Launceston Place: Quick, somebody call the Michelin man!

www.launcestonplace-restaurant.co.uk

I remember eating at this place many many years ago when it was a tired traditional English restaurant. The kind of place you could take your grandparents and not overwhelm them with the advances made in gastronomy over the last two decades. Well I have eaten there a few times since the transformation and quite frankly the only thing I can say is that it has metamorphosed into a very special place indeed. The decor alone was transformed to be elegant and modern with a cosy feel and beautiful details and furniture.

A couple of years ago I had the privilege of eating a truffle risotto at Launceston Place which was beyond compare. In fact, loving truffle the way I do, I have had many a truffle promising dish in many a one/two Michelin starred restaurant that paled in comparison. There was one thing letting this place down however, and that was inflexibility of the staff and the narrowness and seldom changing nature of the menu. Upon revisiting their site recently I happened upon a wider selection and the addition of a vegetarian tasting menu! Although I am not a vegetarian myself, I often have a mix of the vegetarian and regular tasting menu as there is usually something I dislike. This was the sign I was looking for to inspire me to book this place for the visit of my fiancé's parents.

The outside of Launceston Place

The in-laws to be. Both turning 60 AND celebrating their 40th Wedding Anniversary!

The Amuse Bouche: Celeriac Foam with Truffle Oil. Perfectly executed and delicious to eat. The foam was not like spit, it was a light and consistently airy concoction that was a delight to eat.

Asparagus & Duck Egg: The Asparagus Veloute that these perfectly cooked elements bathed in was so smooth and delicious you simply did not know how they did it and retained the intensity of flavour.

Roasted Scallop, Glazed Belly Pork, and Textures of Apple and Celeriac. The belly pork was the star here, succulent and moist. The apple and celeriac really brought the surf-and-turf together.

Herb Gnocchi, Broccoli Puree, roasted Shallots & Truffle Emulsion: Another spectacularly perfect dish.

Cornish lemon sole, prawns, shrimps, samphire and potatoes. Elegant and refined, the sauce really let the fish shine through.

Beetroot, White Balsamic, Dandelions & Hazelnuts: A beautiful plate of food with a rich earthy depth and a spectrum of texture.

Ravioli of Goats Cheese, Olives, Piquillo peppers, Artichokes & Spinach: A little too much going on, but all the flavours fit well and each element was executed perfectly. This was my least favorite dish (there has to be one!) as it lacked the clarity and focus of my other dishes. Please note, this was a vegetarian option.

Pork loin fillet, cumin cabbage, pumpkin puree and pork popcorn. My fiancé thought the cumin was a little overpowering, but what does he know?? It was inspired as was the popcorn that gave the texture of crackling to the dish.

The wonderful and stylish cheese trolley.

The selection we made for our table with the highlight being a Calvados steeped Camembert.

There was also a wonderful Lemon Posset pre-dessert with Rosemary Granita. An inspired little creation.

The Dessert: Chocolate Souffle with Praline Ganache and Dark Chocolate Sorbet. again, perfect execution and an Easter treat for chocolate lovers.

Although not photographed, I also had the flight of wines and they were superb. I knew they would be as soon as the sommelier presented himself. I found the fact that he was Spanish (as usually they cannot help but be French) quite refreshing and it did mean that we got some interesting Spanish wine. He was really very pleasant and thoughtful and I did not feel for one second that he was reeling off a prepared script. He very much took the time to engage with us and discuss the wine.

In fact, he was not the only one who impressed me. The service was really quite fantastic (unlike previous visits) and the desire to accomodate you did not go unnoticed. I cannot for the life of me work out why this restaurant does not have at least one Michelin Star? I can only imagine that the inspector is still on his way here...