The Capital – comforting

Made a lunch time visit to The Capital, to see how it fairs under “newish” head chef Jérôme Ponchelle, compared to my last visit when Eric Chavot was running the kitchen.

It was actually impossible to judge as the set lunch was very different from my last à la carte experience. However that is not to say it was not excellent, it was.  Well worth it, especially the amazing portion of lamb carved at the table. Delicious.

They had a good selection of wines by the glass. Prices were typically between £8.00 and £12.00 a glass, so ordering bottles was a better deal. We got through a very full bodied bottle of Gewürztraminer which went well with the Lobster and Langoustine Bisque and a smooth New Zealand Pinot Noir that was perfect for the Lamb.

The Capital restaurant is actually well worth a visit,  comfortable rather than fashionable, which has to be a good thing.

It did lose its two Michelin stars this year, but that is certainly not going to stop me returning.

Marks out of 10

Food 6.9

Service 6.9

Ambience 6.9

 

The Capital – post Christmas treat

The Capital had been on my wish list for ages.  I certainly did not expect to get a booking at a few days notice, especially for lunch on the Saturday after Christmas.  However if you do not try, you do not get.  One email reply later and we were all set.  The down side was that the only choice seemed to be the a la carte menu.

I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the room, it is small and quite intimate.

The style of food was pretty conventional – classic french cuisine.  One standout was a herring fish course, the flavour was so strong and distinct.

The matching wines were also first rate, even if they did push the price up quite dramatically. Overall it was a superb meal.

Update: Since our visit the Chef and a number of his team have left.

Marks out of 10

Food 8

Service 7.5

Ambience 7.5

 

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