Reviews of Sketch Lecture Room And Library

Had breakfast in the (apologies don’t remember the name) the lower chandelier room and was excellent. We asked when there was availability for the 3 star Michelin and they surprisingly had an opening that day. It was the best dining experience we have ever had. All the servers (especially Daniel the Sommelier) were fantastic. The price of the tasting menu is very reasonable for the amount of food you are served, although ordering off their amazing wine list is what can get you in trouble. The wine service was excellent and am sad I do not live in London as I will not be able to return anytime soon.

The location is absolutely gorgeous! From the (very famous) toilets to the dining area and the cocktail rooms.. everything was fantastic. I was a little disappointed by the food - the portions were good for the price paid but nothing exceptional taste wise. The tartare could have been fantastic but was ruined by a huge amount of cheese/sauce. Sides (especially fries and onion rings) were very good. Amazing service.

We didn't make a reservation but managed to get a seat about 3 noon. Food and drinks were good although £20 for a bloody mary is probably the most expensive I've ever paid for. Unique furnishings make this place interesting. I have to give this place a 4stars even I don't really want to because it's overpriced.

Loved the ambiance here. Called up and got a walk in for two to one or their FOUR rooms. Not the one with the 3 Michelin stars. One of the rooms had live music! -Ambiance, design, service is all 11/10. -They seemed to take some risks with the room that I ate at. - There was an overall lack of cohesion in the menu, but everything popped. St Petersburg fish with fennel was fantastic. -Salad was fantastic. Wife loved it and very crunchy. The artichoke heart dish was awesome, but struggled from a lack of balance and too much tartness from the horseradish leaves. Would probably add more sugar syrup. -Cauliflower mac and cheese was too soupy. Had to dig in the soup for the noodles, which was not pleasant. It didn't thicken up. -The African (or Jamaican) rice side dish was a nice contrast, very spicy and loved the plantains. However, it was too dark of a flavor and a tad too spicy. Recommend more acid and slightly less heat. Maybe some fresh lime. -Crazy saying this, but the bread was one of the best things we ate here -The gin/aperol drink was fantastic. -Total was $154 incl tax/tip for two people -oh one more thing. If you do nothing else, try going to the bathroom

4.5 stars if I could. Sketch defines a dining and bar -experience-. My friend and I visited for afternoon tea and a drink in the "room" across from the main dining room afterwards. The building is spectacular beyond words and transports you to another world in a way I've never quite experienced before. The "room" the bar was in felt like sitting in a psychedelic painting. The main dining room was beautiful and was lit exceptionally well. Enjoy taking those pics! Service is refreshingly relaxed and friendly while still maintaining the professionalism you'd expect from this calibre of an afternoon tea. The staff here really knock it out of the park. We never had an empty pot of tea and were periodically asked if there was anything we'd like additional servings of. You'd expect it to be remarkably stuffy, but they strike a great balance between being fun and refined--not unlike how they've designed the spaces. Food itself is plentiful (come ready to dine!) and beautifully presented. Nothing was particularly spectacular taste-wise but it was all tasty. Knocked down a star the food category since I really would expect for the entire set menu to knock my socks off. I've had better individual pastries a la carte at patisseries in my life though. That being said, the pineapple and chili cheesecake and orange Victoria sponge cake were highlights. Tea selection is broad and we loved being able to order as many as we liked. This was a special occasion and Sketch perfectly fit the bill for a leisurely afternoon tea in what "felt" like a once-in-a-lifetime environment. Keyword "felt" as I will certainly be back someday!

Sketch is definitely a must do when you're in London but I feel like it is hyped up more for the ambiance than the food. Not that the food was bad but I had high expectations from the start. Make sure to book a reservation in advance! As it's a popular spot seats fill up fast. The inside is beautiful. With different rooms decorated in different ways it is very instagrammable. The bathrooms are especially cool. The restaurant was completely full the whole time we were there. The service was top notch. The waiters were amazing. Always checking up on us and making sure we were taken care of. I had the beef fillet to eat which was delicious. Also had the Burgundian egg meurette and it was good as well. Our drinks were strong and delicious. I would give it 4 stars because I felt it was a little over priced but soon learned that in London everything is expensive. So go for a cool experience, good photos, strong drinks and a unique meal.

We had afternoon tea at in The Gallery. All the food was wonderful - probably the best sandwiches I’ve ever had as part of a tea. The coronation chicken is amazing. I love how all the food matches the theme of the space as well. The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was the first dish was placed down and no one told us what it was; I had to ask after.

I came with my two friends summer bank holiday Monday to celebrate my 30th birthday with afternoon tea and wow, what a celebration it was! Thoroughly enjoyed the food, the service was excellent, from start to finish. I was given a very warm welcome at reception, the receptionist spoke with me which was a lovely personal touch, our server was lovely and helpful and he provided us with extra sandwiches when asked. There was also live music in the form of three ladies with string instruments, and I was presented with a plate which ready happy birthday, safe to say that the vibes were immaculate and we will definitely be coming back in the future. I wish I could remember our servers name because he was wonderful. Thank you sketch 🩷

I booked the Glade room to celebrate my sister’s 30th birthday and I’m glad I did so. She was blown away. The amazing décor, the dainty food, and the service were all superb. Beautiful attention to detail from the host who made sure we were taken care of. This restaurant is more than just a restaurant: it’s an experience.

It was a chilly autumn night and my mom and I had dinner at the Sketch. The whole experience was majestic. Superb service, top-notch and delicate food, not to mention the famous egg-shaped restrooms. I especially loved the walls and the ceiling of the dining area. However, I peaked at the tea room as well, it had the alice-in-wonderland feel. I would love to visit again in the future.

I came here for breakfast at the Parlour. Very pretty atmosphere, and of course one toilet were very cool, unfortunately I could not see the other because the restaurant was closed at that time. The food is ok. I recommend to take some time at the gallery, there some tricks and optical illusion in some pieces that were very interesting. I would like to come back to a afternoon tea or dinner when in London again.

Our friends booked us in for a double date afternoon tea. And it was delicious, being waited on like that was a fun experience. The staffs memory immaculate. Super expensive, but that comes with the whole experience and I guess the fact one room has 3 Michelin stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️ The bathroom alone is a whole experience too, beautiful white staircase leading to individual egg like pods with music on in them. Unforgettable, thank you

An absolutely lovely experience having afternoon tea at sketch. The decor of the restaurant is incredible, every time you turn, it’s a completely different aesthetic and just as good as the last. It’s a truly maximalist’s dream. The service was impeccable, the Scottish gentleman at the front table/door was so kind. The cost of the meal is high (think easily £100 per person), however the quality of the food is top notch and worth every pence. Everything was incredibly delicious, and I left happily full. Make sure you visit the toilets, they’re truly out of this world. In my opinion, fully worth the cost and a delightful experience. I can’t wait to come back!

Two MICHELIN Stars : Excellent cooking, worth a detour!  I’m not sure about anyone else, but I always find the Michelin Guide’s definition to stars, a tad, well…under-stated.  Originally established back in 1936, I personally have to wonder whether an element of refinement is now required in the 21st Century.  I mean, seriously – ‘excellent cooking, worth a detour’?  Based on where I live, that could define a number of exceptional eateries in Cardiff!

I should mention that on the day of my visit, the uber-chef Pierre Gagnaire happened to be in the kitchen and I feel that the food could not have been better.<br/><br/>Everything was really top notch, especially the Vegetables scented like a Hermes perfume. Coated in a light foie gras sauce; it was just devine. <br/><br/>Dishes come with many different elements and the food is altogether very very complicated- but yet delicious. <br/><br/>Service is really good- just as you would expect from this place. <br/><br/>It is Mayfair, so prices are very very high. Value for money is not as good Gauthier in Soho but if you rich- this is the place to go.

I had a wonderful experience in this restaurant. <br/><br/>The service is perfect, waiters pay a lot of attention to details and serves maximum two tables per person. <br/><br/>The atmosphere is exceptional. The hall is very large, with a dome in the middle. Only few tables, giving the opportunity to have privacy during the dinner.<br/><br/>I had the duck and my friend took the lamb. They offered some starters. <br/>If the service was impeccable, the food was not less.<br/><br/>It is a pricy restaurant, but it is worth trying it.

Entering sketch in Mayfair you feel a little bit like Alice falling down the rabbit hole. Coming through the door you are immediately greeted with a feast for the eyes, a Wonderland of art work  and a rabbit’s warren of different rooms and unique places to explore. Even just in the entrance foyer there is a quirky hopscotch drawing…

I've been to the Sketch Lecture Room & Library a few times and must say it's the best fine dining experience in London. The location is great, you feel like being a guest in Alice's wonderland. Impeccable service and the most creative food on the planet. It's pretty much the only place where a vegetarian tasting menu can really blow me away. I will definitely keep coming back!

The Lecture Room is the fine dining option (holding two Michelin stars) at Sketch, an impressive venue with different spaces that function as independent restaurants and bars. <br/><br/>After having cocktails in The Glade (one of the sister venues in the same building) we were led to the first floor restaurant, which is very well designed, with plenty of space between tables for privacy. <br/><br/>The menu is quite daunting: they have two tasting menus (vegetarian and nin-vegetarian) and the a la carte option. I went for the latter, which presented its own challenges, as each starter and main course consists of four or five plates centred around one or two ingredients. <br/><br/>As a starter, I chose the langoustine, which was presented in five guises: grilled, poached in a light bouillon with lentil gnocchi and chanterelle mushrooms, in a dim sum, as a frozen carpaccio with aloe vera pearls (my favourite) and as a soup with farfalle (the flavour here was a bit overpowering). <br/><br/>For my main, I went for the venison and wild boar option. The venison was perfectly cooked and pink, and came with red cabbage, quince paste and a chestnut ice cream, as well as some potato straws with finely diced fried sausage. The wild boar was in a stew with marinated onions, which had a strong earthy flavour. <br/><br/>For dessert, I chose three of the six components of Pierre Gagnaire's Grand Dessert: the apple and lemon verbena jelly (very light), the pistachio parfait (very nutty, with roasted walnuts) and the cheesecake cream (again very nice). <br/><br/>Service was correct and all the dishes were thoroughly explained. I did, however, get the impression that the sommelier was trying to push the more expensive wines on the wine list.

We pulled back the curtain stepped over the hopscotch and checked in at the front of house.  As we waited for someone to collect us I sat and admired the art.  This was the first time I had visited sketch its such a fascinating place with so much art to get lost in.  The red rope was pulled back and we were shown up stairs.  We passed the toilets, which I must say are by far the most glamorous toilets that I have ever seen! Wow!

I think if I had an unlimited supply of money and a heart that easily forgave, then I’d write only great things in the next few paragraphs about my lunch today at Sketch. Although there is a lot to like about the Bookatable Star Deal which pertains to the lunch menu, which is full of inventiveness and creative meanderings, not everything works exactly as it should, and there are a few fundamental oversights in service.

Wow what a restaurant. We went there for dinner on a Saturday night And the whole vibe and feel was so good. Sketch a French European cuisine with different types of room and different menu in each of the rooms. We were at the main room called the gallery and the room was filled with sketches which I loved reading it. So We started of with a bottle of red Pinot noir recommended by the them and it was truly amazing. For veg they had quite a few dishes and whatever we had was unique and tasted good . We had the chilled burrata with pineapples and tomatoes, risotto with wine , udon noodles with garlic pepper paste and black olives tasted superb. For sides we had the spinach in cream and onion rings and potato gratin and I really loved the spinach in cream. The dessert was the highlight - marinate as said in the menu , it was ice cream with raspberry sauce and strawberries and lots and the whole thing tasted perfect. Was recommended by a lot of my friends and was truly a unique experience. 5 stars Amit Arora Haifa Zakaria Arora

This a place is a must go! The different rooms, each uniquely themed, are extraordinary. The bathrooms are an experience of their own. The food is full of flavour, texture and surprise. The wine list is equally exciting. Waiters are dressed super stylishly bringing the contemporary to the forefront. The silver cloches placed on your food brings the fine dining.

I must confess that part of the reason I keep going back to Sketch is for the ambience and....great loos! I've had cocktails and afternoon tea here a few times. The service that last time I visited was pretty appalling. It was a work evening and we were working our way through the cakes and drinks we'd ordered but the waitress at hand was in an almighty rush to hurry us up. That said, the food ( savouries, cakes) and drinks have always been great. Plus, they burn Diptyque candles during the winter which makes it smell amazing. So more points for the atmosphere rather than service.

What is Sketch you ask?  Is that something that artists do?  Just drawing and doodling given a fancy name so that they can charge you more?  Sketch, at least least the restaurant, it actually 5 minute restaurants all housed in the same building.  All entertaining very different styles and decor.  From breakfast cafe to fine dining. It was the latter where my obviously exquisite tastes would lead me.

Blown away! <br/>This restaurant is incredible. The food is as good as it looks. Langoustine 5 ways was amazing. The service was impeccable and on our way out we we honoured enough to meet Pierre Gagnaire. We had lunch from the a la carte menu but were due to be at the theatre at 2:30 so had to sacrifice ordering dessert, but it's an excuse to return and we're already arranging our next visit! Don't know why I haven't been here before today! A must visit restaurant.

Sketch..<br/><br/>For first I have to say that is one of my favourite places in London where to get a drink with friends or even pre-party. <br/>After tried the Gallery, that I liked, I really wanted to try the Lecture Room. <br/><br/>I went for lunch cause I thought that the price was very good for the quality/quantity of food served. <br/><br/>The lunch was divided in 5 acts: <br/>- Canapes/Amuse-bouche <br/>- Starters<br/>- Main Courses<br/>- Desserts<br/>- Petit Fours and Coffee <br/><br/>First thing that comes at your eyes is the design of the dining room. <br/>Very fancy and unique. <br/><br/>Very kind and professional staff like a proper 2* Michelin Restaurant. <br/>At the begin of the lunch they come with a trolley with 12 different bottles of amazing Champagne which you can choose one from to start with. <br/><br/>Than arrive the Canapés or Amuse-bouche(If we have to define it precisely)<br/>composed by a multiple amount of small tastings.. <br/>The best? The cracker with foie gras, chocolate and plum jam. Just beautiful. <br/>As well very creative the squid ink meringue dipped into rosemary olive oil. <br/><br/>Very interesting I have to say. <br/><br/>Then is the turn of the starters. <br/>Again 4/5 kind of different starters.. All interesting flavours. <br/>From the Beans with Corn Ice Cream, to the Watercress Puree with Anchovies and Almonds. <br/><br/>2 Different Kind of Main Courses. <br/><br/>Multiple Desserts. <br/>Now.. I love Desserts. So i'm very picky as well if they are not well done. <br/><br/>But here I was really satisfied by their execution and presentation. <br/>Impressive the final Slush. <br/><br/>And.... The coffee was good. Not easy point to get in most of the London's restaurants ;) <br/><br/>To summarise. <br/><br/>A great 2* Michelin Restaurant. And I will come back soon for the Dinner! <br/>4/5! Well done Pierre Gagnaire!

This has become my top Go To spot around Regent st. As soon as you walk in, you are just blown away with all the rooms and options you can chose from. <br/><br/>In our case it was just the two of us fresh from a big lunch craving some good tea and sweet delights. Based on that we were seated in a corner bar with a Samoan-safariesque decor with little lasers floating around...yeah that sounds about right.<br/><br/>As it was quite chilly outside and I had a fantastic Oolong with a shot of JD and honey, which wasnt exactly on the menu but the waitstaff was happy to mixed it up. And we waited for our afternoon sweet delight as we chatted as we soaked in the ambience, the service swift and, oh the macarons and the vanilla eclairs left me with a bit to remember. <br/><br/>My friend is a regular there and I am so glad she showed me this unique gem. It is definitely heavy on the wallet but well worth every bit.

... sketch is truly one of a kind, with 5 restaurants and bars inside, all interlinked to one another, its a foodie’s world . A venue perfect for food, drinks and entertainment, its definitely a destination I would highly recommend visiting. ( Your wallet might be emptied out by the time you leave Mayfair though…) Its quirky food style in its tasting menu is highlighted below...

This is one of my favorite places in London. It is very trendy and I love the environment. The Glade is my favourite room because the décor is absolutely stunning; with painted tress on walls, beautiful wooden chairs and long silk curtains.<br/> <br/>The food isn’t anything special and overpriced for the portions you get. There are much better restaurants you can eat at around. But this is the perfect place for drinks or afternoon tea.<br/> <br/>The cocktails are phenomenal and I definitely recommend them. I always get the scones and tea here because it’s my absolute favourite. The cream that it comes with is delicious and I would suggest coming here around 12.30-1 pm as the scones are freshly made.<br/> <br/>I would definitely recommend going to sketch because it has a lovely relaxing environment, the service is excellent and the whole interior and décor of the place is modern and aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Everytime I go to Sketch I've always had a lovely experience.<br/><br/>I've been here numerous times and i've definitely enjoyed having their afternoon tea the best, the little chocolates and pastries that comes with their afternoon tea set is delicious and the beautifully decorated surroundings puts the icing on the cake. Their lunch menu is also really good and not as expensive as you may think. I've had the beef stroganoff here once and it was really delicious.<br/><br/>Great ambience and wonderful service with polite and attentive staffs. <br/>Theres a really good selection of cocktails in the evenings as well as wine. Their Lychee Mojitos are the best!  A good place to catch up with friends in a relaxing yet sophisticated environment. <br/><br/>Sketch is definitely one of those places I'll always return to

As the review above reads, this is a venue with quality cuisine, great wine pairing, a wonderful setting with very knowledgeable staff. It is what one would expect from a restaurant of this stature. Overall, the wine pairing was a standout with a unique selection French wines which you would probably not experience at any other tasting menu and the tailoring of the wines to match the first six courses were the definition of creativity and quality. The sommelier was excellent. The dishes were excellent with different layers of sauces and creative culinary techniques. The waiters knowledge of the techniques themselves (which were recited with no need to speak to the kitchen) was amazing. Although there was a lot of creativity, the actual produce shone through in all of the dishes. A couple of points of drawbacks. I think the dessert was quite a lot to get through and I think one or two less desserts and an extra savoury course (possibly a meat dish – lamb or beef) would have been preferr

Truly a space to see and be seen with eye catching décor at every turn it was in a trio of small plates that my Sketch experience began and served en masse at my request not a single bite underwhelmed in the least, the ethereal gougeres melting to the tongue while both the creamy liver and black brioche would not have been out of place at Michelin starred spots throughout the English capital.

The building that houses Sketch is home to several venues: a gourmet restaurant (The Lecture Room and Library), a more casual downstairs restaurant, a tearoom and cocktail bar. The upstairs Lecture Room and Library has opulent décor, with thick carpet and well-spaced tables with high quality white linen. There are several menu options: a six course tasting menu was priced at £95, and from the a la carte starters ranged from £33 to £42 and main courses £47 to £55, desserts £13 to £25. Sketch is owned by restaurateur Mourad Mazouz and iconic Parisian chef Pierre Gagnaire, who pops in on occasion but of course is not behind the stoves cooking dinner too often. The new head chef is Romain Chapel, who took over from Jean Denis LeBras in 2012. Romain is the son of legendary chef Alain Chapel, whose eponymous Mionnay restaurant held three stars for many years, though sadly that establishment closed last year. Romain Chapel has worked in some very serious kitchens, including stints with Olivier Roellinger at Maisons de Bricourt and Marc Haeberlin at Auberge de l’Ill, returning in 2010 to his father’s restaurant, and becoming head chef before it closed in February 2012. <br/><br/>The wine list was extensive, with around 700 wines, ranging in price from £18 to £17,000, with an average mark-up of around 3.7 times retail price, high even for Mayfair. Example wines include JJ Prum Kabinett 2009 at £49 for a wine that you can find in the shops for £22, Jermann Vintage Tunina 2010 at £98 for a wine that retails at £35, and Kistler les Noisetiers 2007 at £174 compared to a shop price of around £58.<br/><br/>Bread was made from scratch in the kitchen, and good white bread slices and even better buckwheat bread, with an excellent crust (17/20). A plate of amuse-bouches comprised: goat cheese parfait and beetroot powder, spinach financier with Stilton cream, sea bream sashimi with white melon, cumin crackers with parsnip cream, and little Parmesan nibbles, and a bowl of sauerkraut foam. These were technically well made, though the sea bream flavour in this tiny nibble was barely discernible. I quite liked the sauerkraut foam, which was unusual; however the others did not stand out for me (15/20).<br/><br/>A dish called “sea garden” (£42) consisted of a main plate of excellent langoustines, carefully cooked and of evidently high quality. On the side was langoustine bisque with shrimp butter that had good flavour but would have been better warm. The other accompaniments were white crab meat (complete with a small piece of shell) with avocado and citrus gelee, and oysters in a bouillon of ”sorrel and quimper”; incidentally, Quimper is not an ingredient but a town in Brittany – I am not quite sure why it is highlighted on the menu. The main question to me with this complex plate of food (plates really) is whether the assorted extra elements really added anything to the core of the dish, the langoustines. The bisque made sense, but avocado and crab felt like it belonged as a separate dish, as did the warm oyster. It felt to me that the extra elements were added because having several components is notionally the Gagnaire style, rather than because these particular things really went together. If the langoustines had been cooked in a few different ways, for example, then this would have made more sense to me. As it was, it just seemed confused, and the crab shell slip and the cold bisque detracted rather than enhanced from the very nicely cooked langoustines (15/20). By contrast when I ate at Pierre Gagnaire in Paris I tried a dish of langoustines prepared five different ways, and this seemed to me a coherent dish design, as well as being flawlessly executed.<br/><br/>Duck (£47) was from Challans, and of high quality, served with cumin and cinnamon sauce, red cabbage and blackcurrant marmalade, red onions, prune paste, roasted foie gras and potatoes with coriander. The red cabbage was excellent, having just the right balance of sweet and sour, the blackurrant providing a hint of acidity to balance the richness of the duck, though the potatoes were rather overwhelmed by the considerable quantity of coriander used (17/20). I preferred this dish to the Simmental beef dish than I sampled, the beef itself not having quite the depth of flavour that I was expecting, and the dish seemed to me rather too rich with its Gorgonzola, rocket and carrot accompaniments (15/20). The savoury dishes at Sketch are nothing if not complex, and sometimes, in the words of Robert Browning, “less is more”. I wonder whether the chef should ask “what can I subtract from this dish” rather than “what can I add”, because for me the cooking would be improved by a more focused approach.<br/><br/>Vanilla soufflé (£13) was the dish of the day, the soufflé immaculately cooked with excellent texture and plenty of high quality vanilla flavour coming through (18/20). You can also choose either three (£16) or six (£25) mini-desserts. Gianduja chocolate was topped with caramel laced with Balsamic vinegar, chocolate sorbet and Sharon fruit – this was excellent, the rich chocolate nicely balanced by the acidity of the fruit (17/20). Pink grapefruit marmalade with dragon fruit with candied red pepper and pink champagne granita seemed to me a rather confused dish, with too many strong elements fighting for attention (15/20). Passion fruit with cream cheese mousse, candied chestnut and shortbread was good, the passion fruit and chestnut nicely in balance, the shortbread texture enjoyable (16/20).<br/><br/>Service was really top-notch, the staff very well drilled, the topping up flawless. This is the sort of classy service that very few London restaurants manage to pull off. The bill, with three glasses of wine each, came to £172 a head, even with a £50 off voucher. Certainly, if you go the a la carte route, it would be tough to drink wine and leave here with a bill of less than £150 a head, and it would be very easy to spend more than this. This is the fundamental issue with Sketch: the food is certainly accomplished, but not the very best in London, yet it is as expensive as anywhere. However, the dining room was full on a Tuesday lunch in February, so they clearly know their market.

I've frequented the tea room at Sketch, Conduit Street on such a regular basis that I think I'm going to have to start paying them rent at some point. When you are looking to dine in flashy surroundings for a special meeting or occasion, dress to impress then book a table at The Lecture Room and Library upstairs. The décor is 18th century sumptuousness where gilt and glamour vie for attention. Considering how edgy the downstairs area is, I was expecting a little more funk and creativeness upstairs and was also expecting the clientele to be a bit more jazzed up and…well…younger. A few ladies who were lunching were clearly young at heart and remember, there’s still a recession on so the young media types were in short supply.   I say this of a lot of places but staff were welcoming and put you at ease. This is the kind of restaurant where there’s a lot of mini canapés and a lot of cutlery to deal with so they rush around you trying to clear the table of

A visit to Sketch is certainly an interesting and rather OTT experience. I felt rather like a kid with a golden ticket to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. As you enter the building you have the Parlour on your right, where you can order an indulgent Breakfast, Afternoon Tea, Comfort food and Cocktails. The rather low key Parlour is in stark contrast to Pierre Gagnaire's Michelin stared restaurant in the Lecture Room. The name of the restaurant does not really conjure up what is revealed after you are escorted up the exotically lit staircase. The doors are dramatically thrown open and you find yourself in a jewel box like room, decorated with a red, orange, blue and gold palette.<br/><br/>The first hurdle is the Champagne Trolley, something I am not a fan off. If I want a glass I prefer to check the menu first to make sure I know what I am getting, so we just stuck to tap water while we made our menu selection. Despite the hefty prices you can still go down the less expensive route by ordering from the Gourmet Rapide Menu. However as we wanted to get the full experience on our first visit we opted for the regular Tasting Menu (it is expensive, but as you will see from this post - you do get a lot for your money) and asked the Sommelier to recommend a bottle of wine that would suit the whole menu. He selected a reasonably priced bottle of Irouleguy, Xuri d'Ansa 2004 that was drinkable both on its own and as an accompaniment to the food.<br/><br/>Next came the bread, served with some rather spectacular tasting seaweed butter. Then the feast began. We had a wonderful array of beautifully presented dishes served by Sketches very efficient staff. Ironically though the presentation and service did eclipse the food a bit. The food was very good, don't get me wrong. The Foie Gras Terrine with Mackerel Bouillon and Clams was an excellent start. The Marinated Stone Bass, Peas, Spring Cabbage, Mint and Smoked Lardons was quite lovely, nice flavour combinations and textures. The huge King Scallop served with Nettle Cream, Haddock, Watercress Salad, Seaweed Butter and Rhubarb was fabulous, and the other dishes were enjoyable too. They just didn't quite meet our expectations, which were perhaps a little too high, due to the rather excessive hype that Sketch gets. This was a tasting menu that definitely filled you up though, we were getting full even before we started on the Grand Dessert which consists of no less than five desserts and a selection of petit fours. However sometimes less is more and I think I would have preferred just a couple of spectacular desserts, rather than five OK ones. That said, it was still discernibly better than a lot of Michelin starred restaurants out there, and as such I would have no qualms about recommending the Sketch experience.

Sketch is a collection of 5 different restaurants and bars on the edge of Mayfair, just a few yards away from the excellent Alyn Williams at Westbury. Sketch has to be one of the most expensive restaurant ever created in London, over  £10 millions was spend including hiring renowned interior designers and sculptors, the whole building is full of artistic elements, I felt like stepping into an art gallery while I was there.

Sketch, a stunning Georgian townhouse in Mayfair, must surely be London’s most eclectic artistic venue, which caters for relaxed drinks through to **2 star dining. In the grungy Parlour, guests lounge about to DJ sets with cocktails and top-end patisseries. The elegant Glade is a smarter way to take your afternoon tea in Asian forest setting. While the recently Martin Creed redecorated Gallery is a lively bistro for dining sophisticates, with the East Bar (and those famous toilets) off to the side. But where Sketch really makes a spectacle is in the Lecture Room. Pierre Gagnaire is master and controller of all of the food on offer at Sketch, and not to mention nine other locations around the world (with Berlin on the way). But his true success here has been his abilty to emulate the **2 star mastery of his Paris self-entitled restaurant in his London outpost. When you arrive, you’ll receive perhaps the most lavish welcome that you have ever experienced. Truly warm and proud of what the

Walking around sketch is like wading through the mind of a drugged-up lunatic.  Just as The Crystal Maze had ‘zones’, each room in sketch has its own theme.  In the lobby, chairs disturbingly look as though they are being swallowed-up by the wall.  To the right there’s the Parlour, serving desserts and comfort foods in an environment resembling a ski lodge fit for royalty.  Beyond the cloakroom lies the Glade with its giant wallpaper sheets that create an illusion of the kind of woodland in which you’d expect to find Legolas going down on Lord Elrond.  Carry on and you come to the Gallery, laden with artworks by Turner Prize winner Martin Creed, including a zigzagging floor fashioned from ninety-six different kinds of marble, and a dining-room where no two pieces of cutlery, glassware, or furniture are alike.  And let’s not forget the toilets which take the form of egg-shaped pods scattered across a raised area.   The Precious One The two Michelin starred Lecture Room and Library is lo

The starter itself could be a tasting menu! A myriad of flavours all coming out in good proportion with my only criticism being that because there’s so many things to try, the things that are meant to be eaten hot, lose temperature rapidly. Nevertheless, this is a fun and playful dish that was thoroughly enjoyed. My main course of Lamb also came in various guises. The main plate was Saddle of quercy lamb, green cabbage, stuffed fresh grapes, olives, garlic, pan fried rack with oregano, turnips with port.

Kooky, memorable meal. We visited in 2010 and it was one of the most memorable dining experiences I've ever had. Kooky, theatrical, expensive, grand and did I say expensive already? My 'scent of the forest' entree was preceded by a kitchen hand with a smoldering pan of hay beneath a petri dish with the world's smallest carrot. Next time I saw it, it was on my plate. The wine was poured from a carafe with a meter long stem. The lamb 5 ways was excellent, if a little heavy and we shared their signature desert. The blood on the stairs and Madame PeePee in the bathroom were both sinister and kooky. As we left, the manager (an Irish fellow who appeared to be off his tits on coke) scribbled directions to some bar nearby on a street that didn't exist. Funny man!

2011 was a good year, and one which saw me eating out more than ever before - a fact that the dwindling recipes on the blog and extra inches around my waist will attest to. However this may not be apparent to (what's left of) my regular readers, as despite the fervent restaurant-hopping I have developed a sort of ennuie with writing about it all, at times even leaving my camera at home *gasp* to concentrate on the conversations at the table and well, eating. As a result I've accumulated a fair few undocumented meals, some of which are probably worth a mention. I've lumped them together to present you with my lost posts of 2011. In part one I'll be tackling the London establishments. To start, a few newcomers. Burger and Lobster (from the folks who brought us Goodman ) in Mayfair aspires to bring affordable lobsters to the masses, and at £20 a pop (served steamed, grilled or in a roll) they may well have achieved it. The cost may have been offset on the burgers, which at the same price

We went for the gourmet lunch menu, which presented each person with four starters, a main course, two desserts, 1/2 bottle of wine and coffee for the very reasonable price of £48 a head. Everything was exquisitely presented, with the utmost care and attention to detail showing through in every dish.

A visit to Sketch is certainly an interesting and rather OTT experience. I felt rather like a kid with a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. As you enter the building you have the Parlour on your right, where you can order an indulgent Breakfast, Afternoon Tea, Comfort food and Cocktails. The rather low key Parlour is in stark contrast to Pierre Gagnaire’s Michelin stared restaurant in the Lecture Room.

Sketch defies classification. I remember in its early days it was voted in the same survey both the best restaurant in London and the worst. In that respect, it's divisive and easy to understand why. The place itself has the air of intimidation about it, and not least, you feel you run the risk of being challenged by the staff at any point in the evening with the question 'are you cool enough to be here?' which in our case is clearly no, but with prices as they are on the top floor, there's a currency here that speaks louder than fashion or chic. Meanwhile, the whole venue is a riot of colour and an onslaught to the senses. Neon lights, sculptures, crystals and mirrors, rooms splashed with reds, oranges and violets: don't even think of coming here feeling quesy. But as tempted as you are to recoil at such outrageousness, it is so far removed from the identikit beige of so many London wannabe Michelins that the bold originality simultaneously charms you as it repels, or at least appeals

Gourmet rapide? Gourmet Excellente!. The gourmet rapide in the Lecture room is always spectacular. The multi-plate meal never fails to impress with the wide array of flavours, textures and colours on offer.<br/><br/>I ate with two friends who also got the gourmet rapide and as such we were able to try three different wines: a white with the starters, a red with the main and a rose with dessert. That means, all things considered, lunch consisted of 8 different plates, 3 wines, a glass of sherry, a cappucino and more feullités and petits fours than I can remember. All included in the price. As an experience, let alone a lunch, there is no better restaurant in London than sketch.

Dinner in the Library. Food is phenomenal, sommelier was charming and very helpful all the staff @ sketch went out of their way to be charming and just right - except a rather tall overbearing woman acting as maitre de or head waiter - she was shocking almost down right rude....spoilt what was a truly fantastic dinner......

Overpriced pretensiousness. Ever seen the girls on "Sex and the City" struggling to get into a pretencious New York restaurant well this is just like that - a card on the table tells you all about the creative director of the place - sorry, I've come here to eat, not worship your ego. Pricewise, I think it's probably the most expensive restaurant I've ever eaten in and I don't think the food was particularly good enough to justify the cost.<br/><br/>The highlight for me were the egg shaped pods in the toilets although the middle aged madame peepee in the toilets dressed in a french maid's outfit was overkill and made it far too obvious she wanted my cash <br/><br/>With the recession biting, I can't say I would ever rush back