Claude Bosi at Bibendum
Well this one has been a long time coming. For this story doesn't begin now, or even this year, but in October 2020. I had just turned up in London to do my Masters in Physics at Imperial College London (completed it, mate), and had been reading up on the best culinary offerings in London. At the time, CORE by Clare Smyth and Claude Bosi at Bibendum were both two Michelin star restaurants, and both were hotly-tipped to make it to 3 stars in the 2021 edition. While this - rightfully so - panned out for CORE (which I had the good fortune of dining at for my 30th birthday in 2021, and easily makes the Top 5 for London), Claude Bosi at Bibendum was never elevated, though many still hold it in particularly high esteem.
I was very excited then to see what Claude Bosi has to offer. The man himself was at the helm when I attended lunch service on a quiet Saturday afternoon in Fulham, the restaurant holding court in the Michelin building itself, replete with mosaics and sculptures of the Michelin man mascot. This has all the trappings of a three star restaurant - suited and booted wait staff, all incredibly attentive, ample spacing and comfy, stately furnishings. So what's holding it back?
I had the three course A La Carte lunch menu, but - this being a Michelin establishment - several dishes precluded my chosen starter.
First came a small helping of parmesan bread, a delightfully umami start to the meal. Seriously, some of the best, most indulgent bread I've tasted. Then came more bread, though cold (I have very strong feelings on cold bread being offered. Warm through or don't bother), followed by a signature dish, the Bibendum Egg.
The egg is - of course - not an egg, but an amalgam of ingredients that are not disclosed to the customer, made to resemble the components of an egg, eaten with a spoon. It is sad that the eggshell is not itself edible, but this aside, the amuse-bouche is delicious.
My starter was the Crown Price pumpkin, with Fourme D'Ambert blue cheese and toasted pumpkin seed oil. The pumpkin was wafer thin, the blue cheese not overly strong, and altogether an incredibly artistic and satisfying dish. This was a very good start.
Next came the main course, Cornish Cod a la Grenobloise (meaning served with a sauce of brown butter, capers, lemon and parsley), with a type of aspic on the side. I did not care for this dish. The side was pretty pointless, not complementing the cod at all. The cod itself was well prepared, and the sauce that came with it quite delicious. But for a main course at a two Michelin star? It screamed 'by the numbers' to me, and is not the type of inspiring fare I come to expect.
Thankfully, the double chocolate (70% in the souffle, 100% in the sauce) souffle with Chantilly cream redeemed the meal in style. Though I wasn't a fan of the souffle being cut open, the use of two chocolates - one being melted - was perfectly executed. I might just prefer this souffle to the one offered by The Ritz.
To finish the meal, three petit-fours were offered. These were sufficient, though unremarkable.
Overall, I enjoyed my time at Claude Bosi, but find it lacking when judged against experiences I have had at the aforementioned CORE and The Ritz. There is no denying that this is a top-tier restaurant, but I would have liked to see more consistency across the entire meal, more craftsmanship such as that displayed by the pumpkin starter.
Value for money? £175 for a three course lunch (the souffle was a £25 supplement), half bottle of wine, still water, and service charge. It's good food but on the expensive side.
Would I return? No. For this money, there are other restaurants I would much rather return to.
