THEGAYUK

Tag: Comfort Food In London

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Laughing Gravy

    ★★★★ | The Laughing Gravy

    A restaurant with a funny name sits between Southwark tube stop and Elephant & Castle – it’s The Laughing Gravy.

    Blackfriars Road is a bit of a restaurant no man’s land. Right near Southwark Tube station is the excellent upscale Polish restaurant Baltic, and then a few blocks south is The Laughing Gravy, nestled into it’s spot amidst the new expensive apartment blocks and conversions that have made this neighbourhood upscale.

    And upscale you will need to be as The Laughing Gravy is not cheap. Most of the hearty mains are priced between £22 and £24 each (though there are few lesser-priced options as well), while the starters are all above £8 each and the puddings no less than £7.50. The Laughing Gravy has been operating as a restaurant for around 6 years, and they are definitely doing something right. Head chef Michael Facey, along with a very friendly staff, deliver a varied modern British Menu, and it has just been named best restaurant in the Southwark and Waterloo area by Time Out.

    There is truly something for everyone at The Laughing Gravy. The starters range from Pigeon and Oxtail Sausage Roll to the Roasted and Pickled Heritage Beetroot and the Wild Garlic Infused Roasted Artichoke. The Beetroot (at £8.50) was an absolute explosion of colours and flavours. Served on a black plate, it was a rainbow of beetroot with goat’s cheese and apple puree, candied cashews and kale. Served as a cold dish, it was sexy and perfect. The Artichoke starter was quite the opposite, a bit bland, though the artichoke puree and potatoes saved it from being a total waste – though at £8.50 there wasn’t a whole lot on the plate.

    For the main course, my dining companion and I decided to have meat and fish. I ordered the Lincolnshire rib eye steak (225 grams), and I am glad I did. With onions, plum tomatoes and mushrooms, it was perfectly cooked (I asked for M to MW), and that’s exactly what I got. Both sides were cooked dark brown, and it was tender and scrumptious. It was served, under the meat, with delicious Madeira (wine) sauce. At £23, it was worth every penny. My companion had the Roast Lemon Sole (£22.50), and it was a panoply of seafood. Not just sole, the dish also included Devonshire crab and sweetcorn dumplings, kale, braised celery and sweetcorn curd and crab bisque. She was very happy with her portion, which I thought was a good value considering how much seafood was on the plate. Other menu choices in the lower-priced range include the Aberdeen Angus burger (£13.50), Superfood Salad (£11.50), and the Roast Heritage Vegetables (£14.00). Other higher-priced recommended items include the Roast guinea fowl (£22), Pan-fried seabass (£22.50), and the Lamb Rump (£22.00). Sides are a must and include Hand cut or Truffle chips, or the excellent Salt baked champs (mash potato) (£4-5 each).

    I recommend having a dessert as there was quite a selection. My companion had the Plum, quince, Madeira and honey crumble, and it was just as we expected, crumbly delicious. I had the Champagne, mango and lime cheesecake, and it was small yet heavy and came with a tiny doughnut. Next time I will order the Treacle and apple tart or the Salted caramel mousse (£7.50 to £8.50).

    The restaurant’s wine, beer and cocktail list goes on for days. There are about 24 cocktails to choose from, my companion was happy with her margarita, while I was happy with my Lemon Drop (Ketel One vodka, fresh lemon juice and Cointreau) – though it was very sweet. Other options include the LG Bloody Mary to the Hazelnut Martini and the divinely sounding Waterloo Sunset (elderflower liqueur and gin topped with champagne and Chambord – and the most expensive drink on the menu at £13.50). With my steak, I had the full-bodied and delicious French 2014 Cotés du Rhone – highly recommended. The Laughing Gravy’s wine list includes wine from other countries including Italy and Spain – it’s one of the most exhaustive wine lists I’ve ever seen.

    The Laughing Gravy sits about 50 people, it’s got a small welcoming bar past the entrance, and a room that’s big with high-pitched ceilings. Beautiful wood floors and a smart decor makes The Laughing Gravy cosy and comfortable. Noise levels get a bit high when they are busy (we were there on a Saturday night), but it’s bearable. The staff are very welcoming and our waiter Oliver and hostess Freddi made us very welcome from beginning to end, including when I accidentally put the menu on top of the candle and it caught on fire. Luckily the restaurant survived the fire though your wallet might not be so lucky.

    Reviewed by Tim Baros

    Telephone: 020 7998 1707

    thelaughinggravy.co.uk

    RESTAURANT HOURS:
    Monday to Thursday: 1200 – 1500 & 1700 – 2200
    Friday: 1200 – 1500 & 1700 – 2230
    Saturday: 1200 – 1600 & 1700 – 2230
    Sunday: 1200 – 1630

    Address: 154 BLACKFRIARS ROAD, LONDON SE1 8EN

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Chicago Rib Shack – Aldgate East

    Chicago Rib Shack – Aldgate East – stomach busting food that will do damage to your waist – in a very delicious way!

    There have been so many times when I’ve dined in a restaurant only to be left feeling not fully satisfied and still a bit hungry. Well, a visit to Chicago Rib Shack is quite the opposite – I left very full and extremely satisfied, read more to see why.

    Chicago Rib Shack has just opened it’s fifth London location, right near Aldgate East tube station. Already with a presence in almost every direction in London (Stratford, Clapham, Camden and Twickenham, and they’re also in Leeds), Chicago Rib Shack is changing the way ribs are eaten in London. Their ribs are smoked over applewood chips for a minimum of six hours in a wood burning oven at 107 degrees celsius. So you have a taste of nicely smoked ribs with the option of adding as much BBQ sauce as you want.

    On a Thursday night visit to the newly-opened (two weeks) Aldgate East location, the restaurant was jam packed. Evidently, word had gotten out that on this otherwise unfriendly and bland street a few minutes walk to the tube station was a brand spanking new American-style rib joint. Even when you’re walking by the smell of ribs is so strong and powerful that if that doesn’t lure you in then you’re sense of smell needs to be checked by a doctor.

    The beef ribs did not disappoint. The two on my plate were massive, extremely tender and wonderfully large. These particular ribs are smoked for 18 hours and arrive on the plate moist and meaty. BBQ sauce brought to the table is optional, and while the sauce is one of the best I’ve ever had – not too thick and overpowering – I just had to eat the meat on its own to get the full effect of the flavour. Delicious. If this is too much meat for you, then the baby back ribs might be your style. Lean and much smaller, they are light and lovely. The beef ribs are worth every pound of the £19 price, while a half portion is a snip at £10. I had initially wanted to order the £18 Thick Cut Belly Ribs, but they had run out and it was only 8pm! Hopefully, the restaurant will realise that they need to cook enough to last all night! If you don’t fancy ribs then perhaps a burger (classic cheese at £7.50 or shack stack with a double patty, potato cakes, onion rings, egg, avocado and cheese for a whopping £16). Or perhaps the rump steak (£18), cobb salad (£8/£13), griddled chicken (£13) or Catfish (£12).

    As sides, we ordered pulled pork spring rolls (£6) and crispy catfish (£6). Both were very good, very delicate, and not too overpowering (especially the catfish, which was nicely breaded and not too fishy tasting). They’re served with a cajun sauce but it’s very spicy – try the BBQ sauce instead – it’s a better accompaniment. The Onion Loaf was the most amazing ever! Baked Caramelised onion, it literally looked like a loaf of bread – crispy, very big and absolutely amazing (only £6). The coleslaw was perfect – not overwhelmingly creamy (£4) and the handmade BBQ beans were tasty and good (£3.5). Also on the side menu were fries, mash, and mac & cheese. When you order expect your food to come all at once. Our table was literally overflowing with dishes!

    I had absolutely no room for dessert but stuffed down a Lemon Pot – a lemon curd with lemon biscuit chunks, vanilla ice cream and chantilly cream served in a jam jar – a lovely and sweet dessert, and was an absolute perfect ending to a perfect dinner.

    I can’t stress how delicious the meal me and my dining companion had. While she felt that the spring rolls and catfish were a bit flavorless, (they’re probably meant to be because they’re served with a side of sauce) – we were both amazed at how delicious the ribs and onion loaf were, and how reasonably priced it all was, and how thirst-quenching the Nojito (a non-alcoholic mojito) was, at just £4.50. Their drinks menu is, as you would expect, full of many different types of drinks – classics such as cosmos, martini’s, peach teas, among others. Their signature drinks have intriguing names such as Four Roses Milk Punch, Rib Shack Fizz, Jungle Bird, Paper Planes and Cane ’N’ Oil – all that need to be tried during multiple visits! They also serve all sorts of shakes and the usual wines, bubbles, ciders, beers and soft drinks and juices. The root beer float (£4) is a signature American drink that must be tried, either with your meal or for dessert! A must!

    The Aldgate branch is smartly designed – open planned, with the bar straight ahead as you walk in and the open kitchen inside on the left. But with the open kitchen comes the issue of the whole place smelling of meat! Don’t be surprised that when you leave your clothes and hair will have the smell of meat. Make sure you don’t have any dogs following you home! The tables are nicely laid out in the restaurant, with free standing tables that I urge you to sit at. We sat in the mashed up back section, next to a table of four rowdy bankers – the tables were a bit too close to each other, enough so that when someone got we had to hold the table down to make sure their bum didn’t knock down our drinks and condiments.

    Chicago Rib Shack is stomach-busting food at affordable prices. It’s a trendy hip joint for meat lovers, food that is perfectly cooked and willingly devoured. And some of the branches (including the Aldgate branch) serve brunch. I’ll be back there either again for dinner or brunch once my waistline returns back to normal!

    Reviewed by: Tim Baros

    Telephone: 0207 426 0218

    Address: Wentworth Street London E1 7AL

    Opening hours:
    Mon – Fri: 12:00 pm – 23:00
    Sat: 10:00 to 23:00
    Sun: 10:00 to 22:30

    PRICE: ££ (explained)

    STAR: ★★★★ (explained)

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Dirty Bones, Shoreditch

    The Americanisation of East London’s restaurant scene continues with the opening of the Shoreditch branch of Dirty Bones.

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    Dirty Bones has a presence in both Kensington and Carnaby Street, but with the opening of the new Shoreditch location, it cements itself into a scene so hip even the beards have beards. Nestled conveniently steps away from Brick Lane right on very trendy Bethnal Green Road which includes both Dirty Burger and Cowshed restaurants, Dirty Bones corner location is in a perfect spot for passersby to get a whiff of what’s cooking and to be tempted to sample meals that are out of this world.

    Billing itself as ‘New York comfort food served in an environment with the the greatest old school, hip-hop, soul and funk music’, It’s once you’re inside you get the feeling that you’ve stepped into another time and place – high ceilings with a bar that takes centre stage in a room where every table is cozy and comfy in which to settle down and have a great meal. Dirty Bone’s vibe is so mellow that it doesn’t even feel like it’s a restaurant, it feels more like your very wealthy Auntie Bessie’s large living room in a plantation Savannah, Georgia. Dirty Bones has velvet banquettes, comfortably laid back (really laid back) seats and a western-style ambience. But of course, it’s the food that really matters.

    It was hard to decide whether to visit for lunch, dinner or for Sunday Roast, so to try something different I and my companion went for the Sunday Roast. But the Sunday Roast menu is not just about roasts; also on offer is a Flat Iron Steak, Spicy Chicken Burger, Baby Back Ribs, plus The Mac Daddy, and for vegetarians the Spiced Roast Veg Salad. We stuck to the roasts as this is what we fancied. I ordered the Fried Chicken Roast – two pieces (one breast and one drumstick) of spiced buttermilk fried chicken with honey spread on top. Two pieces were definiteIy not enough, but they were just perfectly cooked, brown on the outside and white on the inside, and delectable. It was accompanied, as most roasts are, by a huge smoky paprika Yorkshire pudding, truffle road potatoes, buttermilk mash, green beans, and sweet potato which had a bit of a kick to it. All this for £17. My dining companion went with the Brisket & Ox. The brisket was hidden in the Yorkshire pudding – Quelle surprise – and at £18 a good deal. The brisket and ox were, as you would expect, tender, moist and mouth-watering, and plenty of it, alongside the aforementioned accompaniments. We were suggested a side of the Taleggio (Italian cheese) & Smoked Cheddar Mac N’ Cheese, and we were so glad that we ordered it. It was one of the most authentic Mac ’n’ Cheese dishes I’ve had a long time – thick yellow cheese sauce which was consistently perfect – just yummy.

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    We knew that the roasts would’ve been plenty of food, but as a starter, we did order the Salt & Pepper Squid, and it was just sumptuous! Perfectly cooked, not too chewy or not too hard, with a delicious chipotle aioli sauce drizzled on top to make this dish the star meal. Though at £8 it’s a bit pricey but worth every penny. We wanted to order the Cheeseburger Dumplings but felt that would’ve been too much food, however, the table next to us ordered them, and yes, they are dumplings stuffed with hamburger meat and cheese. Genius! I’ll have them next time.

    I’ll be remiss if I didn’t mention Dirty Bone’s drinks menu because it’s almost a book! My companion sampled quite a few, from the ‘Dirty Mary’ (bloody mary), which she proclaimed it as being very tasty. It was rimmed, surprisingly, not with salt but with crushed pringles. She also went for the Mutt’s Nuts drink which she said was very strong, of course, it would be as it contained Woodford Reserve bourbon along with cinnamon & vanilla infused maple syrup, angostura bitters and a hint of lemon and apple. I went for one of the brunch drinks – the Pine Up – which as you’d guess is pineapple (fresh and juice) with Finlandia Vodka, celery and celery syrup. It was refreshing and fancily served in a long glass. I really wanted to go for the Spiked Iced Coffee – cognac, Mozart Dry Chocolate Spirit, and cream served on ice – but the thought of having a triple espresso drink at 4pm on a Sunday put me off. But Dirty Bones drinks menu really has something for everyone; wine, beer, juices, shakes and soft drinks.

    But it’s the food where Dirty Bone excels. It has such a huge menu depending on which time you go. I plan to go back and try dishes off their Dirty Breakfast menu – the Dirty Bun (sausage and bacon sandwich), Matcha Custard French Toast, short-rib crumpets, and lots more all catch my eye as dishes I really want to try. Their lunch & dinner menu is just as exhaustive where you can try the very popular chicken & waffles or classic burgers and hot dogs or alternatively the £10 lunch options which include a 30 day aged steak, the fried chicken or the spiced roast veg salad. Desserts are also a must. We had the Banana Toblerone-tella Waffles – caramelised banana, blueberry jam, peanut butter gelato and crushed nuts on a freshly baked waffle – just divine and a perfect way to finish a meal. We actually ordered two but the waiter only brought us one – oops.

    Dirty Bones is the perfect restaurant for its perfect location in an environment where the staff and customers, and especially the room, and the food, are very cool. It’s a former Public House with two upper floors, and this Grade II listed building retains much of its original character, including the eye beguiling staircase which leads to the upper floors. Prior to its current use the property traded as The Knave of Clubs pub which can be traced back to 1735. And there is also a top floor where Dirty Bones hopes to make it into a private bar area just in time for holiday Christmas parties.

    The menus at Dirty Bones really has something for everyone, and I plan to go back twice, once to sample their breakfast menu and then again to sample their dinner menu. I can’t wait to get my fingers dirty again!

    Address:
    1 Club Row, London, E1 6JX – 020 7920 6434
    Mon – Wed 8am – 11pm
    Thurs – Fri 8am – 12am
    Sat 9am – 12am
    Sun 9am – 11pm
    *Please note last food orders are available 90 min prior to closing times

    Website: http://www.dirty-bones.com

    Star Rating: ★★★★ (explained)

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Strut And Cluck

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Strut And Cluck

    Almost every other block in London has a chicken restaurant, whether it’s Nando’s (they’re all over the place, unfortunately), Clockjack Oven, Bird, or Chickenshop. However, another bird is making its debut in London – turkey.

    Sauce PR
    Sauce PR

    Strut & Cluck, which has free range turkey dishes on its menu, has thrown open its doors in trendy Shoreditch. It bills itself as a restaurant inspired by eastern Mediterranean home cooking, as well as dishes that come from the Israeli owners’ own family.

    On a strip of Commercial Street that has Nando’s and Costa right across the street, and the posh Hawksmoor next door, Strut & Cluck is a warm and cozy restaurant that has a relaxed, cool ambiance and is easy on the eyes. The story behind the idea of the restaurant is based on mom and family chef, Limor, who started serving her family turkey as a healthy alternative to chicken. Thus the restaurant Strut & Cluck was hatched.

    Giving it a try a week after its official opening, me and my dining companion were welcomed by the friendly staff to the back section of the restaurant – an indoor porch-like setting – with wooden tables and large bay windows. We were presented with a cup of Arak – a sweetened anise-flavored alcoholic drink. It was sweet and had a bit of a zing to it. We then ordered four starters and two main courses from a menu that categorises its food as Nibbles (light starters such as olives and popcorn), Roasted & Tossed (Mediterranean taster dishes), On the Bone (Turkey), and No Bones (pastrami, kofta, escalope and schnitzel). The star starter was definitely the Charred Cauliflower – cauliflower that’s been charcoaled, with lemon zest infused créme fraiche, nigella seeds, and pomegranate. I’ve not eaten anything like it before, it was stunning. We ordered the half portion and it was enormous! Also delivered to us was a dish called Far East-Middle East – lettuce cups filled with spicy hand pulled turkey, topped with roasted almonds, pomegranate and Labneh (Lebanese cream cheese). It was a bit spicy yet cool and delicious. We also had Spread of Labneh, which came with cherry tomatoes and sourdough dipping bread.

    The mains were just as fabulous. We decided to share as it would’ve been a crime not too. Limor’s Classic Slow-Roast Thigh turkey was simply superb. It’s a large turkey thigh, served on a bed of caramelised red onions with sweet potatoes. The skin was crispy while the inside was very moist and tender. We also ordered the Hand-pulled Shawarma with dates and pine nuts, served on a bed of freekeh (wheat) and a dollop of Labneh. It was a true Mediterranean dish encompassing many regions. The table next to us, meanwhile, had ordered the Charcoal-Grilled Escalope, and it looked scrumptious.

    After feeling absolutely stuffed and satisfied, we went for desert. The staff recommended a Baked Haroset (a small cake made of fruits and nuts which is usually served as a Passover dish), and Seasonal Fruit (charcoaled!). I was served plums over almond crumble with a scoop of ice cream (gelato if you want – I went for the passionfruit). The almond crumble that came with it was dry and flaky and hard to eat with the fruit – perhaps a syrup or cherry sauce would’ve given it more of a flavor? The Haroset, of Palestinian origin, which was nut and apple grated, is also served with either ice cream or gelato. While it did not wow us, it was nice, light, and not too large. There’s also a selection of excellent cool, refreshing cocktails, some with ingredients such as turkey bourbon, fruit jam, and jalapeños! Beers, wines and juices are also offered.

    Why Strut & Cluck over those cloney chicken places? Turkeys are a super food, being one of the most nutrient-dense sources of protein. Turkey also contains essential amino acids as well as phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and iron, and is also a great source of lean protein. It also contains all the B vitamins, and Strut & Clucks’ turkeys contain no growth promoters or artificial additives.

    Our waiter Francesco was very friendly and explained the unique and unusual menu to us. With starters costing in the range of £5 and £8 and mains no higher than £12, Struck & Cluck is a very affordable, and excellent, lunch or dinner choice. It’s a journey of flavours that your taste buds will not have experienced before. In Israel, Turkey is eaten all the time, in America it’s pretty much eaten on Thanksgiving, however, in London, it’s practically unseen and unheard of. With Strut & Cluck, founded by husband and wife Amir and Limor, let’s hope that this will change, as Struck & Cluck fuses together turkey and Mediterranean flavors, with an emphasis on Israeli food. Strut & Cluck is a delicious, sensible, and much much better alternative to Nandos!

    Strut and Cluck has seating for over 70 people, and there is also a ten-seater private dining room).

     

    Reviewed by: Tim Baros

    Address: 151-153 Commercial St,  Shoreditch, London E1 6BJ

    Website: http://www.strutandcluck.com

    Phone: 020 7078 0770

    Rating: ★★★★

     

     

     

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | 155 Bar & Kitchen at Clerkenwell London

    Absolutely apt in eagerness for the release of Absolutely Fabulous The Movie 1st July, The Gay UK were PR-ed an equally fabulous brunch invite. We, emanating fabulousness were only too joyed to Lacroix-up, sweety, and head to Clerkenwell London’s (CL), 155 Bar & Kitchen in – you guessed it – scenester-site and trendy-wendy haunt Clerkenwell.

    Moi’s dining chum was running a smidge late – he said: “fell back to sleep”, we say: “Bolli Stolli” – which gave ample opportunity to saunter round the labyrinth that is CL’s 13,000 square metre concept store. The tour started in the nordic-loft-apartment-esque CL’s 155 Bar & Kitchen, a long rectangular room with taupe painted brick walls, dark wood floors and newfangled saloon bar with rich-teak tables methodically spaced. Chairs accessorised with sheepskin throws, Finnish wooden funnel-shaped birch-slat lighting shades and hints of a botanical garden. Clean lines, simplistic – cool and laid-back. Edina and Patsy wouldn’t grumble.

    From the restaurant you walk into the first section of the store which feels like a Mike Leigh filmset, only missing Alison Steadman, a 1970s Vinyl Lounge with custom-built decks facing a round Starship-Enterprise/Emirates-first-class style martini bar. The next room is a boutique selling hand-picked objets d’art and “gorgeous, tasteful, little stylish little gorgeous things – sweety darlings” as well as housing a glass and iron cube art gallery displaying works from local artisans. Each corner of the boutique leads to either a men’s or ladies’ tailors.

    You walk downstairs and you arrive at the Dior of furniture showrooms exhibiting the handcrafted haute couture works of Tree Couture – the Henry Moore of furniture. On with the exploration: behind a mahogany-coloured leather-tiled partition hides a men’s casual department offering On Tour t-shirts, Bethnals jeans and Stutterheim raincoats – we likie.

    Turn left and you’ll arrive at what looks like Nigella Lawson’s post-modernistic kitchen with a huge oak work-island for spreading avocados and racking up lines of coconut-chicken skewers. In fact it’s the mother of all wine-tasting rooms, walls lined with jewels such as Sophia Loren’s favourite fizz: Tendil & Lombardi Cuvée Rosé Champagne NV, and organic plonks from Chateau La Coste by one of the most gifted winemakers of his generation, Matthieu Cosse.

    CL hosts educational wine-tasting events – with Master of Wines Sarah Abbott and, wine brand developer and founder of Above Sea Level wine and culture magazine, Aimee Hartley – for £15 per head. We at The Gay UK are always keen to improve our already well-trained palettes – we’ll be booking in.

    And finally the piano room: another sizeable space that has a touch of the King’s-Road-avant-garde-lounge-bars, complete with private dining room and baby grand. Contempo ostentatiousness simplified.

    Appetite primed, back to the bar and kitchen.

    On recommendation I ordered savoury waffles: house-made waffles, maple-glazed streaky bacon and scrambled eggs at £11. Creamy waffles with a vanilla undertone worked swimmingly with the fluffy eggs and strong woody flavours from the crispy bacon – all elevated by mapley sweetness. My comrade went for avocado and eggs: smashed avocado with créme fraîche on toasted sourdough and two poached eggs at £9. The eggs were runny, and the créme fraîche gave our green calorific friend a lighter texture, colour and taste without the sensual gestures and voluptuous curves.

    The staff are slick and standoffish. Brunch is from 10am to 4pm – you can pay £15 per person for bottomless fizz, available for two hours from your booking time – we were game. They’ll serve you an award-winning Paladin Prosecco DOC Tappo Spago NV, flowery, light and aromatic with citrus notes. Not too dry or acidic – a bloomin decent prosecco. Dangerous with so much tempting merchandise on display.

    The Gay UK are looking at relocating to 156 Farringdon Road; failing that, we’ll just set up camp in the piano room.

    Reviewed by: Thabian Sutherland

    Address: 155 Bar & Kitchen
    155 Farringdon Road
    EC1R 3AD
    London, UK
    Telephone +44 (0)20 3675 8847
    Star Rating: ★★★★★ (explained)
    Price Rating: ££££ (explained)
    Tipping Policy: An optional service charge of 12.5% will be added to your bill

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Mews Of Mayfair

    A short walk from Oxford Circus tube, tucked behind shopping chaos is the tranquil Mews of Mayfair. The clientèle appeared to mainly be tourists which is not surprising as the menu design is a marriage of classic familiar dishes (Fish & Chips, Burger, Club Sandwich etc.), alongside more refined sophisticated dishes including Duck Egg, Salt Baked Cotswold Chicken, Superfoods Salad, and rare breed beef.

    The team within Mews of Mayfair were all really lovely, welcoming and engaged in conversation with us both. I find especially in London that service can be almost robotic and cold at times, but the team here were faultless and this was consistent as I observed the service with the other diners.

    To start my friend ordered the Mosaic of Wild Duck & Red Deer- and why wouldn’t you want to order the mosaic to start? Their creative flair continued through to the taste of this well-constructed starter. Essentially a pate paired with a raisin bread, and the flavours in this were superb.

    I chose the Orkney Isles Scallops served with pork belly and artichoke. Again the Mews of Mayfair showcase their expertise in the execution and presentation of this dish. Butter-like scallops served in a shell on top of a rock/seaweed filled bowl it was great to see their presentation going that extra step further. I was really impressed with the scallop and would highly recommend it.

    For the Winter period the restaurant have come up with their take on a Bambi Burger, on the menu as Venison Burger. With this dish only being available til Christmas I went for this and had it cooked medium. Served in a brioche bun with a gin and redcurrant sauce, this really was a good burger. My friend opted for their traditional Mews burger but with added meaty chunks of lobster atop the meat, which was cooked to her liking perfectly.

    With so many new restaurants opening with meat as their headlining dishes it’s important to be able to get a burger right, which the Mews of Mayfair have done so here. There were plenty of caveman flesh in face style grunts from us during eating the burgers. Always a good sign.

    Dessert. Here is where the show was stolen. I would come back here just to have the desserts alone, and I do not have much of a sweet tooth so this is really a big credit to the restaurant. I chose the Chocolate Delice served with honeycomb, yoghurt and hazelnuts. Pow in their presentation and an “oh god” moment with the first mouthful. The Chocolate Delice really is something special. Rich and mousse-like with subtle orange notes and light honeycomb with globes of cream and yoghurt.

    We also had the Roast Williams Pear served with croissant ice cream. The pear was perfection and such a great match with the ice cream- seriously good ice cream, and I should know after many a summer spent in Italy.

    I will definitely be back, not only for the dessert and friendly service, but to next time try something a little more adventurous with their main courses. Portion sizes throughout were good value for money, especially with the desserts (£7.50 most expensive for one) and the food arrived at the exact right amount of time between courses, making this a good venue not just for dinner but lunch (we dined over lunchtime).

    REVIEWED BY: Jordan Lohan
    ADDRESS: 10 Lancashire Court. New Bond Street, London, W1S 1EY
    VENUE PHONE: 0207 518 9388
    WEBSITE: www.mewsofmayfair.com
    RATING: ★★★★ (explained)
    PRICE: ££££ (explained)
    TIPPING POLICY: Discretionary service charge of 12.5% added to bill