Tag Archives: Michelin star

Joia, Milan

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The Michelin star is the highest accolade and recognition of culinary excellence and expertise. Michelin meals are usually rich, meaty and indulgent. At Joia I experienced something utterly different and refreshingly unique.

Head Chef and owner Pietro Leemann is on a mission to create and share his love of nature and fresh, vibrant, natural foods. With Joia, he presents a fine menu of vegetarian creations exploring fruit and vegetables from an inquisitive and innovative perspective. Amazingly he can easily cater for gluten-free and vegan diners too. The food is the opposite of my previous Michelin experience – light, fresh, balanced and (best of all) beautifully bright.

After a brief introduction to the calm and collected Pietro, we agreed to his selecting the dishes, an array of his most popular and promising recipes. The meal was untraditional in its fluency – instead of courses, small dishes were presented to us in succession.

Blueberry risotto was bizarre yet oddly tasty… a bowl of blue rice with bell peppers, sword beans and eggplant; the eggplant and peppers giving weight to the dish while the blueberries offered colour and sweetness. ‘For Gavinda’ was arty and interesting, a pasta pile of buckwheat layered with zucchini doubloons was prettily presented with two sauces on the side; peas with lemon zest and potatoes with Lombard curry was a great combination of flavours and textures but it was a shame that it came lukewarm rather than hot.

‘Beneath a colourful blanket’ was a magical and experimental dish. A soft, foamy, thick soup covers a bed of vegetables… with each spoonful you discover a new flavour or new ingredient. Aside from the fun factor, this recipe is wonderfully balanced and seasoned perfectly. Cheeses are available for those who wish but we went straight to desserts.

Both puddings required persistence; they certainly aren’t your average fine-dining sweets. ‘Five Minutes’ is a terrine of chocolate and raspberries, raw-food water-based chocolate mousse, coconut truffle melon and lemon balm en brochette, a strong and particular palette of tastes. Aspects were delicious though I couldn’t help thinking it could do with a dollop of thick cream! ‘To your health!’ is the ultimate fruit feast, a sugar-free cake with a plum and almond base, figs and cashew pastry, with peach and rosemary sorbet… it was an explosion of colour and vitality, and was certainly the healthiest dessert I have ever tried.

This unusual and rare restaurant is bold and brave in its concept and immaculate in its execution. Pietro Leemann makes Michelin star dining accessible to all and encourages healthy and informed eating along the way. In a country so fond of its carbohydrates and long heavy meals, Joia is paving the way for a new kind of Italian fine dining.

More information here: www.joia.it

Seven Park Place at St James’s Hotel and Club

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For me, St James’s Hotel and Club is the ultimate hidden gem. Located down Park Place, minutes away from Green Park station and yet completely secluded, it is the perfect city retreat. Lavishly decorated and with luxurious amenities, there is everything you need to relax – however what I find particularly alluring about this boutique property is the undeniably magnificent art collection and the spectacular Michelin starred restaurant, Seven Park Place by William Drabble.

When I went along to the restaurant on a Tuesday lunchtime I was greeted warmly by staff and taken through to the cosy dining room. With only 26 covers, the restaurant is naturally very intimate… couples sat huddled and business meetings were progressing over pretty plates of food, it is a restaurant for every occasion. William Drabble’s menu is precise and brief, which I was thankful for, a selection of French inspired dishes, all using the best seasonal British produce on offer.

There is a lunch menu available (£25.50 for two courses, £29.50 for three) or a longer a la carte which features more elaborate dishes. Interestingly I noticed a lack of vegetarian options, every dish contains either fish or meat… apparently the kitchen can whip up a veggie recipe if you specifically require it. We chose the Fillet of red mullet with garlic puree, red wine reduction, croustade of goat cheese, confit tomato and basil and the Pot roast quail with crispy veal sweetbreads, foie gras, orange and hazelnut dressing. The red mullet was absolutely exquisite, a carefully prepared piece of the freshest fish with a delicate array of flavours. The warm quail was perfectly cooked and paired with a tangy cold salad and a rich slice of foie gras… it was an unusual mix of exotic and traditional flavours. To accompany our starters the sommelier kindly picked out two superior white wines, listening to our preferences and bringing immaculate choices to complement the food we had ordered.

Keen to try the favourites, I opted for Drabble’s speciality for my main course, Assiette of Lune Valley lamb with broad beans and basil. It was a triumph, one of the best dishes I’ve ever tried… and I couldn’t resist licking my cutlery for every last drop of sauce. The three cuts of lamb are cooked in different ways, each mouthful was better than the last… crispy, caramelised skin on tender and juicy meat. The plump broad beans, basil and creamed potato added a contrasting freshness to the recipe. Honey glazed pigeon royal with sweetcorn and Madeira jus was spectacular too, rich red meat enhanced by the rich wine gravy. The sweetcorn was a strange but successful addition to the dish, and added a bit of satisfying crunch.

Before dessert we were treated to a palate cleanser: red fruits with sorbet and meringue, a refreshing and vibrant mini course. For real puddings we went with our waiter’s recommendations… Peach with lemon verbena, white chocolate and yoghurt cream, roast hazelnuts and lemon sorbet and the Black cherry mousse with marinated cherries and dark chocolate. They could not have been more different: the peaches felt healthy and I was appreciative of a light and invigorating dessert. The chocolate and cherry combination worked brilliantly, a surprising airy sponge with a fabulously thick chocolate mousse.

It was interesting to overhear nearby tables praising the flawless food and impeccable service. I smiled to myself in total agreement, Seven Park Place is a very special restaurant and William Drabble’s culinary creations are quite spectacular.

More information and book here: www.stjameshotelandclub.com

Wild Honey, Mayfair

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Wild Honey is a discreet and civilised restaurant in Mayfair, one of a trio of eateries that includes Artbitus and Les Deux Salons. Praised for their exquisite food but unpretentious atmosphere, these venues present Michelin-starred cuisine in the most enjoyable of settings.

Moments away from Bond Street and Oxford Street, this restaurant is the ideal location for fashionistas on their lunch break or for post-theatre meals. The dining room is comfortable and cosy, with just hushed chatter as accompaniment to your meal. With an obvious nod towards French cuisine, the menu is sophisticated but simple. Prices are reasonable too.

We chose Pork Belly – with fresh white beans, apricots and xo sauce – and Sicilian courgette veloute, crushed tomatoes and goat’s curd. The pork was light and perfectly seasoned for summer with the sweet apricots and salty xo sauce. I was disappointed to discover my courgette veloute was cold, but cannot deny the subtle and delicious flavour.

Mains were richer: Rose Limousin veal with wilted greens, padron peppers and buckwheat; and a wonderful grilled piece of beef with sweet como peppers, artichokes and young chard. The plates looked lovely, not too big with an attractive assortment of colours and thankfully few carbohydrates so the food remained summer-suitable. The beef was particularly tasty, with a soft and juicy texture and topped with an addictively salty aromatic jus.

Desserts were the highlight for me – hot raspberry soufflé with lemon thyme ice-cream was perfectly cooked, the best soufflé I’ve had in a while. Wild Honey ice-cream with honeycomb seemed like a fitting choice and it did not disappoint, a delightful contrast of textures.

I couldn’t resist trying a cocktail from the exemplary list to complete the meal. The ‘Wild Honey Martini’ signature cocktail is made with 42 Below Honey vodka, chamomile tea and wild Pyrenean mountain honey – it is less sweet than you’d think and instead has a lovely floral taste.

Wild Honey is a restaurant for all occasions and is particularly brilliant for those desiring Michelin star food without the stiflingly smart etiquette.

More information here: www.wildhoneyrestaurant.co.uk