Fat Duck

Fat Duck Review

One of the top restaurants in the country, and ranked by some reviewers among the best in the world, this extraordinary Bray establishment packs in fans of hyper-creative, hyper-expensive cuisine. "Culinary alchemist" Heston Blumenthal is famed for bizarre taste combinations—scrambled-egg-and-bacon ice cream, for example—and the laboratory-like kitchen in which this advocate of molecular gastronomy creates his dishes. The 12 items on the tasting menu (£180) include such dishes as snail porridge, mock turtle soup, and salmon poached in a licorice gel. Like the food, the interior blends traditional and contemporary elements—modern art, exposed-brick walls, and ancient wooden beams. The place is discreet, so there's no sign; look for the duck-inspired implements hanging outside. Reserve a table two months in advance.