HEDONE
301-303 Chiswick High Road
London W4
02087470377
After scouring every well known food critics blogs and columns for the perfect supper to treat my boyfriend Joe for his birthday, I chose the relatively new kid on the block HEDONE.
AA Gill rates it as one of his favourites and top food blogger Andy Hayler rates it tremendously too. So if its good enough for those guys then I was sure we would not be disappointed either.
Were we disappointed?? NO... NO not at all!!! In fact I can't remember the amount of calls I made to all my friends raving about our new discovery in the world of fine dining the following morning.
HEDONE has literally just jumped to the top of my restaurant table.
The atmosphere here is relaxed whilst maintaining an elegant edge. You feel as if you have discovered a well kept secret and belong to an exclusive 'in the know' dining club. Everyone dining at Hedone were clearly there because of the reputation that is clearly growing thick and fast. You feel smug knowing that you have cottoned on fast too! It is a place you quite literally fall in love with. The service, the food and the atmosphere. Its all fantastic.
I had heard that the owner and head chef Michael Jonsson was in fact a former lawyer? Knowing this I wondered if he was willing to break any culinery limits and live life on the wildside for a change??
The menu offered an array of tasting selections. Joe opted for the full 7 course tasting menu and I chose the 5 course tasting which allows you to select 3 starters 1 main and a dessert. ( I planned to scoop a spoonful from Joes extra two courses!! ) All courses come with pre appetisers of a fancy cheese nibble and then another appetiser in addition to your courses.
Joes appetiser came in the shape of an Oyster with a granny smith foam and a violet flower. The presentation was so gorgeous but Joes face was a picture! He is not a fan of Oysters BUT decided that he would go for it anyway. I watched as he went in for the kill and within seconds his eyes lit up and the first word he said was 'WOW'!!
I was so jealous that he got the Oyster as an appetizer as I had something that looked like a chicken stock souffle,which was more tasty then I had anticipated. But then my first course came and it was not 1 but 2 of the specially dressed Oysters. It was love at first sight!!.
Our following courses consisted of Broken duck's egg, fresh peas and morels, bell pepper chutney (joe's) and Shetland lamb, Dorsett wild garlic with smoked aubergine (for me)
Our Yummy mains.... Shetland Lamb
and Squab Pigeon
Our desserts were equally as gorgeous .We had FOUR in total. The Lemon Variation was just mouthwateringly delicious that we had to order another because one just simply wasn't enough.
Once we had polished off all 16 plates that had pashed through our table, we were presented with the most delicately flavoured macaroons I do not know where I found space to put it but I ate it ....WHOLE.
There are not enough superlitives in this world to descibe how delicious our supper was and for what we paid (£220) I can say that it was money well spent. The concoction and callaboration of some of the most unlikely flavours you can imagine proves that Michael's choice to leave the courtroom for the kitchen was definately a wise decision and deserves a huge 'HIGH FIVE' .
I cannot wait to return.
And you should book IMMEDIATELY.
MY FAVOURITE
Poached Cornish rock oysters with Granny Smith
TRY
Lemon Variation dessert
