The Grill Room at the Dorchester

My girlfriend and I went to the Dorchester Grill room last night for her birthday. We had the 5 course taster menu with glass of Champagne and I have to say it was superb. The staff were very attentive and explained each course and were so friendly. The food was great and I was full by the end of the meal. Great kitsch surroundings.
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Andy
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, April 30, 2008

On a rainy Saturday night last month we six ventured into town for a much anticipated meal at the Dorchester. The service was really good, the room

is lovely, the food was awful....... strange combinations the duck starter, turned out to be ducks tongue...... not a great, the main course was no better, the lamb was just not very good. My fellow diners all felt the same, I recommended it so felt really upset, when the bill arrived for our two courses, three bottles of medium priced wine, two bottles of water, service charge slot was left empty for gratuity even though there was £70.00 added automatically. The final bill was just under £700.00, which if we had enjoyed it would have been fine. Would only venture back for afternoon tea.
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Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 2
Saturday, April 12, 2008

This was our first visit to the Grill Room and one which lived up to all our expectations for food, service and value for money. We chose the two course special, which at £25 per head represented exceptional value, and the complimentary amuse bouches further enhanced the experience.

We both chose the Aberdeen Angus Beef which was cooked just as we like it - well done (medium also available), and the yorkshire pudding was superb. Our dessert was the chocolate marquees, which was simply sublime in taste and texture.

The choice of freshly cooked bread was an added delight. The service was first class, and the waiters very friendly and attentive.

We will certainly be repeating our experience very soon.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Viisited on a week day evening for the £25 set menu with a free glass of champagne. You can not fault the value for money, although the set menu is limited it did include such dishes as scallops.

The service was extremely good and at no point were we treated as less important customers or hurried to finish. We finsihed with a hot drink which we asked to be served in the lounge area and the waiter duly obliged.
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Sam
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, February 06, 2008

We booked for the same evening for the 2 courses and a glass of champagne for £25. We were given a decent table and offered the standard menu du jour, which is £25 two courses and £27.50 for three. So the champagne was the bonus, and a nice start to the meal. The set menu has only two choices per course, and is very understated: the starters were described as chicken and macaroni, or white onion soup with foie gras. In fact the food was superb and a real act of creativity. A delicious amuse-bouche to begin. The soup was beautifully done, creamy smooth, with a floater of frothed potato which carried tiny chips of smoked duck, and served with toast generously covered with foie gras. The macaroni was equally far from its simple description. We followed with wild salmon-trout cooked in red wine. A kind of zabaglione/sorbet followed before the excellent suite course. The service was warm and courteous, and never were we made to feel that we were poor relations. The wine list has several decent wines in the £20 - £30 range so the whole bill with service was under £100. You could easily spend double if you went a la carte, though with such an interesting set menu, you'd be mad to do so.
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NCS - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, June 28, 2007

I cannot advise people strongly enough to bypass this once classic British restaurant.

My guest and I ordered our two courses and I was surprised to find that the little gratis tasting dish that is now de rigour was in fact a small repeat of my starter… A little thing, however not something that would have happened in the past…

It’s been a few years since I went to the Dorchester, having been almost weekly for many many years… I loved the simplicity of the British menu with well chosen & sourced ingredients. The fresh sliced roast beef, roast potatoes, parsnips and red cabbage are no more… Instead my rib of beef was a very very poor cut. The three small lonely roast potatoes were only just warm, the carrots equally dead and the small orange paste a real surprise… The Yorkshire pudding was stone cold… The modest puddle of gravy bland & pointless…

When asked how things were I told my waiter and he simply shrugged his shoulders and said ‘maybe you will like the dessert menu more sir’ the food may have been poor, however the temperature was the worst offence… This did not seem to bother him…

I ordered a glass of ’63 port and a selection from the cheese board…. The waiter unfortunately did not know his way around the cheese board and I gave up when he offered me double Gloucester and called it Cheddar… I settled for Brie, Stilton & ‘cheddar’… All hopelessly bland….

On leaving the Maitre‘d asked how my meal was, and I told him straight… He said ‘we are moving towards fine dining.’ If that is fine dining I’m a Dutchman… HORRIFIC!!!
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Andrew Stanton
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Sunday, December 24, 2006

The Grill at the Dorchester is excellent we go at least twice a year and find the food to be of a very high standard. There is a very good selection on the menu and i can recommend the Lamb and the differnet steak dishes. The choices of bread and wine are also excellent, along with the service the waiters also make you most welcome and the atmosphere for such a grand hotel is very relaxing and your made to feel at home.nothing is too much trouble.
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K Lambert
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Recently dined at the Dorchester from the alacarte menu, and consider myself after cruising many times with P&O.

I don't know whether this was a wind up, but three of us dined and now totally convinced you just pay for the decor. Menu was limited with very little vegetable. We had smoked salmon which was £18 but somehow they forgot brwon bread and a little lettuce perhaps. For other diners going there please try the special which is between 6pm and 7pm, it couldn;t be any worse and a lot cheaper.
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pauline miles
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 1
Friday, October 27, 2006

Following Mr Winner's most recent scathing review in the Sunday Times, we were somewhat concerned about holding our annual Christmas lunch there. We needn't have worried, the food was excellent as was the service. A thoroughly enjoyable experience.
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Veronica Brownin
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Thursday, December 22, 2005

Following an outrageous refurbishment The Grill has re-opened with a new Head Chef and it is wonderful.

Head Chef Ollie Couillaud from "La Trompette" has created food to die for. Gone are the stuffy old menu choices and kidney shaped vegetable dishes!! In their place we have smoked eel ravioli, pigs ear, rabbit and the finest smoked salmon I have ever tasted.

If you are lucky enoguh to get a table there ask the sommelier "Jason" to choose your wine, this man knows it all and I never realised wine coudl be such an event!

Overall prepare for a night of utter indulgence. It is wonderful
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KH
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, December 20, 2005