PUMPKIN SOUP!

Roganic is a one-star Michelin restaurant in London. The restaurant opened its doors on January 2018 and received its Michelin star ten months after the opening. Chef Simon Rogan also owns other restaurants holding a Michelin star.

Ambiance

The decoration of the restaurant was modern, plain and relaxed. It was a cozy environment for a dining experience.

Taste

A sealed envelope was given while waiting for the degustation menu. It was up to me to decide whether to open the envelope and take a look at the tasting menu in advance or to make it a total surprise. I always choose to look at it beforehand to see the overall design of the tasting experience.

I loved the fact that the amuse-bouche was written on the tasting menu. The first one was a marvelous beetroot and eel. It was made like a tart. The sour notes from the beetroot were delicate. The crispiness of the tart was just the right amount.

The next amuse-bouche was the exquisite burnt leek with fresh cheese and lovage (a herb from the parsley family). There was again enjoyable crispiness at this dish. Mackerel, carrot and spelt were authentic. The carrot puree had a fascinating velvet consistency. As you continue eating, you find the mackerel buried at the depths of the carrot puree.

Next dish was truffle pudding with black garlic. It was another stunning zest. The taste of the truffles and garlic were very well balanced, none of them being more dominant over the other. There was great harmony with them dancing together.

Finishing with the amuse-bouche, sourdough bread and butter was served. The bread had a very charming look, like a cupcake. Butter had the most intense aroma I ever had in a long time.

As a starter, there was an amazing ox tartare with red radish, oyster emulsion and egg yolk at the bottom. It was definitely the signature dish on the menu. All of the ingredients combined together polished the taste of the ox much more. I was so thrilled to dine at Roganic restaurant. A big congratulations to the whole team.

The next dish was courgette with goats cheese and millet. It was a pleasant vegetable dish that accompanied nicely with the goat cheese.

Truffle and shimeji were the different textures of mushroom used in this next dish. I normally don’t enjoy cooked lettuce but the baby gem underneath the mushrooms was tremendous. Each and every mushroom preserved its own taste.

Cornish cod with slightly dehydrated tomato and smoked cod roe sauce was another success story. The idea of crispy greens was fantastic with the expertly cooked cod.

Duck with turnip puree, gooseberry, duck sauce and duck terrain from the leg of the duck was yummy. The cream-like feel of the turnip puree and the tenderness of the duck was spectacular.

Cheese ice cream, tunworth, strawberry and thyme was savory. Tunworth is a traditional camembert-style cheese. Together with the strawberry, it was an epic course. Though it felt more like a dessert course than a palette cleanser.

The dessert was stout with molasses ice cream, burnt milk crisps and coffee reduction. Although it tasted good and the idea of using the stout was impressive, it was a light choice for the dessert.

It was sad the finale with the dessert and the petite fours were not as good as the rest of the menu. Petite fours were my least favorite and perhaps the only thing that I didn’t enjoy in the entire menu. Although I love sour flavors, this one wasn’t tasty at all.

Congratulations to the whole team for such a nice experience overall. I believe another Michelin star will follow if they keep up with their good work.

Creativity

The use of different ingredients and their combinations were creative. Some of the tableware was unique. I definitely love to see extraordinary utensil being used.

Thank you, Roganic team, for the parting gift. A parting gift is absolutely a magnificent idea. If I was a restaurant manager, I would definitely have a parting gift that could be kept for years. Refrigerator magnets or bag hangers would be something inexpensive and memorable for the guests.

Service

The courses were served at a perfect pace. I loved the fact that the chefs were visiting the tables from time to time to explain the dishes. The staff was crowded, but I do think they could be a bit friendlier.

Value

The only reason Roganic is not receiving a full score for value is the limited choice of wines. Such a powerful tasting experience needs to have better wines to offer.