 Of course, you can leaf through the pages of the current Michelin Guide as a starting point. Nothing wrong with that - and the chances are you won't be disappointed. Michelin stars aside, other reliable restaurant awards abound, such as the prestigious London Restaurant Awards, held annually at The Grosvenor House Hotel. Also, take a look at the results of the Carlton London Restaurant Awards, where Restaurant Gordon Ramsay was recently declared "London Restaurant Of The Year". All these lists will point you in the right direction; all award winners, indeed are a pretty safe bet, when it comes to locating restaurants of unrivalled excellence.
But, there's a lot more to it if you want to stay ahead of the crowd in search of gourmet cuisine, at its most inspirational. After all, isn't it possible that the criteria by which award-winning restaurants are judged may be too formulaic? Is there, dare I say it, an unspoken hint of conformity about these restaurants that may occasionally disappoint?
First, let's pick beneath the mille feuilles of British culinary tradition. Granted fine dining has come a long way since the formal, French-oriented offerings that dominated the menus of top London restaurants, even a few years' ago. Today, the capital's finest restaurants embrace an eclectic (and mind-boggling) array of superb global cuisine, as well as simple quality English fare that's truly sublime.
Trends, however, come and go, whereas certain aspects of haute cuisine remain constant. Interestingly, all top restaurants appear to share these enduring qualities; and it is by this alternative culinary yardstick that we should judge today's London fine dining scene.
If you want to uncover the true essence of fine dining, in London look out for the following:
A panoply of freshly-sourced ingredients on the menu:
Restaurants that use only the freshest of ingredients usually produce the finest of dishes. Another indication of high standards is where menus clearly state the source and origin of their staple ingredients.
Attention to detail:
This applies not only to the presentation of the dishes themselves, but also to every other aspect of the restaurant including the napery, restaurant layout, décor and pleasant seating arrangements - anything, in fact, that may contribute to the diners' comfort. Too many top establishments, nowadays, tend to forget that the centrepiece of their restaurants and their very raison d'être is the customer!
First impressions and attentiveness of waiting staff:
When you first enter a restaurant, ask yourself the following questions: are the serving staff and particularly the front-of-house welcoming; do they look and sound as if they're genuinely happy to serve you? Let's face it, most diners truly appreciate a touch of heartfelt flummery. A sneering demeanour is enough to curb the appetite of even the most enthusiastic diner.
The memory lingers:
The British public is known for its idiosyncratic approach to life and this is clearly evident in some of London's top-notch eateries. A truly fine dining experience is more than the sum of the ingredients that make up a signature dish; it is rather the overall memory we retain of having enjoyed all the quirks of a special dining occasion.
Value for money:
Fine dining and getting one's money's worth (and, if we're lucky satisfying portions, to boot) are not mutually exclusive. Those restaurants are out there, if only we take the trouble to locate them.
An imaginative and thoughtfully sourced wine list:
A carefully compiled and reasonably priced wine list that perfectly complements the menu is essential. Prohibitively expensive wines, however good, will leave a bitter aftertaste.
The following suggestions are but a taster of fine dining - with a difference:
The Embassy - for exquisite presentation and attention to detail
Just St. James - for posh nosh with generous portions
Oxo Tower - for fine British cuisine in a breath-taking setting
Sway - for haute cuisine in a swish environment, off the main tourist trail
Zaika - for seriously up-market modern and traditional Indian cuisine
Aubergine - for generous helpings of superb modern French fare
Chez Bruce - for traditional British dishes prepared to perfection; a comprehensive and reasonably priced wine list is a bonus!
Thanks to the inspiration and sheer determination of London's multi-talented chefs and restaurateurs, access to fine cuisine is no longer the preserve of the rich and famous; such pleasures are now commonplace. Those days, when fine dining presented an awesome experience for the majority of diners are mercifully, a thing of the past. Today's diners know better.
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