Tom Aikens

I camped in a place called Moremi Gorge once. It was stunning. A small river trickling at the foot of our campsite. Rocks steepling around us, along which baboons scampered and howled. A perfectly clear sky at night, in which i saw my first - and only thus far - shooting star. The only disconcerting thing were the vultures that circled perilously over our heads for the entirety of our stay. 'Carrion Camping' i'd quipped to my friend Noel. 'I don't get it' he'd said.

This trip came to mind when i recently visited Tom Aikens as a belated christmas present for my mum. The food was stunning. A light foie gras mousse on perfect circles of thin turnip. Pork croquettes that didn't so much melt in your mouth as sublimate (if that is the right word, GCSE chemistry seems a long time ago).

Most amazing though, was my pudding of roasted pineapple and pineapple puree with spiced olive oil. It was, put quite simply, the best thing i've ever eaten. So good, that i giggled with each spoonful. My mum said she hadn't seen me laugh that innocently or purely since i was spoon fed as a baby.

It was just a shame that throughout, an unnecessarily large hoard of waiters circled restlessly. I couldn't take a sip of water without one stepping in and replenishing my glass. Couldn't complete a sentence without one checking that everything was okay. Which reminded me of the gorge. And the vultures. A little bit of solitude and peace might have seen this trump the brilliantly unpretentious Champignon Sauvage for my best ever meal.
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stevethelipless - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Had an excellent dinner at Tom Aikens with some friends last night.

We went for the tasting menu with accompanying wines, which with a new glass for each of the eight courses was a struggle but well worth the effort!!

Each dish was technically outstanding, with innovative and creative combinations such as scallops with almond gazpacho and red pepper 'foil'. The passion fruit pannacotta was one of the best desserts I've ever had.

Service was top notch (waitress was able to name every one of the 40 cheeses on the cheese trolley!), and the atmosphere in the comfortable dining room was lively.

Can't wait to come back!
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Joe F
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Thursday, December 17, 2009

Absolutely wonderful food, adventurous, tasty and fresh. Beautifully matched wine. One I liked so much (Remy Gresser Muscat), that we found a supplier and bough a few bottles. Highlight for me include sea bass decorated tastily with herbs and pistachio. Beet root with a that had been soaked in red wine- awesome. Very high level of consistent dishes and at least one or two stunners. Perfect place for a special treat.
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10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Sunday, August 23, 2009

I went to Tom Aikens last night with a friend of mine. Usually, I don't go for special offer at this type of places. However, last night we decided to try the 5-course special menu called "Flower Menu" because of the name.

What a mistake! The dishes are outright bizzare. Each dish basically has savoury and sweet tastes blended together. I think some chefs may be able to manage this well, but definitely not Tom Aikens.

Most of the dishes are either tasteless (e.g. the salmon) or taste weird (e.g. lemon risotto). My friend said that the lemon risotto is so sour that she can't eat it. I didn't find mine too sour so I tried hers. Surprisingly, hers is sourer than mine. It is very surprising to see such a place display this kind of inconsistency.

Also, with regard to the service, I am not sure if it is because we went for the special menu, we were only offered bread once during the meal.

In short, based on the meal last night, Tom Aikens doesn't deserve to be called "rising two stars". It should stay with one star for another few years.

On a more positive note, I have learned from the experience never to go for special menu at michelin-starred places.
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David - View all reviews by this user
6 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6
Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Took a day off work to meet up with a friend for lunch. Have eaten Tom Aikens before but this time was a little disappointing. I had a four course set fish lunch but the two main dishes, salmon on scrambled eggs and lemon-soaked leaves(?) had been overdone on the lemon front so tasted bitter to the detriment of the fish and egg. The pollack dish was more like it if more of an amuse bouch, but the following small fillet of pan fried red mullet was overwhelmed by the accompanying green (pea) purees.

The set menu lunch constitutes two choices per course but the starters were uninspiring and for some reason my friend's mushroom starter was overlaid with thin gelatin slices that tasted of nothing. His lamb mains was probably the best of the various starters/mains we were served. The desert was more gelatine gone mad. A nice blood orange sorbet and an accompanying cream and segmenty dessert was messed about by wrapping it in an orange coloured gelatin coat. This was served on a thick green mint flavoured gelatin slice. Way too complicated and bordering on laughable. The coffee, petit fours, one more desert, madeleines and tuiles were terrific. A glass of wine and out the door for just over £100 for both of us. Not the usual standard of cooking but I'll probably give it one more go before calling it a day.
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Gareth - View all reviews by this user
7 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Sunday, February 22, 2009