Restaurant Review: Menu Gordon Jones - A Unique Culinary Experience in Bath

 

Welcome to my review of Menu Gordon Jones, a hidden gem in Bath that offers a truly memorable dining experience. Our journey began with a scenic drive from Cambridge, highlighting the flat, open landscapes of Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, gradually giving way to the charming, rolling hills of Bath.

A Glimpse of the Restaurant: Menu Gordon Jones is a small, intimate restaurant with a bistro-style aesthetic. The space features large windows overlooking the street, giving it a cozy yet quirky ambiance. The decor is simple but warm, with a homely vibe that immediately makes you feel welcome. Despite its unassuming size, the open kitchen is a central feature, allowing diners to watch Gordon Jones and his team work their culinary magic. You can even spot Gordon himself, easily recognizable by his beard, orchestrating the flow of dishes.

The Menu: Gordon Jones, a Scottish chef married to a Finnish woman, offers a surprise tasting menu for both lunch and dinner. The lunch menu is priced at £40, while the dinner experience is £55 for six courses. One of the most exciting aspects of dining here is that you won’t know what you’re going to get until it’s served. This element of surprise adds an extra layer of excitement to the meal, as you eagerly anticipate each course.

Course 1: Amuse-Bouche We started with Dorset snails, served with basil oil, chorizo oil, balsamic vinegar, and a homemade hummus dip. This was a fantastic introduction to the meal, with the oils and vinegar providing the perfect complement to the soft snails and the hummus adding a comforting texture.

Course 2: Smoked Eel and Sautéed Mash The first official course featured smoked eel on a bed of sautéed mash, garnished with radishes and a variety of fresh, crisp leaves. The presentation was innovative—one of the ingredients was housed inside an empty eggshell, which you had to empty onto your plate. It was a unique, playful touch that set the tone for the rest of the meal.

Course 3: Duck with Wheat Berries Next up was a succulent duck dish, served with wheat berries. The duck was cooked to perfection—juicy, tender, and full of flavor. The wheat berries added an interesting textural contrast, making this course a standout.

Course 4: Seared Red Mullet The third course brought us seared red mullet, accompanied by monk's beard, swollen raisins, and duck salami. The combination of flavors was bold and balanced, with the sweetness of the raisins enhancing the savory elements of the dish.

Course 5: Rabbit Trio For the main course, we were treated to a trio of rabbit—loin, liver, and kidney—served with Wye Valley asparagus, braised rice, and apricot purée. The rabbit was expertly prepared, with each cut offering a distinct texture and flavor. The apricot purée provided a touch of sweetness that paired beautifully with the savory meat.

Palette Cleanser: Beetroot Sorbet Before dessert, we were served a beetroot sorbet with pickled cucumber and kale water. While I appreciated the creativity behind this dish, the pickled cucumber felt a bit too salad-like in contrast to the sweet beetroot sorbet. That said, it was a unique combination that’s worth trying, even if it didn’t quite suit my palate.

Dessert: Chocolate and Orange Tart Finally, we reached the dessert—my favorite course of the evening. It was a rich chocolate and orange tart, topped with crunchy honeycomb and served with a zesty orange sauce. The tart was incredibly soft, and the flavors were perfectly balanced between the richness of the chocolate and the brightness of the orange. It was a luxurious end to a fantastic meal.

Final Thoughts: Menu Gordon Jones offers an exceptional dining experience, combining innovative cooking techniques with bold, surprising flavors. The restaurant’s “surprise tasting menu” concept adds an element of intrigue, making each course a delightful revelation. While the dishes can be unconventional, each one showcases Gordon’s culinary expertise and creativity.

It’s surprising that the restaurant hasn’t yet earned a Michelin star, though it is included in the Michelin Guide—a testament to its quality. Gordon Jones deserves recognition for his bold approach to fine dining, and I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before he achieves even greater accolades.

If you’re in Bath and looking for an extraordinary dining experience, I highly recommend Menu Gordon Jones. It's a hidden treasure that offers a unique journey through unexpected flavors. Here's wishing Gordon all the best in his future ventures—I have no doubt that he’ll continue to impress.