The New Angel

One of the things that crosses my mind occasionally when visiting a restaurant owned and operated by a well -known chef is how much should that restaurant be dependent on the patron for its food output? Should we expect, when walking through the door to eat a meal in which the man (or woman) himself has taken a major part? And indeed should it make any difference? We first sampled John Burton-Race's food at L'Ortolan near Reading in, I suspect, the 1980's -after Nico Ladenis had abandoned that ship with complaints about provincial tastes and likings for gin & tonic. We liked Mr Burton -Race's modern European food then, and I have no doubt that we'd like it now. However I know (because I asked) that the patron wasn't present at lunch today, so our meal was cooked by the kitchen brigade . Did it make a difference? Well we didn't think so. Frankly everything we were given today was at least very good and sometimes better than that, and right now this is a kitchen that is punching above its weight. Presentation was always excellent, and flavours from the quite complex dishes distinct and intense. We both particularly enjoyed our main course of salmon- which isn't something I often choose in a restaurant since its not hard to cook well at home. But this was pretty much perfect- delicate yet flavoursome and a crispy skin that was a delight. But as I say everything- from bread through amuse-bouche to petits fours and coffee- were really enjoyable. Service was uniformly prompt and smiley, and the restaurant itself was a very pleasant place to be. We each selected the set lunch option with 3 choices for each course and as my wife said, she could have comfortably selected just about anything from the menu. No thoughts here at all about whether the set lunch really reflects the what the kitchen can do. With an included strawberry bellini, three courses, coffee and a glass of wine our bill was £96 which we thought good value for food of this quality. I can only assume that a star will follow at the next opportunity, for this restaurant would sit quite happily amongst the starred group right now.

I have just read Toms review , I hope he can take as well as dish it out ;-) I think almost everybody has taken a contrary view to him , why ? because he is wrong. this is a great addition to London let alone the plethora of local establishments and lets remember its early days. we were the last to leave and I was impressed by JBR sitting down to taste the fantastic food that was being prepared for tasting. of course everything was not perfect for example I couldn't get any biscuits with my cheese and one of the petit four chocolates had truffle oil in and a slightly better range of value wines would help especially for those of us who like more than just a sip! its excellent food and for the record I had the scallops as well and I thought they were lovely I don't how many restaurants that serve more than two and for main an excellent lamb , its not cheap buts its good value. I will be returning for lunch soon maybe I will bump into Tom…

We thought the reviews below were suspiciously glowing and well-written, but we live locally and decided we ought to try this new restaurant. The staff are a delight, relaxed, professional and charming. I was also impressed by the refurbishment job, this is the third incarnation of a restaurant that I have visited on this spot, and they have done a great job here in what is a slightly awkward space. Sadly the whole show is let down totally by the food. We were presented with an amuse bouche of carrot velouté with apple which was effectively a rather thin carrot soup with some pieces of raw apple in the bottom. Not totally unpleasant to eat, but if a restaurant is going to go to the trouble of serving an amuse bouche it had better be good, otherwise it looks like a pretentious waste of time. Not a great first impression. I had the scallops and cauliflower for my starter, the two scallops (rather mean) were very well cooked and the dish as a whole was pretty and well-conceived. My wife had the salmon confit which was one of the most revolting things either of us has eaten for a long time. The salmon had lost all taste and texture in the cooking process, so the result was a tasteless, floppy piece of fish drowned in a watery tomato sauce. Nasty. Mains would have to pull something special out of the bag to justify the £44 charge for two courses but they did not. My pigeon with foie gras and mushroom tart was tolerable. The concept of the dish was good but the execution left it lacking texture and the whole thing was overpowered by over-liberal use of truffle oil which invaded my nostrils as soon as the plate was laid down and dominated all other elements on the plate. My wife's lamb was ok but lacked anything to raise it above the level of gastro pub fare. We didn't stay for dessert as the tables were very close together and the loud couple next door had become rather tiresome. You can probably get away with serving food like this outside London, but in Notting Hill, at £54 for 3 courses, it needs to be a lot better than this. Who knows who wrote thue other reviews below, it would appear they were reviewing what the food at this restaurant would like to be, rather than what it is in reality. Avoid.

I dined with an old friend at The New Angel on Saturday 26 April which was during the “soft opening” and I was enchanted by the impeccable service and exquisite food. I dine out in London 3 or 4 times each week and must say that I have rarely found such superior food, service and ambience in one location. My expectations were high but they were exceeded. Without exception, the staff were engaging, extremely helpful (I asked for a dish to be adapted to my taste) and ultra-professional. I enjoyed what I thought was going to be a simple salad but was in fact the most delicious combination of unique flavours followed by seabass which was so sublime I almost queried it. I cannot wait to return.

Having been a huge fan of the New Angel in Dartmouth, it is fantastic to have this new restaurant closer to home. From the minute we walked through the door, the balance of quality and comfort was apparent. And on a quiet street in Notting Hill, it was a lovely relaxed atmosphere which was brought to life by the fantastic food and drink. As always, John Burton-Race delivered food with great thought and expertise, from the flavours to the texture and presentation. Each dish provided delight, and after 3 courses we were all left satisfied without being over full. And it was not just the food that delighted. The Champagne on arrival, followed by a selection of interesting wines recommended by the Sommelier kept our pallets amused. We will be back to enjoy more.

I enjoyed a lovely meal here yesterday during the restaurant's ‘soft launch’. The New Angel has it all – nice atmosphere, charming staff and very good food. The scallops were superb and the raspberry trio dessert was just divine. There is no doubt I will return here, it is a real gem.

Having heard of the New Angel in it's Dartmouth days but never experienced it I made sure I could attend the soft launch of the venture in Notting Hill. The first thing that hit me upon entering the beautiful restaurant was the smell of truffles and the flowing glasses of champagne – the place already has a buzz about it. Sipping a glass of Laurent-Perrier at the bar I felt like we were about to experience something special. The menu offers contemporary European fine dining that is seasonally led. We were all presented with beautiful starters that led to a lot of food envy around the table but in the end everyone was overwhelmed by their choices. I was lucky enough to try both the salmon – presented with an elegant tomato and basil infused sauce – and the scallops – one of the prettiest plates I've ever seen. The mains again surprised – beautifully presented with flavours that perfectly paired and textures that elegantly contrast – their is a reason that John Burton-Race has such a great reputation. The wine pairings by the sommelier were magnificent, the staff welcoming and attentive, the champagne elegant and the cheese selection second to none! We were lucky enough to see John enjoying the atmosphere having finished in the kitchen at the end of the evening – happily greeting patrons. All I can say is I can't wait to return and try the full tasting menu.