L'Oranger

Went to L'Oranger for my birthday and opted for the tasting menu. The food was exceptional, very inventive and mouth-watering combinations. The service was also quite good - friendly and efficient. I thought the food here was better than in other more "famous" restaurants in London (e.g. Le Gavroche).
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Thursday, August 24, 2006

It’s difficult to provide a review of the food, ambience or overall service of the L’Oranger, as we only got to stay for 5 minutes.

On arrival we were shown to a corner table where both my partner and I were positioned side by side facing the other dinners. A very good view if you are interested in other people, but a little difficult to hold a conversation with your fellow diner without getting a cricked neck.

Also, if you are romantically inclined and want to stare in each others eyes, then this would prove very difficult unless one of you is an arachnid.

We ordered a pre-dinner drink and started to browse the menu. Our attention was drawn to two waiting staff who were trying to quickly erect a further table in the middle of the room. We weren’t sure whether it was a temporary fixture to be used to layout some elaborate feast or whether it was a quick fix to sit two poor souls who had probably wondered in looking for an impromptu table. As they finished laying out the cutlery, we realised it was the latter. I turned ninety degrees to face my partner and started to make the comment ‘I wouldn’t be happy if I had to sit there’ but before I had chance to finish, a French version of John Cleese suddenly approached us and in a very forceful manor exclaimed ‘You will have to move to that table!’.

I tensed, my partner paused, lifting one eyebrow, then replied, ‘are you asking us or telling us?’ to which an over animated Maitre D suddenly shouted, ‘well someone is not going to be happy and this couple had requested this table, so whatever happens I cant please all of you’. Actually, I’d be hard pressed to believe he could please anyone. I quietly advised that we would leave, as I had visions of Monsieur Cleese being forcefully laid out over the table whilst I strategically placed an apple, for aesthetic purposes only!. However, this only provoked stronger animation as he held his hands in the air, grasped his head and let out a long sigh. We politely left, never actually seeing the menu or having our aperitif.

So as I said, whilst I can not comment on the food, ambience or overall service, what I can categorically recommend is for you to never cross the threshold of L’Oranger, unless you like your waiters to be pretentious, pompous, animated and rude. If however, that is your cup of Earl Grey, then L’Oranger is highly recommended.
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Steve - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 5
Monday, August 14, 2006

This is our favorite restaurant by far. The food is first class for anyone loving the best of French cooking. Unlike other restaurants of this caliber, the staff is highly professional and helpful, giving you a homey feeling. Despite the price we return to it every year.
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Rafi Ilivitzky
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Thursday, May 11, 2006

Eating at L'Oranger was a sublime dining experience. The ambience was relaxing and the staff were welcoming, friendly and helpful. The quality of the food and wine was excellent and, as "classic" French cuisine, unlike the less complex modern cuisine, the food bombards you with a multitude of flavours and textures, from the delicate to the intense.

Yes, it is expensive (especially the wine list as noted by an earlier reviewer),but overall you get what you pay for and the whole experience of dining at L'Oranger represents good value and can make for a memorable occasion.
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CA
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Sunday, May 07, 2006

I went for dinner on Valentine's day, and had a very enjoyable experience. The food was excellent; a five course set meal, polished off with a delightful chocolate dessert from La Maison du Chocolat. The service was subtle and efficient, lead by a slightly eccentric French maitre d', and the setting was elegant and relaxed. The wine list was very lengthy, weighted strongly towards the expensive end of the spectrum, however there were a small number of lower priced wines to cater for a range of budgets. An excellent venue which I would highly recommend
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, February 15, 2006