Cigalon — Restaurant in London

I recently visited this restaurant in London and unfortunately, I have to say that my experience was quite disappointing. I ordered the two-course meal for £34, but the quality of the food and service did not live up to the price.

The lamb that I ordered was undercooked, which was a major letdown. Additionally, the red wine that I ordered was served in a dessert glass. A red wine from 2016 should not be served in a dessert glass. A red wine is typically served in a larger wine glass, such as a Bordeaux glass or a Burgundy glass, which allows for proper aeration and enhances the wine's aroma and flavor. Serving red wine in a dessert glass, which is typically smaller and narrower than a wine glass, can make it difficult to fully appreciate the wine's characteristics and can negatively impact the overall tasting experience! The wine was also full of sediment, and when I complained, the lady informed me that it was “because it is an old wine”. Shouldn’t be decanted to avoid the grains being stuck all over the glass? Unfortunately, the taste of the wine was horrible and salty, which I believe was due to the dessert glass plus the possibility of the staff being utilizing a measuring container to serve the wine. Unfortunately it’s quite a common habit in some restaurants in England, but the proper way to serve wine is by using a wine bottle, pouring it into a wine glass, and ensuring that the glass is clean and free from any residue that may affect the taste of the wine. Using a measurement container may suggest a lack of attention to detail and professionalism, and it can also affect the quality of the wine by altering its taste and aroma. When I expressed my dissatisfaction, the staff didn't seem to show any interest in rectifying the situation. They left the £10 glass of wine there without offering a replacement or any compensation for the poor quality.

The starters were good but not impressive, and the price of the food was not justified by its quality. The service was not the most friendly one, and even the desserts were just okay, despite the pompous menu script.

Overall, it was an expensive meal that didn't meet my expectations, and I'm not sure I would give it a second try. Although the ambience was pleasant and the decor beautiful. In conclusion, I would not recommend this restaurant based on my experience. The undercooked lamb, poor quality wine, and uninterested staff were major disappointments, and the high price did not justify the quality of the...

I really wanted to love this restaurant, but it fell short on a few aspects: food and service.

The first course started out strong with a delicious small soup. The second course was alright (the tripe). The crisps on top were a bit soggy. I was hoping for a sharper contrast between the tripe and the crisps. My favorite course was the trout. It was by far my favorite dish of the night. It was soft, but the skin was cooked perfectly crisp. I wish I just had 4 courses of this plus the starter. We also got the ratatouille as a side. It was alright, nothing special. The next course was a cheese course. I personally did not like the cheese they chose. My husband thought it was nice, so this course really depended on your cheese preference. Finally, we had the chocolate molleux. The texture was very odd. It was a bit spongy and the chocolate was really thick. We were expecting the cake and chocolate to be softer.

Aside from food, I was surprised that the servers didn't automatically explain each wine we had with our tasting. We had to ask them each time what wine we received.

Atmosphere was also a highlight. We got to sit in one of the giant booths that definitely could fit at least 4 people. We were facing the kitchen, so it was nice to see the chefs at work. The only down side is the chefs kept turning on and off a light near us.

Overall, this was decent for the price. We came on the first Tuesday of the month where they trialed their new set menu. I probably wouldn't come back except to trial...

This latest meal excellent - Feb 14 2024. Food really well done! Wines good by the glass. Only service was a tad sketchy BUT they knocked off the cost of a course - 2 eating 3 paying for 2. Excellent to do that. AND the lactose intolerance was perfectly accommodated this time.

TIME BEFORE

In the past we have had good food, wine and times at Cigalon, as we do when we are at the Smithfield HQ. There is usually a bustling crowd, and the events - such as curated wine tastings - are good.

Recently we decided to celebrate my wife's birthday there. I'd taken care the forewarn the restaurant about her lactose intolerance. I’ve done this in the past and the chef has provided beautifully.  I'd also specified some petits fours for a birthday 'last dish'.

The tasting menu struggled to avoid lactose. Normally that would mean that the kitchen had considered and could make available some alternatives. Not in this case – courses and parts of courses just had to be skipped by the guest of honour. The coup de grâce was the lactose-laden petits fours served at the end, with coffee. There was nothing on the plate my wife was advised she could safely eat, even though it had been put together specifically for her – when fruit jellies and lactose-free chocolates are very available. Expensive overall, and lack of attention to key detail was sloppy IMHO. Mostly young, inexperienced, staff who didn’t really seem to care about our poor experience.

Disappointed,...