Tag Archives: Mayfair

Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, Mayfair

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Most hotel restaurants blend into their hospitable surroundings but at The Connaught everything evokes the style, life and character of the restaurant’s leading lady, Hélène Darroze. Proud and passionate about her roots in south west France, her cooking shows a clear influence of this area’s produce and culinary traditions.

Darroze was born into the industry, her family owned a renowned restaurant in the Landes region just north of the Pyrenees, to which she made a vital contribution. A disciple of the great Alain Ducasse, she learnt her craft while cooking as a crucial member of his team at prestigious restaurant Louis XV in Monaco. Darroze now runs two restaurants, both named after her, one in Paris and the other, conveniently close to where I work, in London.

My first understanding of her restaurant at the iconic Connaught Hotel was from my grandparents. They are the best food critics I know, and I trust their opinion on food above all else. It helps too that my grandmother is French and a superb cook herself, so she knows what to look out for. They often refer to Hélène’s cooking as the best in London, so I was extremely excited to be trying it at last.

Through the beautifully British lobby, we were led to the quietly sophisticated dining room and seated at a lovely window table with maximum natural light. The lunch began with a whimsical board game that challenged us to think about what ingredients we prioritise, and brought a sense of fun to the civilised restaurant. Extravagant items such as lobster, black truffle, foie gras and venison suggest that the meal ahead will be rich and heavy, but the culinary journey that followed was quite the opposite, light and magical.

Every meal at this restaurant begins with light focaccia with confit tomatoes and thin ruffles of noir de Bigorre ham from south west France which is carved authentically at the table. Immediately we were transported to France with its fresh and vibrant flavours simply presented before us. Next freshly baked artisan bread and espelette butter arrived, smelling as irresistible as it tasted… once again my resolution to resist bread was broken.

My three dishes were a vision of elegant indulgence and subtle, artistic precision. For once I was satisfied that I had chosen well, though observing other plates as they passed, I think I would have been delighted with any menu choice. Black truffle with onion, barley, and lardo di Colonnata is a delicate arrangement of floating ravioli triangles with black truffle, sprigs of lively greenery and translucent cylindrical onion pieces. Each element had its purpose; for texture, to add moisture or colour, and put together it was divine, both visually and to taste. I later discovered it is a new dish on the menu, and I think perhaps my favourite of the day. Those who enjoy fish should opt for the scallop with radish and shiso, it was an immaculately constructed work of art.

For main course the Pigeon with foie gras, spelt, dried fruits, peppermint, and “Sultan” consommé is a striking option. It tasted Moroccan inspired with dried fruit and peppermint but with a hint of French with the rich foie gras and delicious consommé. The meat was cooked to perfection and seasoned carefully. I had a slight twinge of food envy after trying the Venison with celeriac, pear, stilton and Mexican molle. The velvety intense flavours of the luxurious cut of meat and creamy blue cheese were combined in a wonderfully balanced dish – next time I’ll be ordering a plate for myself. For a little extra indulgence try the Lobster with calamari, clams, chorizo and “black rice”, a speciality of Hélène’s and a dish that was enthusiastically consumed by my colleague (you may have noticed this dish recently on Masterchef, The Professionals).

Pineapple with black pepper, coconut and lemongrass was a substantial but airy dessert, and an ideal palate cleanser to conclude a feast. Concealed beneath the soft light cream was a layer of crunchiness and humble chunks of sunshine yellow pineapple. It conjured up memories of Thailand for me, the combination of exotic, punchy flavours reminding me of the vast beaches and fresh fruit readily on offer. The pinch of pepper adds a kick of spice, a clever contrasting component with the other sweet and citrusy tastes. For chocolate addicts the sculpturally impressive chocolate sweet with glowing ruby grapefruit is a must.

Decorative Hermès porcelain cups and saucers arrived filled with dark, rich espressos, accompanied by dazzling glittery dark chocolate truffles, rich red macarons, and cream filled choux mouthfuls, a starring moment for the Connaught’s talented pastry chef. I savoured every mouthful and anticipating my cold walk home allowed myself one more of the devilishly good truffles.

More information and book a table at the restaurant here.

Fera at Claridge’s, Mayfair

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Simon Rogan may not have received a star for his Manchester culinary triumph, The French, but his prestigious new London eatery, Fera, was awarded the accolade within weeks of opening. Housed in the iconic Claridges Hotel, it is surprisingly daring considering the traditional clientele who frequent this establishment.

Rogan first made an impact on the food scene with his 2 star restaurant L’Enclume in the Cumbrian village of Cartmel, an eatery that introduced us to the chef’s clever cuisine inspired by nature. The French is similar in style, offering innovative food presented in unusual ways.

Fera is latin for wild but, located within the beautifully redesigned art deco dining room at Claridge’s, it is quite the opposite: pristine and organised with a bare tree construction branching out in the centre of the room. In his food however Rogan tames the wild wonders of the garden and pairs the delicate and sometimes obscure flavours with meat and fish cooked to perfection.

I began with one of the delightful seasonal cocktails, it was a lovely shade of pink, a carefully combined mix of pear juice, fig-infused vodka, spiced wine and fennel seed spray. An ideal aperitif to sip whilst nibbling the amuse-bouche. In due course homemade warm malty bread arrived at the table with a dish of whipped caramelised butter.

The lunch menu for the day featured:

To start:

Smoked Bantam yolk, salt-baked kohlrabi, cavolo nero, Isle of Mull, truffle

Beetroot with fresh cheese, chicory brined in dill, pickled pear and horseradish

Main Course:

Reg’s guinea hen, salt-baked celeriac, buttered kale, cider sauce

Roasted plaice with purple sprouting, new potatoes, seaweed sauce

Dessert:

Chocolate cream, apple marigold, shortbread and rapeseed jam

Bramley apple cake, praline ice cream and chestnut

The dishes were beautifully arranged, plates of contrasting colours, textures and shapes, Rogan challenges the diner with unlikely flavour pairings. The Beetroot was a delectable treat, soft and sweet with vinegary and crunchy chicory and indulgent cheese. Smoked Bantam yolk shone marigold orange from the centre of the plate, strewn with greens and an almost tart milky sauce with a luxurious hint of truffle.

Desserts were conservative in size, and my Bramley apple cake tasted almost too healthy for a Michelin meal; light and refreshing with a sharp apple taste and creamy ice cream, shavings of chestnut on top. I thought the cake was most impressive, a dense but spongey texture packed full of flavour. I barely got to taste the chocolate dish, it was polished off pretty quickly, a dollop of silky chocolatey cream and vibrant citrus and biscuit crumbs, the perfect conclusion to the meal for sweet toothers.

A meal for two at Fera will cost you a hefty £300, but visit at lunchtime and you can taste Rogan’s revelatory cooking for just £30 a head. You will experience three courses, as imaginative as the a la carte but lighter and smaller, so you won’t feel weighed down all day. I can’t think of a better Michelin lunch deal in London.

More information and book a table at Fera here.

Murano, Mayfair

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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.