Marcus – Michelin Star awarded restaurant
Marcus in the Berkeley Hotel in London is overseen by celebrity chef Marcus Wareing and has won many awards, including a Michelin star and Time Out’s Restaurant of the Year.
During my visit to Marcus I tried the seven-course tasting menu, with accompanying wine selection. We started with a complimentary amuse-bouche of ox tongue on crackling (which was delicious), and if you’re looking for a pre-dinner cocktail, I can highly recommend the original creations at the Blue Bar, also in the Berkeley Hotel.
First Course: Burrata, macadamia nut, black olive & sugar disc, with brioche milk bread
I have to confess that I’d never had burrata before (which is an Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream), but this dish was arguably my second favourite of the evening. The burrata itself was creamy yet firm enough to hold its shape, with a delicate flavour that combined perfectly with the crushed macadamia nuts underneath. The sugar disc with black olive shavings on top provided the dish with a lovely bit of crunch and sweetness, but then the brioche milk bread (served in its own pan on the side) threatened to steal the show, with the rich butteriness of the brioche bringing back childhood memories of visiting bakeries in France, and the salt and rosemary expertly cutting through the richness to prevent it from becoming too much. All in all, a fantastic first dish, and a high bench mark for the rest of the meal.
Burrata, macadamia nut, black olive & sugar disc, with brioche milk bread
Second Course: Cured salmon with pickled cucumber and kaffir lime yoghurt
After the richness of the first course, this dish was refreshing and light, and acted almost as a palate cleanser. The cured salmon was (as you’d expect) done to perfection, and it was a nicely thick slice (rather than the usual wafer-thin smoked salmon thickness). The pickled cucumbers were only very lightly pickled, and added a nice crunch to the dish without bringing too much acidity, while the kaffir lime yoghurt was equally delicately flavoured and refreshing. A simply dish, no doubt, but a perfect one to follow the heavier first course.
Cured salmon with pickled cucumber and kaffir lime yoghurt
Third Course: Roast scallop, lobster bisque, and cauliflower, apple & chilli
We then came to what was, for me, the highlight of the entire meal. I’ve had plenty of nicely cooked scallops in my time, but it’s not an exaggeration to say that this might have been the nicest one I’ve ever eaten. Beautifully caramelised and sweet on the outside and perfectly tender and moist on the inside, without any part being too over- or under-cooked. The lobster bisque (which was interestingly served as a thick paste) was a great accompaniment, and the side salad of thinly sliced raw cauliflower, apple shavings and green chillies added a nice counterbalance in terms of texture, acidity and spiciness – but really, this dish was all about the amazing scallop for me.
Roast scallop, lobster bisque, and cauliflower, apple & chilli
Fourth Course: Confit smoked pork belly, with peach, black garlic & grape mustard
I do love a well-cooked piece of pork belly, but I’ve never had one that’s been smoked and confited before, so this was an interesting spin on a classic concept. The smoked pork belly was meltingly tender, with just the right level of smokiness to give the dish some character but without it overpowering everything else on the plate. The scorched segment of peach and the black garlic puree both added a sweet contrast to the smokiness, while the tanginess of the grape mustard cut through the richness of the pork belly. All in all, a very well-balanced dish.
Confit smoked pork belly, with peach, black garlic & grape mustard
Fifth Course: Lamb bestend, with homemade ricotta & roasted courgette
This was another of my favourite dishes, where everything on the plate was cooked to perfection and complimented each other brilliantly. The lamb itself was beautifully tender but not too bloody, with a crispy piece of lamb skin/fat served on the side to add an extra dimension of flavour and texture to the plate. The roasted courgette had been made into a baba-ghanoush-style spicy dip, which cut through the richness of the lamb fat when needed, and the delicately flavoured homemade ricotta added an indulgent-yet-light creaminess to the dish.
Lamb bestend, with homemade ricotta & roasted courgette
Sixth Course: Fig leaf flavoured frozen dessert, with Granny Smith apple
If viewed as a dish in its own right, this was arguably the most disappointing plate of the evening, but if viewed as a simple “palette cleanser” before the “main” dessert, it was nice enough. The sugared fig leaf on top was very interesting and distinctly flavoured, and the diced and pureed apple added some sweetness to the dish, but the frozen dessert itself was just too, well, frozen. It was difficult to eat (the spoon struggled to get through it), and it was so delicately flavoured that it was on the cusp of not really tasting of anything at all. But it did work, as I say, as a refreshing palette cleanser to bridge the rich and spicy lamb and courgette dish with the more delicately flavoured main dessert that was to follow.
Fig leaf flavoured frozen dessert, with Granny Smith apple
Seventh Course: Elderflower & vanilla mousse, with raspberries and meringue
While the sixth course may have been a little underwhelming, this seventh course was a revelation (and possibly my second favourite dish of the meal). I’m not normally a fan of elderflower, but the elderflower and vanilla mousse was utterly delicious – tasty without being overpowering, and creamy without being too heavy. The raspberries and raspberry sauce added a more overt sweetness to the dish, while the chewy mini-meringues were another highlight, and the sprinkling of frozen crumbs added a freshness to everything. One of the nicest desserts that I’ve had for some time.
Elderflower & vanilla mousse, with raspberries and meringue
We ended the meal with coffees and a chocolate mousse petit fours (which was also amazing).
“…the burrata, scallop & mousse dishes in particular were some of the best I have ever had…”
Overall impression: This meal lived up to what you would expect from a Michelin Starred restaurant, and the burrata, scallop and mousse dishes in particular were some of the best I have ever had (made all the more enjoyable because I probably wouldn’t have chosen to order burrata or elderflower based dishes had they not been on the tasting menu). The venue itself is a lovely dining room that manages to feel spacious yet intimate, with décor that feels classic yet modern, and the service was attentive without ever feeling intrusive. We were even lucky enough to be offered a tour of the kitchen, and as a keen amateur cook myself, it was a real thrill to see the kitchen and the pass during an actual service. Obviously, with this being central London, the price for the tasting menu is not something you would pay for everyday dining, but for a special occasion, this is an amazing fine-dining experience.
