5 /5 George Dyer: Short version - couldn’t recommend it more, the food is exceptional, the service was outstanding and the wine selection was extensively perfect.
(Very) Long version - this place is great, came here on a whim as wanted to try somewhere new and what a gem to find in central london.
Service - all the staff were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, going above and beyond to ensure the enjoyment of the customer. Couldn’t fault it in my opinion. And a funny little point to add, but I really liked the cutlery and glassware. Good choice whoever picked those.
The little extra silver service touches of pouring the sauces at the table aswell, but with the added bonus of giving you plenty of it was a delight. Which brings me on to the food.
Food - I’ve been to and working in a number of different Michelin restaurants and this was easily as good as, if not better, that the majority of them, but without the pretentiousness and overly stuffiness or the price tag! it was a nice relaxed atmosphere which led to the focus being on the food and wine.
Unfortunately we didn’t get many pictures of the food so I apologise for the quick blurry videos, but we were just too eager to get stuck in.
It’s hard to pick a standout because, honestly, it was all fantastic, but the oyster with horseradish and apple was incredible and very different. Second to that, through sheer surprise, was the cabbage side. Sounds silly I know, but this was a perfect balance of salty, sweet and acidic that complimented the main courses so well.
We had the catch of the day which was gurnard with what seemed like a lightly pickled fennel salad and I think, if I can remember correctly, a parsley sauce; and also the duck with roast beetroot, turnip purée and cavelo nevo and again, an exceptional sauce.
The cooking of the proteins was spot on, and all the garnishes on each dish working in harmony with each other.
We also had a cafe gourmand, which I will always get if I see it (a selection of small little desserts that come with a coffee).
Wine - il keep this brief as you are probably bored by now, but the wine list is vast, but not overwhelmingly so. If you know the style you like it will almost certainly be on this list, and if it’s not, the knowledgeable staff will direct you to something that will suit your tastes.
The sweet wines and port were incredible as well. They are known for the port and this place is steeped in history with all the old tunnels underneath where they used to roll the barrels through. They still have some old listed items like the rods on the stairs and the pulleys etc to lift the barrels up from underground. Worth a look if you can.
Overall- highly recommend this place. It’s been under new management for a couple of years now and from what they were saying it has completely changed it for the better and I can completely understand why.
I didn’t catch the name of the FOH or the chefs working, but the GM Benoit knows his stuff and has a great team working with him.
Give this place a go, mention my review if you like, and I hope you enjoy yourselves as much as I did.
