Jonathan Chesnay

Review of L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon Lon...

Disappointed.

Disappointed.
Have been invited for a dinner with friends there. The design is remarkable and adore the idea of facing the open wild kitchen. I was surprised by the silence in the kitchen and looks like a dance movie at some point as everything is organised in this small area.

Disappointed by the main servers. One young waiter was really good. New to his job but show so many interest and motivation to be there and to provide great services with attention to details. Congratulations to you and keep on with this.
While the two other (one French and one German if not mistaken) ourf... Haughty. They didn't care about what we were saying as they knew in advance everything same they were wrong. They were far too long in their positions, far too long there that they forgot what is to listen and be attentive to details anymore. (he offered bread and we didn't have time to think that the basket was on the table). The other attitude was not for a Michelin star ranked with elbows on the desk bar table while speaking with the guest like you will do in the pub. I pass the way they were talking and introducing plates without any interest like a robot at the entrance of mechanical stairs repeat the same sentence again and again without any changed tone.
This might be the services the restaurant wants to provide but there is a limit between being friendly while you became arrogant and on my side totally out of what I expect from a Michelin star ranked restaurant.

Second disappointment was with the food.
Really good quality for sure and a serious attention to details but where were the taste? Where were the innovation?
We took the tasting menu but it didn't bring me the taste, it didn't bring me the will of coming back and try "a la carte menu".
The starter with tomatoes: ok can be a good idea. But bring us tomatoes that taste! It was fade without any distinction between red, green, yellow. Was the same I buy in tesco and eat every day! Too much herbs too.
The main meat... Same. Tasteless with so much pepper to hide the fact the food doesn't have taste. But really good texture and cooked perfectly.
The bread is not freshly made sorry. Maybe cooked from frozen but not freshly made and cooked. Some pieces were good but from a Michelin French star restaurant I was expecting definitely better fresh bread quality.
And please stop charging a fortune for TAP water. Yes maybe it's purified water with filter but seriously for the price you are charging this should be an Evian bottle not from tap!

Was nice experience to discover and even better as I was invited by a friend but will not come back unfortunately.
All the best of luck for the future.