Dining at The Dorchester

Although this blog is mainly a platform for me to wax lyrical about cheese, I will occasionally expand into other taste territories. Last month, I was lucky enough to be whisked off to Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester for my birthday, and I feel it was too exceptional an experience not to share. Plus, there were several cheesy moments.

From the moment we entered the lavish dining room at this world-famous hotel, we were treated like royalty. Every glass was topped up, every crumb wiped discreetly away and tablecloth stains (I'm an enthusiastic eater, ok?) disappeared under a spotless napkin. They even move the table so you don’t have to squeeze into your seat. And after the rich, luxury meal we consumed, it really was a squeeze. 

All of this top-notch service served to prelude the other fine aspect of our visit: the food. 

We opted for the lunch menu, a simple three-course affair perhaps? Mais non! Seven courses more like, what with pre-course nibbles thrown into the mix. Some of the highlights included:

1) Gougères — these light-as-air choux pastry cheesy balls were one of the pre-starter dishes. They are insanely moreish. We dipped them, piping hot, in garlicky butter. Gorgeous! 

2) Duck egg and lamb on a cabbage medley. This was cold and a strange concoction of textures. In a good way.

3) Coconut and passionfruit sorbet. I don’t usually like coconut, but this was more than acceptable.

4) Chocolate surprise. This is everything you hope and dream a chocolate dessert can be: rich, sweet and gooey topped with crunchy biscuit and crumbly brownie. Heaven.

Candle optional

5) Four French cheeses matched with individual fruit chutneys. We savoured goat’s cheese, Camembert, Comté and Roquefort along with fig and walnut bread AND crackers.

6) Four types of mint tea. I had no idea there was so much choice in the herb world. Our good waiter proceeded to pestle and mortar my chosen leaves at the table before placing in a transparent teapot.

Not only was the food exquisite and seemingly endless, with three Michelin stars — the only U.K. hotel restaurant to achieve this status — Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester undoubtedly shines brighter than most due to its stellar service.

If you’re not a fan of starched tablecloths and devoted staff, then clearly this place ain't for you. Tout de même, I feel that once in a while it’s fun to be posh.

Blonde bombshell

On my birthday last month, Stuart dropped a bombshell: a striking, compact, perfect sphere of cheese to be precise.

JJ Sandham's 'Lancashire Bomb'

Peel back the dramatic exterior and you’ll discover a soft, creamy beauty protected by white gauze.

A little like Babybel in flavour, this is probably the fluffiest cheese I’ve eaten and is dangerously scrumptious, so much so that I grabbed a spoon and devoured it like a pudding. ‘Lancashire Bomb’ also melts perfectly on toast; just be careful you watch it like a hawk under the grill, as it softens in seconds.

I seem to fall for cheese from Lancashire. Perhaps because it’s the only county to produce three styles: Lancashire Creamy, Lancashire Tasty and Lancashire Crumbly. Or maybe it’s the area’s successful history of making excellent cheese; at its peak in the 1900s, Lancashire produced a staggering 4,800 tonnes each year. 

With a slick yet traditional operation going strong since 1929, JJ Sandham sources local milk within 15 miles of the dairy, makes all its cheeses by hand and produces six different types, including traditional, goat and sheep, sweet and savoury. 

I look forward to sampling the rest of JJ Sandham’s cheeses. Lancashire, you’re da bomb.