Your Nomad-in-Chief recently spent a few days in London on business and was delighted to discover a couple of wonderful new restaurants (at least new to Executive Nomad) as well as revisiting an old favorite.
perfect for entertaining a client – particularly if you need a quiet spot to discuss your next big deal. The service was appropriately friendly and welcoming, the wine list approachable (heavily French, as you’d imagine, and well-priced), and the food delicious. We had assiette of Cornish lamb, simply delectable — I was eating parts of the lamb I couldn’t quite identify but was doing so happily, and delightful poached filets of plaice as our mains.I had a lovely lunch with a colleague at Fino, on Charlotte Street just off Tottenham Court Road. It is a stylish tapas restaurant where everything from the sea urchin ceviche to the cold meats, queen scallops, tuna tartare with quacamole, and lamb rump was expertly prepared and presented well.
The Boisdale (Belgravia) was the setting for a group dinner one evening and if you are in the mood for a traditional Scottish venue and menu (haggis served with Scotch was the preferred choice among my UK colleagues; steak was the fallback for the more timid among us). It’s a bit thick on the kilts-and-highland-stag décor but just relax and go with it – sometimes it’s not bad to be a tourist. The food won raves all around and the 2002 Graves from Chateau Rahoul was among the best wines we had all week. The Boisdale also features live jazz and a cigar bar.
There are times when you want something simple, organic, and unpretentious. Kensington Square Kitchen delivers. In a small space on a quiet residential square just a block off Kensington High Street, they offer a straightforward menu of salads, sandwiches, frittata, and the like. It is well-priced and relaxing – perhaps better for catching up a former colleague than impressing a client. Their website, though, sets off a threat alarm with my anti-virus package so I’m not including it here.
We can’t forget the old favorite – Notting Hill Brasserie. We’ve enjoyed the comfortably modern décor and cuisine several times and this return visit did not disappoint. This is an elegant spot housed in three Edwardian townhouses that have been joined to create a series of intimate dining rooms decorated in muted colors. The service is discreet and the food impressive — we recommend the filet of beef and the sea bass though we’ve never had a meal here that was not outstanding. We accompanied the meal with a Haut-Medoc from Chateau Lamothe-Cissac that was robust but not overpowering. Note: NHB is closed until about the beginning of September for a refresh.
Among those spots recommended by fellow Nomads that didn’t make it onto the carte this time: Hix, My Dining Room, The Square, and Tartine. It’s always good to leave something for the next visit.
What are your favorite restaurants in London?
