The Chancery review by Brian J
The Chancery had me at hello. My gf and I were greeted at the door and seated promptly, a candle burning at the table and Stan Getz's "Girl from Ipanema" playing in the background.
Our meal began with complimentary fresh olives and a selection of breads served warm and lightly toasted. I could have died happy after the bread alone. We were then treated to a delicious watermelon and ginger drink (on the house!) which made me glad that I didn't die after the bread. My first course, a mouth-watering rabbit beignet, was cooked to tenderness, seasoned to perfection, and complemented by an array of fresh peas and vegetables. I chose the sea bass for my second course. The outside was delicately crisped brown and the inside melted in my mouth. I also enjoyed a taste of the halibut, courtesy of my gf. Characteristic of halibut, it was more "meaty" and chewy than the sea bass but similarly prepared with the same mastery. Following the dinner, we were again pleasantly surprised with a complimentary "pre-dessert," a light, tasty dish consisting of what I can only describe as layered coconut and fruit flavored gelatin. I finished off the evening with the pecan pie, and my gf had the B-52 parfait, both of which were marvelous.
The waitstaff were outstanding--attentive but not intrusive, genuinely gracious without the snobbery that sometimes taints other restaurants of this caliber. I was especially impressed by their attention to detail. For instance, one of the waiters refolded my gf's napkin when she visited the lavatory. Another wiped the crumbs from the table after the main course. They also asked us several times during the evening if we were satisfied with everything, to which we could only reply in the affirmative. Even though the restaurant was booked to capacity, the staff made us feel like we were their most valued customers.
The price was a bargain given the quality of the food and service. Even without the online discount through toptable, our total bill for the evening came out to about £84, which also included 2 glasses of wine and a 12.5% optional service charge. Normally I don't like when the service charge is automatically added to the bill, but the professional quality of the service more than compensated for the practice in this case. With the toptable discount, our bill came out to about £50, which--for this caliber of food in London--is a steal.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Overall rating 
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
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