There is so much to like about the whole Bibendum experience that it was a real pity that the enjoyment of dining there for a special occasion on a recent Saturday night gradually – similar to a slow puncture – leaked away as the evening wore on. The analogy is deliberate. For those unaware, ‘Bibendum’ is the name of the jovial Michelin Man, famously comprised of stacked white tyres. Claude Bosi’s London venture (the chef first found fame and gained Michelin stars at Hibiscus in Ludlow, Shropshire) is located at Michelin House on the corner of London’s Fulham Road, the initial UK headquarters of the French tyre company.
As a fan of Art Déco, I had always been keen to visit the building and having enjoyed Hibiscus when it opened briefly as a pop-up in London around a decade ago, the stars conveniently aligned for this visit to Bibendum. The building is an absolute marvel, both inside and out; a temple of architectural exuberance which has undoubtedly stood the test of time. Both my comrade and I loved the use of space in the main dining room and particularly the stained-glass windows. Tables are well-spaced, and guests are treated to a wonderful exercise in being made to feel welcome. Service throughout was exemplary, with just the right balance between informal conversation and the provision of necessary information; always polite and never intrusive. So far, so good.
Our meal also started ever so promisingly with a glass of fizz to accompany our amuse-bouches. We liked the fact that my vegetarian comrade’s nibbles looked identical to mine, although clearly comprised different ingredients. Indeed, we both noted how thoughtful the chef and his team must have been. Our server then asked if we wished to know what we would be eating across our six-course tasting menu. We declined and he said we would hence be “surprised.”
Attentive readers might well have been wondering after all this prior praise where the ‘but’ was going to come. Surprised we were. From my side – as an omnivore – Claude Bosi clearly merits his two Michelin stars. However, it became abundantly clear to us that after the early flourish of the amuse-bouches, Bibendum really does not care about or cater for vegetarians. That’s a big problem if one comprises half of your dining group! After a lovely take on tomato caprese (pictured), which we both enjoyed as our first course, things began to take a turn for the worse at dish three. I benefited from a piece of turbot with a small side of coconut, horseradish and pea risotto. My dining comrade felt justified in being disappointed that my side comprised her full plate, an indication perhaps of the esteem in which the chef holds vegetarians. We were once infamously told by a front-of-house at a top Parisian restaurant when requesting whether vegetarian options were possible that it would be “boring for the chef” to prepare them. Perhaps this was the case at Bibendum too? Worse was arguably to come. Mashed potato and satay sauce (the fourth dish for my vegetarian comrade) sounds more like a midweek student forage with cupboard ingredients than what one might expect at a top restaurant. It hardly bore comparison to my veal sweetbread with black olive, anchovy and feta.
At least the paired wines helped ease some of the disappointment. They were all high-quality and intelligently considered, particularly the Sauvignon Blanc from Alto Adige and a Bordeaux blend from Lebanon. Pricing overall was at the top-end of what one might pay for comparable experiences in London. Needless to say, we won’t be returning.