French
Mayfair
London has always been a global centre of culinary excellence. Since
the dawn of our civilisation, many of the best chefs in the world have migrated
to London to cook for the capital's more discerning diners and this is truer
now than ever before. Sometimes however, our home-grown chefs can be
overlooked, and it's high time that they receive the recognition they deserve.
One such chef is Phil Howard, who for the last two decades has been the
driving force behind Mayfair institution, The Square. If the name sounds
familiar, you may recognise him as a winning finalist from the BBC's Great
British Menu where he impressed the judges with a velouté and tartare of
mackerel, oyster beignets and sea water jelly. Howard’s restaurant is
critically acclaimed too, having been awarded two Michelin stars and being
recently voted as the 7th best restaurant in the UK by the National Restaurant
Awards. Howard is now in the midst of launching his debut cookbook is the star
of a new six-part digital mini-series where he demonstrates the foundation of a
successful kitchen. We went along to find out what all the fuss was about.
The Square, located just off Bond Street, exudes elegance and luxury.
This is the epitome of fine dining, but without the stuffiness and formality of
some top notch establishments. Phil Howard and his team have created a welcoming
and relaxing atmosphere, but have retained the sophistication one expects from
a Michelin starred establishment.
Our meal started with a wide variety of starters; a warm and hearty
minestrone soup hiding within it a slow cooked quail egg and garnished with a
savoury onion tart; a rich, heavy slice of roast foie gras; and a rustic chunky
terrine of smoked mackerel garnished with prawns, oysters and sea water jelly,
reminiscent of his winning menu from the Great British Menu.
The mains which followed were equally exceptional. A strong and gamey breast
of grouse accompanied with pearl barley, pancetta and blackberries providing a
delightful range of textures; a light and subtly flavoured fillet of turbot,
enhanced with bay leaf milk sauce, and the highlight, a sauté of langoustines
with Parmesan gnocchi and potato emulsion. The thick meaty tails were bursting
with flavour, and would be the first thing we would order if we were to return
to The Square.
Maintaining the high standards, the desserts impressed us too: a fluffy
and silky plum soufflé which was light as air and hid a sweet fruity centre, and
a raspberry cheesecake made with Brillat-Savarin cheese (which disappeared in
about a second and was deliciously moreish). If sweet isn't your thing, then we'd
certainly recommend the cheese. We sampled the Perl Las and Barkham Blue, which
is perfect if you like it strong and mature.
Throughout the entire meal, each course was faultless. Rarely have we
tasted food of such outstanding quality and it is clear why they have been
awarded two Michelin stars. The front of house staff were equally as delightful
and were friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. Phil Howard has built a
remarkable empire over the last two decades, and we certainly hope to be
visiting The Square regularly over the next 20 years.
6-10 Bruton Street, W1J 6PU
Average price for a main course: £50
Average price for a bottle of wine: £60
Food/drink: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Value: 4/5
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