REVIEW: MEWS OF MAYFAIR
Mews of Mayfair is as pretty as its name suggests. Situated in quiet little court off Bond Street, it's the sort of place that unless you get dramatically lost between Breitling and Russell & Bromley, you have to know about in order to head there. By this virtue alone, it is a destination restaurant: punters are unlikely to have strolled past, they have actually chosen to find it.
The eatery is split into three floors, which get progressively more traditional as you go up. The ground floor is a funky cocktail bar, the top level is a sumptuous private dining room space, and the middle floor is the main brasserie where we dined (there is also a subterranean lounge, but one gets the impression you have to be seriously in-the-know to get down there). It is cleverly appointed to feel elegant without being showy. The tables are sturdy and wooden, there are artfully mismatched frames adorning the walls, and the bar is a majestic stone and granite affair. I imagine the design brief was bring-a-bit-of-the-country-to-central-London-and-give-it-some-city-slick. Or something along those lines.
Menus are fashionably understated, comprising a single sheet of rustic-looking paper. It is a large and interesting mix of dishes, combining fine dining fare with what is essentially souped-up pub grub. We had fresh and juicy olives to nibble on as we perused our options, plus a board of equally fresh bread. I went for the special to start, which was English asparagus (early for the season, but tender no less) served with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce. It was both light and creamy and hit the spot. My friend’s coronation chicken was a feat of presentation: the chicken shaped into a perfect 3D rectangle, the eggshell on the side filled with already-scrambled egg. It was, sadly, more impressive visually than flavour-wise.
We swapped vibes for the main course, when I went for the cheffy twice-cooked pork belly while my friend elected to try the burger. The patty, he says, was juicy and well-seasoned, and the triple-cooked trips on the side were the proverbial icing on the cake. I was hugely impressed with my dish. The belly was unctuous yet crispy, and there were apples in five forms (pureed, dried, jellied, roasted and another I ate too quickly to remember) which made for a deliciously sweet and salty concoction. We sipped on a light and fresh Pinot Grigio throughout, recommended from the lengthy wine list.
The dessert menu is an ode to classic British puddings, featuring sticky toffee, blackberry and apple crumble and raspberries with meringue. We went for the sharing banoffee pie, and were defeated by the clouds of cream. This, bizarrely, did not stop us from having a couple of Irish coffees, which were also delicious.
With the polite staff, tasteful décor and hearty food, it seems Mews of Mayfair aims to present old-fashioned Britishness with a bit of modern flair. It’s much smarter than a pub, but not so stuffy as some fine dining establishments (it doesn’t even have tablecloths, let alone white linen). Prices are in the upper teens for a main course but considering its sterling location, that’s not surprising.
A great little place to be in the know about, for certain. Now we’ve just got to get down to the basement lounge…
www.mewsofmayfair.com
The eatery is split into three floors, which get progressively more traditional as you go up. The ground floor is a funky cocktail bar, the top level is a sumptuous private dining room space, and the middle floor is the main brasserie where we dined (there is also a subterranean lounge, but one gets the impression you have to be seriously in-the-know to get down there). It is cleverly appointed to feel elegant without being showy. The tables are sturdy and wooden, there are artfully mismatched frames adorning the walls, and the bar is a majestic stone and granite affair. I imagine the design brief was bring-a-bit-of-the-country-to-central-London-and-give-it-some-city-slick. Or something along those lines.
Menus are fashionably understated, comprising a single sheet of rustic-looking paper. It is a large and interesting mix of dishes, combining fine dining fare with what is essentially souped-up pub grub. We had fresh and juicy olives to nibble on as we perused our options, plus a board of equally fresh bread. I went for the special to start, which was English asparagus (early for the season, but tender no less) served with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce. It was both light and creamy and hit the spot. My friend’s coronation chicken was a feat of presentation: the chicken shaped into a perfect 3D rectangle, the eggshell on the side filled with already-scrambled egg. It was, sadly, more impressive visually than flavour-wise.
We swapped vibes for the main course, when I went for the cheffy twice-cooked pork belly while my friend elected to try the burger. The patty, he says, was juicy and well-seasoned, and the triple-cooked trips on the side were the proverbial icing on the cake. I was hugely impressed with my dish. The belly was unctuous yet crispy, and there were apples in five forms (pureed, dried, jellied, roasted and another I ate too quickly to remember) which made for a deliciously sweet and salty concoction. We sipped on a light and fresh Pinot Grigio throughout, recommended from the lengthy wine list.
The dessert menu is an ode to classic British puddings, featuring sticky toffee, blackberry and apple crumble and raspberries with meringue. We went for the sharing banoffee pie, and were defeated by the clouds of cream. This, bizarrely, did not stop us from having a couple of Irish coffees, which were also delicious.
With the polite staff, tasteful décor and hearty food, it seems Mews of Mayfair aims to present old-fashioned Britishness with a bit of modern flair. It’s much smarter than a pub, but not so stuffy as some fine dining establishments (it doesn’t even have tablecloths, let alone white linen). Prices are in the upper teens for a main course but considering its sterling location, that’s not surprising.
A great little place to be in the know about, for certain. Now we’ve just got to get down to the basement lounge…
www.mewsofmayfair.com