I’m in London for an extended visit, so finally have time to plan ahead for dinner at the Fat Duck. However, Heston Blumenthal just opened a new restaurant there (the Hind’s Head). And in researching that, I discovered he now has 3 restaurants in Bray – Fat Duck, Hind’s Head and the Crown at Bray. So now I’m questioning if I want to go to the original, or one of the newer ones?
Is Fat Duck still as good as it was (and still as cutting-edge)? I’m looking for inventive, playful, flavorful, modern food. Hind’s Head looks a little traditional (albeit with a twist) and heavy for my tastes. And the Crown just looks straight traditional. So I’m leaning toward Fat Duck, but wanted to check for any opinions.
I’m also planning on staying overnight, if I can, at his inn there. Any suggestions if I can’t get a room there?
(BTW, I’ve eaten at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in London and it was amaaaaazing! So traditional as to be trendy, in that most dishes were completely unfamiliar to me. And where the original recipes would probably not have been to my taste, they were tweaked enough to be modern.)
Thanks for any insights.