The dessert that rivals Meat Fruit for fame. A brioche is rolled in clarified butter, coated in caster sugar, proved for four hours, then baked to order and bathed in a custard of vanilla, Sauternes wine, and brandy. Alongside it sits caramelized pineapple from the restaurant's signature spit-roast. The combination of warm, boozy brioche and sweet roasted pineapple is what keeps this on the menu year after year.
Tips from diners
The Tipsy Cake is baked to order, so it arrives warm from the oven. Don't skip it even if you're full — reviewers consistently say Meat Fruit and Tipsy Cake are the two must-orders.
The most photographed dish in the restaurant. Chicken liver parfait is encased in a mandarin jelly shell that looks convincingly like a real fruit. You cut through the glossy orange exterior to find silky, rich parfait inside. Served with thick-cut grilled bread brushed with olive oil infused with garlic, thyme, and rosemary. It has been on the menu since opening day in 2011 and remains the dish nearly every table orders.
Tips from diners
Order this even if you normally skip starters. Spread the parfait onto the grilled bread in generous amounts — the bread is there specifically to balance the richness.
If you want the classic photo, photograph it before cutting in. Once sliced, it just looks like pate. The whole mandarin illusion is the point.
The trout is cold-smoked with hay, giving it a distinctive grassy, earthy flavor that you won't find in conventional smoked fish. It's served cold with a bright lemon salad, anchovy-based gentleman's relish, and sharp sorrel leaves. The recipe comes from Charles Carter's 1730 cookbook 'The Complete Practical Cook.' A lighter alternative to the rich Meat Fruit.
Tips from diners
If you want a starter that won't fill you up before mains, this is lighter than the Meat Fruit. The hay smoking is genuinely different from regular smoked fish.
The duck breast is cooked pink and sliced, with a supporting cast of smoked fennel, dried apricot, and 'umbles' (offal) that are spiced and braised. The combination of sweet fruit, smoky vegetables, and rich duck is well-balanced. The recipe is sourced from a 1670 cookbook by Hannah Woolley.
Tips from diners
The 'umbles' in this dish are offal — a nod to the original recipe. If offal is not your thing, ask the waiter what the current preparation involves before ordering.
The duck xxxxxxx is cooked pink and sliced, with a supporting cast of smoked fennel, dried apricot, and 'umbles' (offal) that are spiced and xxxxxxx. The combination of sweet xxxx, smoky vegetables, and rich duck is well-balanced. The recipe is sourced from a 1670 cookbook by Hannah Woolley.
Tips from diners
The 'umbles' in this dish are offal — a nod to the original recipe. If offal is not your thing, ask the xxxxx what the current preparation involves before ordering.
The turbot is roasted to a firm, flaky texture and served with a green sauce recipe inspired by a 1440 manuscript. Braised chicory provides bitterness, while eucalyptus adds an unexpected herbal note that lifts the whole plate. This is one of the pricier main courses at £64 but the turbot quality is consistently praised.
Tips from diners
The turbot is the strongest fish main on the menu. It's £64 but the xxxxxxx and quality justify the price. The eucalyptus note is subtle — don't expect it to taste medicinal.
Opened in 2011 inside the Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge, Dinner takes recipes from British cookbooks dating back to the 1300s and reimagines them with modern technique. Head chef Adam Tooby-Desmond has run the kitchen since 2023 after working his way up from demi chef de partie. The dining room seats 110 with views over Hyde Park. Each dish on the menu is annotated with its historical source and approximate date.
The three-course a la carte is £125. Add Meat Fruit at £26 as a starter and Tipsy Cake at £22 for dessert to hit the two signature dishes. Mains range from £48-£64.
Request a window table when xxxxxxx — the xxxx Park view adds to the experience, especially at lunch. The interior tables can feel xxxxxxxxx and hotel-like.
The wine list has 750+ labels but xxxxxxx average nearly 4x retail. The median bottle is £270. xxxx the sommelier to suggest within a budget rather than browsing — it will save time and money.
Knightsbridge xxxxxxx (Piccadilly line) is a one-minute walk. Enter via the Mandarin Oriental hotel lobby. The restaurant entrance is through the hotel and clearly xxxxxxxxxx.
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