Matthew Hardeman drops by the Michelin star establishment for a bubbly six-course treat, courtesy of William ‘Billy’ Drabble.
Champagne house Krug has teamed up with and Seven Park Place executive chef William ‘Billy’ Drabble to dazzle hungry HNWs with their ‘Year of the Egg’ menu available for a limited time at one of the world’s smallest Michelin star restaurants, tucked away inside the St James’ Hotel.
Following from last year’s slightly less exotic-sounding ‘Year of the Potato’, Spear’s dropped by Seven Park Place to try out the new six-course pairing menu, each serving replete with Krug’s finest.
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Known for Billy’s classic French cuisine cooked using the very best British produce (he’s known to check the daily forecasts, to gauge whether he should buy his fish from Scotland or the south coast), expectations are naturally high.
First up, the poached duck egg – and a veritable highlight of the evening. Delicately balanced with creamy, warm potato mousse, cured ham, shallot and caper dressing, it’s accompanied by a tall glass or two of Krug’s flagship, limited edition Grande Cuvée it’s a smashing start, and beautifully conceived.
The first of several dishes actually cooked with champagne as an ingredient comes next: puree of foie gras, poached quail egg, champagne jelly and toasted brioche. Technically clever, this one was a little sweet for my tooth – but wasn’t short of fans on my left and right. Served with a glass of Krug’s 2003 vintage, I was still happy to clean the plate.
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The opulence continued at a pace with the dish Drabble is most proud of: a neat, creamy tartare of hand dived scallops with truffle dressing and caviar, accompanied again by the 2003 vintage – a curiously magnificent vintage, especially given that 2003 was a disastrously warm year for champagne makers.
Moving on with a healthy gulp of the beautiful Krug Rosé, it’s time for fourth and fifth: poached native lobster tail, asparagus and champagne hollandaise, followed by fillet of turbot poached in champagne with morels. It’s hard not to be taken in by the sheer quality – and the quantity of these luxury bites combined, which fast become rather more filling than you might expect.
Finally, pudding: pink champagne and strawberry jelly with vanilla egg custard to die for. Finishing up with more of the legendary Grande Cuvée, I’m officially sold on this ‘year of the egg’ business – and, cleaning my plate and emptying my glass, I’m signing up to Krug’s celebration of the theme in Rome in April.
Roll on the Year of the Egg!
Priced at: £75, the menu will run at Seven Park Place until the end of April.
Photo credits: Matthew Hardeman; Niall Clutton
