When I was asked to sum up my visit to The Ledbury, I thought, as you would expect, of its superb ingredients, its technical mastery and the exquisite balance in every dish. But I also thought of what a downright lovely experience it was, and of how many smiling faces I saw in the restaurant that night. The Ledbury is a brilliant restaurant and it’s also a happy restaurant, where flashiness is traded for wholehearted enjoyment.
When we interviewed Chef Brett Graham, the restaurant’s co-owner and founder, after it had just received Three MICHELIN Stars, he told us that his aim wasn’t for The Ledbury to be the best restaurant, but for it to be people’s favourite restaurant. From our dinner, when my colleague and I happily joined a room full of enthusiastic, enthralled foodies, he seems to have created just that. And at the same time, The Ledbury has in fact become one of the country’s best restaurants too.
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Understatement is Key
Located in ever-popular Notting Hill, The Ledbury has a large canopy over the door and the restaurant name is only visible from close up. This is indicative of the restaurant’s discreet, understated approach. The dining room has a similar low-key elegance, and a welcome calmness that will instantly put you at ease. It was the first time I had been here when there was still daylight outside and I highly recommend it, with natural light flooding the room.Smoothly and efficiently run but without old-school formality or grandeur, The Ledbury is one of the new breed of Three-Star restaurants. It’s cool, rather than opulent. This ethos comes from the top down, from Brett Graham himself. He was there during our dinner (and may well be during yours too) and he served a course to every table. Yet he did so in such a down-to-earth style that if I hadn’t already known what he looked like, I would never have guessed he was the owner. Graham doesn’t seek the limelight, and his restaurant never does either.
A Perfect Team
The success of The Ledbury is very much a team effort. Head Chef Tom Spenceley and his brigade work wonders while being guided by Brett Graham’s commitment to high-quality ingredients from trusted suppliers. Front of house, the service team are essential to The Ledbury’s overall charm, to that happiness I observed during my visit. Led by Jack Settle, a warm, friendly presence who puts everyone at ease, this was service free from even a hint of aloofness. Everything ran like clockwork but never felt robotic, as if providing such personal, attentive service was effortlessly simple.Love all things MICHELIN?
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A Delicate Balancing Act
If you have never eaten Brett Graham’s food, I would describe it as a happy marriage of complexity and restraint. The dishes I ate were highly detailed, beautifully plated and had so much going on in each mouthful: sweet, savoury, bitter and acidic elements all interplaying. And yet, there was never one ingredient too many. The chefs here know exactly when a dish is perfected and when to stop adding flavours.In a lengthy tasting menu, a few dishes stood out as particularly excellent examples.
Langoustine with Lobster Salt
A generous array of snacks kicked off the meal. All were brilliant, but if you get the langoustine with lobster salt on your visit, you’re in for a treat. The sweet, succulent shellfish was coated in a gossamer-thin tempura batter and dusted lightly with the lobster salt. Served on a stick like a lollipop, we were invited to dip it into a rich hollandaise balanced with finger lime and puréed sea buckthorn. The result was a tasty, tangy treat.
Bread Course
The first half of the two-part bread serving was a laminated dough, similar to a croissant, crafted into a bow tie shape and filled with a parmesan and truffle béchamel; be prepared for it to be messy, but oh so delicious. A playful bit of fun, this reminded me that the chefs don’t take themselves too seriously. The second part of the bread course was a Parkerhouse roll glazed with honey and bee pollen, its sweetness balanced by the tang of the accompanying goat’s milk butter.Mushrooms From the Cabinet: Shiitake, Ricotta, Nettle and Australian Black Truffle
A Ledbury signature dish, Brett Graham served this to us himself. A warm truffle royale at the base was topped with slices of meaty house-grown shiitake resting in a slightly jellied dashi and a nettle sauce added at the table. Inside the mix, I found tiny pasta parcels filled with ricotta, like little jewels which just burst in the mouth. I don't think they could have bettered this dish in any way.
Hay-Aged Anjou Pigeon, Scottish Girolles, Vadouvan, English Cherry and Sauerkraut
This felt like a real summation of Brett Graham’s style: the complexity of his cooking, his love of game and his hunter-gatherer side that prioritises using all elements of the animal. The pigeon was presented at the table then taken away to be carved, but during carving we were left with a croustade of liver and confit wing to enjoy while we waited – a nice touch.The main plate spotlighted the pigeon breast, which had a crisp skin but cut like butter, while its accompanying sauce combined green peppercorns with cherry kernels. The balance between sweet and savoury was a recurring theme here, and bitter baby turnips countered sweet cherries beautifully. A smooth vadouvan added gentle warmth and, on the side, there was the tender heart, a thin slice of liver and a confit leg.
Pigeon is an inherently rich central ingredient, but here the chefs managed to balance that with a lightness and a freshness that I have rarely seen in a pigeon dish before.
Blackcurrant And Liquorice: Buffalo Milk, Anise, Beetroot and Black Cardamom
There was a welcome generosity throughout my meal and this continued into the desserts. Multiple sweet dishes showed that this is a kitchen which takes puddings seriously. One highlight was a fresh take on a crème caramel, served with salted liquorice ice cream and blackcurrant sorbet. The flavour combinations were excellent, as were the textural contrasts provided by chewy, semi-dried beetroot and a butterfly-shaped brandysnap tuile.
Inspector's Tips
- The aforementioned mushroom cabinet is the team’s pride and joy, so make sure you take a good look at it on the stairs down to the bathrooms – and marvel at the number of exquisite mushrooms being grown.
- At The Ledbury, you’ll be treated to a great meal at any time of year, but if you have to pick, then go in game season. Brett Graham is passionate about hunting and the game produce on offer here is superb.
- If you’re visiting London and need to stay the night nearby, I’d suggest The Portobello Hotel, your closest MICHELIN-recommended stay.
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Hero Image: A chocolate, cherry and cep dessert from The Ledbury, one of London’s Three-MICHELIN-Star restaurants. © Jonathan Glynn Smith
