The Chancery (8.5/10)

The Chancery was a last minute choice from TopTable on a Thursday night, to celebrate my promotion (yay!). It is located just off Chancery Lane (you may have guessed from the name), somewhat hidden on a side street of a side street. The restaurant was pleasantly busy, with most tables eventually filled, but the tables were nicely spaced so that the restaurant was full, but not crowded. The floor to ceiling windows also meant it was also lovely and light, perfect for the beautiful Summer weather we have been enjoying. I should also mention that as this was an unscheduled visit, the photos are from my camera phone, so a little blurry - apologies!


We started with some excellent bread and salted butter at perfect room temperature, before an amouse bouche of gazpacho. The cold tomato soup was ideal for the weather and packed with tomato and garlic flavour.


The TT deal was for three courses for £25, rather than the usual £34.50 (£24 for 2 courses). Of course, as per usual, I found it impossible to go past the foie gras, especially as it was served in my favourite way - a slab of foie pan fried in butter, so that it is smooth and creamy inside and slightly crispy without. Exquisite. The advertised salad of cranberries and hazelnuts also included, somewhat bizarrely, sweet corn and apple. The corn rather overwhelmed everything else, but despite the odd combination, was refreshing and tasty.

Kyle started with the seared scallops with aubergine pakora and curry spices. The scallops were excellent, well-cooked with lots of flavour. The pakora, however, was another odd addition, being rather remiscent of a bit of deep-fry from the local Indian takeaway. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it does seem a little inappropriate as an accompaniment to delicate scallops.

My main was the roast skate wing with fondant potato, cockles and watercress puree. I haven't had skate wing before, so was a little surprised by all the bones, but once I worked out how to eat it (scrape the meat off rather than try to cut through), it was very enjoyable. Very delicately flavoured, with a lovely brown butter crust. The highlight, though, was the amazingly intense sun-dried tomatoes scattered over the dish - yum!


Despite the summery temperatures, Kyle opted for the rather wintery traditional British dish of calves' liver and onions with smoked potato cream, but he enjoyed it. The roasted garlic cloves were a lovely surprise.

We also received a lovely little chocolate mousse as a pre-dessert, which was intensely chocolate-y, but fluffy and light. It almost made me regret that I had chosen the chocolate brownie dessert . . . until I had my first bite, that is.

Chocolate brownie always seems like such an easy, obvious choice, but so good. It was somehow simultaneously dense and light and came with a mint-chocolate sauce and mint ice-cream (I love mint!). The brief regret of double chocolate was forgotten instantly.


Unfortunately, Kyle finished with the most disappointing dish of the night. The cheese platter looked quite attractive and reasonable value, containing a blue cheese, goat's cheese, a cheddar and two soft cheeses as well as some toasted fruit bread and grapes. Across the board, the cheese was bland and too cold. Shame.

The night finished with petit fours (pretty average), some unnecessary excitement when the waitress knocked a candle into my handbag (took me quite some time so scrape the candlewax off later) and then more petit fours as an apology (we didn't enjoy them the first time). All in all, not a brilliant ending!

Despite this, I really enjoyed our evening at The Chancery. The service was generally very good and there was a perfect atmosphere - enough people to create an environment, but not so that it was too loud, busy or big. With the exception of the cheese plate, the food was also very good and quite good value with the TT deal.

Food: 8.5/10
Drinks: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Ambience: 9/10
Overall: 8.5/10

The Chancery
9 Cursitor Street
London EC4A 1LL