The restaurant is one week old, but Joel Robuchon's latest venture L'atelier in Covent Garden already feels like an institution. My fellow diners felt at home and lively conversations could be heard around us. Effectively combining the eating styles of Japanese Sushi bar, Spanish tapas and French haute cuisine could be a tall order. Yet L'atelier has risen to the challenge. The Menu Découverture turned out to be an exciting and balanced menu - and one has to give them credit for serving this 7 course meal in 90 minutes without feeling rushed.
What was enjoyable? Everything was lovely, but particularly the Scottish scallops - just lightly cooked and dressed in seaweed scented butter.
What was not enjoyable? Worry about the rest of London descending to West Street.
It's only 5 minute's from The Bund (外灘) and a relatively new hotel, The Westin Shanghai ought to be a fantastic place for both business and pleasure. Quite a few tourist guides have also rated this highly. It took me about two days to work out why I never warmed to it. The reason? The sense of proportion is erratic across the entire hotel - some corridors are too narrow, beds too close to the wall (even though I was in a mini-suite), some staircases have irregular steps, etc. The list goes on. What was enjoyable? The location. One could stroll down to The Bund for dinner, drinks or the view. The staff are nice too - always trying to help. What was not enjoyable? Where shall we begin - the fake palm trees, the tightly spaced cafe, the finishing touches, etc.
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