What we've been wondering since last night, my wife Joelle and I, is how Michel Roux Jr got on with his chosen starter at the table next to ours, 32 floors up at the Shard next to London Bridge and by the window no less.
He went for the Cornish crab, described on the menu as "Donington celeriac, mayonnaise and crab butter toast". For himself. In our attempt to keep down what we knew would be a heavy bill, and because we were not that hungry at the only time we could book the Aqua Shard restaurant (6.30pm), we had decided to share the same starter.
Ours tasted ... well it tasted of celeriac and mayonnaise. Nothing would have been said about the distinct absence of a a strong crab component had the maitre d' not asked for our thoughts on the meal.
We loved the West Country loin of lamb, served as three chunky noisettes with a très nouvelle cuisine garnish, all to do with carrot but not really accompaniments (we had a few spuds as a side dish), even if Joelle chose them as her main course only when told she was not entitled to order two starters, as she would have preferred, and do away with the main.
But we were agreed that there had been no more than a trace of crab in the Cornish crab starter, and said so. I kept thinking of how the cat probably feels when offered sachets labelled beef, lamb, chicken or duck and wondering where on earth the meat might be amid all the jelly or sauce. "Well, there is a lot of celeriac," the maitre d' gamely pointed out. "And the celeriac is very local," a waiter added. "Just make sure the chef puts a bit more crab in Monsieur Roux's plate," Joelle advised, very Frenchly.
The bill arrived just after Michel Roux and his companion, whom we took to be his wife Giselle, had been served their starters. We'd kept a respectful distance - for all we knew, the couple were preoccupied with arrangements for ensuring all staff at Le Gavroche receive at least the minimum wage - and left them to it. But we'd love to know whether a two-star Michelin chef had the same view.
The Shard is undoubtedly an experience for the bucket list. The views over London are sensational and you can enjoy them pretty much wherever you are seated. The service is attentive, maybe a touch too attentive at times but professional and friendly. Tastes will vary but we would prefer our next visit, supposing we can afford one, to be in one of the Asian-themed restaurants.
But there was one pleasant surprise, justifying the mention of "Shard of class" in the headline.
The bill was hefty, as expected (you are paying for the experience, after all), though no more than we would have spent if original plans - Sunderland versus Burnley in what turned out to be a dire FA Cup game devoid of goals, plus hotel, meals and fuel - had survived rational scrutiny.
But the price of the crab starter - a whopping £17.50 - had been deducted. That's class.
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