Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester
In most quarters there’s talk of recession, but in Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester a buoyant mood still reigns. Pink and taupe surroundings are as cosy as a womb, while windows overlooking Hyde Park brightly offer optimism even on grey days. We sat not far from a pair of ageing bankers tricked out in braces and pocket squares; their talk of the stability of the Norwegian krone over the dollar had us feeling this rocky period too must pass.
The lunch hour set menu was created for girls and boys on the go, helpfully with a price that won’t make you wince (three courses for £45 or two for £39.50, including two glasses of wine, mineral water and coffee). The cuisine is modern French, with enough classic Gallic accents to make the non-domiciled among us feel at home. For example, my squash soup was packed with truffle flavour, a decadent starter for these tight times. A fillet of maigre – an obscure fish, lovely and lean – came with buttery creamed cauliflower and a salty caper sauce to make the mouth water.
The cheese plate was an £8 supplement, but I’m glad we didn’t pinch pennies and deny ourselves the pleasure of comte with mushroom puree and almonds, or brie alongside frisée and apple salad. Dining like we didn’t know when we’d encounter our next meal, I had chocolate fondant with chocolate ice cream – a perfect hot/cold combo. My friend settled on “An apple composition” based on her affection for its indefinite article; a bit complex, its honest apple tart made it worthwhile. Tally all this up with amuse-bouche, countless rolls, macaroons, caramels and chocolates, and surely we’ve hit upon Park Lane’s secret to credit crunch survival. SD