"There’s a preconception that French fine dining restaurants are stuffy, expensive, and a bit underwhelming. At Alain Ducasse At The Dorchester, those notions are mostly proven correct. You enter through one of London’s most famous Mayfair hotel foyers, complete with a crooning singer swaying over a glittering piano and, inside, things are similarly outmoded. Despite moments of glorious decadence, the overriding feeling is that this restaurant is just a bit passé. video credit: Jake Missing The cavernous room has all the soul of a luxury cruise ship's dining room, complete with Real Housewives wannabes filming with glaring flash, and golden anniversaries celebrating with a glass of bubbly. As is often the case with tasting menu restaurants, the seven courses are technically strong. A bouncing scallop swimming in beurre blanc and loaded with caviar stands out. While a lobster shiso is as rich as you like, even if it's crying out for a touch more sauce. What's missing is the fact that there's more to a great restaurant than exacting cooking. Of all the tasting menu places in London to spend three hours and just shy of £300 in, Alain Ducasse At The Dorchester may well be the most run-of-the-mill. This is a textbook fine dining experience and it will hit all the attentive marks, but it’s unlikely to live long in the memory. Food Rundown photo credit: Jake Missing Hand-Dived Scallop, Citrus Beurre Blanc And Kristal Caviar What’s not to like about a bouncy scallop, semi-translucent on the inside, covered in a shimmering polka dot blanket of beurre blanc and caviar? This is about as rich as a plate of food comes. photo credit: Jake Missing Native Lobster, Artichoke, Shiso And Périgord Truffle Generally, warm sauces shouldn’t enter a bowl that features unnecessary fiddly side salads. But this dish is still good, even if it looks straight from a 100-person catered event. The lobster and shiso work in a smooth tandem and the bisque is excellent. We only wish there was more." - Jake Missing
