Quaglino's, England by Bureaucrat

Our first fine dining experience in the UK was at Quaglino's in Mayfair. We were told Q's was an experience that one had to had. While Q's did serve nice food, the service was alright (a mix between staff not being alert and those staff that pounced on you the second you finish your plate) and the decor was a bit dated (apparently it was designed by Terence Conran).

The restaurant had a vaulted glass ceiling, with purple irises in test tubes. I got the vibe that it was resting on its laurels. This sentiment was later confirmed when I found out that during the 1990s, Q's was the place du jour, but has since fallen behind its competitors.


Escargot with almonds. The Lawyer ordered this. He loved it (surprisingly). I tried one ... garlicky, buttery and a bit chewy. It didn't taste like snails, but I'd much prefer a plateful of garlicky, buttery prawns instead.


Gratin of salsify with mushrooms. I ordered this as I've read that salsify is meant to be the vegetarian's oyster. I was very excited that a vegetable could taste like oysters. I was sorely disappointed. The texture was crunchy, and I'm guessing it was cooked in chicken stock. Alas, it was just another vegetable.


Beef bourginon with mashed potatoes. The beef was as tender as the mash.


Pear Helene. What a revelation! I've often come across this recipe, but thought "what's the big deal about a poached pear?" But this was divine. The cream, chocolate sauce, the fragrant fruit ... I could eat another one!


Almond tart with vanilla ice cream. Rather boring and lacklustre presentation.

Overall
It was alright. I wouldn't go there again, as there would be much nicer and newer places to spend one's pennies.

Address
Quaglino's Restaurant
16 Bury Street
London SW1Y 6AJ
020 7930 6767