5 /5 Chris Scott: I left Mignonette in something like disbelief: £25 per head for a very tasty 3-course lunch with attentive service? In well-heeled Richmond?! This place feels like its stuck in 2015, in a very good way. I dont know how they do it - I expect the sums the wealthy and mature clientele spend on wine will do a lot of subsidising of the food - but Im very glad that they do, and it puts similar spots in and beyond London charging three, four or more times the price for similar (or worse) food to shame.
Dont get me wrong - this was not an absolutely stunning or flawless meal. The beetroot and ricotta starter lacked an extra element to set it off (the crunch of a nut or seed was missed); the mains pork chop was just a touch overdone; the sea salt in the madeleines chocolate sauce was a tiny bit heavy-handed. (At this price point, absolutely nothing to complain about, and I wolfed my food down nonetheless very happily.) Though the service was very efficient (all credit to the team for remaining so), there was a slight sense that they were a little busier than they might ideally be, not helped by the fact theres probably one-too-many table in the upstairs room. As other reviewers have mentioned, youre on the edge of feeling like a sardine in a box in here. But if packing in covers helps to make the venture profitable at this price point, Id be a fool to complain.
So in sum: a 5-star spot without a doubt. If I lived round here this would be a very regular haunt - as it clearly seems to be for many. Next time Im in the area I will be rushing back here with enthusiasm - if youre reading this I recommend you do the same!
