Alex Webb at Number One Park Lane: A thrillride of British flavours
It’s clear that Alex Webb – loveable Essex boy and Masterchef winner 2020 – truly gives a well-seasoned asparagus about British eating and drinking. When I asked for a glass of wine at his London pop-up simply called Alex Webb at Number One Park Lane, I forgot our shores and thought of a sharp New Zealand savvy B to pair with my chicken, but my request was politely slapped down by my waiter.
“Alex has prepared cider pairings,” I was told, and who was I to argue? Sat outdoors on the fringes of Hyde Park Corner on a thoroughfare I never thought I’d dine on, but found relaxing once I got over the odd locale, we sparked the firing gun on an experimental melange of dishes that, regardless of feelings about each individual plate, were defiantly brave and instantly sparked conversation.
To start we had citrus-cured salmon, fennel, tomato consommé and caviar – we ate the strips of salmon slowly and reassured each other we could taste citrus somewhere, but couldn’t really. Next was yellowtail tuna tartare, avocado and prawn cracker with English wasabi. Another well put together dish, although the English wasabi was hiding more effectively than the lemon.
Onwards, and a main of Lake District Farmers’ chicken with burnt cauliflower purée, pickle, couscous and roasted chicken. This is exactly how I’d imagine a Masterchef winner would cook a roast chicken, with all of the love of a home-cooked roast, with a refined spin. The chicken was cooked to tender perfection, but the real star was the cauliflower puree: rich and decadent, it shows how much can be done with vegetables like these if only we would try. I could have eaten three portions, especially with the audaciously carby butter and thyme potato wedges, served with piles of parmesan.
Now for the most interesting part: the drinks pairing. One in particular, Sandford Orchards’ vintage cider The General, reminded me that we should all be taking cider more seriously. Fresh and dry, it provided a boisterous flavour challenge to the chicken, eschewing the sweetness that has stigmatised supermarket ciders, and cider in general.
We were impressed. But Webb saves the best for last. The pièce de résistance is the Masterchef-winning white chocolate and passion fruit dome, which somehow eclipses even the version I remember from the show. The pairing – Katja Rosé, a boozier, bubblier affair than the previous ciders – was perfection: this is an orchard I’d gladly get lost in.
Alex Webb at Number One Park Lane runs through to 28 July, then there are rumours his food will move inside the same address, to a permanent home within the Intercontinental hotel. 1 Park Lane, W1J 7QY; 020 7409 3131