Address: 8 Pollen Street, London W1S 1NQ 020 7290 7600
Website: http://www.pollenstreetsocial.com/
Rating: 6.5/10
Anticipation is sometimes rather overrated. Jason Atherton's restaurant opening had food-lovers and critics salivating at the thought of a spectacular repast. The restaurant has been open for a few months now and I eagerly looked forward to the meal.
The reviewers I read before going to Pollen Street Social were a little damning with their faint praise, but I was willing to give leeway for personal preferences. It was after all - Jason Atherton!
The ambience was inviting, interesting light installations and art works beating its neighbour 5 Pollen Street by a wide mile.
At the reception the ladies were given this quaint key. It would open up a surprise at the end of the meal.
We were a table of 5 and chose the tasting menu. The first few courses hit the (only) high notes, and unfortunately the mains didn't measure up.
The beginning was promising. The 'Chilled San Marzano tomato soup, crab toast, grain mustard ice-cream' was sublime. An exquisite mix of flavours that burst unexpectedly upon the tongue.
The 'Cauliflower & squid, clear roasted squid juice' was ordered on the side as a few reviewers had rated it highly - it was alright. What seemed like an intriguing mix of ingredients remained just that...
It was followed by the 'Scallop ceviche, cucumber & radish, yuzu soy dressing, apple' which was quite delicious. Nothing ground breaking but a high-end favourite done well.
Upon seeing 'Full English breakfast' I was imagining a Heston Blumenthal-esque twist but it was rather anti-climactic. The English breakfast was just that - no flourish - it was a pretty plate that looked better than it tasted.
A green frothy plate was the 'Roast cod, broad beans, peas, cockles & squid, parsley emulsion, creamed potatoes'. By now I was a bit stuffed - just had a few bites. The emulsion was interesting - it got mixed reviews across the table. The consensus being there was too much of it. The cod was perfectly cooked.
I had the 'Roast West Coast hake, smoked mussels, cabbage, cod cheeks, potatoes in seaweed' in lieu of the Rib-eye. The hake was not to my taste. But the Rib-eye was apparently very good.
It is in the dessert department that Pollen Street Social redeemed itself. I will go out on a limb and say that the de-consrtucted Tiramisu with hot chocolate was one of the best I have ever had (and I do like my Tiramisu)
The tasting menu came with the 'Wild strawberry & vanilla cheesecake,
strawberry sorbet, nut crumble' was pretty special too.
All-in-all, it was not a totally amazing dining experience. Flashes of brilliance were there but they were not carried through. The tasting menu was a lot of food. I gave up eating and just took a few bites each of the mains.
As for the mysterious key?
*spoiler alert*
The hostess opened up one of these safety deposit boxes...
To produce one of these...
What was inside??
I won't tell :)
But suffice to say that the theme of the night was being underwhelmed and with this too, it was carried straight through.
