Ok, the title is a bit of an inside joke. The first time we went to Clipstone (which is nestled in the lee of the Post Office Tower, making it easy for even the most navigationally challenged to find), I had Calves Brain for dinner, which was quite the most delicious thing I have ever eaten. I was also incredibly ill the next day, but I still refuse to acknowledge any connection (I was also very ill after a plate of elvers in Madrid many years ago: Equally delicious, equally ill)
Fitzrovia is a culinary desert on a Sunday, which is annoying if you wave your offspring off at any of the major London termini and fancy something decent to eat. We have found the odd place over the years, but Clipstone has remained a favourite, as it not too busy, and has an amazing set lunch…
I love this part of town, as it is incredibly convenient for just about everywhere, and we even lived on Clipstone Street for a brief period in the late 90s exactly nine months before the birth of our first child, I now recall (happy times…)
If there is any complaint about Clipstone, it is about the wine list. I’m all for trying something a bit new and different, but for Sunday lunch, particularly one that is good value, you want a good value wine to go with it. The cheapest wine on the list is £47, which even in London is expensive for the bottom end. We tried the second from the top (age old trick), the Antxiola, which was (and I quote from my notes here) “Unusual and fresh”. I think I meant unusual to be more on the complimentary side…
While in the main eschewing many starchy carbs, I do take my hair shirt off from time to time, and I have to say the bread was excellent. On the starter front, the Pork and Venison terrine was solid and very tasty, while the trout had an excellent flavour. 10 out of 10.
For mains, the Duck had was really rich, but the standout was the Stone Bass, which was perfectly cooked, and had the most amazing hollandaise. I am not usually a big fan, but now I know what it *should* taste like!
The sides were not 100%. Bitter leaves and buttermilk seems to be spreading across restaurants in London at the moment, and if I can find a way of halting its advance, I will. The leaves were not at all bitter, and the dressing just renders the whole thing a bit slimy. But I am told the potatoes were good…
To show how truly excellent the whole experience was, I had pudding (albeit the sorbet), which was a taste sensation. And the rice pudding definitely went down well with the older members of the crew.
Service was attentive and friendly, without being intrusive, and I am delighted to see that not only has Clipstone survived COVID, it seems to be thriving, looking at the other restaurants now in the group (which I do hope to end up reviewing…)
The a la carte is pretty pricey, so unless you are going when the set menu is available, it is a real special occasion place, but I would say, worth the splurge (but then I eat cow brains, so what do I know?)
Conclusion
Rating: 4.5/5
- Food: 4.5/5
- Wine: 4/5
- Service: 5/5
- Atmosphere: 4/5
- Would be go back: 5/5
Clipstone: https://clipstonerestaurant.co.uk/
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