1901 is just one of the five eateries to choose from at Andaz Liverpool Street. The restaurants, located inside the grand Victorian building are part of the hotel but also have entrances at street level. Guests of the hotel have their pick of the bunch while passers-by on the street also have easy access and can also enjoy the different cuisines.
This eatery offers contemporary fine British food and innovative cocktails. It is a dynamic and buzzing restaurant set in the magnificent Great Eastern Hotel’s original ball room. Head chef Michael Kreiling strives to create food using the greatest English seasonal produce, ensuring freshness and vibrancy of flavours.
Our waiter was very well informed and happily chatted to us about the menu and its highlights while we munched on the bread and butter.
For starter my pea and bacon inspired ravioli dish was an intriguing and oddly successful combination of flavours, though the dish arrived a little cold. Scallops with octopus, olive and herb vinaigrette was delicately presented and browned nicely in the pan to ensure a crispy golden edge.
The mains felt like comforting “Sunday lunch” British classics: Guinea Fowl with duck stuffing and Lamb rump with runner beans and artichokes. Again there were slight problems with temperature, perhaps serving on hot plates would eliminate the issue. Both meats were well flavoured, the lamb was served amongst a mix of finely chopped deliciously seasoned vegetables and a sweet caramelly gravy that I would have liked a touch more of. The Guinea Fowl was a smaller portion size, which seemed to shock my hungry guest slightly! But the combination of cranberries and wonderfully sweet swede puree with the peppercorn sauce and roulade of meat provided tasty variety in each mouthful. Ultra smooth mashed potato worked well as a contrasting side dish.
None of the desserts really appealed to us so instead we indulged in the cheeseboard to share. Our waiter considerately organised a selection of cheeses to suit our preferences, ordered from mild to strong with an assortment of crackers, bread and chutneys. It was delicious and felt like a real extravagance.
Throughout the meal, the enthusiastic Italian bartender treated us to his alcoholic creations, inspired by his hometown Catania. We felt very special being looked after with such personable and charming service. The restaurant was clearly a popular choice on a Friday night though I saw few tables choosing cocktails; after the wonderful drinks we tasted I would recommend 1901 as a cocktail destination alone, perfect for an early evening drink before checking out the nightlife in Hoxton or Spitalfields.
After our meal it was lovely to retire upstairs to our Andaz Room. 1901 is a real asset to the hotel but is a lovely venue in its own right, it is certainly worth popping in for a drink if you are in the area.
More information here.