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Heinz Beck is a man of humility and charm. He is also one of the finest chefs in the world. The clarity of his gastronomic vision and the brilliance of his culinary technique are recognized by everyone who cares about our planet’s best dining rooms. His restaurant in Rome – La Pergola (see separate article), on the top floor of the Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria Hotel – has three Michelin stars and, indeed, many of us thought that the third of those stars was awarded long after it should have been. Now Chef Beck (pictured) has opened another restaurant, in London’s Lanesborough Hotel. Like its senior partner, it has a Restaurant Manager of surpassing friendliness and consummate skill, for one of Mr Beck’s many talents is to attract the loyalty of good people who work to the very highest standards. I went for dinner in the certain expectation of a wonderful evening.
The Lanesborough is a handsome neo-Classical pile which occupies one side of the junction we know as Hyde Park Corner. Close to the former home of the ‘Iron’ Duke of Wellington and to the garden wall of Buckingham Palace, it was built for the Apsleys, who now supply their family name to the hotel restaurant. I remember this room when it housed a much simpler eatery – a pleasant place for lunch (because of the feeling of a conservatory engendered by the glass roof), but not a ‘destination’ for the discerning gourmet. Now, thanks to the designer Adam Tihany, it is a place of discreet lighting, sumptuous fabrics and very evident luxury. As soon as you walk into this space, you know that the aspirations of everyone involved in this enterprise are very high indeed.
I was met at the entrance by an old friend. I first met Pasquale Cosmai (pictured) when he was one of the assistant managers of the restaurant at The Ritz. Even back then it was clear immediately that here was a man of impeccable style and manners, who would strive constantly for perfection. When I heard that he was to be the Restaurant Manager of Apsleys, I knew that Mr Beck had found the right man. Now he guided me to a table on the higher level, next to the large painted collage of ‘Love & Venus’, and immediately found a cushion for my back, so that I was comfortable both psychologically and physically. Had I been a pussy cat, I would have begun to purr.
I surveyed the scene. The table in front of me was of a decent size. On its off-white cloth stood porcelain by Rosenthal and glassware by Riedel. The waiters wore black waistcoats and were numerous. There was canned music, of which I am never a keen fan, but it was of Ertha Kitt and not being played at an obtrusive level, so I found it acceptable. My fellow diners looked affluent and contented, although – as is too often the way nowadays – some of them seemed to have little regard for standards of the sartorial sort. (Of course, as usual, I was in a Savile Row suit and a stiff collar.)
Almost immediately, Pasquale had brought for my perusal a dish laden with large white truffles. The aroma of the divine fungus filled my nostrils and it seemed that Heaven had come down to earth. Then they were whisked away. But they were to reappear – to be grated over pumpkin tortellini with castelmagno cheese (as ravishing a dish as you will ever find), to be sliced over the superbly tender and tasty pigeon and foie gras and, finally, to descend in a blizzard of flakes over my plate of cheese. This is what dining in a great restaurant should always be like.
And my other courses were equally impressive. The carpaccio of langoustine was subtle and cosseting. The terrine of duck foie gras with quince and amaretti was exquisite. The veal terrine with artichoke vinaigrette was carefully balanced. Only the lobster (with tagliolini and almonds) let standards slip a little, being – for my palate – too salty. But I was taken back into the culinary stratosphere with the cod, with red pepper jus and onion confit, a real tour de force of tastes and textures. And to finish this delicious meal, what else but a fine soufflé – this one of ricotta with passion fruit and chocolate. (The tasting menu is £59 for five courses and £79 for seven courses. Some of my courses were from the carte. A three course set lunch is good value at £28.)
Chef Beck visits frequently from Rome, but the cooking at Apsleys is done regularly by Massimiliano Blasone (pictured), the Executive Chef. He was formerly the Executive Chef at the Castello Banfi, the famous wine estate in Tuscany. He is doing a fine job here. At the time of writing, the restaurant has one Michelin star, but there seems every prospect of a second star, given the excellence of the food, the service, the surroundings and the cellar.
The last offers a treat for those of you who love a digestif at the conclusion of your meal. The selection goes all the way from a glass of Hine VSOP cognac at £9.50 to a glass of 1770 Fine Champagne cognac at £4,000. On the regular list, prices range from £28 for a bottle of Umbrian white to £12,000 for a magnum of Chateau Lafleur 1947. As you would expect, this substantial volume is strongest in the wines of France and Italy, with many bottles from the grandest producers. Some are available by the glass – like 2005 Sassicaia (£65) and 1989 Lafite (£225). There are some lovely clarets, including 1982 Margaux (£2,750), 1985 Palmer (£600) and 1990 Latour (£1,900).
For my own drinking, one of the three sommeliers, Luca Tramontana, brought wines from Italy and France. I was struck particularly by a light and elegant white in the Germanic style (Kerner, Abbazia di Novacella, 2007, Trentino), a fruity Vermentino from Sardinia with lots of melon (Primo Bianco, 2009) and a cru bourgeois from the Médoc, which stood up well to the pigeon (Château Bergeron 2003).
I had come to Apsleys expecting a wonderful evening. And that is precisely what I got. I suppose it could not really have been otherwise –at a restaurant under the control of the great Heinz Beck.
The Lanesborough Hotel, Hyde Park Corner, London SW1X 7TA, England.
Telephone +44 (0)207 333 7254
Fax +44 (0)207 333 7255
Email: apsleys@lanesborough.com
www.apsleys.co.uk
Open every day
