Review: The Goring
The Goring is a bastion of British hotels. Not only did the Duchess of Cambridge choose to stay there for her last night as a single woman three years ago, but the hotel has remained in the same family for five generations. It is that rare breed of establishment which is grand whilst remaining very, very welcoming.
As well as its ornate bedrooms, the hotel also serves up some of the finest food in town. The Dining Room’s reputation – already well-recognised – has been further enhanced by the recent addition of Shay Cooper. This chef, who three AA Rosettes and Michelin star, joined the hotel a few months back and has been reinvigorating the menu.
I visited for a mid-week lunch, and the bright and airy dining room was bustling. With white table cloths, fine silverware and smart staff, it is certainly gives off an air of a special occasion sort of place. The ambience, however, is anything but stuffy. You instantly feel at home.
The menu is essentially British dishes crafted with creative flair. Starters of chicken soup and plaice fillet sounded simple enough, but were delivered with much enthusiasm and fanfare. The soup was deconstructed (a hen’s egg and glazed mushrooms were topped with the rich liquid mixture at the table, and served with a miniature ham and cheese toastie) while the Day boat plaice fillet – one of Cooper’s revamped dishes – was succulent and beautifully presented. A gentleman on the table next to us was also raving about the Eggs Drumkilbo which, sources tell me, is a recipe gifted by the late Queen Mother to the hotel.
Moving on to mains, it was a toss-up between The Goring’s famous lobster omelette or the pork belly. I eventually opted for the latter and was thrilled that I did. Pork belly, pig’s cheek and crispy sucking pig were served with tender turnip and mustard sauces, resulting in one of the most unctuously delicious meals I’ve had in a long time. There are lots of other dishes on the menu which beg to be tasted, and there is also a trolley which offers a daily special.
It is wise to leave room for pudding here. With sweet treats such as rhubarb custard tartlet and ice lemon meringue parfait, you’ll most likely want to try them all. If you do settle on just one, however, I would recommend the Manjari chocolate with smoked caramel. Rich, sweet and salty all at the same time, it’s the kind of thing that you could eat all over again (were it not for waistlines or decorum). Petit fours are served with coffee, so you can get your final hit of saccharine goodness before departing.
At £42.50 for three superb courses, lunch here is really very reasonable. It’s worth having a wander round the hotel afterwards, and you can even go and sit in the garden, which is the largest private one in London. Plus, if you have extra time on your hands, the hotel’s Terrace serves up an excellent afternoon tea…
For more information on The Dining Room at The Goring hotel, visit. www.thegoring.com
As well as its ornate bedrooms, the hotel also serves up some of the finest food in town. The Dining Room’s reputation – already well-recognised – has been further enhanced by the recent addition of Shay Cooper. This chef, who three AA Rosettes and Michelin star, joined the hotel a few months back and has been reinvigorating the menu.
I visited for a mid-week lunch, and the bright and airy dining room was bustling. With white table cloths, fine silverware and smart staff, it is certainly gives off an air of a special occasion sort of place. The ambience, however, is anything but stuffy. You instantly feel at home.
The menu is essentially British dishes crafted with creative flair. Starters of chicken soup and plaice fillet sounded simple enough, but were delivered with much enthusiasm and fanfare. The soup was deconstructed (a hen’s egg and glazed mushrooms were topped with the rich liquid mixture at the table, and served with a miniature ham and cheese toastie) while the Day boat plaice fillet – one of Cooper’s revamped dishes – was succulent and beautifully presented. A gentleman on the table next to us was also raving about the Eggs Drumkilbo which, sources tell me, is a recipe gifted by the late Queen Mother to the hotel.
Moving on to mains, it was a toss-up between The Goring’s famous lobster omelette or the pork belly. I eventually opted for the latter and was thrilled that I did. Pork belly, pig’s cheek and crispy sucking pig were served with tender turnip and mustard sauces, resulting in one of the most unctuously delicious meals I’ve had in a long time. There are lots of other dishes on the menu which beg to be tasted, and there is also a trolley which offers a daily special.
It is wise to leave room for pudding here. With sweet treats such as rhubarb custard tartlet and ice lemon meringue parfait, you’ll most likely want to try them all. If you do settle on just one, however, I would recommend the Manjari chocolate with smoked caramel. Rich, sweet and salty all at the same time, it’s the kind of thing that you could eat all over again (were it not for waistlines or decorum). Petit fours are served with coffee, so you can get your final hit of saccharine goodness before departing.
At £42.50 for three superb courses, lunch here is really very reasonable. It’s worth having a wander round the hotel afterwards, and you can even go and sit in the garden, which is the largest private one in London. Plus, if you have extra time on your hands, the hotel’s Terrace serves up an excellent afternoon tea…
For more information on The Dining Room at The Goring hotel, visit. www.thegoring.com