink of an eye. Matt built up such a rapport with this gentleman that after a huge first portion, that was all the communication needed for a second plate of hot and quartered waffle excellence to be delivered.

Maple syrup and honey our drizzling of choice, but also available was quince jam, Greek yoghurt and more. The aroma of these freshly cooked permeated the whole room - if you didn't think you had any room yet, tap into the reaches of your second stomach for these.

Coffee

If you haven't already had your caffeine hit during this meal, now would be a good time. Short of injecting a double espresso straight into the jugular, you're going to need some help fighting the onset of fatigue induced by your blood directing itself straight to your gut by this point.

And all the espressos, cappuccinos, Americano's, flat whites, special blend teas and fresh juices you could possibly want come as part of the buffet brunch. The coffee was not only of superb quality, but served in beautiful Hermès crockery. The silver service and heavy deep-cut crystal water glasses were touches of finesse that helped sharpen the whole experience.

A special mention must be given to the front of house staff as they were without fault. From the maitre d', to the waiters, to the waffle man they were all attentive and smiling and raconteuring with the clientèle.

We were there for around three hours and at no point did we feel rushed - we were positively encouraged to make further visits to the buffet bars, frequently asked if we would like any further drinks, and I was fully indulged when I requested to photograph the displays with responses of 'please madame, of course'.

The whole experience as you would hope from a double starred venue was exceptional. A classy yet leisurely and informal way to start the the weekend.

The room quickly filled with an array of first time diners, couples on birthday treats, anniversary brunches, tourists, gathered families and morning shoppers alike.

My advice would be to reserve a table close to opening, request a paper from the lobby and savour the full term of the brunch. The hours of service are from 11am - 2.30pm. Our table was for 11am and we somehow managed to roll ourselves out at around 2.15pm.

When considering the quality and abundance of food on offer, the service you receive, the duration of the stay and the setting you're housed in, I regard this meal to be of exceptional value despite what may initially seem to be a hefty price tag.

The food consumed during this meal prevented me from feeling hungry again until around 8pm - and if you know me, that's saying something.

This makes a wonderful alternative to a dinner treat for someone close or for that special occasion. Who wouldn't appreciate such quality ingredients on tap, all morning long. What special Saturdays were made for.

Three courses £55.00
Three courses for children £39

Liked lots - quality of ingredients; impeccable service; unlimited tea, coffee and juice; unlimited starters and desserts; waffles made to order; the outstanding butter bread; grand setting; the beautiful Hermes crockery
Liked less - people on neighbouring tables chewing with their mouth open; the oysters
Good for - a special occasion; whiling away a Saturday morning; not needing to eat for the rest of the day

Last min. booking. They were very nice to try help me out even thru email only. Very quick respond to get u welcomed. Impressed. I asked the other 4 3 stars and they either don’t reply or not willing. To me, 3 stars but u still need to entertain people even u don’t care if they come or pay for it. So that’s a credit to them Atmosphere is great. Not grand but pretty neat and nice place. Comfortable and warm Staff as all smile and welcome u as a guest. Minor mistake on ordering but fixed. Food quality exceptional and high quality. I had 7 course pair with Champagne pairing Price is ok on the course U need pay more for food like Wagu Beef or the wine pairing which I didn’t read thru which at last surprised me However the Champage that they provide are high quality brand and year so u can say it worth that money in that hote or area U Will definitely get enough food on those portion I love this place and the nearby area. Great place to come I come for Lunch and already fully booked Thank you their staff to hold for me even I can’t get the secure booking thru Dinner are always full So pre book to don’t hesitate to call and ask

Every plate that came out had me saying 'yuuuum' with every bite. That doughnut canape to start was amazing! There was maybe one plate (John dory) that maybe needs a bit more work, I wasn't a huge fan but overall everything was very well executed. They were accommodating to my dietary requirements and amended the menu accordingly with no hesitation and we got a tour of the kitchens and met the chefs. There were a few little extra surprise dishes to celebrate our anniversary which was a nice touch, we left feeling extremely full. Yes the food is not new, challenging or reinventing the wheel but there's other restaurants/chefs for that kind of thing. You know what you're in for if you go here, the food is absolutely delicious, staff are friendly, not pretentious, overall better than our experience at Gordon Ramsay (sorry Gordon!)

Amazing experience!! I celebrated my birthday here with my boyfriend and we ordered the 7-course lunch tasting menu with classic wine pairing. They have a lot of wine pairing options to choose from and the sommelier was super helpful in explaining the details and rationale behind each selection. Apart from great food (traditional French cuisine with a modern twist), the service was exceptional. At first, we were seated in the main dining room but the neighbouring table was a bit noisy. The staff were helpful and considerate to move us to a private corner room which greatly improved our dining experience. They also offered 2 additional surprise courses which makes it a 9-course menu instead of 7-course. We have been to a lot of different Michelin stars restaurants all over the world and this is hands down one of our best experience so far!

Always so amazing!! The food is incredible of course, but truly the staff made the whole experience so unique and so memorable !! Whichever is the occasion to come and visit, you won’t be disappointed !!

We dined in the little room with darroze armagnacs and it was great. Really private and atmospheric. I added the caviar supplement dish and I was blown away

A sensational meal. From the moment we entered, attention was given to our every request. The atmosphere is very nice. Attentive waiters. The details of the dishes and ingredients are exceptional. A very good experience.

A full on experience on the chefs table! One single word cand describe the evening, exceptional! Attention to every single detail from the entrance to the end. A high end place where you will experience food at the next level. Food is presented as an art so you must expect something different than at your local restaurant.

The taste of summer menu was very good. Every course looked amazing. Service was amazing. Taste was good. My favourite course was the scallop. The only course that tasted average was the sardine course. Unfortunately I don’t eat raw food that’s why the chef had to cook the sardines. The sardines were not meant to be cooked as per the original dish. This is probably my fault. 🤣 I’m sure the raw sardines would have tasted great. Thanks to the chef for accommodating my dietary needs specially because I also don’t eat red meat.