Great Scott – Great Value! – Set lunches can be great value, but sometimes one can feel that you’re being fobbed off with slightly inferior fare that doesn’t bear much resemblance to dishes on the a la carte menu… that’s definitely not the case with Scott’s Richmond. It currently offers a weekday set lunch menu at £30 for two courses or £36 for three and having checked it out recently, I can safely say that you are in for a treat. It has one of the most stunning interiors and lovely views of the river. What’s more, the tables are comfortably set apart so you have an element of conversational privacy that is quite rare nowadays. The background music is understated, the right tone for the restaurant and at the perfect level: it’s there, but it’s not intrusive.
I started with a lovely glass of Nyetimber Rosé. It had notes of strawberry and cherry with a subtle hint of sweet spice and was the perfect way to study the menu. There is a choice of three dishes for each course, and I chose the Puglian Burrata. It was deliciously unctuous, served on a bed of pesto, with fresh basil leaves and baby plum tomatoes and tiny rings of pickled sweet onion. My husband chose Grilled Cornish mackerel with mojo rojo (a red pepper sauce), and tomatillo salsa. He declared it to be beautifully fresh, delicately spiced and with a really tasty skin too.
Of course, having seen that wild mushroom risotto was on the menu as a main course, my husband needed no persuasion as he’s a real risotto fan. He said it was rich and creamy and it was polished off very fast indeed (probably in case I asked to taste some). I opted for pan-fried fillet of Chalkstream trout with pickled cucumber, trout roe and chive butter sauce. I was asked whether I’d like the trout served pink or well done – I chose pink and I’m so glad I did. My trout was seriously delicious, cooked to perfection and the sauce was the perfect finishing touch to the dish.
Pierre, the general manager, urged us to try the Kimchi fried Brussels sprouts, with edamame and sesame seeds, as a side dish. It sounded so unusual that we couldn’t resist trying it…and we were so glad we took his advice. He said that even sprout haters (which we are definitely not) are won over by it, and I can see why. The kimchi sauce paired so well with the slightly charred sprouts and I’m inspired to try making something similar myself very soon. I chose a gem heart salad with champagne and herb vinaigrette that complimented my trout perfectly without overpowering the delicate sauce. It was beautifully presented with sprigs of herbs and reminiscent of a Caesar salad – crispy garlic croutons and creamy dressing with a few more slices of the delicious pickled sweet onion.
I enjoyed a refreshing glass of Assyrtiko – a Greek white wine that Pierre suggested would pair well with the trout. It’s worth mentioning that Scott’s has an extensive selection of wines by the glass, starting from just £10. My husband chose to enjoy plenty of sparkling water with his meal, but he could have enjoyed a non-alcoholic cocktail or alcohol-free sparkling wine.
For dessert, my husband opted for apple crumble tart with vanilla ice cream. Another rather clever and beautifully presented dish that was packed with chunks of apple. I was tempted by the Ticklemore goat’s cheese roasted honey and thyme fig and it was the only slight let down of the whole meal as the cheese was rather too chilled to be able to ‘open up’ the flavour, but it was served with a warmed fig and a selection of nice biscuits.
The other lovely thing about Scott’s is that you don’t feel hurried in any way. The whole vibe is relaxed, yet very classy with a mix of people enjoying quick business lunches, families with tiny babies and the ubiquitous ‘ladies who lunch’. Service is excellent, and highly professional, too.
Pierre told us that the Christmas decorations will be in place soon and based on previous years, they promise to be rather spectacular.
The special set lunch for the Christmas period is £36 for two courses (£42 for three) and will be available from November 10.
The Seasoned Gastronome