The UK based Restaurant, Hotel and Wine Review
The UK based Restaurant, Hotel and Wine Review
The former English House and English Garden were the last word in English niceness, so much so that they were largely patronised by American tourists and elderly Sloane dowagers who were part of the fixtures and fittings. The trouble was that the old ladies were dying off, and the Americans became more interested in serious cooking than cozy chintz.
Both restaurants have recently been taken over by the Searcy-Corrigan restaurant partnership. The English House is now known simply as The House,
but the English Garden retains its former name.
The largely British menu, with some influences
from France and Spain, concentrates on fairly earthy, seasonal ingredients. Typical dishes on the regularly changing menu include: Confit of duck with dandelion salad; Cold poached skate with potato, parsley and caper salad; Roast wood pigeon, sweet potato and butternut squash ravioli; Roast cod with lentil and chorizo casserole; Poached plums on frangipane with vanilla mascarpone; and Prune and Armagnac creme brulee.
The set lunch menu is £14.50 for three courses, and dinner is £21.00
for three courses. The 'terroir' wine list favours many small growers from around the world, with house selections including Marsanne Domaine Virginie 1998 (white, £12.50 bottle) and Cabernet-Merlot, Domaine de Limbardie (red, £12.50 bottle). A glass of house Champagne (Jean-Paul Deville Cuvee Simple N.V.) costs £6.75.The House
In charge of the kitchen at The House, is Graham Garrett, who was executive chef at Simply Nico and Nico CentraL and Head Chef at Christoph's. He is a passionate,
self-taught cook like his mentor Nico Landenis, and he is breathing new life into the kitchens of The House.
The House Restaurant, 3 Milner Street, London SW3 Telephone: 020-7584 3002
Typical dishes on the seasonally changing menu include: Shellfish
custard with cauliflower cream; Terrine of game birds with winter fruits;
Baked cod with creamy potato, Beaufort cheese, parsley and ventreche; Belly
and shoulder of pork with choucroute and black pudding; Plum crumble
with vanilla ice cream; and Hot cinnamon doughnuts with coffee
semifreddo.
The English Garden is open for lunch and dinner from Monday to
Saturday (with plans to open on Sunday from spring 2000). A meal for
two with wine from the evening à la carte menu is approximately £80. There
is also an exceptionally good value set lunch menu priced at £19.50 for
three courses, including half a bottle of wine. The English Garden
Head Chef Malcolm Starmer has worked with Richard Corrigan for
the last five years, at Lindsay House, Searcy's at the Barbican and The
Fulham Road Restaurant. Aged 26, he was born in Waterford, Republic of
Ireland, and studied at the Catering College in Waterford.
The English Garden, 10 Lincoln Street London SW3
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