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Inspirational London Fine Dining Guide
The warmest months of the year are upon us once again, and so it’s time to get out and about and enjoy some gastronomical delights.
With a passion for seasonal ingredients and local produce, renowned foodie and TV personality, Gregg Wallace, rounds up some of the highlights in this edition’s fine dining guide...
One of London’s most popular dining attractions, Le Gavroche is run by TV chef Michel Roux Jr, and has had the likes of Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsey in its esteemed kitchen. Specialising in classic French cuisine, the two Michelin-star restaurant offers delights such as Souffle Suissesse, Le Caneton Gavroche and Omlette Rothschild.
Celebrating its centenary year in 2017, is the world-famous The Ivy restaurant, located near Cambridge Circus. Popular with celebrities and theatregoers, due in part to its close proximity to many West End theatres, The Ivy has remained an exclusive hotspot in the capital. With celebrations throughout the summer to celebrate its 100th year, there’s never been a better time to visit.
Mayfair has a lot to offer on the restaurant front, but Langan’s Brassiere is among the very best. The restaurant has attracted the likes of Muhammad Ali, Jack Nicholson and Elizabeth Taylor who visited Langan’s in the mid-80s.
With a fantastic terrace open throughout the summer, The Lowndes Bar & Grill located within the Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel, is a highlight of the capital’s many culinary choices. There’s an extensive menu offering something for everyone, and with private dining available, too, your needs will be catered for in style by the team.
These are just a few of the options on offer, enjoy perusing the next few pages and uncovering some of the delights the city has to offer...
Le Gavroche
Owned by two star Michelin star chef Michel Roux Jr, Le Gavroche is one of London’s most respected and influential restaurants with a rich history.
The restaurant has a homely interior with deep reds and greens. The walls are filled with art from throughout history with the story of Le Gavroche running throughout the rooms. Diners can relax and enjoy the ambience while indulging in a menu that boasts an eclectic mix of French cuisine staying true to Michel’s heritage.
When the food enters your mouth it is quite obvious why Le Gavroche has been awarded, and retained two Michelin stars throughout the years. The highly skilled team of chefs have delicately put together dishes that include Roast Suckling Pig with Crackling, Grilled Dover Sole on the Bone, Roast Saddle of Rabbit and Grilled Scallops with a Clam Minestrone to name but a few.
The French roots continue into the wine menu that showcases some of the finest wines from some of the most prestigious French vineyards. Each main menu comes with its own wine list and is carefully designed to go hand in hand with
the dishes to complement the food and refresh the palate.
Surrounded by cookery books collected by Michel over the years, the ‘Chef’s Library’ is something that needs to be seen to be believed. Seating six people it is the ideal space for an intimate dinner with friends or family. With a six course menu, accompanied by wine to complement the daily changing menu, Whole Roast Salsify with Spanish Salted Almonds, Roast Saddle of Somerset Kid Goat and able Breton, Apple and Cinnamon Pate de Fruit are an example of the divine meal diners can expect.
Food served:
Tuesday to Friday: Lunch (12 noon to 2pm) Dinner (6pm to 10pm)
Saturday: Closed for lunch Dinner (6pm to 10pm)
Le Gavroche
43 Upper Brook Street, London, W1K 7QR Tel: 020 7408 0881/ 020 7499 1826 www.le-gavroche.co.uk
The Waterside Inn
Located to the west of London in the Royal County of Berkshire and nestled on the edge of the Thames, The Waterside Inn is the perfect retreat for anyone looking to escape the busy city, and enjoy quality food in a picturesque setting.
Since 1972 when the Waterside Inn first opened to the public it has been awarded three Michelin stars, and now stands as the only restaurant in the UK to have retained all three stars over the course of 25 years.
Created by chef Alain Roux the typically French menu is always in keeping with the seasons and features dishes that complement diners' changing palates. The spring/summer menu contains lighter, fresher dishes such as succulent sole, lobster, seabass and cray fish with delicate sauces to heighten the flavour, whilst the winter menu combines a selection of the finest game and meats with rich and warming sauces.
The restaurant also offers an exceptional taster menu that allows diners to sample a large variety of mouth-watering flavours that have been expertly put together by the passionate team of chefs at The Waterside Inn.
The terraced area, under willow tree drapes, looks out onto the river and in the long summer evenings proves to be the perfect place to sample the drinks menu, or indulge in the unrivalled cheeseboard that combines a selection of cheese from both England and France.
The Waterside Inn’s idyllic location has made it a popular spot for private events, parties and weddings that all benefit from the setting and seclusion that the private dining room provides. The elegant private dining room is available every day at The Waterside Inn, even when the rest of the restaurant is closed for business.
Food served:
Lunch (12:00 –14:00)
Wed – Sun (Feb – Dec)
(Last orders on Sunday 2.30pm)
Dinner (19:00 - 22:00) Wed – Sun (Feb – Dec)
The Waterside Inn
Ferry Road, Bray, Berkshire, SL6 2AT Tel: 01628 620691 www.waterside-inn.co.uk
The Ivy
Recently refurbished, The Ivy is a glamorous, iconic and high end restaurant that boasts a menu brimming with flavoursome delicacies.
The restaurant, with a dress code of smart casual, re-opened in June 2015 following a five month closure, during which every element of The Ivy was transformed. Now, it is a spectacular place for diners to sample the delights of the menus, in an interior that fuses original features with 21st century style.
The menu is more adventurous than it was before and features dishes from Europe and Asia. The Ivy does not conform to gourmet dining and stays with classics that everyone loves which are all cooked to perfection. The all-day á la carte menu of shepherd’s pie, lamb rump, fillet steaks, roast venison and a variety of fish and shellfish, has become increasingly popular amongst diners.
The renovation also saw The Private Room
undergo a revamp. The room, with its own bespoke bar, seats up to 60 guests or 100 for a cocktail or canapé dining experience. The room has a newly found ambience and stands as a glamorous backdrop for weddings and business functions, or just to make a family occasion that bit more special.
Valet parking service is available from 6pm, Monday to Saturday and is available to all diners at The Ivy for £15.
Food served:
Monday-Friday Breakfast 8am-10.30am Monday-Wednesday 12 noon - 11.30pm Thursday-Saturday 12 noon - 12 midnight Sunday 12 noon - 10.30pm
The Ivy
1-5 West Street, London, WC2H 9NQ Tel: 020 7836 4751 www.the-ivy.co.uk
Longan's Brasserie
Langan’s Brasserie is arguably one of the most iconic eateries in London, boasting an interesting history, a menu that showcases traditionally British cuisine, and an interior easily mistaken for a high- profile art gallery.
Located on Stratton Street in the affluent Mayfair, which is a wash with fine architecture and five star hotels, Langan’s Brasserie was founded in 1976 by entrepreneur Peter Langan and his actor friend and business partners, Sir Michael Caine CBE and Richard Shepherd CBE (the first Michelin Starred Chef).
Under the trio’s wing, the restaurant quickly became a haunt for famous faces, seating the likes of the iconic Elizabeth Taylor, Mohammed Ali, Mick Jagger and Jack Nicholson. An avid art enthusiast, Peter also built a prestigious art collection with originals from dear friends and famed artists including Francis Bacon and David Hockney. To this day the restaurant and private dining area’s walls are still adorned with original paintings, a feature that brings guests to the brasserie time and time again.
Sadly Peter passed away in 1988 due to a fire at his home, however his legacy lives on.
Offering an exciting range of traditional British fayre, at Langan’s, diners find a delicious mix of vibrant dishes all made from fresh ingredients. Dishes include signature dishes, spinach souffle, grilled Dover sole with parsley butter, Veal Saltimbocca and Beef Wellington with Madeira sauce.
The menus have, of course, naturally changed with the times, but there are still a few dishes that pay homage to the brasserie’s history and have remained on the menu since the day the brasserie’s doors first opened.
The brasserie, which also offers a decadent bar area, is truly the perfect destination for both art and food lovers alike.
For more information or to book a table please visit
www.langansbrasserie.com
or call 020 7491 8822
Stratton Street, Mayfair, London, W1J 8LB
The Colony Grill Room
Replicating the grill rooms that were traditionally rooted in both London and New York, The Colony Grill Room combines both original locations and serves dishes from both sides of the pond. The moment you walk inside, the 1920s art deco theme and wooden cladded walls transport you back in time.
The breakfast menu pays homage to tradition and merges classic British dishes such as bacon rolls and the full English, with typically American ones including pancakes with crispy bacon and syrup.
Your taste buds can run riot sampling the all-day á la carte menu with a selection of grilled lamb, pork, chicken and game meats that tear apart and melt in the mouth. There are also a number of flavoursome fish dishes, from grilled halibut to seared sea bass, all with a sauce that accompanies the flavour perfectly.
To complement the food, the drinks list is truly something to shout about with a vast selection of fine wines and spirits. Enjoy a pre or post-meal drink at the bar and sample rich bourbons and warm American whiskies, as well as Champagne, gin, vodka and tequila based cocktails.
There is nothing quite like a stroll in the sunshine after a meal, and The Colony Grill Room is just a stone’s throw from the glamorous world of Mayfair and from the Grosvenor Square Gardens - the perfect location to soak up the summer sun.
Valet parking is also available.
Food served:
Monday- Saturday 7am - Midnight Sunday 7am - 11pm
The Colony Grill Room
8 Balderton Street, Brown Hart Gardens, W1K 6TF Tel: 020 7499 9499
Email: info@colonygrillroom.com www.colonygrillroom.com
