Angela Hartnett is, without a doubt, one of London’s most talented chefs. I absolutely loved Café Murano, her stylish Italian eatery in St James’, so I was very excited about trying the fine dining version, Murano, in Mayfair. Saving the opportunity for a special occasion, we visited with high expectations.
The rain outside was persistent and I was delighted to be inside with a glass of fizzy in my hand. The restaurant is decorated simply in subtle shades of cream and grey, with little character in the décor it feels distinctly corporate, which is disappointing considering the creativity in the kitchen. Located in the very heart of Mayfair, Murano is a hotspot for business meals and meetings. Every table around us seemed to be full of serious businessmen and women discussing important matters, whilst barely giving the food in front of them any attention. We relished the opportunity to flick through Angela Hartnett’s attractive cookbooks whilst nibbling on delicious homemade breads and arancini mouthfuls.
The seasonal menu offers a range of sophisticated dishes, from which guests can choose to have any number of courses, two for £50, three for £65 and so on. The menu is split into categories: pasta, meat, fish and the plate size can be adapted according to the menu choices the guest makes. We chose a pasta and meat dish each and shared a dessert. It is worth bearing in mind when you are choosing your food that the chef tends to send out little taster treats throughout so leave a bit of space.
The pasta dishes are the highlight at Murano. The very kind waiter delivered us three half-size portions: Hand rolled pappardelle, braised hare, Treviso, golden raisins; Carnaroli risotto, Parmigiano Reggiano, ceps; and Baked potato gnocchi, homemade coppa, curly kale. Beautifully presented in bright white bowls they looked as sensational as they tasted. My favourite was the delicately grilled gnocchi which was served with shards of salty parmesan, thinly sliced coppa meat and soft dark green kale to add colour and vitamins. The pappardelle is a great dish for those with a big appetite, coated in a rich meaty sauce sweetened with raisins and topped with copious amounts of grated parmesan.
For main course I tried the loin of venison, roasted Jerusalem artichokes, ceps, pears, and my guest devoured the crispy pork belly, celeriac purée, langoustine, grapes, kale tempura. The pork was particularly memorable, cooked to perfection and accompanied with satisfying crispy kale tempura. After a short pause we indulged with the fluffy soufflé.
Murano is evidence of Angela Hartnett’s resounding success on the restaurant scene, though if you are keen to try her magical pasta dishes I would recommend visiting Café Murano where the recipes are equally delicious and the prices are much more purse friendly.
More information and book a table at Murano here.