50 Days by Albert Adria
68 Regent Street, London, W1B 4DY, 020 7406 3333
How does one start writing a blog for the finest dining experience I’ve ever had or likely to ever have? I could just say WOW. Not sure if my vocabulary or imagination could do it justice? I certainly have not got the literary genius to compliment Albert Adria’s culinary skill, creativity and damn right tastiness! If I repeat adjectives then I apologise in advance!
50 Days by Albert Adria, from the famed el Bulli and brother of Ferran, was an event that any discerning ‘foodie’ could not miss. El Bulli, although now closed, received an astonishing 5 ‘Best Restaurant in the World’ awards between 2002-2009. So to have an opportunity to sample that magic in London, during those 50 days that the event is running, was an absolute must, and one that 4 out of the 5 of us BTNDC guys took, although it meant abandoning a fellow dinner, as Bieber would say ‘sorry!’, and moving from our regular Thursday slot.
Cafe Royal is a famed London hotel, with historic and celebrity references bursting from the seams. Greeted professionally and warmly we were led into the Oscar Wilde bar. Plush, opulent akin to the Sistine Chapel! It was a breathtaking room to have our first few courses of this experience, and follows my own view of if you are going to do something then you are going to do it 100% properly. If the food was going to be amazing then well the service, atmosphere and setting wasn’t going to disappoint.
Normally I’d now write a little on every course but with 20 plus I couldn’t do it justice. My memory wouldn’t be worthy! So a few honorary notes but every single one was spectacular!…….
The ‘starter’ courses in the Oscar Wilde were a beautiful way to start including 2 great cocktails but the one that leaves the lasting impression is a ‘single olive’. I’m sorry if I get this wrong but a de stoned, skinned, liquidised, embalmed Olive, in Worcester Sauce. A taste sensation that is beyond my comprehension.
Led to the Domino bar, another striking room fit for Kings, let alone us mere mortals, we were met by a single rose each…. With a Jellied centre. With the smell of the Rose complimenting the jelly….. Every sense was having a mini party tonight. All courses, matching the staff!, were presented beautifully…… ticking off the sight sense!
With so much to choose from to rave about, every course being heavenly, the beef tenderloin was perfect including the Japanese Artichokes resembling little caterpillars. So so good.
The soft white French cheese bomb with white chocolate and hazelnut was phenomenal.
Finishing the adventure back in the Oscar Wilde bar, we passed delightful Spanish guitar music on route, ticking off the fifth and final sense.
Further courses to finish the night ensued and were completed by ridiculously tasty vanilla and white chocolate cigars.
The night was perfect with the exception of our missing 5th member. What more can I say? On our leaderboard, which the night is not entering, because it’s an experience rather than a destination, I would assume 49/50….. To be fair 50/50 is impossible unless you are eating the food off Victoria Secret models’ bodies…… However until that experience arrives then it’s safe to say that 50 Days by Albert Adria, at Cafe Royal, is the best.
