The Grill by Tom Booton (fka The Dorchester Grill)

"The Grill by Tom Booton I’ve been wanting to visit the Grill for quite a while now and on tuesday it finally happened. I could easily complete this review by using one word WOW but it would be an injustice to the amazing lunch we had to celebrate my birthday. The food was exceptional , the service was excellent so I can’t thank Tom and his team enough. The restaurant has a fabulous location in the heart of the Dorchester Hotel. We enjoyed a pre lunch cocktail at the Artist’s Bar before making our way to the restaurant. Our welcome was very friendly as we were escorted to our table. Firstly though they had kindly arranged for us to sit at the counter to enjoy a fantastic selection of snacks and a complimentary glass of champagne. We had the privilege of seeing the chefs prepare and then serve them before our very eyes. The snacks including oysters , brioche with chicken liver parfait , fried shimeji with mushroom xo sauce , lamb belly and a couple of charcuterie dishes. They were all amazing and I just wish I could remember each of them in a bit more detail so please forgive me. We then moved to our table for the rest of the afternoon. The menu starts with small plates followed by large sharing plates , main courses , sides and puddings. First to arrive was some heavenly Bread to tear and share. We then ordered four dishes from the small plates to start. These were the Lobster and Cheese Tartlet with isle of wight tomatoes , courgette and optional caviar , Squid Bolognaise a la Koffman and basil , Crispy Pig , bbq coleslaw , nduja and the Caesar Salad with smoked sardines. Now it was time for the mains. Here we opted for the Middle White Pork (for two) with mirabelle plum and black pudding sauce and Tom’s famous All the Chicken (for 2 - 4 people) that included a whole chicken a wing and a pie. For the sides we chose the Grill’s Mashed Potato with coastal cheese and crispy onions , buttered runner beans , bbq leeks with ricotta , hazelnuts , pistou. We were also given the Ratatouille tart fine with basil a complementary gesture from the team. To say this was a magical feast would be an understatement. Now it was time for desserts and Tom decided to send out a selection of four from the menu. They were the Chocolate soft serve with cookies , marshmallow and fudge , banana and chocolate cheesecake with crispy pecans , waterloo cheese ‘pastel de nata’ with english relish and last but not least an amazing fig tarte tatin with fig leaf soft serve and roasted vanilla chantilly (2 - 4 people). Once desserts were finished Tom came over for a chat and asked if we’d like a tour of the kitchen and believe me when he said tour he wasn’t joking. You go down by an escalator and then it’s just kitchen after kitchen with each one designed for different culinary delights ie restaurant , afternoon tea and room service it really was amazing to see. We then headed back to our table for tea , coffee and cocktails to round of the most exquisite dining experience. As I said at the beginning I can’t thank Tom and his team enough for their amazing hospitality. The food and service was amazing so if you haven’t put this place on your list yet then I would highly recommend doing so. Thank You Tom and all your team for a truly outstanding dining experience and look forward to seeing you all again soon."