Adam Handling is a (culinary) G
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I’ve been a long time fan of Adam Handling so was excited when I knew I would be cooking for him on MasterChef. His feedback on my cherry bakewell made my month to be honest and so I finally checked out Adam’s flagship restaurant, Frog, for my mum’s birthday and it was fantastic.
I’ve said it before and I’m going to say it again: this place should have a Michelin star and I’m amazed it’s been looked over. The tasting menu was better than a lot of starred restaurants I’ve been to (naming no names though).
I’ve spoken before about the fact that I’m not necessarily that into the Michelin ️thing, but to be clear: I know I am very fortunate to get to eat at some of these restaurants and I certainly do respect the huge amount of work that goes into winning one. What I can confidently say is that Adam and his team deserve this recognition.
If you’re into fine dining, this is somewhere to go for a special occasion where you want the food and service to be elevated, but in a way that isn’t overly formal. I maybe wanted the decor to feel a bit more pulled together, a little softer, a tad more intimate… but it was certainly a sleek space.
The snacks really set the tone — there were MANY of them and this sense of abundance was an exciting way to kick things off.
Striking squid-ink-stained crisps, surprise taramasalata in the spokes
Lil fresh pea tartlet - CUTE
Even the way you ate through the snacks felt carefully considered: richer ones were interspersed with fresher/lighter ones, so that you didn’t get overwhelmed at any point (has anyone noticed that I don’t do particularly well with overly heavy / rich food?).
What follows the snacks is knockout dish after knockout dish. Adam’s food is rich and FULL OF UMAMI but he’s got a wonderful touch and a propensity for acidity that keeps everything in balance. The wagyu lobster, in particular, was incredible. The sheer confidence to serve it unadorned like that with no sauce, no garnish… it was truly masterful: rich, smoky, sweet, meaty… magic.
Lobster claw deserving of its close up
Balmoral chicken — royal vibes
Adam is also a (maybe the) master of desserts. Monica Galetti kept getting excited about his cakes on MasterChef: The Professionals and, when I tasted his food for the first time not long after the competition, it was his fennel dessert that really made an impression on me (long before the use of herbs and vegetables in desserts became pretty standard).
Most of the time give me a classic pud over a plated dessert — but not when Adam’s at the helm…
My favourite dessert of 2021, hands down
This dessert at Frog was hands down the best I’ve eaten in the last couple of years. The most insanely smooth, rich, light, SILKY chocolate ganache balanced perfectly with yuzu. Perfect textural elements: cocoa nibs, a chocolate disc, popping candy. And an incredible ice cream made out of dandelion root which had a sort of malted dulce de leche vibe. Incredible.
I think I’ve gone on enough: the food was unreal. The vibe was not so much my think but if you’re a fine dining fan, you have to check this place out.
Here’s the deal:
Near: Covent Garden, with the nearest station being Covent Garden (Embankment is also reasonably close).
Bookable: Yes.
Occasion: A special one - a birthday, an anniversary.
Value: This is tasting menu territory (and I would definitely recommend this over going a la carte - you get way more bang for your buck) so dinner for two with a glass or two of wine will set you back ~£300.
Service: Alright.
Get: The tasting menu. The snacks, wagyu lobster and yuzu chocolate dessert were the highlights for me.
