My Friend Toby Stuart - Roux at Parliament Square

Housed in a beautiful Victorian building designed by the architect of the the Natural History Museum. The decor is suitably stately while the lengthy wine list will please aficionados of Burgundy & Bordeaux.
Roux at Parliament Square seats 56 covers and a private dining room which holds up to 10 people.
Bar  seats 40 people serving delicious snacks and light dishes — perfect for when time is at a premium.

Here are a few words about a lunch last year; I wanted to keep it a secret but Toby deserves for people to know about what he creates!

 Ballotine of Foie Gras & Compressed Peach
Photo:Paul winch-Furness

This Ballotine of foie gras with compressed peach and the sweetest taste of Baume de Venise was just delicious with such amazing flavours and texture.

Braised fillet of halibut

It has to be tried.
This is one of the tastiest dishes I have ever had the pleasure to eat; asparagus, morels and thyme; wonderful!


Eaton "what" a mess

You can not leave Roux at Parliament Square this summer without having Toby's Eaton mess, Big Ben will being keeping a hand on you; history has it that Eaton mess is traditionally served at Eton College's annual cricket game against the students of Winchester College;

I say!

Give me shout if you would like to book a table and I will let Toby know you are going!
http://www.rouxatparliamentsquare.co.uk/


A big thank you to Paul winch-Furness for allowing me to use his wonderful shots of Toby's food, Paul is a fantastic food photographer; give me a call if you would like his details; it's worth it.

John and Ewan's Wine Club Dinner - February 2012

The Bleeding Heart



At our wine dinner at The Bleeding Heart on Wednesday, John and I wanted to share just how much fun it can be to work in the world of wine and food.

We wanted to share the fun of tasting lots of different wines side by side and the pleasure of enjoying a menu that’s been designed around the wines that it is to be served with.
Until I worked with wine, I rarely tasted more than one wine at a time – I’m sure that goes for most people. However, when you are able to compare the wine in your glass with another, and another, your levels of appreciation and understanding rise remarkably quickly.
We’d chosen to show wines from Bordeaux, seven in all, ranging from dry whites to sweet whites; from plush fruity reds to stately classical ones. I’ve included the menu below
At our wine dinner at The Bleeding Heart on Wednesday, John and I wanted to share just how much fun it can be to work in the world of wine and food.

We wanted to share the fun of tasting lots of different wines side by side and the pleasure of enjoying a menu that’s been designed around the wines that it is to be served with.
Until I worked with wine, I rarely tasted more than one wine at a time – I’m sure that goes for most people. However, when you are able to compare the wine in your glass with another, and another, your levels of appreciation and understanding rise remarkably quickly.

We’d chosen to show wines from Bordeaux, seven in all, ranging from dry whites to sweet whites; from plush fruity reds to stately classical ones. I’ve included the menu below.

Getting ready

When we talked about the wines a few things came out – firstly, how important it is to enjoy red bordeaux with food. Food transforms it. Chef Julian Marshall prepared us a wonderful menu and it brought out the beauty in the wines and the wines perfectly complimented the food. The match with the Suffolk lamb was incredible and something you have to try.
Secondly, we were all impressed with the distinctiveness of the wines. These are wines that share certain regional characteristics, but which are definitely of their place. The first two reds, both merlot dominated, were plush and forward as you’d perhaps expect. Whilst, the second two, cabernet driven, wines had the lovely acidity and noble, dry characteristics of the Medoc. However, it was their similarities, rather than their differences which were most interesting. The way they developed in the glass, the lingering finish, their complexity,intensity and the way in which they were modern wines with a clear, traceable past.

Ballotine of Confit Duck

I could go on and on. However, I’ll leave something to your imagination. It was a wonderful evening, with great company, conversation, wine, food and even a little cognac.

I can’t wait for the next one!




John and Ewan’s Wine Club Bordeaux Dinner
Ballotine of Confit Duck, Maize fed Chicken and Pistachio with Apple Compote
Château Deville, Entre-deux-Mers 2009
Château La Croix Chantecaille, St Emillion Grand Cru 2004
Roast Rump of Suffolk Black face Lamb with Caramelised Root Vegetables and Pomme Mousseline, Rosemary Jus
Château Des Annereaux, Lalande de Pomerol 2006
Lacoste-Borie, Pauillac, 2006
Selection of Cheese with Home-made Raisin and Walnut Bread
Chateau Langoa Barton, Troisième Cru, St Julien, 2006
Le Coeur de Cassis with a Passion Fruit Coulis
Clos Dady, Sauternes 2008
Château Filhot, Deuxième Cru, Sauternes 1999
Coffee and Petits Fours
VSOP Cognac