Culinary cuisine that strikes a ‘cord’ – writer Alissa Stroud visits CORD by Le Cordon Bleu for a night of tasting menu delights
Discreetly tucked away on Fleet Street you’ll find CORD by Le Cordon Bleu, the first fine dining restaurant in London by the esteemed institution. At the helm is recently appointed Executive Chef Karl O’Dell, and under his direction the restaurant has launched two new nine-course tasting menus.
Showcasing the best seasonal ingredients, the tasting menu takes you on a culinary journey and is a true feast for the senses.
We had what I’d say is the prime seat of the house – positioned directly in front of the kitchen that had floor to ceiling windows so we could peer into all the action.
It was wonderful to see the talented team of chefs at work – they fluidly and effortlessly seemed to glide around the kitchen, creating the culinary mastery that we were soon to enjoy.
The Food & Drink
We began with Chalk Stream Trout with pickled kombu, cayenne pepper and a touch of citrus, served in a crisp cone. The chunks of trout were delicious, delicate and tender and the flavours worked beautifully together.
When it came to the wine, we left ourselves in the capable hands of the sommelier, Jiachen Lu, and she was exceptional. Jiachen selected a number of intriguing pours that worked perfectly with each dish and it was brilliant to try some unique choices, including a Sauvignon Blanc from Argentina, a Pinot Noir from Bulgaria and a Hochar Père et Fils from Lebanon. I urge anyone who visits to have a chat with her – she’s so knowledgeable and won’t steer you wrong!
Next up was Cornish Crab with squid, parsley and lime – a dainty little parcel packed full of delectable seafood umph.
We were then presented with what was my favourite dish of the night – Asparagus with morels, Alsace bacon and comté. The freshest of spring flavours, the asparagus was formed into a delicate almost cake-like slice, topped with the salty bacon which worked beautifully against the smooth creaminess of the avocado, and the morel was stuffed with a rich, umami filling. Delicious. On the surface, it looked so simple but it was anything but – a true masterpiece.
A showstopping ‘black truffle’ followed – a thing of beauty, the ingredients were shaped and coated to look literally like a whole black truffle, however inside the casing was stuffed with shiitake mushrooms, sourdough crumbs and black garlic – a really interesting texture and such a unique dish.
Monkfish was next – with crisp, BBQed charred edges, served with avocado, date molasses and basil. The fish was so meaty and had a great bite to it – seriously delicious, with a perfect balance of textures and flavours alongside the creamy avocado.
A striking whole stuffed challans quail was brought to our table next, placed on a board of moss and stones and with a wonderful smoky aroma emanating into the air. It was then removed and deboned in the kitchen before being brought back over to our table.
The quail was stuffed with smoked duck, pink peppercorn and celeriac – so so good! The meat had a deep, rich taste and was seasoned and spiced to perfection.
After a palate cleanser of a ‘gin and tonic’ gel, dessert was served – banoffee souffle tart with caramel and hazelnut crumbed topping, and a caramelised banana slice topped with ice cream. Again, there was so much going on in this dish – the soft, sweet banana, the crisp crumb topping, an almost biscuity base. Certainly the most elevated banoffee pie I’ve ever had!
The Wordrobe Verdict
The whole tasting menu was truly exceptional. Each dish was more interesting than the next, and it was a discovery of taste as you worked through the surprise courses. CORD by Le Cordon Bleu is such a treat and a must visit – make sure to add it to your list.
Make it happen
Where: 85 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1AE
How: Find out more and make a booking via cordrestaurant.co.uk
Wallet: Prices from £72.00.
Words by Alissa Stroud, writer
