The recent departure of The Grove’s founding chef Michael Meredith must have been cause for some concern for owners Michael and Annette Dearth. Since opening in 2004, The Grove has earned a stellar reputation on the back of Meredith’s technically brilliant and highly original food. The Dearths need not have worried. New chef Sid Sahrawat (ex-The George) has created a menu in keeping with the inventive style of food for which The Grove is well known. We had some particularly good entrées (rare tuna on a crab salad with wasabi sorbet and caviar) and the sides – so boring elsewhere – are as intriguing as ever. It’s a long, awkward space and when empty it could be tempting for the waitstaff to drift off, but they have never let us down. We understand the need to satisfy business lunchers but we wish the lunch menu was slightly lighter (a choice of fish dishes in summer, perhaps?)
