Duck and Waffle is beautiful during the day and the last time I came, I had a cracking time (see review here), but never came for dinner, so thought I would give it a go. Was it any good? Time to find out…
Ideal for:
Coming to watch the sunset over the London skyline
Casual dinner with friends with a relaxed vibe
Something different for date night
Ambience & Décor
Perched on the 40th Floor of the iconic Heron Tower, the external lift transported you to above the clouds and into the wood and glass interior of Duck & Waffle. I will never tire of the unfettered panoramic views that hit you immediately. With sundown approaching, not only do the views mesmerise, but the restaurant bathed in a lovely glow. Perfect setting for date night. The semi-open, chrome-filled, modern kitchen with the chefs communicating orders added to the already buzzing and charged ambience.
Night had fully set in when we left. The lit up London skyline coupled with the glow of the luminous blossom tree the level below at Sushi Samba, was a delightful parting gift.
Service
The service was immaculate despite the restaurant being packed. Given there is rarely a spare seat, to maintain such levels of service should be lauded. I have come here many times but never once has the service dipped.
Food
This time around, decided to try a few bits I had not tried before.
The Spicy Ox Cheek Doughnut with Apricot Jam and Paprika Sugar (left) was a nice start. Ox cheek meat was really packed with flavour and tender whilst the doughnut was light and fluffy – not doughy or overproved at all. The Apricot Jam cut the richness of the filling and the Paprika sugar added some lovely spice. Culinary genius marrying the two.
Crispy Polenta was amazing. 2 fried balls with Parmesan and Truffle filling and an aoli dipping sauce to cut the overpowering filing flavours. This was delicious. Something so simple was so incredibly tasty. The truffle and parmesan are both earthy notes and textures but they are tasted amazing fused together.
The third starter was a Wild Mushroom on Toast (right) that was equally sublime. Perfectly cooked array of differing wild mushrooms in a creamy truffle sauce, with the flavours seeping into the toast. I do not eat mushrooms usually, but this was so well put together. Earthy flavours and textures from the mushroom and truffle blend beautifully, but texture change up with the sauce and the crispier toast really balanced out the dish and made it complete.
Went back to familiar territory with the main of Duck & Waffle (left). The crispy leg confit, fried duck egg and mustard maple syrup. This along with the Full Elvis are the best dishes I have had to date. The duck leg is crispy on the outside, yet the meat is moist on the inside. I omit the egg as I do not like it, but the mustard maple syrup is the sweet-savoury mix that complements the meat so well and the fluffy waffle. I adore this dish and a masterclass on how to cook duck confit.
Having been to Duck & Waffle numerous times aside from this review, it has yet to disappoint. The combination of amazing food, great service and superlative views justify Duck & Waffle’s position as one of London’s hottest restaurants. Easy A+ rating.
Photos of Duck and Waffle and more can be found on Instagram here.
Final grade: A+
Final comment: Duck & Waffle consistently delivers great food with great views.
Hashtags: #A+ #British #MidRange #LiverpoolStreet #DuckandWaffle #Waffle #Duck #OxCheek #Doughnut #ApricotJam #PaprikaSugar #Paprika #Polenta #Parmesan #Truffle #Aoli #Contemporary #WildMushroom #Mushroom #Toast #DuckConfit #FriedDuckEgg #Mustard #GreatViews #MapleSyrup #FriedDuckEgg #Egg #Brunch #Casual #CatchUp #ChillOut #ConfitLeg #Continental #GoodPortions #GreatService #Meat #Modern #Elegance
Comments