My partner and I last visited this place shortly after they got their second star last year. I’d say these guys are still pushing and have no intention of stopping there. We went there for a very long boozy lunch on Friday and still love the direction they are going in. No misses whatsoever, perfect seasoning and the kind of elegant, classic cookery that is getting increasingly hard to find these days. The Clove Club feels a lot like the French restaurant that exists in my mind.
Menu as follows:
**A flurry of amuses none of which are listed on the menu** 5 herb broth (not pictured) Asparagus Tartlet Smoked ricotta tartlet – sort of pictured… Tomato Juice gelée with ponzu and semi-dried tomatoes Beetroot granita with a kind of sour cream mousse
**Then the menu proper:**
**Spring Vegetable Tart, Carrot Cake and Burnt Leek** The cake is inside the tart. Wonderful restrained cooking here – let the vegetables do their thing and deft sublime seasoning really allowed them to shine.
Nice homemade sourdough and the saltiest, richest French-tasting (don’t know if it was) butter. Take note all ye whipped unsalted butter heathens!
**Crispy Violet Artichoke, Ricotta and Winter Tomato** This was wonderful. Artichoke was braised, raw and crisped and their was an anchovy-less riff on bagna cauda that made this taste familiar yet novel.
**White Asparagus Royale, Walnut, Ginger and Arbois Wine Sauce** Incredible – hard to describe just how much I love this dish. The most flavoursome white asparagus set in a delicate white asparagus custard reminiscent of a chawanmushi. A death-row meal starter contender for me.
**Wild Garlic Pasta, Asparagus and Mousserons** Hard to see in the image but the pasta was shaped like wild garlic leaves. Delicious, classical cooking – nice to see a bit of butter thrown around.
**Jersey Royal Potato, Rollright cheese, Apple and Sunflower** Stunning, crowd-pleasing – little acidic notes of apple providing bursts of freshness to would otherwise have been a heavy dish on a warm summer’s day. My partner’s dish of the day.
**Trombetta Courgette, Pumpkin seed, Wakame and Thyme** More glorious, buttery flaky pastry under those green and yellow courgettes accompanied by purées of each. Again, a wonderful dish that illustrates just how good these folks at making food that is both indulgent but vibrant and elegant.
**Grilled Habanero Granita, Mango Sorbet and Sheeps Milk Yoghurt** Would gladly have this all blended up and sit on a beach somewhere sipping away on it forever. Particular shout out to the sorbet which is one of the smoothest I’ve ever had.
**Loquat Sorbet, Loquat Kernel Mousse, Popcorn and Amaranth** There was a little Loquat cake in there too! Our charming waiter told us that the trees out the front of the Clove Club are in fact Loquat trees and they one day hope to make this dessert with the fruit from them! This was the one course I wasn’t head over heels for, however, my partner greatly enjoyed it so this is probably just a preference thing and in no way reflects how well it was executed. Unfortunately, the last time we visited they served the marvel of classic French patisserie that is Gateaux St. Honoré on and whilst this Loquat dish was a wonderful summer-appropriate dish it didn’t quite measure up for me.
**Petit Fours** Strawberries glazed in Antica Formula Strawberry chocolate truffles Honey cakes (I think) with orange crème diplomat. Yum. Speculoos Chocolates. Also pictured – a very nice bar of chocolate we were sent on our way with.
**Bonus wine info:** 2018 Rathfinny Blanc de Noirs 2016 Eben Sadie Paladius (love this wine, nice to see it with a bit of age on it which it definitely benefitted from) 1996 Barros Colheita – wasn’t blown away by this tbh but just had a glass with the petit fours.
The final picture and note should on just how beautiful a dining room this is – one of my favourites in London. Dining here feels a lot like being at the best dinner party anyone has ever thrown and the service and staff are fantastic. Also nice to see the Chef Patron Isaac McHale there for a weekday lunch service! Bravo Clove Club – see you next time!
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My partner and I last visited this place shortly after they got their second star last year. I’d say these guys are still pushing and have no intention of stopping there. We went there for a very long boozy lunch on Friday and still love the direction they are going in. No misses whatsoever, perfect seasoning and the kind of elegant, classic cookery that is getting increasingly hard to find these days. The Clove Club feels a lot like the French restaurant that exists in my mind.
Menu as follows:
**A flurry of amuses none of which are listed on the menu**
5 herb broth (not pictured)
Asparagus Tartlet
Smoked ricotta tartlet – sort of pictured…
Tomato Juice gelée with ponzu and semi-dried tomatoes
Beetroot granita with a kind of sour cream mousse
**Then the menu proper:**
**Spring Vegetable Tart, Carrot Cake and Burnt Leek**
The cake is inside the tart. Wonderful restrained cooking here – let the vegetables do their thing and deft sublime seasoning really allowed them to shine.
Nice homemade sourdough and the saltiest, richest French-tasting (don’t know if it was) butter. Take note all ye whipped unsalted butter heathens!
**Crispy Violet Artichoke, Ricotta and Winter Tomato**
This was wonderful. Artichoke was braised, raw and crisped and their was an anchovy-less riff on bagna cauda that made this taste familiar yet novel.
**White Asparagus Royale, Walnut, Ginger and Arbois Wine Sauce**
Incredible – hard to describe just how much I love this dish. The most flavoursome white asparagus set in a delicate white asparagus custard reminiscent of a chawanmushi. A death-row meal starter contender for me.
**Wild Garlic Pasta, Asparagus and Mousserons**
Hard to see in the image but the pasta was shaped like wild garlic leaves. Delicious, classical cooking – nice to see a bit of butter thrown around.
**Jersey Royal Potato, Rollright cheese, Apple and Sunflower**
Stunning, crowd-pleasing – little acidic notes of apple providing bursts of freshness to would otherwise have been a heavy dish on a warm summer’s day. My partner’s dish of the day.
**Trombetta Courgette, Pumpkin seed, Wakame and Thyme**
More glorious, buttery flaky pastry under those green and yellow courgettes accompanied by purées of each. Again, a wonderful dish that illustrates just how good these folks at making food that is both indulgent but vibrant and elegant.
**Grilled Habanero Granita, Mango Sorbet and Sheeps Milk Yoghurt**
Would gladly have this all blended up and sit on a beach somewhere sipping away on it forever. Particular shout out to the sorbet which is one of the smoothest I’ve ever had.
**Loquat Sorbet, Loquat Kernel Mousse, Popcorn and Amaranth**
There was a little Loquat cake in there too! Our charming waiter told us that the trees out the front of the Clove Club are in fact Loquat trees and they one day hope to make this dessert with the fruit from them! This was the one course I wasn’t head over heels for, however, my partner greatly enjoyed it so this is probably just a preference thing and in no way reflects how well it was executed. Unfortunately, the last time we visited they served the marvel of classic French patisserie that is Gateaux St. Honoré on and whilst this Loquat dish was a wonderful summer-appropriate dish it didn’t quite measure up for me.
**Petit Fours**
Strawberries glazed in Antica Formula
Strawberry chocolate truffles
Honey cakes (I think) with orange crème diplomat. Yum.
Speculoos Chocolates.
Also pictured – a very nice bar of chocolate we were sent on our way with.
**Bonus wine info:**
2018 Rathfinny Blanc de Noirs
2016 Eben Sadie Paladius (love this wine, nice to see it with a bit of age on it which it definitely benefitted from)
1996 Barros Colheita – wasn’t blown away by this tbh but just had a glass with the petit fours.
The final picture and note should on just how beautiful a dining room this is – one of my favourites in London. Dining here feels a lot like being at the best dinner party anyone has ever thrown and the service and staff are fantastic. Also nice to see the Chef Patron Isaac McHale there for a weekday lunch service! Bravo Clove Club – see you next time!