Sketch Lecture Room and Library (£165, 3/5/2022, 3 - Course a la carte incl. VAT)

 Sketch Lecture Room and Library (£165, 3/5/2022, 3 - Course a la carte incl. VAT)

I have had a delightful meal at Sketch in 2017 when it was a 2-star Michelin restaurant. I thought it would be time to revisit it now that it has become a 3-star Michelin restaurant. A joint venture from restauranteur Mourad Mazouz and chef Pierre Gagnaire, Sketch Lecture Room and Library offers sophisticated nouveau French cuisine with elegant presentation from an unbelievably attentive staff.

I noticed the interior decoration has been altered. The fancy mirror with gold and silver trimmings were replaced by wallpapers/fabrics and two new gorgeous looking chandeliers, newly upholstered chairs and two new unconventional paintings. These two paintings are all in white color, one is a boy’s portrait and the other is a girl’s portrait. Each of these two paintings was painted with multiple layers of white paints, the configurations would be visible only from certain angles and under certain lighting condition.

Sketch offered a 3-course lunch special or a la carte with a comprehensive view of the closely related food. The 7-course Tasting menu was available only for dinner. I chose the 3- course a la carte. In addition, the regular a la carte is available and priced individually. In the 3-course a la carte, I may select one out of 2 categories of starter (Crab-Sea Urchin-Scallop, Winter). Each of these two categories offered 3 to 6 related plates. I may also select one out of 4 categories of main course (Scottish Langoustines, Turbot, Corn-Fed Chicken from Les Landes and Roe Deer). In addition, I may select one out of 4 categories of dessert (Chocolate Soufflé, Black Winter Truffle, Grand Dessert and Cheese). 

After I decided to select Crab-Sea Urchin-Scallop, Scottish Langoustines and Black winter Truffle, I was fully aware that chef Gagnaire’s sumptuous assortments of Amuse Bouches would be coming soon.

Amuse Bouche

1).Martini and Vodka Jelly

Chef Gagnaire made different flavor of jelly or ice out of varieties of drinks. From what I have experienced, they were all tasty and refreshing. (19/20)

2).Squid Ink Biscuit with Crab and Lobster Salad, and Chives and Granny Smith Apple

They were tasty and full of flavor, I wished there were bigger than the ½ bite size. (19/20)

3).Smoked Duck with Foie Gras and Blood Orange Jell

This was the real gem among the Amuse Bouche. House smoked duck was tender, sweet and smoky. The slight sourness from blood orange balanced the richness of foie gras. It was my favorite among the Amuse Bouche. (20/20)

Soufflé Bread Filled with Cured Goat Cheese and Mango

It was baked choux pastry filled with cured goat cheese with mango topping. It was yummy, but not as outstanding as smoked duck with foie gras. (18/20)

4).Parmigiano Sable and Almond Powder

They were delicious cheese balls. (17/20)

Bread:  butter, French baguette with buck wheat, grape fruit and walnut served with 3 types of butter – salted butter, citrus and caramelized butter (19/20)

House made breads, fresh and with good texture, were excellent.

Starter:  Crab - Sea Urchin - Scallop

1).Hand-Dived Scottish Scallop <Pascaline>/Clementine Reduction - Sliced Kiwi with Maldon Salt

 

It was fresh umami taste scallop mousse (chef called it Pascaline) served with kiwit, orange, small pickled cauliflower, scallion and string beans. (18/20)

2).Roasted Scallop with Colston Bassett Stilton/Caramelized Comice Pear

Comice pear was considered the best pear. Roasted fresh scallop was very tender, served with crystalized Stilton cheese and caramelized pear. (19/20)

3).Hand-Picked Channel Crab/Pomelo with Yuzu - West Sussex Kefir Square/Buckwheat Grains

White square-shaped piece is called Kefir Square, made of fermented milk, served along crab salad, yuzu, pomelo, buck wheat and lemon. It was quite tasty and well balanced. This mid-course plate was almost like a mid-term palette cleanser. (19/20)

4).Sea Urchin Bisque with Oban Single Malt Whisky - Puntarella/Celery/Grilled Baby Leeks

Punta refers to tips in Spanish, it refers to tips of the salad in the plate. A plate with celery, crouton and grilled baby leeks was initially brought over before hot Sea Urchin bisque was poured over into the plate. Sea Urchin bisque had a more pungent flavor and taste than Lobster bisque. However, if you are sea urchin lover, you definitely will enjoy Sea Urchin bisque.

Making Lobster bisque requires using brandy vs. using Single Malt Whiskey for Sea Urchin bisque. I wonder was it because lobster meat has a sweeter taste than sea urchin? (20/20)

5).Croque with Sea Urchin Tongues 

Crispy bread, open sandwich style, was served with a piece of slightly seared, but still medium-rare inside, sea urchin. (18/20)

Main Course:  Scottish Langoustines

1).Roasted Large Scottish Langoustine/Crispy Capers and Confit Meyer-Lemon Butter - Mammole Artichoke/Negroni Classico Cubes

A negroni is an Italian drink made of one part Vermouth, one part Gin and one part Campari. A traditionally made Negroni is stirred, not shaken, and built over ice and garnished with a slice of orange. Negroni cubes, crispy capers and Myer-Lemon butter were kickers contributing the sensual langoustine taste. They transformed an ordinary dish to an extraordinary dish. (20/20)

2).Langoustine Bisque/Root Vegetables <a la Vapeur> - Plants and Seaweed from the British Coast – including salty finger, diced carrot, seaweed, potato, artichoke and celeriac.

The green piece stood alone was called "salty finger". (19/20)

3).Raw Langoustines Marinated with Clementine Juice and Piment d'Espelette Sicilian Pomegranate

Sashimi Langoustine in Chef Gagnaire style with fruity and citrus accent. (18/20)

Dessert

My dining partner has selected the Grand Dessert out of the dessert category, our server suggested Black Winter Truffle for me since this is the truffle season.

I.Grand Dessert - comprised of 6 sub-plates

1),Meringua Tarta>/Pinot Gris, West Sussex/Sticky Dragon-Fruit Juice with Pomegranate

Ingredients used in this plate were mild flavored fruit. It incorporated Pinot Gris in the flavoring of filling made a well-balanced dessert. (18/20)

2).Yuzu and Sake /Mango and Avocado Brunoise

 

This was the best Granité that I have ever had. The chemistry between yuzu and sake produced the wonder of flavor and taste. It also served as a mid-term palette cleanser. (20/20)

3).Vanilla: Marshmallow/Syrup/Ice Cream/Turkish Delight/Poppy Chantilly (17/20) 

4).Coffee Cassata/Roasted Pear/Caramel Perfumed with Cumin (17/20)

5).Chesnut and Black-Truffle Ice Cream/<Cristal de Vent>Lamb’s Lettuce

This was a surprise, I was not expecting truffle in the Grand Dessert category. Truffle ice cream was so delightful especially when paired with fresh truffle. Lamb's lettuce did not taste like lamb at all, it had a gentle sweet and refreshing taste. (19/20)

6).Victoria Pineapple Marinated with Angelica/Creamy Stracciatella/Lychee (17/20)

 II.Black Winter Truffle - comprised of 3 sub-plates

1).Tahaa Vanilla “croquant”/Cristal de Vent/Concord Pear

It had multiple layers. Diced and caramelized concord pear was at the bottom, topped by vanilla citrus mousse and covered by Croquant (crisp)/Cristal de Vent made in laced pattern. Cristal de Vent was made out of whipped egg white and sugar before baking into different shape or pattern, similar process like baked meringue. The final touch was the theme of this category of dessert "Black Winter Truffle". It looked mouth-watering, delicate and elegant, and it tasted with a lingering after-taste. (20/20)

2).Millefeuille with Orange Marmalade and Black Winter Truffle

 

 

The pastry layer of the Millefeuille was so fine, I have not seen any millefeuille made so fine. Pastry chef must do a real good work-out by rolling the frozen dough everyday. Millefeuille was sandwiched with orange cream and topped with orange mousse and orange marmalade, and finally Black Winter Truffle. (20/20)

3).Soufflé Tarte/Chestnut Cream/Amber Rhum Veil 

We were back to the non-truffle dessert. It was chestnut cream/soufflé. The inclusion of rum (in brown color) has lifted the overall taste. (18/20)

Petit Fours - starting from lower right corner clockwise, pink praline tarte, grappe-flavored almond paste candy, chocolate with passion fruit and mango filling and choux pastry with raspberry cream filling. (18/20)

Grappa is obtained by distilling the grape pomace, which is the solid part of the grape (skins and seeds). The finer grappas are subtly sweet with fruity undertones. 

They were all so pleasing visually besides their gastronomical pleasure. It was a good practice that the restaurant usually offered customers limited quantity to contain calories . I have always had wonderful dining experience at chef Gagnaire's Michelin 3-star restaurants. During this meal, I have heard from the manager that the operating cost has increased tremendously since the Brexit. It reflected in the final bill as a 15% service charges in addition to the listed price.