Frankie & Benny's - St Anne's Street
our comments
Swing down Conduit Street and right turn into Mill Street and suddenly you’ve gone through the looking glass. The noise and bustle of central London disappears and you’re in a small lane whose narrowness suggests it’s very, very old, as does the ancient church that’s shyly hiding down here. Noble Rot the restaurant isn’t old at all, but the Italianate gallery running along the side does a good job of adding Roman style and on this the hottest day of the year so far, gives the welcome opportunity to sit outside. So we do, although the waiter assures us that should the weather go Pete Tong he’ll have us at a table inside in a jiffy. From the day’s specials we rather fancy the Essex oysters. You can tell they’re from Essex because they all drive Escorts. Ho Ho. Unfortunately the hot weather has seen them all get eaten at lunch. Never mind, the English asparagus with soft boiled duck egg and a Carpaccio of beef with Asian marinade and ginger will do nicely. First, however, an amuse of potent and perky gazpacho partnered with a delicate haddock fritter. The asparagus that follows is excellent; the first of the season and crisp and tender in all the right places. The egg breaks in a golden wave across the piercingly green stalks. The rare beef is like a ragged lace curtain, so finely sliced you can see right through it. Deliciously tender and its dressing goes well with it – the ginger in particular. What’s this? The kitchen have managed to find a couple of those oysters for us to try, one each as a between course free treat. They’re elegantly laid out on seaweed and crushed ice and served with a raspberry and shallotte vinaigrette. Very fine oysters, easy to see how they all got gobbled up at lunchtime. As Noble Rot is very much, as the name suggests, a wine focussed kind of place the wine list is encyclopaedic. We ask for their selection of wines by the glass and aren’t disappointed; each goes very well with our dishes. Rack of lamb with cumin roasted aubergine, porcini and golden raisins is perfectly cooked, nice and pink in the centre. The bosky mushrooms and the smoky cumin aubergine make perfect partners. My Duck Magret with sautéed foie gras, celeriac, plum tarte tatin and green anise jus is also very good, although the foie gras is perhaps superfluous given how good the duck is. The plum’s tartness is a perfect foil to the duck but the celeriac, a vegetable I really love, is just a tad undercooked. Both mains came with new season Jersey potatoes, simply cooked to let their unique flavour shine through. I’m afraid we couldn’t manage desserts, not even in the interests of science but I can’t imagine they let the kitchen down. Noble Rot seems to be doing all the right things in the kitchen and service is professional and friendly. The outside dining area adds a real plus for the summer months. Recommended.NH - June 2005
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