You don’t need to read this review to know that Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester is excellent. But you’re also not here to find out whether this three-Michelin-starred institution is worth its salt. You’re reading because, alongside its famed tasting menus, the restaurant has just introduced a new à la carte menu. That’s right. One of London’s most prestigious fine-dining establishments is giving diners more flexibility than ever before. Welcome to a new era of luxury dining.

The background

London’s dining landscape has changed dramatically over the past decade. The small-plates boom, sparked in part by Russell Norman’s Polpo in 2009, ushered in an era of casual, shareable dining, while more recently, the rise of set menus has streamlined the experience for both chefs and guests.

But at The Dorchester, whose clientele is unlikely to flinch at its £280+ tasting menu, introducing à la carte options creates a new dynamic: diners can now explore a triple Michelin-starred restaurant on their own terms. And for those who prefer a structured format, the new five-course menu offers a more concise take on the restaurant’s culinary philosophy – still an event, but one that requires less time at the table.

The space

This is The Dorchester, so words like “exquisite”, “opulent” and “unparalleled” come with the territory. From the moment you step through the revolving doors – assisted, naturally, by a bowler-hatted doorman – you’re immersed in an atmosphere of quiet grandeur. The lobby overflows with enough flowers to warrant an antihistamine before proceeding to the dining room, which is hushed and perfectly poised.

Your steps are softened by plush carpets, waiters flicker in and out of the foreground like impeccably trained shadows, and at the centre of it all is the Table Lumière – a private dining space offering the seven-course tasting menu experience, framed by a shimmering curtain of fibre optic lights and set with Hermès tableware.

The menu

Don’t mistake “shorter” for “less indulgent”. The three-course menu allows you to make the agonising decision between turbot and lobster (trust me, it’s tough), while the five-course tasting menu – my choice for the evening – offers an effortless progression of dishes, mercifully chosen for me by chef patron Jean-Philippe Blondet.

Things begin, as they so often do, with oysters, here wrapped in a leaf and tucked inside what looks like a tiny taco shell. Then there is bread, served with two types of butter, and a stream of dainty little snacks served on comically large spoons. Next: caviar and dry ice, a combination that wouldn’t be out of place in Dubai but is here served with chef Blondet’s signature elegance – a soft, swollen scallop swimming in a buttery, caviar-studded sauce so rich it practically requires a financial adviser.

Given the season, it’s no surprise that spring flavours dominate. Asparagus appears in multiple forms – shaved, stuffed, speared like sushi. I find a new appreciation for peas when the turbot dish arrives, a new addition to the menu. The fish is simply cooked in brown butter (for nuttiness) and served atop peas and cardamom in both mashed and foam forms – equal parts simple and masterful. And it wouldn’t be dinner at Alain Ducasse without the restaurant’s iconic lobster dish, which is served with delicate scrolls of semolina pasta, nuggets of sweetbread and confit (and grilled) mushrooms.

Every dish feels like a study in refinement, each element obsessively considered. You can practically feel the weeks of tweaking and tweezing that have gone into every part of the plate. And that same attention to detail extends to dessert, where the rum baba arrives with a tray of carefully selected rums, allowing diners to tailor their own experience. And that’s the thing about this new menu: the ability to indulge in both structure and spontaneity is what sets it apart.

The bill

This one’s unquestionably for special occasions. The three-course à la carte comes in at £215, and the five-course starts at £250 (excluding the lobster, which is extra). Add in the wine pairing and the bill easily climbs north of £350 per person.

The verdict

Fine dining is often about relinquishing control and trusting the kitchen to dictate the experience. But Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester is proving that true luxury is having the ability to tailor your evening to your personal preferences. And by introducing an à la carte while others are introducing set menus, it’s clear that the restaurant isn’t just adapting to trends – it’s redefining them.

Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, 53 Park Lane, London W1K 1QA; alainducasse-dorchester.com