The Fat Duck Experience

There is no dearth of articles about The Fat Duck, so I find little need to tell you that it is the crown jewel of chef-proprietor Heston Blumenthal, or that it has received three Michelin stars, or that it has been ranked and reviewed by a number of independent publications as one of the top restaurants in the world.  All of that information is readily available in the archives at The Times (of London or New York).  Alternatively, if you ever happen to be passing through the town of Bray, England, you can pop in for a quick bite and judge for yourself.

            

The technologically savvy have no doubt by-passed those dusty basement archives and gone straight to Yahoo, the unparalleled oracle of our times, and done a quick Internet search.  They will note that Bray lies in the English county of Berkshire, some 30 miles west of London.  If you can catch the express train from Paddington, you will be to Maidenhead in just over a half hour.  Any cabbie at the station will know The Fat Duck and would be delighted to drop you at the front door for a small fee.  Livers de luxe might hire a car straight from London for a few-odd hundred quid.  Up to you.

            

The unassuming exterior of the former public house is appropriate for the neighborhood, quiet and residential.  No neon signs emblazoned with “THE FAT DUCK” or “OPEN” found here.  Rather, the restaurant is inconspicuous to the point of obscurity.  In fact, I was even slightly hesitant at the front door.  Is this it?  A framed menu to the right of the door indicated that this was indeed the place.  The door was small and wooden, closed to the outside world.  I thought of Alice and what she might do.  Needless to say, I entered.

            

Inside beyond a narrow corridor, a British gentleman by the name of James welcomed us warmly and showed us to our table.  Being a taller fellow, James had to duck under the thick wooden beams that ran along the ceiling.  Fortunate (for once) to be shorter in stature, I had no trouble clearing them.  The low ceiling and plush carpeting made for hushed acoustics and a cozy atmosphere.  We sat at a lovely table for four in the back.

            

James returned shortly after with menus and a weighty tome.  The menus are merely for introductory purposes.  There is little choice of what to eat, as The Fat Duck offers The Tasting Menu only, a prix fixe, fourteen-course extravaganza.  The choice of what to drink, however, can be daunting.  The weighty tome I mentioned contains hundreds, if not thousands, of premiere wine selections.  But have no fear, for Isa, a world-class sommelier, will be there to save you from embarrassing yourself in front of your guests.  We ultimately decided to go with a prepared selection of wines, specially paired to the items on the menu.  I definitely recommend it.

            

I will refrain from extensive commentary on the meal itself.  You can find the menu on the website.  Suffice it to say that it was spectacular in every way: flavor, texture, temperature, smell, color, even sound.  The courses were creative and exciting, introduced and explained in detail by world-class servers. And that, in my opinion, was the highlight.  The serving staff were sharp and professional, dressed to impress in suits and ties, but they were also friendly, welcoming, and cheerful, and would not look askance even at jeans and a tee.  We were in suits, but the dress code reads: come as you are comfortable.

            

Four hours later, James sent us on our way, with a bag of sweets and a sealed copy of the menu in hand, mementos from a fantastic evening.  If you can save up a little spare change and make a reservation a few months in advance, I suggest you give The Fat Duck a try.  And be sure to bring someone you love, or that you hope someday will love you.  They just might after a meal here.