An experience - The Fat Duck

Jokester said:
Any idea how far in advance do you need to book a table?
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Look here:
http://www.thefatduck.co.uk/Reservations/

You can only book 2 months in advance, no further ahead. I believe booking opens 10am every morning online and the phones open at 11am. You can however phone up and ask if they have any cancellations available. We actually got our table two weeks ago, and got a cancellation slot.

PapaLazaru said:
Great write-up, KD. Always wanted to go there myself and I still do. What was the bill out of interest, especially the wine?
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The complete Wine List (I believe) is available here (with prices):
http://www.thefatduck.co.uk/The-Menus/The-Wine-List/
(The book was really thick)

If you wanted to do it with wines, I would do the Tasting Menu (£195) with the Wine Menu (£135). I didn't do it myself, but that's the cost, and they pair a set wine with the courses for you to have. If you want to know as well, service charge is recommended at 12.5%. The service really was worth it, but obviously on such an expensive menu, it can be a fairly sizeable tip!

I believe we were paying about £20 a glass for the pink champagne, but didn't actually get to see. It's worth noting you can also order other drinks such as tea or coffee, and these all looked quite good as well.

kd
 
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Jokester said:
Any idea how far in advance do you need to book a table?
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2 months, be on the phone bang on the opening time on the date 2 months before

they have cancellation lists though

oh and when on hold on the phone the recital of Alice in Wonderland will drive you mad :p
 
Excuse alert! - It, was about 5 years ago, when picture messages, weren't really, the done thing (well, at least not on my poverty phone) I'll have a dig around, in my email for you, Rotty :p

On topic, that is one hell of a price tag but for a one off special it's not completely over the top. It isn't like you can get that sort of thing just anywhere. Might go for it one day if I somehow find myself with a mega-pretentious girlfriend :D
 
Looks good. Lunch menus are amazingly good value for money, that's a bargain in my eyes.

I'm keen to try a 3 star in the UK (only been to Guy Savoy) but for me it'd have to be The Waterside rather than The Fat Duck.

I could never take a camera out and start snapping though! Glad you did it for me, awesome photos.
 
Ahleckz said:
Looks good. Lunch menus are amazingly good value for money, that's a bargain in my eyes.

I'm keen to try a 3 star in the UK (only been to Guy Savoy) but for me it'd have to be The Waterside rather than The Fat Duck.

I could never take a camera out and start snapping though! Glad you did it for me, awesome photos.
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I was quite wary myself of the photos, but know a few people have done it. Also, being The Fat Duck, it's not quite as traditional posh as other restaurants. Quite a lot of people were doing it on their phone, and I think two of the other tables (14 in the restaurant) had DSLR's lying around.

I'd quite like to try The Waterside as well. Given I'm near London though, I have The Dorchester, Gordon Ramsay as part of my semi-long list of London restaurants that I want to try (and it only keeps growing). But The Waterside did look like not awful value (£30-50 a course), when I had a nosy at their menu from the outside.

As a side point Lunch and Dinner menu at The Fat Duck is the same price (they only serve the tasting menu now, and both times it's the same) :)

kd
 
King Damager said:
You can easily get it to £600 for two. Technically if you just have water and the meal it'd be £220 with service

kd
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That's still quite a lot for a meal :p

pioneer2000 said:
Where's the food? Personally can't stand this kind of pretentious nonsense.
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Definitely an element of pretension with this kind of food but in regards to the amounts/sizes of portions...that's how taster menus work. Small portions, lots of courses.
 
I went about 3 years or so ago and I have to say that the food was fantastic as you would expect, but there is an awful lot that really is "the experience". there was a huge amount of theatre with some of the courses and it was genuinely exciting to see what was coming next and how they would do it. I remember for the mad hatters tea party they came with the watches in a special mahogany box. They half opened it and leant it towards my wife encouraging her to take one, but when she started to reach they snapped it closed and away from her and scolded her and said "no no, you must not" before telling us the story that went along with it. that sounds much lamer writing it than it was. we spent several hours just smiling throughout the meal and I certainly didnt feel it was poor value for money. The front of house staff for the first time ever I found actually added something to the experience rather than just being good enough to not detract from it.
 
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