Canary Wharf is busy and corporate and yet in the lunchtime sunshine this architecturally angular area of London had an almost serene air. On the rare occasion of having my mum as my guest of honour, I was hopeful of a lovely lunch and couldn’t be more delighted when we arrived at the Four Seasons Hotel at Canary Wharf.
Greeted at the door, we wandered through the light and pristine entrance to the hotel’s restaurant, Quadrato. This upmarket establishment offers authentic Italian food in a simple and smart lounge overlooking the river. The service was thoughtful and discreet throughout our visit, we were immediately treated to a glass of the house champagne, which is always my mum’s drink of choice! I was impressed with the subtle attention to detail, every aspect of this restaurant is beautifully presented and maintained… from the layout and décor to the pretty display of breadsticks and salt!
Before we had time to glance at the menus, fresh focaccia bread arrived, flavoured with typical Mediterranean herbs, peppers and soft cheese. On the table our own china saucers of olive oil and balsamic were there for indulgent dipping. Next a plate of antipasti arrived, a glorious array of freshly sliced meats, marinated olives, cheese, and sun-blush tomatoes. I would happily enjoy a lunch of just this antipasti and a glass of champagne, but there was much more to come.
The menu offers all the traditional Italian courses: starters, pasta, meat, and desserts. I opted for starter and meat, my mum had pasta and meat despite my warning that it may be too much for her to manage. Overwhelmed by the choice, I eventually decided on a light Mediterranean salad of tomato, cucumber, avocado, mozzarella, olives and pesto. The ingredients were exceptionally fresh, crisp and crunchy, with a wonderfully fragrant green pesto. I perhaps would have exchanged some of the excess (but scrumptious) buffalo mozzarella for a few extra bits of avocado. This course also complimented the antipasti well and I continued picking at the board of remaining salami slices. A big fan of tortelloni, my mum chose the homemade buckwheat pasta filled with Tuscan pecorino, leeks and cherry tomato, a dish conveniently available in starter or main size. The fresh plump pasta arrived steaming in a divinely creamy leek and tomato sauce, the tortelloni tasted wholesome and comforting, and were cooked to perfection, soft but not sloppy.
The waitress recommended the beef fillet with thyme, smoked aubergine, shallot and mushroom ragout which I chose; my mum ordered the slow cooked baby chicken roasted potato and peperonata. The mains arrived after an ideal hiatus from the previous course. Huge colourful plates were placed in front of us, very generous, perhaps too generous portion sizes. The food at Quadrato isn’t fussy which suits Italian cuisine, instead dishes are stylishly served, doing the ingredients justice without messing around too much – I was appreciative of this as it allows you to relish the flavours more. The beef was a lovely cut, soft and juicy inside with a crisp edge. Our waiter kindly brought over a glass of deliciously rich Spanish Rioja (Marques de Murrieta Reserva 2005) to accompany my red meat. The chicken was tender and full of flavour, topped with sweet peperonata that was summery and light. The additional roasted potato wedges were perhaps a little unnecessary for our appetites.
The selection of desserts at Quadrato is very alluring, and after spying a nearby table’s choices, the list of homemade sorbets and ice creams became particularly appealing. My mum, rather full by this point, chose the Millefoglie di frutta Esotica – a delicate, layered fruity pudding. I had my favourite dessert, panna cotta, with orange and pistachio emulsion and couldn’t resist asking for a scoop of lychee sorbet on the side. The panna cotta itself was a bit bland, with a hint of orange but little sign of pistachio flavour aside from the smattering of crushed nuts. The lychee sorbet was absolutely incredible, so true to the real flavour of the fruit and the perfect consistency, refreshing and delicious. Not wanting the meal to end, we asked for two final cappuccinos before leaving.
If you don’t fancy getting back on the stuffy tube you can continue your blissful afternoon with a journey into town on the Thames Clipper ferry which stops on the doorstep of the Four Seasons Hotel. We enjoyed a refreshingly breezy trip along the river, chugging away from Canary Wharf towards London’s great riverside landmarks.
Visit the Four Seasons website to book here. More information on Quadrato here.