Core by Clare Smyth — Restaurant in London

If I were to distil the experience into a single word, I would hesitate between the humble “wow” and the exalted “divine.” Fortunately, I am not required to confine myself to a single word, and so I may pour forth my thoughts at length. To recount the experience—and “experience” is indeed the proper term, for it was not merely a “meal” nor simply a “restaurant,” but an encounter of the highest order—would take me more than an hour. Still, I shall endeavour to be brief. From the moment of entry into the lounge, through the kitchen with its vast glass window, and into the dining hall itself, every detail bore the stamp of deliberate design, as did the service, which attained the loftiest standards. The dining chamber was arranged with separate entry and exit, so that the movement of the waitstaff, a kind of choreographed dance, flowed in a single direction—from entrance to departure. The servers were, as if by magic, invisible until the instant one had need of them—even if no summons had been given, even if no need had yet been realized. At the precise moment, someone would appear to refill a glass that had emptied, to replace a fallen napkin, or to answer a question with patience and grace. These were no novices, but veterans of their craft, intimately acquainted with the house and all its subtleties. When they spoke of the dishes, their eyes gleamed with genuine excitement. It was plain that they themselves had tasted what they now described, recounting their own impressions in a manner that transcended mere recitation of ingredients, methods, and origins. The mistress of the house, Clare Smyth, carried herself with charm and warmth, offering each guest a sense of personal regard. She graciously agreed to a photograph with us and engaged in light conversation, leaving us with the sense of being not merely patrons, but honoured acquaintances. Before the feast began, our allergies and personal preferences were carefully considered and, wherever possible, woven into the meal. Each dish was prepared in the kitchen beyond the immense glass wall, which allowed us to observe the artistry as chefs moved in a complex ballet, never colliding, each adding their part to the creation unfolding before our eyes. Presiding over this dance was the sous-chef, whose name, alas, I did not learn, yet whose vigilance was absolute: he inspected every dish for its appearance, tasted each element to ensure perfection, and guaranteed that every plate that left the kitchen was nothing less than a masterpiece. Clare Smyth herself stood at the threshold, watching over her realm with an air of serene authority. From the kitchen, each creation was carried by servers to the dining hall entrance, where they were joined by two attendants, who, upon reaching our table, placed the dishes before us in perfect unison—lest even for a moment we feel one guest privileged over another. After the presentation, one server would remain to describe the dish in detail—its ingredients, their provenance, and the story of its creation—answering every inquiry with precision and care. Even the smallest details were attended to: a visit to the restrooms was not unattended, but accompanied by a server who escorted us to a chamber of near-palatial refinement—walls of green and black marble veined with gold, perfumed towels, and a standard of cleanliness that could rival any royal court. The tasting menu comprised some seven courses, each of which burst forth in the mouth with a symphony of flavours and aromas previously unknown to us. Sauces of exquisite depth, textures of rare complexity, and presentations that were themselves works of art. Each course seemed to surpass the one before it. Yet for us, the pinnacle, the crown of the feast, was a dish of potato in sauce. It may sound simple, but it was anything but—sublime, astonishing, unforgettable in every respect. Stepping out of the restaurant, it felt as though we had fallen from paradise. Indeed, I am certain that even in heaven itself, lessons could be learned from Clare Smyth in the arts of cooking and...

I wonder what more I can say about this restaurant but when you keep going back you find it’s quite easy. This was our fifteenth visit and once again the food , wine , cocktails and service was nothing short of impeccable. The standard they have set from day one has just been outstanding which has led them to earn the highest accolade of Three Michelin Stars.

We arrived on saturday and given our usual friendly welcome by Michal before taking up a seat at the bar to enjoy one of Ale’s fabulous cocktails. During this time it was nice of Rob , Tiago & Marion to come and say hello. Once we’d finished our drinks it was then time to head into the dining room but not before stopping at the kitchen for a quick chat with Clare where we could personally congratulate her and the team on their amazing award.

We were then escorted to our table which was a booth in the corner that gives you a fantastic view of the whole dining room. Once comfortable Rob came over to say that they had created a special tasting menu for us that would feature a some old and new dishes. To this we said thank you and couldn’t wait to see what was to come. It was now time to meet head sommelier Gareth and choose a bottle of wine to pair with the menu. Here he had an advantage as he knew what food we was having. But we needn’t have worried as once again he recommended another amazing wine. This time it was a Rall 2019 Grenache Blanc which was an absolute delight and complimented the food perfectly.

Now on to the food itself which started with a fabulous array of snacks which included the Caviar Sandwich , Foie Gras & Madeira Tart , Chicken Wings , Pea Gougeres & Jellied Eel. This led us to the first course the Isle of Mull Scallop Tartare with a sea vegetable consommé that was beautiful and just the perfect way to begin. This was followed by the classic Potato & Roe with a dulce buerre blanc & herring and trout roe a dish you simply never get tired of eating as it’s just amazing.

Next to arrive was a new version of the Morel Tartlet with wild garlic , fluffets farm egg yolk & vin jaune. This was delightfully rich yet balanced with a light aftertaste. We then moved on to the fish course a fabulous Roasted Cod with morecombe bay shrimps & swiss chard brown butter. Now it was time for the main course and in my opinion the dish of the day. The Lamb , Hogget & Mutton with celtuce , savoury and black cardamom was absolutely stunning. This was paired by Gareth with a fantastic Domaine Chandon De Briailles red wine.

After a little break we decided to have an additional Cheese Course to share featuring a seven year old Davidstow Cheddar , Colton Stilton Basset and a Goat’s Cheese. These were accompanied with crackers , raisins , pickled , white wine gel and the amazing fig rolls. To pair with the cheese Gareth had something special up his sleeve a fantastic 1963 Fonseca Vintage Port.

Now it was on to dessert which started with the Core Apple accompanied with a cider brandy cocktail. This led us to a new dessert a English Strawberry with meringue & lemon verbena that was absolutely delicious and the perfect way to finish

We then moved back into the bar area for coffee , petit fours and one last cocktail to bring to and end a truly outstanding lunch. I really can’t recommend a visit to Core highly enough as personally I think it’s the ultimate dining experience. The food created by Clare , Jonny , Antonio and all the team is stunning. The service led by Rob , Tiago & Marion is as professional as it could be with all the time providing some light hearted banter to the proceedings. Finally there’s no better place to start and finish than with a cocktail from Ale in the bar.

Thank You Clare , Rob , Jonny , Tiago , Marion and all the team for another memorable visit and look forward to seeing you...

I really, really wanted to love this place... but it unfortunately fell a bit short of the 'wow' factor I was expecting. I've written this review a few weeks later as I hate to be critical and wanted to make sure it was balanced and fair.

My boyfriend and I have dined at 1* michelin restaurants previously, so I was expecting a major step up in both the meal itself and the service since this is at 3* level, especially based upon the glowing reviews I've read on here.

However upon arrival we were almost swooped upon as we were seated, with no time to look at the drinks menu before the first waiter arrived asking what we would like to drink. I felt a little intimidated to make a quick decision but wanted to read the Drinks Menu fully as unlike my partner, I was ordering individual drinks rather than a wine flight, so I asked for some time to look at the menu and decide.

We received soda bread and oil for dipping but 3 times as I lifted the bread to my mouth a different waiter arrived asking if I'd chosen a drink as yet, and when I asked to see the wine list, the other drink menu containing the cocktails and soft drinks was inexplicably taken away! The first course of our tasting menu also arrived just a minute or two after the bread, so the waiter moved this to the side to make way for the course. This was fair enough, but I kept feeling like the bread was being dangled in front of me and then taken away and couldn't quite understand the pacing of the first few courses, which seemed very rushed.

Just to put this into context, we are not seasoned 3* michelin diners, whereas I got the impression that many of the other guest that evening were regulars, so maybe we just aren't used to how it all works. However this was our hugely anticipated, two year in the making joint 40th Birthday treat to each other and we'd saved up for it, and having read up on what makes a restaurant 3*, I was expecting impeccable service.

However before one bite of food I was already feeling quite stressed by the constant interruption and rushed pace.

All that being said, as more guest arrived things began to settle down as they received more attention (we had been first to arrive and be seated). I politely requested all of the drinks menus back, and finally got the opportunity to eat some of the bread which was delicious!

The tasting menu was beautifully presented and the waiters took care to explain each course for each of us in detail, as did the sommelier for my partner's wine pairing.

As the drinks flowed and the service slowed, we sank into our meals and relaxed. The vegan options were imaginative and flavourful, however I just can't put my finger on why but nothing had the 'wow' factor flavour wise. It was all delicious and the range of techniques and ingredients was extensive, but I'd say only the carrot course had such unique flavours that I'd want to go back there specifically to experience it all over again. Maybe I'd built it up too much in anticipation, but it just felt slightly short of the mark, I'm sorry to say.

My partner and I compared notes (he's non vegan) as I did wonder whether it was the adapted vegan menu that caused me to feel this way, but my partner felt similar about his own meal. He did get the 'wow' factor from the sweetbreads course however and is still talking about it a few weeks later!

All in all, would I recommend it? I'm not sure...it was certainly something to tick off the bucket list, but for the price vs the experience, I'm not sure it was truly worth it for me when my experiences elsewhere have been as good, but for half the price!

Apologies for the photos, the lighting was ambient andy phone struggled so they do not do the presentation justice (it really was all...