Purnell's
what the critics say

John Lanchester
Saturday, December 18, 2010 - Purnell is a brilliant cook. The touch of playfulness apparent in that monkfish dish shows up elsewhere in his food, too...The food looks beautiful, too. It is taken as axiomatic among high-end chefs that we 'eat with our eyes', but few of them can actually make their food look arrestingly pretty on the plate. Purnell can. A starter of cured and slow-cooked mackerel came with shiitake and onoki mushrooms, a blob of mild wasabi and mizuna on a black plate, and looked gorgeous. (I say that as someone who doesn't in general like black-plate faffing.) It tasted exceptionally good, too.
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what the bloggers say
A Rather Unusual Chinaman
Friday, October 21, 2011 - There is no doubt in my mind that the kitchen at Purnells is capable of producing some wonderful food. Out of the eight courses, there were four definite highs, two definite lows and two mehs (not including the amuse and petit fours which were also firmly in the meh territory). This may not seem too bad a strike rate in an 8 course menu, but when you've travelled from London (twice) and paid 110 pounds a head, not to mention travel costs and accommodation costs, it doesn't really represent great value for the traveller. The dinner was to be a roller coaster of flavours and emotions. I had embarked on the 'Purnells Tour' and emerged slightly travel sick. Locals should fare better
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