1* Muse by Tom Aikens - Belgravia, London
I was recently invited to experience Tom Aiken’s 6-course tasting menu at his newly opened, and much anticipated ‘Muse’ in Belgravia. The entire concept of the menu is centred around his experiences as a child, and growing up in Norfolk. The restaurant is is spread over two floors of a characterful Mews house in one of the most chi-chi corners of Belgravia. The interiors are daintily designed by Rebecca Körner, combining an eclectic fusion of marble with coral and gold-hinted furniture.
The two tasting menu’s on offer are not your standard affair. Inspired by nostalgia and pivotal moments in Tom’s personal life and career, each course centres around a particular event or memory. Courses are given quirky names such as “Just down the Road”, and “Conquering the Beech Tree’”, presented in a stunning menu with a pop-out origami model of the actual restaurant.
Amongst our amuse-gueules, we enjoyed a fantasia of “snacks”, my favourite being the bosky smoked venison tartare served in a bone on a bed of moss.
"Just down the road” was a delicate blend of ricotta cheese, made from raw milk sourced near Aikens’s family home in Norfolk, served with burnt leek purée, leek crisp, winter truffle and touches of honey jelly.
So delighted was I with the sensational bread spread that followed, where the sourdough was made fresh on site and flavoured with stout and treacle. It was served with two butter’s - chicken and cèpe-infused, and the other creamy and simple on crystal rocks.
The perfectly-composed Beech Tree comprised of a grilled langoustine speared on a twig on a bed of reduced pig’s trotter jus, burnt apple and a wafer of lardo di colonnata. It was the perfect fine dining blandishment of a singular ingredient used in three ways.
My favourite course was “Playing with fire” - a well-aged and fed Norfolk dairy cow, sous vide then grilled with garlic and thyme. The incredible depth of flavour in the piece steak was lovely. A cute mouthful that I would have happily repeated ten times over. This was accompanied by a singular fried chip, and a baked onion stuffed with wheat, barley and beef mince - which slightly reminded me of Haggis. To finish, the final “wait and see” dessert comprised of a flurry of cornflakes, infused delicately with hay and vanilla.
Muse is an absolute treat. It is more on the pricey end, but it is definitely a spot if you are on the hunt for an alternative gastronomic evening, as I find so many tasting menus here in the city are too similar and quite bland.
I will be watching the development of this restaurant with immense interest, what a special evening this was. Thank you to Tom and the Muse team for inviting me.
Just down the road: Sea lavender
The essence: Beetroot, Cucumber, Pine
Conquering the “Beech Tree”: Langoustine, Pork fat, Burnt Apple
Playing with fire: Beef, Norfolk grains, Barsham Strout Robin Beer
Wait and See: Cornflakes and scented Hay
[invited]
Eva x
Address: 38 Groom Pl, Belgravia, London SW1X 7BA