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Star Anise

David Coomer works hard to stay at the forefront of dining in the West. Tucked away from the city centre here at Star Anise, his menu changes with the seasons, testing culinary boundaries all the while. His dégustation exhibits enviable lightness of touch: a thimbleful of whipped sweetcorn soup comes with a tiny hot croquette packed with crabmeat, while a small marron is poached with apple eggplant in a spiced coconut broth to great effect. The star turn is a main of two-hour poached egg with baby peas, jamón Ibérico and red pepper sauce. Pre-desserts of green apple and basil sorbet and light apple jelly show a playful, progressive edge, while a more trad dessert of passionfruit soufflé with passionfruit mascarpone parfait brings the meal to a satisfying close. Add slick, professional service and a well-rounded wine list, and it’s easy to see Star Anise’s pulling power.