THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
A night at the theater and fine dining don't really mix. Unless you're attending a 90 minute amuse bouche of a play (and there is the odd one) you really must choose one or the other. The options generally are a hurried pre theater or, if you live entirely for pleasure, a late supper at 23.00. Since Covid, with staff in short supply, the latter is a diminishing option. You're most likely to face a chorus of "we're closing now" if you even try to get food after 22.30.
So, the distinguished chef Tom Kerridge seems to be taking things in hand by offering a limited special pre or post theater menu. He's taken over the wonderfully opulent high-ceilinged room at the ritzy 5 star Corinthia Hotel, a stone's throw from Embankment Station.
The pre theater menu has 13 small plate options, so we're in tapas territory. We were told that if you're going to the theater you just need something light. Not so sure about that theory.
Kerridge is an eminent chef. His 'a la carte' looks very impressive indeed and for the pre theater he offers a diverse range of simple and complex dishes, recommending 3 each.
'Coach' Mushroom risotto (£9.50), a risotto without rice, was a light delicate highlight. Roasted Tomato Soup with Basil Pesto and Rosemary Focaccia (£12.50) also delighted with the pesto giving it both a tang and a silkiness. The Cheese Straw with Truffled Cream Cheese (£9.50) was perhaps too straw-like in consistency. Crispy Pig's Head with Cobble Lane Coppa, Black Pudding and Apple (£17.50) was gloriously luxurious but not helped by arriving rather tepid, as did Buttermilk Fried Chicken in a Bun with Aioli and Pickles (£14.00). There, the aioli overpowered the rest. Prawn Scotch Egg with Pickled Mooli and Lobster Satay Sauce (£22.50) was certainly a novel concept but despite the best efforts prawns give scotch egg an even more rubbery consistency and I couldn't detect the lobster. A side of Triple Cooked Chips (£9.00) again were not fresh.
So, the simpler dishes seemed to work best with this format. The more elaborate cuisine, which we anticipated more, got diminished by the rush and was not helped by arriving tepid. This trend of tapas style serving has now invaded all cuisines and let's hope like fashion it goes out of fashion. You end up grazing, paying far more than you would for a substantial dish and you leave dissatisfied wanting something after theater. When the aim is to present cuisine of this complexity the food needs to be given time, space and better portions.
The restaurant prides itself on the wine list and we were spoilt by the sommelier offering us, from an antique Champagne Trolley, a glass of Coravin Grand Siècle 2004 (£35) and a glass of Laurent Perrier Cuvee Rose (£26).
On balance, if you want to explore the oeuvre of this chef, skip theater and make an evening of it.
