Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

First the name. There's an explanation on the menu and website, but the gist is that dinner was originally the word for the main meal of the day, whether taken at midday or in the evening. It's a bit of fun even if it doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. Opening a London restaurant when such accolades have been lauded on the mothership in Bray was full of potential pitfalls, but Heston has negotiated all obstacles with the dexterity shown by a world champion in parkour. This is no re-enactment of the molecular goings-on at The Fat Duck. Heston has long shown an interest in our culinary heritage almost as much as he has the science stuff (often linking one with the other), and here in the swanky Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park hotel, the food is inspired by historic British gastronomy. Ashley Palmer-Watts has been at Heston's side since pretty much the beginning, and here he heads up the kitchen and devises the menu with his mentor. The kitchen is a major feature of the space, glassed in but in full view, you can feast your eyes on the comings and goings at the Josper grill and watch as whole pineapples turn on the rotisserie driven by a feature mechanism that resembles the inside of an expensive Swiss watch. The room itself is smart yet understated - darkwood tables (clothless), natural tones, lots of leather (including a panelled wall with some panels open to reveal the brickwork underneath - a glimpse of the past, geddit?) and porcelain light fittings in the shape of jelly moulds, plus - and it's a big plus - fabulous restive views over Hyde Park. A table on the terrace could well be the best seat in town in 2012. Each dish has an approximate date alluding to its origins - circa 1390 to circa 1940 and all centuries in between. Meat fruit (c1500) is the signature dish thus far, designed to look like a mandarin, it does the job with unerring accuracy right up to the dimples, but inside the vivid mandarin-flavoured exterior is a rich, smooth chicken liver parfait. Among main courses outstandingly good Black Foot pork chops are imported from Spain and cooked in the Josper with the lightest of touches, the meat as soft and flavoursome as you'll find, served with pointy cabbage (hispi) and sauce Robert. If it all seems straightforward, it is in many ways, but these dishes have been created to maximise flavour and impact. Spiced pigeon (c1780) is, again, a superb bird, as tender as you'll eat, served with globe artichokes and a well-judged ale sauce. Tafferty Tart (c1660) shows off real technical dexterity in the making, the flavours of apple and rose, fennel and blackcurrant judged to a tee. The set lunch is particularly good value, offering two choices per course. All in all...a true original.