This week's Restaurant of the Week is Launceston Place, the D&D London-owned restaurant in Kensington.
You might recognise head chef Tristan Welch from this year's Great British Menu series where he impressed judges with his rhubarb and custard crumble ice cream (pictured below).
He joined Launceston Place in autumn 2007 from the former Pétrus where he worked under Marcus Wareing. The move saw the young chef not only front his own restaurant but also switch from modern French to modern British cooking.
Launceston Place is perched among rows of quaint multimillion-pound housing - all stucco frontages and cherry blossom gardens - and there's certainly no lack of loaded local custom here for Welch to woo. Interiors include chocolaty walls, white tablecloths and a convivial, chic feel that maintains a formality to suit the moneyed Kensington crowd.
Welch's menu is littered with seasonal British produce - nettle, peas, asparagus, rhubarb - a springtime Top of the Crops.
The à la carte features starters including the English asparagus egg and cress sandwich and devilled crab and potted shrimp dishes he created on the Great British Menu, next to poached goose egg with truffle risotto and "drunken" flamed quail that is flambéd at the table and served on a pared-down plate of hazelnuts.
Main courses equally reek of Britishness. They include rose veal with sweetbreads, nettles and pickled mushrooms; whole roast Denham Castle lamb with peas, mint and heirloom tomatoes; and a Launceston Place fresh water fish pie.
The six-course tasting menu, which is priced £52, typically offers dishes such as black truffles with spinach and home made ricotta, artichoke and sage butter; Champagne poached salmon with a spring vegetable salad; or Tamworth suckling pig with radishes and honey emulsion.Desserts meanwhile feature a seasonal rhubarb cheesecake, yoghurt and honeycomb; a rice pudding soufflé with raspberry ripple ice cream; and lavender cream with violets and raspberry.The wine list combines an extensive list of Old World wines from accessible wines by the glass to an impressive selection of Burgundies and New World favourites and offers something for every budget. The Champagnes feature some of the finest including Bollinger, Dom Perignon and Krug.
Average spend £60 for three courses including drinks and service.
Launceston Place, 1a Launceston Place, London W8 5RL; Tel: 020 7937 6912
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