
4

"Set in the Royal Festival Hall and offering a fundamentally pleasurable atmosphere, the food often tries to be inventive but lands as needlessly effortful: elaborate mash-ups such as ‘galotiri, friorelli, medjool date and date molasses, almonds’ and ‘chicken, parsley and chervil root, pear, shallots, fig vincotto’ display a sweetness that feels out of place, while a simple potato with rosemary and Parmesan oil provokes relief. The complexity on the plate lacks the sedulous attention required to make it sing, so until the cooking becomes more rewarding, the venue will hit more than the odd bum note despite its agreeable vibes." - George Reynolds