GALVIN LA CHAPELLE ★

Recently I went to the one-Michelin starred restaurant Galvin La Chapelle for my friends birthday. We both ordered the Menu Gourmand which included 7 courses. The restaurant looked very nice, I don't really know if it was an old Chapel some time in the past, but the decor felt like it. The table set up is quite traditional with white napkins and white tablecloths.
Before the first dish, we were offered some white or brown bread. It wasn't the best I've had, I'm not even sure it was home-made.
The first dish in this menu was a lasagne of Dorset crab, unfortunately my crab allergy doesn't allow me to eat this kind of dish, the team was very understanding and replaced my first dish with one of the dish from A La Carte menu : Cured organic salmon served with kohlrabi, avocado & blood orange. My salmon was nice but nothing special. 

 Lasagne of Dorset crab, beurre Nantais & pea shoots

Cured organic salmon, kohlrabi, avocado & blood orange

Second dish was a pressed ham hock & foie gras terrine served with red onion marmalade

It was a nice dish but not really my cup of tea. I have never been a terrine fan, I like foie gras on its own. The terrine was a bit dry, however the red onion marmalade made it more easy to eat. 

 Pressed ham hock & foie gras terrine, red onion marmalade

The first really enjoyable dish was the risotto of Périgord truffle and Jerusalem artichoke, the whole dish was a delight, not too rich and very tasty. I love Jerusalem artichoke, it is one of my favourite roots vegetables just after "tubercule de cerfeuil". The mixture of them with truffle & risotto was perfect. 

Risotto of Périgord truffle and Jerusalem artichokes

Next course was a red Cornish mullet, I never tried this kind of fish before in my life. I won't be the best person to judge this dish, but anyway... I think it tasted very nice and it matched very well with the vegetable barigoule.

Fillet of red Cornish mullet, saffron orange & vegetable barigoule

 

Tagine of Bresse pigeon, cous cous, confit lemon & harissa sauce

When I saw Tagine of Bresse pigeon I though it was a weird combination pigeon and Moroccan dish. After few bites this dish became the highlight of my meal.The meat was perfectly cooked, moist and tender, confit lemon and harissa sauce adds a litlle bitterness and spiciness to the whole dish and goes very well with the pigeon. I was just a bit disappointed it didn't have a bigger portion of it like the table seated next to us (They ordered it from A La Carte menu so the portion is a lot bigger than the tasting menu version). 

Truffled Brie de Meaux, grape chutney & walnuts

Cheese selection was great, the brie was soft and very tasty combined with the grape chutney. Then came the dessert, it was a wonderful apple tarte tatin, apples were full of flavours, quite soft, caramelised and soft at the same time. Those two last dishes were faultless. 

Apple tarte Tatin, Normandy crème fraîche

Overall my dinner at Galvin La Chapelle was very nice, compare to tables around us, waiters have been nearly faultless with us, I have to request water two times but I guess we have been more lucky than the table around us which had two glasses dropped on the floor. I didn't think all dishes have a Michelin level, but I really enjoy the Tagine of Bresse Piegon. I am not sure it will be the place I recommend for a special experience.

6/10

Galvin La Chapelle

35 Spital Square

London E1 6DY