If you’ve ever found out that your favourite restaurant has replaced their head chef, you may well understand my feelings of disappointment and loss when I found out that the Chancery’s executive chef Daniel Guerrero has been replaced with Steven Englefield. While I was a little nervous, I decided to revisit the Chancery but with a completely blank culinary canvas in mind! In a party of 6, consisting of me, my boyfriend and his family we arrived at the Chancery on a busy Friday evening.
The restaurant looked as welcoming as ever, with dim but warming lighting complimenting the slick black and white decor. Home-made bread and butter arrived at the table very quickly and we were pleased with a swift service at the start of what was panning out to be an impressive evening. The little touches were charming, like if you for any reason leave your seat you can expect to return with your napkin swiftly refolded! It was a lovely moment when an amuse bouche of a smooth wild mushroom soup arrived, which was when I realised that even if the chef was different, the restaurant has kept its values!
The creamy mushroom concoction glided in the mouth, leaving me with an intensely packed combination of rich mushroom and delicate crème fraiche flavours, pretty impressive for something arriving in a ceramic shot glass. The silky texture meant that even the mushroom-phobe of the group gave the soup a thumbs up! I selected a starter of ‘Foie gras, ham hock and white bean terrine’. The foie gras was at the centre of the terrine, which to me symbolised the highlight of the dish! The flavours of this velvety pate supplied the central character of decadence while the surrounding ham hock and white beans added weight to the terrine. The chef chose to pair this with a side of piccalilli, making the dish even more British (a good idea, as the terrine came with toasted brioche instead of the crispy country bread suggested on the menu!). I’m still uncertain as to whether the terrine and the piccalilli tied together. With something as delicate and refined as foie gras, you would expect a subtle yet sweet chutney to lift the dish so overpowering does not become an issue. However, I felt the acidity of the piccalilli slightly overpowered the foie gras, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I didn’t like it. I though the piccalilli on its own was pungent and tantalizing and combined well with the ham hock element which was meaty- and very British! Maybe I’ll never make up my mind! Our wine of choice was Momo 2007 Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, which had subtle acidity lifted by refined aromas of citrus and gooseberries.
The main course of monkfish, tiger prawns, peperonata and a banyules vinegar dressing was a tongue-tingling choice. Although the portion was on the small side, I enjoyed that the dish was light with a Spanish kick, made me wish it was summertime and I was chilling by the beach in costa blanca! Saffron potatoes were a cheeky addition that cut through the acidity of the vinegar dressing as well as adding certain opulence to the dish.
The palate cleanser that arrived at the table was a slightly controversial basil sorbet with sweet tomato granita. It agreed with my taste buds, but did it agree with my brain, that was in the process of preparing itself for something sweet and calorific? I thought it was an interesting idea and certainly refreshing and flavourful, but some of the guests and I agreed that it would have been more appropriate between the starters and the main courses.
My dessert, a smooth rich and super-indulgent chocolate marquise, on the other hand, caused no doubts what so ever. Paired with crushed hazelnuts, a frangelico and coffee ice cream as well as a thin caramel bar for extra ‘crunch’ it was a sensational end to a meal. The chocolate was not as bitter as you might predict in a decadent dessert like a marquise. I was really pleased with this as the soft bitterness of the coffee ice cream gave the dessert just enough of a kick without taking away the sweetness, while the drizzle of cream was adequate in bringing together and calming the flavours.
The meal ended in a slightly slower and less efficient service with coffee and liqueurs taking some time to arrive; nonetheless it was a very pleasant meal. The petit fours we received with our coffees included mini coconut macaroons and melt in the mouth dark chocolate truffles.
So The Chancery remains a restaurant I would recommend to all Londoners. While my last review was suggesting the portions were slightly too big, I find myself eating my words. Now even though I’m not raving about the size of my monkfish fillet, I can’t help but wonder, if it had been bigger would I have been able to sample the delicious chocolate marquise? Probably not. Lesson learnt; stop being greedy and just enjoy every bite. You know it’s a good sign when you are left wanting more!
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