Medlar

Medlar is my friend Stephanie's favourite restaurant - for someone who goes out to eat daily this is saying a lot. She had a wonderful birthday party there last year, and I have been back regularly ever since! Based in Chelsea, with a michelin star to it's name, you would expect small, overpriced portions and pretentious staff but Medlar couldn't be further from that image. Their staff are all absolutely lovely, there is no pretentious-ness at all and the food is mindblowingly excellent. There is also SO much of it that it is very, very difficult to move afterwards (in a good way.)

Medlar operate a three course, fixed price menu for dinner which is £45. A mid-week lunch of the same menu is £27 so if you are looking for a cheaper option definitely opt for that - there is no difference at all except it is a little less busy! It really is excellent value for what you get. 

I went along with Jade last week, and we had the most amazing meal ever. I started with tuna tartare (Tuna tartare with ponzu dressing, tobikko, preserved lemon, avocado purée and crispy garlic) (above), Jade opted for the crab raviolo. The menu here changes monthly, but a couple of star dishes remain constant which include the crab raviolo and the duck egg tart - both of which are amazing. You also start with complimentary bread which is AMAZING - get the bread!! 

For mains I chose the 'Roast Cornish hake with baby violet artichokes, mousseron, fennel purée, sea beet and pennywort'.  This was amazing and also very healthy - a welcome respite from the rest of my eating lately! The different types of fish offset eachother perfectly and the avocado addition was really good. 

Jade went for the 'Roast guinea fowl with summer truffle pesto, sautéed wings, broad beans, St George and cauliflower purée' which she really enjoyed as well, and couldn't finish! 

Now for the dessert. I highly recommend going with a group of friends and ordering one each, to pass around the table as we saw on the table infront of us. We went for 'Passion fruit sorbet with coconut tuile' (above) which was really fresh and tangy, and the 'Chocolate tart with salted caramel and praline parfait', pictured below which was one of the best desserts I have ever eaten. It is literally my ideal dessert - rich, gooey chocolate cake with a splattering of crust on the side, salted caramel sauce drops which were AMAZING and some incredible chocolate chip ice cream. I was sorely tempted to order another straight away, but by this point had already unbuttoned my jeans so thought it was probably better not to. A must try. 

It's ok though - just when you think it is all over, out come the homemade marshmallows (orange flavoured this time, really unusually great) and amazing chocolate truffles. It is things like this which make Medlar stand out - little touches which shows they understand the turmoil of finishing a meal and thinking there is nothing else but the darkness of a food coma lying ahead. They fill this longing hole with delicious complimentary treats, and it goes down a storm. 

If you are looking for somewhere to impress a date, or just a really excellent quality meal with brilliant service, Medlar is definitely the place to come. I think it is also my favourite restaurant in London - I have never eaten anything there that didn't make me convulse in ecstasy so it is a pretty good bet for a great meal.