Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Hibiscus in London

It is always difficult to move a restaurant within a city but to bring it down from Ludlow the little gastro hub in Shropshire is very brave indeed.

All I can say after eating there recently week is bravo Monsieur Bosi ! you and your wife have done a great job.

The food is superb and original from the amuse bouche to a remarkable light chocolat tart infused with liquid choc and flavoured with indonesian basil.

Claude Bosi does remarkable things with vegetables somehow concentrating the flavours through pulverisation and blending with other compatible ingredients.

My one criticism is that the portions are slightly too small if you are going for 3-4 courses a la carte including cheese.

The wine list needs a bit of beefing up in terms of choice especially red and white Burgundy and a wider range of red Bordeaux to include some cru bourgeois and lesser grand cru classes' ( of at least 8 years of age)

As in Ludlow this is two star cooking and with some small changes this could become along with The Square and Pied a Terre a contender for a 3rd.

My experience here reminded me of another great French Chef who thrived in London - Pierre Koffman at Tante Claire (Royal Hospital Road) - the approach and philosophy is obviously different but the technical skill and execution from the kitchen was really impressive.

Hibiscus on Urbanspoon

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