Orion by Alex Webb – Review

With an impressive CV that boasts working under Hélène Darroze, Heston Blumenthal and Michael Roux and collaborating with Marcus Wareing, Alex Webb’s headline for most would still be winning Masterchef: The Professionals back in 2020. Neither my friend nor I have a TV, so before we arrive at Webb’s first solo restaurant in Wimbledon Village, we quickly Google Webb’s image, wondering if we’ll spot him in the open kitchen. Upon entering, we do a double-take in reception as his doppelganger cordially greets diners ahead of us and whisks them away to be seated. It’s a surreal moment as we simultaneously realise this is the multi-tasking man himself.

Orion by Alex Webb exudes an immediate, casual elegance. It’s much larger than it appears from the outside and stretches deep within. Next to the bar on the left is an iced seafood counter upon which catches of the day preen like beautiful momento mori. Beyond is a marble-topped chef’s table for six and then the open-plan kitchen which is only partially visible from our table. Dark sea green tiles intersperse walls and from one, the area delineated for private parties, hanging contemporary art proclaims ‘The World’s Your Oyster’. Greenery softens various edges while white table cloths match the ash floor. 

Our excellent waiter for the night, Will, who joined the restaurant before it opened, as it was being built, even, offers us menus and holds up a small blackboard with the day’s specials. Fish is sourced from the tips of Scotland to the outliers of Cornwall; Webb has many a fisherman’s number, knows most of their boat names and wheels and deals to bring in what he does. Sometimes portions come in only five or six so grab them while you can. Hake, Dover Sole and Chalk Stream Trout are on offer today. 

My friend’s Smoked Old Fashioned causes him to groan as if he’s been pleasurably punched. It’s certainly a heady and deeply satisfying cocktail and demands to be consumed in slow, appreciative sips. I opt for the most contrary option. The small, dry oyster shell on its rim offers a literal visual interpretation of the Oyster Shell Martini, but it’s also decorated with four green onion oil spots. My friend says it’s like drinking a bag of crisps (onion without the cheese, presumably), whereas the seawater is the first flavour I notice. So basically, it’s a seawater and onion vodka martini? Well…yes; it sounds ghastly like it should be illegal, but against all odds, it is a revelation; a sublimity that fuses ingredients to form a whole far greater than the sum of its parts.

Partially inspired by my martini’s name, we each order a Carlingford oyster as an hors d’oeuvre. The ritual of adding lemon, shallot vinegar and tabasco is always part of the fun. The oysters are plump and meaty and super clean. And, maybe, they taste a little like a Vodka Martini!?

Alex’s Signature Lobster & Prawn Toast isn’t called that for nothing; it was one of his standout dishes on Master Chef, apparently. And it’s easy to understand why. Proper sized bread slices with a fluffy, light, irresistible commingling of lobster with the more traditional prawn. Covered in black sesame seeds, it possesses a dramatic, volcanic drama and also comes with a sweet carrot purée. The toast is chopped in half so it’s very easy to share but frankly it’s one I’d happily keep all to myself. Will also recommends the Seabass Crudo, which comes in six 50 pence-sized chunks, each wrapped over itself. A buttermilk sauce with dil onion is poured at the table for a creamy and unusual but effective addition to what often comes with citrus. Small grapefruit chunks do add zest and, not mentioned on the menu, a bite-sized Seabass tartar accompanies. Wrapped in a thin, crispy wrapping, it possesses an appealing purity and could well be the posher, if more emaciated, cousin to a spring roll.

Will recommends a Camille & Laurent Schaller Chablis, which is crisp, dry and smooth and works perfectly with our shared John Dory. To put it bluntly, John Dory is not a looker. Served in its murky underwater skin and unboned, therefore, it looks scary, beastly, like a creature from a black lagoon. We don’t fancy our chances at skinning or boning without doing serious damage to ourselves or indeed, our meal, so we ask the kitchen to do it. Minutes later, a metamorphosis has occurred; the beast has become a beauty. Four large filets of white meat luxuriate in a champagne sauce peppered with orange and black trout roe. The meat is moist and delicate and has a pleasant char-grilled twang. Accompanying is another Webb signature, his Slow Cooked Butter Thyme Potatoes with Parmesan. The plural is misleading and we were expecting new potatoes but this single oblong offering bears more than a passing resemblance to a chunky fish finger. Crispy on the outside, light and fluffy within, it’s topped with parmesan shavings, is eminently moreish and any self-respecting diner will want to order more than one. 

I’m suddenly anxious as, out of the corner of my eye, I think I see a flame burning towards us. Turns out it’s a large swathe of gold leaf catching the light. And this, it turns out, is edible decoration for Alex’s Twix. ‘Bloody hell! The chocolate’s hard!’ My friend proclaims as he almost breaks the plate trying to cut the thing into mouth-sized portions. The shortbread is made of tonka beans, and we end up eating it with our fingers. The dish exudes childhood dreams, compounded as it is with ice cream sitting in a mound of what could be broken cornflakes. My Brown Butter Martini has nothing childlike about it at all, of course, but it’s a knock-out compliment to dessert and another unique martini. Butter is burnt for a softer caramel flavour and mixed into the top’s semi-solid froth for what is a delirious, end-of-night tipple. 

We could easily stay for another, but as the last diners, we don’t want to overstay our welcome. Back at reception, Webb offers his good-byes to the penultimate guests. After they leave, we have a lively chat with the tired but still bright and bubbly man and his charming husband. We discuss the arrival of the fresh garlic season, the couple’s plans to move from Acton to be much closer to the restaurant, the soon-to-go-live Chef’s Table and the fact that half the Wimbledon tennis players will undoubtedly drop in during the Championships. Only recently opened, Orion by Alex Webb is sure to become a firm favourite with international tennis players and all else who visit. Book now to avoid disappointment!