Sketch Lecture Room and Library

19 June 2007 - Gourmet Rapide lunch

If one has to epitomise Sketch, all you have to do is to stick your head into the toilet. Yes, just in enough to activate the motion sensor that sets off the flush for the latrine (in the guy's toilet at least). Just take in that psychedelic headrush then proceed up the stairs with the maitre 'd and enter grandly into the lecture room and library.

The lunch menu today was in the usual order - canapes: cumin sticks with creamed tuna sauce followed by an assortment of four starters to be eaten in a clockwise direction. Then, a choice of three mains and then a final menage a trois of dessert then ending with a petit fours flourish.

What then is sketch about? As some other reviews below point out, a weird combination of tastes. But then (remember the toilets) , that is exactly what I feel gives sketch its character - electicism, some jarring mixture of tastes yet some sort of unity. If you go to sketch with high hopes of a carravagio or monet, your expectations might be dashed by a full frontal exhibition of Dali or Hirst.

Look at the starters for example - Carrot puree and salmon tortelloni (what I would call the western version of the wonton), pigeon dumpling with grapefruit(woefully small I have to add), custard of rhubarb with broccoli and cauliflower vinaigrette sauce, cucumber and apple jelly with slices of apple and what I think should be gruyere cheese. Not exactly what I would call classic french dishes.

Then mains - skate on a couscous-like mixture (believed to be boulgour cereal) with figs and apricots or shredded braised beef with bak choy, potato dumpling, leek ad reduced wine sauce - once again, a mish-mash of tastes.

Last example, the petite fours and canapes - guiness jelly, and summer fruit jelly among other things

What's the verdict on such a mixture of food? An assault on the tastebuds surely. Absolutely nothing to do with harmony. If one desires harmony, a pret-a-manger BLT should do the trick. Sketch is more of fusion than french. If one needs a further analogy . metaphor, please do visit their rather user-unfriendly website.

That was the blurp on the food, what about service? Well, my partner's and my poor-student look was not lost on the waiters. "Don't worry, the coffee and tea is inclusive" *earnest look* + "Uhm, would you want wine with your lunch? *unsure look*. Well, I have to admit we didn't have the wine but the sparkling water did not come cheap either (most expensive at 10 pound a bottle). But the thing I appreciate was that there was no condescension, only understanding that gourmet rapides inevitably attracts the "creme moindre" of society. Other that that, service was the usual attentive sort you would expect at a place like this.

A short note on the atmosphere - the decor I particularly appreciated, not too overdone but rather stylish. However, it would have been good to have soft music in the background. Just a personal preference

In closing, probably what sketch did well was that it got the real basics of fine dining right (ironically, not achieved sometimes even by the most starry of fine dining establishments). Prompt, attentive and unobtrusive service + dishes out on time + clean, warm and well-presented dishes. A major sticking point? The gourmet rapide is obviously cooked according to available ingredients, half of the dishes did not match the menu description (I did request to keep a copy of the menu which did causes some uncomfortable shuffling). Other than that, if you desire traditional french, go to Le Gavroche. But if you want something other than sainsbury's and got some spare change, you might want to head to sketch, just for that afternoon of pampering.
Comment on this reader review

fuzwuzzle - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, June 19, 2007

We’ve been there for Lunch and it as been a pleasure to have a real meal for £35, with three courses with: a starter, a choice in between three main courses (including a vegetarian option that my girlfriend had) and cheese or deserts. We had a great time there with some friendly but not familiar staff and an amazing surrounding…

Will be back!
Comment on this reader review

Christopher Kent
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, June 16, 2007

Oh wow! I lunch out a lot at a variety of different restaurants, and I just love this. Food was outstanding, service unbeatable. I'm looking forward to my next visit already.
Comment on this reader review

Peebee - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 7
Monday, June 11, 2007

From having to wait 20 minutes for our pre-dinner drinks, to the terrible food, the night in the Lecture Room was not enjoyable. Whilst the staff were attentive and friendly, there is nothing else good to write about this severely overrated restaurant. The food could have been good, but a cacophony of flavours were mixed together to create something completely inedible. One of our party was pregnant, obvious by the 8 month bump, and when she asked for the tasting menu to be adapted to her needs, they produced the most bizarre products, some unsuitable for her, there were clearly not used to having pregnant ladies in their restaurant.

For quality of food vs. price, you are better off going to MacDonalds, which is what I would have done had we passed one on the way home, instead it was toast and nutella to satisfy my hunger. Not to be recommended.
Comment on this reader review

Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 0
Monday, June 04, 2007

i have to agree with previous posts, ate there about a week ago. too many ingrediants, to many flavours ending up in a mesh. service is so so. not what i expect of a restaurant like this.
Comment on this reader review

JHA
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 0
Sunday, June 03, 2007

Lunch at Sketch had two distinctive features: the food was a farce and the service a tragedy.
Comment on this reader review

Sébastien Moerman
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 0
Sunday, April 29, 2007

Ate here for the third time, and was again impressed by the high standard of service coupled with high quality, innovative, beautiful food. My guest is a strict vegetarian, so we chose the vegetarian tasting menu. She is also lactose intolerant, and without blinking the chef was able to replace cream or cheese ingredients with a tasty alternative (such as replacing a cream sauce with a broth). A further accolade is that although vegetarian, each course was well thought out and complete - rather than being simply a meat- or fish-less version of a more standard dish. Food ingredients and cooking were pretty faultless; only 2 minor criticisms: one dish was (to my taste) oversalted, and one of the five (!) desserts did rather appear to have been thrown together from random ingredients.

Service was again first class, and I would agree with other readers about the friendliness of the welcome, with time taken to show us around the rest of Sketch and introduce the staff to us, and later being shown to the members bar (although having eaten 11 courses we needed to have a walk a few blocks instead). An excellent evening.
Comment on this reader review

Raymondo
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Monday, April 16, 2007

Excellent expereince at Sketch in all aspects.awesome/exoticinterior iof imposing building in the centre of Mayfair.Very friendly and polite restaurant staffranging from the Croatian waiter to Julien, the knowledgeable young sommelier.Particularly impressed by the welcome from the front manager,David,who gave us the 'member feeling.The 35 pound lunch menu has little choice,but in our case this wasnt a problem.The subtle hors d'oeuvres was delicious a was the dessert.The main course was good.Outstanding value for money including gratis glass of champagne
Comment on this reader review

martin lewis - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Sunday, February 04, 2007

exceptional service and beautifully executed interesting food but if you where to nit pick , it is very fussy and very elaborate . warants more than the star it has , it really is a fine dining experience with faultless service . a lovely dining room . a great experience but i dont know how often i will go back .
Comment on this reader review

shane
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Friday, October 20, 2006

I went there to celebrate my father's 60s birthday. He probably had his best food experience in 60 years! Each dish is a complete discovery in term of test and texture The service and welcoming were excellent.
Comment on this reader review

Elise Ferrand
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Thursday, August 17, 2006