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What a great event for 15k Marriott points pp. For those in the green group – it was good meeting you all today, you know who I am :).
Reception at W included Veuve Clicquot Champagne and/or cocktails. Splendid starters, main course and desert paired with wine etc (all generous portions and decent in terms of wine selection)
Slight improvements to be made:
Superb effort to accommodate dietary requirements – greatly appreciated. Instead of carrying a menu across central London, it would have been easier to have emailed the menu before hand (for those that don’t need a physical menu).
Coffee/tea to be served at the end (instead of last round of desert/port wine if necessary) – minimal cost.
Thanks once again, and hope to see you all next year at the different restaurants.
Good to catch up!
We DID get coffee / tea at the end, in Franco’s, so it was clearly depending on which group you were in. Also got dessert wine at Franco’s.
(EDIT: My wife tells me that tea / coffee wasn’t actually included but a few people were asking so Franco’s decided to serve it to us anyway, on the house. It seems I was chatting to a reader whilst this discussion was going on!)
I was very impressed by the whole thing – Scullys was great and a real ‘find’ (not sure if Scullly had a chat with you, he did with us), Langham’s was somewhere I’d been meaning to go. Wasn’t too keen on being in the basement of Franco’s although sitting on a long table was good in terms of chatting to others.
Shout out to the hosts also btw. Our host, Alice, was friendly and made sure everyone was catered for.
Worth pointing out that there were 2 starters, 2 mains, 2 deserts, all delicious – 🙂 I have never done that and won’t be eating till breakfast tomorrow!
Agree this was a good event and great to meet one or two HfPers too.
My feedback would be that the food experience seemed to vary a lot depending on which group you were lucky enough to be placed in.
Having seen the menus for the other groups, the main courses seemed much more substantial and interesting on those menus than on ours. For our group (Blue group), for our main courses Franco’s served us a single small piece of salmon for one of the dishes, and a tiny bowl of forgettable risotto for the other dish. Nobody at the table seemed happy with this. I doubt that any of our table would be keen to return.
Similarly, the beef tartare served by Langan’s as a starter was very bland – I heard several other guests were making the same comment!
While I can’t complain about the drinks being topped up throughout, the absence of a proper main course meant my wife and I went for dinner straight after the event…
Agreed too that Scully’s was the real gem of the day. If we had gone there for main courses, rather than for dessert, I think we would have come away a lot more satisfied.
Collage pic of the dishes for the green group. We had our mains @ Scully and was excellent. Our full menu as below.
Franco’s
– Butternut Squash (Vegan option, Others had Burrata)
– Octopus Carpaccio with Fennel & OrangeScully
– Forbidden Black Rice, Green Mole, Smoked Tofu, Broad Beans, Zucchini (Vegan option)
– Sea Bass, Brown Shrimps, Pink Fir Potatoes, Pistachio Samba
– BBQ Corn-fed Chicken Legs, Black Bean & Shitake Vinaigrette, Sea VegetablesLangan’s Brasserie
– New York Style Cheesecake, Mango Jelly, Coconut Sorbet
– Chocolate Délice, Almond Cocoa Streusel, Chocolate Cremeux, Malt Ice CreamAs this was the first time, I expect all the wrinkles will be ironed out.
It’s an interesting mix.
Langans (a ‘name’ restaurant which I’d never actually got to) was a key reason why I booked, so that should stay on.
Scullys was actually the highlight in terms of food and it was great to visit an ‘under the radar’ indpendent place which is definitely doing its own thing and having the boss man himself there to chat. You finish the event thinking that you’ve discovered somewhere really cool and would never in a million years have visited yourself.
Francos, as I mentioned above, seemed a bad choice – putting everyone in a windowless basement and serving relatively dull stuff. It didn’t make the grade in terms of ‘big name’ or food quality, although as we went there last we didn’t care too much as no-one really needed dessert by that point!
You can’t argue with the value though. If you value 30k Marriott at £150 then, frankly, I think most couples had had £150-worth of champagne and cocktails in the W before they even started eating. Add in the six glasses of wine at the restaurants and the £150 covered 12 plates of food and 18 alcoholic drinks between the two of us.
Great event, thanks to @Rob for the heads up, and greater thanks to the Marriott team for putting it together. The drinks and food were all impressive (for Green group at least).
Franco’s was delicious, but as Rob points out, the basement not ideal. I can see this being a popular choice for my more fussy family members for whom ‘Italian’ is the right choice.
A meal at Scully’s was on my ‘to do’ list since forever, and finally got round to booking it for P2s birthday last month. Unbelievable to end up back there so quickly. Excellent food in very stripped back dining room — destination dining only for the food, not the ambiance. Still, a second chance to sample the grub left me certain I’ll be back ASAP.
Langan’s was great for desert. I’ve not eaten there this century, was nice to be back. I won’t be returning unless (as before) someone else is paying, but the ambiance and location are what you are paying a premium for.
My first Marriott experience redemption and fantastic value compared to a hotel stay. Managed to get two non-Marriott loyalists along and they are now suddenly interested in all things points 🤣
It’s back! 40k.
https://moments.marriottbonvoy.com/en-us/moments/18445
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
15 FEB. 2025Six-Course Gourmet Odyssey With Champagne Pairings at Three Top London Restaurants
Experience London’s culinary highlights with an unforgettable six-course lunch. You and a guest will enjoy a welcome reception at Lanes of London, inside Marriott Park Lane Hotel, before starting your gastronomic journey. You will then make your way to three of London’s top restaurants celebrated for both their delectable menus as well as their sustainable practices: Apricity, Cavita, and Jikoni. Enjoy expertly matched champagne pairings by Champagne Lallier throughout this Gourmet Odyssey.
Apricity was awarded a Green Michelin-star for their sustainable, ultra-low waste ethos. The restaurant uses produce at the height of season from small-scale farmers alongside locally foraged ingredients to create a captivating, innovative cuisine.
Cavita is a modern Mexican restaurant deeply committed to sustainable food production, fair trade practices and better food choices. Cavita uses their principled approach to cooking to produce food with vibrant flavours, colours, and textures.
Jkioni’s menus are inspired by immigrant cuisine and the rich, shared flavours and cultures across parts of South Asia & the Far East, the Middle East, East Africa and Britain. The restaurant became the first carbon neutral independent restaurant in the UK and has been powered by solar power, wind power, and carbon neutral green energy.
Experience includes:
Saturday 15 February 2025
Welcome reception at the hotel Marriott Park Lane Hotel
Six-course dinner with champagne pairings for two (2) across three different restaurants — Apricity, Cavita, and JikoniAll 17 packages redeemed within 1 hour 45 mins.
All gone
I’ll be there, met a lot of friendly and interesting people at the last event so was a no brainer to jump at this opportunity! The bar was set high in November but from looking at the venues I’m sure they can match or surpass it!
See you there!
In the unlikely event anyone who is booked for Feb needs to cancel, I’d be delighted to take the tickets off your hands in exchange for the points! 😀
To put the Marriott Gourmet Odyssey (London edition) redeem now (30k/40k for 2 people) in perspective:
6 auctions yesterday closed last night for an “Evening Event with Nigella Lawson & Oisin Rogers” at The Devonshire, Soho (Drinks, chat, 4 course dinner with wine) for an average of 80,833 (85k,79.5k,80k,80k,77.5k,83k).
3 additional packages (above plus 1 night at St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London, drinks reception, transport to venue, access to spa facilities and breakfast) went for an average of 174,167 (170k,177.5k,175k).
(Video and photography for Marriott Bonvoy TV will take place and members need to sign a release form.)
Slightly different dynamic there though because The Devonshire is THE hottest table in London and the pricing would have been the same even without Nigella (possibly higher!). Social media qudos for eating there is ludicrously high.
Could someone who went last time to the similar event tell me what happens exactly? Do you meet at the hotel and then walk to the restaurants on the list?
Could someone who went last time to the similar event tell me what happens exactly? Do you meet at the hotel and then walk to the restaurants on the list?
Basically, yeah. We were split into three groups to avoid all being in the same place at the same time.
Could someone who went last time to the similar event tell me what happens exactly? Do you meet at the hotel and then walk to the restaurants on the list?
Basically, yeah. We were split into three groups to avoid all being in the same place at the same time.
Cool, thanks. Is it a social affair where you sit and eat in a big group or does each pair have their own table?
Could someone who went last time to the similar event tell me what happens exactly? Do you meet at the hotel and then walk to the restaurants on the list?
Basically, yeah. We were split into three groups to avoid all being in the same place at the same time.
Cool, thanks. Is it a social affair where you sit and eat in a big group or does each pair have their own table?
Depends on the venue, you will be in small groups or perhaps one large one. Definitely a social affair. Oh, there were free drinks at the presentation-meeting, which I didn’t realise and purchased a needlessly expensive (but very good) round of bloody mary’s at the W.
Yes, obviously each restaurant has its own seating layout and doesn’t change that – you have an assigned area (or possibly even a full takeover if its a small place) and you just grab a table. If you don’t want to share there are probably some pairs. Last time one place had a private room with a huge boardroom table and we were all sat around that.
It’s back! 40k.
Debrief from today’s Marriott Gourmet Odyssey: Six-course lunch with champagne pairings across three different restaurants: Jikoni, Cavita and Apricity.
TLDR: It was VERY GOOD!
A second great and faultless hosted event for 20k Marriott points pp. For those in the green group, it was good meeting you all today, you know who I am :).
Collage pic of the dishes for the green group > https://ibb.co/wZwR37Gs. Breakdown as below.
12:00: Reception at Lanes of London, inside Marriott Park Lane Hotel included Tattinger Champagne/Cocktails/Mocktails and Canapés. Introduction from Chris who runs the Gourmet Odyssey experiences on behalf of Marriott and from the GM of London Marriott Hotel Park Lane.
1pm – Jikoni (first carbon neutral independent restaurant in the UK and has been powered by solar power, wind power, and carbon neutral green energy)
– Extra: Fancy ‘Cheese balls’ before the starters (Didn’t catch the official name and didn’t have myself but other guests informed me they were good) or Tapoica Crackers (if dairy intolerant) + Hot Brioche bread (really nice)
– Charred Purple Spouting Broccoli, Almonds, Lemon Salsa
– Crisp Kale Chaat, Date & Tamarind Chutney, Yoghurt, Sev (Top!)
– Prawn Toast Scotch Egg, Banana Ketchup, Pickled Cucumbers (not included in my my collage pic, nice)
– Served with Champagne Lallier Rosé (Raspberry, Elegant, Fresh)2pm – Cavita (modern Mexican restaurant deeply committed to sustainable food production, fair trade practices and better food choices)
– Butternut Squash, Tomato, Olives, Almonds, Charred Sourdough
– Sea Bass Zarandeado (Biggest half of [more costly] Sea Bass I have seen because the vendor ran out of Mackerel – I wasn’t complaining!): Grilled Cornish Sea Bass, Herb Marinade, Green Sauce, Tortillas (Flour imported from Mexico)
– Served with Champagne Lallier Reflexion R020 (Floral, Citrus, Mineral, Intense)3:15pm – Apricity (Recently awarded for the 2nd year running a Green Michelin-star for their sustainable, ultra-low waste ethos)
– Chouxnut, Caramelised Apple, Ivy House Farm Double Cream
– Poached Sussex Rhubarb, Cashew Cream, Pear & Calvados Granita Acacia, Hazelnut, Mineral
– (Both of the above: dairy substitute offered per my collage pic)
– Served with Champagne Lallier Blanc de Blancs (Acacia, Hazelnut, Mineral)
– Coffee/tea offered and gladly accepted to round off a great sociable afternoon.What I liked from the first Marriott Gourmet Odyssey:
– As it was inclement weather, our host (Caitlin) made sure to bring some Marriott branded umbrellas just in case – very thoughtful.
– Cavita and Apricity: Chef came over, spent some time with us and explained what the dishes were – nice touch. The staff at all of the restaurants were excellent and attentive.
– Before heading off to the next restaurant, our host gave us a 5 minute warning heads up – great communication and organisation to ensure the smooth running of the operation.
– Double espresso (for me :))/coffee/tea etc. was a brilliant way to round off this big lunch.
– The hosts/restaurants really do cater for dietary requirements and I am very grateful for this. I won’t be eating properly till tomorrow afternoon.More of the same variety and spontaneity please 🙂
Shout out to our host Caitlin, and Chris whose company runs these events.
Thanks once again, and I hope to see you at the next one.
FYI. The company that orchestrates this, is the same one that does the Gourmet Odyssey experiences for AMEX Platinum/Centurion (October’s 2024 events were priced at £140-£160 pp, however Marriott includes welcomes drinks/canapés).
Thanks! I didn’t book this one because its half term and I suspected we’d be away, but as it turned out we’re here until Monday.
@R2 if you went back to one of the restaurants, which would it be?
Jikoni, Asian Fusion – the starters (Soft and fluffy hot brioche bread, prawn scotch egg, best chaat I have ever had) were innovative and delicious. I can only imagine how good the mains must have been.
I would never normally go to any of these restaurants and the Marriott Gourmet Odyssey is a good way to experience them. Yesterday’s experience was in smaller groups to cater for smaller venues.
Also, whilst the Champagne pairing was good to experience (I personally wouldn’t buy Lallier), I prefer wine paring. That said, I would obviously go for more top end Champagne pairing.
Marriott previously have done Gourmet Odyssey packages (Redeem now or Auction which include a hotel stay) across various European locations (e.g. Paris, Rome, Sardinia), so this is a good reason for a weekend break abroad.
Keep an eye out for those, if interested and works with your schedule.
Thanks! And didnt know about the foreign option!
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