Dabbous – London
Dabbous London
Chef: Ollie Dabbous
When visiting London few months ago we could not get a table in restaurant Dabbous. A short trip for the announcement of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants was the perfect opportunity to find our way to Whitfield Street for an interesting lunch.
Restaurant Dabbous is two years open now and in the beginning it was a real hype. Chef Ollie Dabbous worked for Blanc at Le Manoir Au Quat’ Saisons for four years, and has also been with restaurant Mugaritz in San Sebastian Spain and with Agnar Sverrison’s Texture in London. Today he is serving creative and innovative dishes in a Nordic styled bistronomy atmosphere.
Deconstructed fine dining is what they like to call it at Dabbous. Good skilled and technically inventive cooking, but no napery and chichi in the dining room. The cooking at Dabbous is light and modern, with a focus on combining clean flavours, taste, textures and appearance. The menu is product-driven, serving creativity in all aspects. A set lunch menu with 4 courses is served for only 28£, a 4 course dinner menu at 48£ and a 8 course tasting menu for 59£.
The interior had an attractive industrial look with a bare stone floor, unplastered walls, iron touches and plain wooden tables. Downstairs at Dabbous you will find the basement bar. The cocktails served over here are seasonal and use only homemade syrups and infusions.
Lunch menu:
English green asparagus were served with rapeseed oil mayonnaise, meadowsweet & hazelnuts. Eat with the hands was the message.
Coddled egg in its shell with mushrooms, bacon and smoked butter.
Pulled veal breast came with raw white asparagus slices, spinach, a bouillon of veal & asparagus and summer truffle. This was my favorite dish of the day with an amazing balance in taste and textures.
There is a possibility taking a creative cheese dish instead of dessert. Fresh burrata cheese with wild strawberries and fennel pollen.
The Coconut dessert with cake and very tasteful coconut ice cream.
Coffee with lovely green Japanese peaches.
We were surprised to find so many waiters in such a casual restaurant and the slow pop music did not really fit the atmosphere. Above all it was the food that impressed through simplicity. Light dishes were given a perfect touch with adding seasoning and textures. Dabbous serves an honest kitchen based on quality ingredients and pure flavours.
Be-Gusto
Dabbous 39 Whitfield Street, London W1T 2SF, United Kingdom TEl: +44 20 7323 15 44 www.dabbous.co.uk Sunday & Monday Closed Be-Gusto score: 14/20