Le Gavroche is named after one of the ragamuffins in Les Miserables, although that’s about the only link to anything scruffy or undesirable for this opulent restaurant located on the back streets around Park Lane. Le Gavroche was the first restaurant in Britain to be awarded two Michelin stars, in 1977 (and the first to get three, in 1991) and whilst it’s won and lost stars in the years since, it currently maintains it’s place as one of eight, two Michelin starred restaurants in London. The hushed tones and expensive looking upholstered furniture are in keep with it’s high end Mayfair location, although the racing green, gilt edged wallpaper, solid silver sculptures on the tables and Masterpieces on the wall (I didn’t realise at the time that the framed Picasso to my left was the genuine article), do make the style feel rather dated and almost Napoleonic.  Not so the menu.

When you want to order everything you see on the menu and the wine list is as thick as an encyclopedia, pretty much the only option you can go for is the tasting menu (Menu Exceptionnel), so that’s what Miss P and I did.

Our Amuse Bouche was one each of a tapenade style pastry and foie gras nibble. The tapenade pastry was pretty salty and when I tasted our first proper dish of Rare Seared Salmon with Paprika, Asparagus and Truffle Dressing, that also was pretty salty, I was starting to think this was going to be more a Pied a Terre experience, than Petrus.

The moment I had a mouthful of the Soufflé Suissesse, a cheese soufflé cooked on double cream that’s Le Gavroche’s signature dish, all doubt was removed. To say I was blown away is like saying the Buncefield oil explosion was a bit of a bonfire. And that was before I’d tasted the Martel Cuvee Victoire 1998 champagne that it was matched with. My mouth experienced one of those elusive moments that gastronomes are forever chasing; a new and exquisite taste sensation that with each mouthful of food and wine just kept enhancing the experience. Wow.

Next up were a couple of fish dishes; the Scallop baked in the Shell, flavoured with Ginger and then the Seared Sea Bass on Soft Polenta with Roasted Red Pepper Coulis, Olive & Garlic Croutons. The Scallop was rather flamboyantly opened up at the table and was a lovely and delicately flavoured dish, with the subtle taste of the scallop left surprisingly in tact even with such a strong flavour as ginger. When the Sea Bass dish arrived, I was more interested in whether I’d rate the polenta or not. I’ve never been a fan, you see, so I thought if I’m ever going to be converted, it would be now or never. Unfortunately, it was the latter rather than the former, so Polenta gets added to my very short list of foods that I’ll eat, but am not that keen on (liver, raw herring and Hayward’s pickled red cabbage).

The Hot Duck Foie Gras and Crispy Duck Pancake flavoured with Cinnamon was another belter, though. A healthy portion of Foie Gras, coupled with a crunchy, meaty Duck pancake and a sauce that probably took three days to reduce, it was so intense. The Sommelier had again excelled himself as the slightly sweet La Tour Vielle, Banyuls Reserva was a perfect match. Whilst it wasn’t quite up to the revelatory cheese souffle with Champagne, it really wasn’t that far off at all. Superb.

Miss P and I were then a bit more than momentarily distracted by an intriguing discussion at the table next to us:

Guy: I think that maybe I’m too boring for you.

Girl: {silence}

Guy: I wish I’d partied more when I was in my twenties.

Girl: I did party a lot and did have a lot of fun when I was younger, but going to the best clubs and parties doesn’t mean it was fun all the time.

Guy: I still wish I’d partied more.

The Roasted Rack of lamb with Courgette Flower Fritter and Tarragon scented jus, presented under a Cloche, disrupted our earwigging of the imploding relationship next to us and concentrated our mind on more important matters. The lamb was beautifully cooked and despite it’s translucency, the gravy was surprisingly rich. A very good dish, if not as transcendental as the Souffle or Duck & Foie Gras.

The cheese trolley of British and French cheeses was a pretty comprehensive one, the pick of our choices being an Armagnac soaked Goats cheese, although the evening was a bit too mature for me to recall the name.

Next up was the pre-dessert sweet. I’m sure there must be a proper name for this course, but I have yet to learn it. I thought I was doing well what with finding out that the name of one of those silver bell serving thingies was a Cloche, but finding out a proper name for pre-dessert has been a fail so far. I think I’ll ask a waiter if they know the name of this the next time I’m in an equally fancy restaurant. Anyways, the pre-dessert consisted of a jam madeleine cake, a sugar glazed physalis, a brandy snap and a mini merengue sandwich effort. At this point, even I was starting to feel rather too similar to Mr Creosote for my liking and dessert had yet to arrive.

Our final course of the day, was the Shortbread Biscuits with Strawberries, Banana & Rum ice cream, served with a Vin de Constance 2004. The ice-cream was delightful, but I’m afraid the seven preceding courses had started to take it’s toll and my palate was starting to flag. I was still nowhere near the non-fish eating friend of mine who really could not hold in his revulsion for raw fish at Sake No Hana recently, and managed to ‘annihilate’ the Gents, but a wafer thin mint really would have finished me off.

Le Gavroche really is somewhere quite special. I’m still not used to the rather formal setting and service in this kind of establishment, but we were not made to feel intimidated in any way, as can sometimes be the case (being served food under a cloche was more amusing than anything else). To experience not one, but two spectacular dishes was a great achievement, especially as at least one other dish wasn’t too far behind. I’m a little hesitant to say it was value for money, considering it’s the most per head I’ve ever paid, but if someone were to ask if I was prepared to spend that much again for the same experience, I wouldn’t hesitate to reply in the affirmative. The only question left to ask is whether the face of the man on the front of the menu (see the first picture at the very top) is supposed to be Michel Roux Jnr or not?