Finally, we’re coming out of a cold, bleak snap and armed for the joys of spring. Hurrah! But where should we celebrate by dining? Well, there’s a selection of new places that we should check out, ranging from new Mayfair seafood to the Victoria outpost of a new favourite. And don’t forget the glorious Hawksmoor, either, with its latest and most ambitious spot yet in an iconic London building, or an intriguing new Indian restaurant finding its feet that will be a real winner when it does.
Mazarine
In the heart of Mayfair, lurking next to the new Mandarin Oriental, Mazarine has arrived like a well-mannered and well-heeled émigré from the French coast. Opened with the sort of understated fanfare that befits a place aiming for timelessness rather than trendiness, this seafood-led restaurant channels the spirit of a grand Parisian brasserie while wearing its modernity lightly; I was reminded of Claude Bosi’s much-missed Hibiscus. The room is a study in stylish restraint and feels like the sort of establishment where one might spot a discreet actor (Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston have been sighted recently) or a novelist nursing a final glass, content in the knowledge that the evening has gone precisely as planned.
We begin, as we must, with oysters, and it comes with champagne that elevates the ritual into blissfulness. There is something almost ceremonial about the pairing, a small act of civilised indulgence that sets the tone for what follows. From there, the menu unfolds with deceptive simplicity. The brioche with caviar is a masterstroke of restrained luxury — pillowy, butter-rich brioche crowned with a generous quenelle of caviar. It is decadent without vulgarity, the sort of dish that reminds one why such extravagances endure.
There are several wonderful touches in this pescetarian-heavy establishment. Grilled scallop arrives perfectly seared, and served with a lightness that speaks of confidence rather than show. Then comes the bluefin tuna au poivre, treated with respect: a generous cut, lightly seared, paired with a peppercorn sauce that delivers just the right kick of warmth and spice that makes this a real highlight.
To accompany these delightfully fishy pleasures, the Muscadet is exemplary — crisp, mineral-driven, with that telltale hint of sea-spray that makes it the ideal companion to shellfish and delicate white fish alike. And then there are the pommes frites, excellent in their simplicity. My dining companion described these as being ‘like McDonalds, but good’, and I could not agree more.
For those seeking something more substantial yet still refined, the confit cod stands as a quiet triumph. Slow-cooked to a point of ethereal tenderness, it flakes at the mere suggestion of a fork, its richness tempered by a bright, herbaceous accompaniment that prevents any hint of heaviness. It is the kind of dish that makes one pause, fork suspended, to appreciate the chef’s restraint.
Mazarine is not revolutionary; it does not seek to upend conventions. Instead, it polishes them to a high shine. In an age of fleeting fads, there is something profoundly reassuring about a restaurant that understands the enduring appeal of fine seafood, cold champagne, and chips done properly. One leaves feeling not merely fed, but elevated. In Mayfair, that is no small achievement.
Mazarine, 22 Hanover Square, Mayfair, London W1S 1JA. For more information, and for bookings, please visit www.mazarinerestaurant.com.
Hawksmoor St Pancras & Martini Bar
Hawksmoor’s latest London opening may be its most ambitious and grandiose yet, but then this steakhouse has never shied away from big dreams. Taking over a couple of London’s most iconic spots, in the form of George Gilbert Scott’s St Pancras hotel’s restaurant and neighbouring Martini Bar, Hawksmoor has raised the game all over again from what diners expect from somewhere to eat and drink, and, in the process, has given itself a London flagship that will undoubtedly become one of the city’s most popular and beloved restaurants in the process.
Entering the high-ceilinged Martini Bar from the Euston Road provides a marvellous sense of space, but also of comfort that allows diners to sip on a superbly made cocktail (the ‘Ultimate Old Fashioned’ might be even better than the Full-Fat Old Fashioned) and peruse the menu, as well, perhaps, as snacking on a perfectly made bar snack (the mushroom crostini is a particular joy).
Then it’s time to head into the dining room proper and enjoy the full Hawksmoor experience, which remains every bit as vital and enjoyable as it has done for the couple of decades since the first restaurant opened in Spitalfields.
Oysters are a complete delight – especially the Vietnamese variety with shallots and ginger – and if you’re not going to share one of the porterhouse or T-bone steaks, complete with bearnaise sauce, creamed spinach and fries, then you’re missing out, just as the Portuguese red wine – ‘Hawksmoor La Rosa’ – is the perfect accompaniment to anything you have in this marvellous establishment.
And make sure that you leave room for dessert, whether it’s the perennially iconic Sticky Toffee Sundae or their witty take on the Ferrero Rocher, the ‘Grand Rocher’, which will send you out on a giddy high. Another winner, then, but was it ever going to be anything else?
Hawksmoor St Pancras & Martini Bar,St Pancras London, Euston Road
London NW1 2AR. For more information, and for bookings, please visit www.thehawksmoor.com.
Masakali London
Offshoots of successful out-of-town restaurants that come into London tend to stand or fall quite swiftly, but Masakali, a new Indian restaurant situated a stone’s throw from Drummond Street and its plethora of subcontinental establishments, shows every sign of being another hit. Set in what used to be a former pub, on an inauspicious side street, this establishment – sister to an acclaimed spot in Reading – specialises in serving an innovative and keenly priced range of authentic dishes that, at their best, are serious cooking at prices that are considerably kinder than you’d find a mile down the road.
I wasn’t completely sold on everything here – my companion’s cocktail was undrinkably sweet (as opposed to my very sound Old Fashioned), the tempura cauliflower was too spicy and the ‘apricot delight’ is a slab of sponge that would have been better off if it was simplified.
Yet set against this, starters of spiced coconut prawns and best-in-show chicken tikka are really excellent, done without fuss and easily as good as dishes that places charge twice the price for, and fish moilee and entertainingly warming lamb rara curries have the feel of something that you’d get from a Bombay street-food stall, for relatively kind London prices. A bottle of Sicilian Chardonnay is fine rather than exciting, but this is the sort of place where the warmth of both the food and service make it an enjoyable experience, and where it will be hard not to pop in if you’re nearby.
Masakali, 48 Stanhope St, London NW1 3EX. For more information, and for bookings, please visit www.masakali.co.uk.
Brother Marcus Victoria
The Brother Marcus group of restaurants has been one of the stealthiest and most successful launches across London over the last few years. Whenever anyone asks me what they are, I always say “think The Real Greek, but good”. By which, I mean that their focus on Eastern Mediterranean cuisine, served to exceptionally high standards in bustling, lively environments at far from wallet-busting prices, means that you can go and enjoy a meal there for rather less than a king’s ransom. Although if the mood strikes you, you can still splurge; the wine list starts at £8 a glass for the (delicious, apricot-y) house white, the Greek Agrimi, and goes up to £94 for a bottle of the St Aubin Premier Cru, not that most of us mere mortals need to spend such a wedge.
The food here is impeccable, and filling. If you want to have a selection of the best dishes, then the ‘Marcus’s Choice’ option will offer a smorgasbord of the highlights at an affordable price, but those who want to sample a mixture of the signature dishes should start with a couple of the sumptuously fluffy pita breads along with the dips, of which the creamy tzatziki and the hummus are the highlights, and then move through the menu with care.
We were enormously big fans of the feta sausage and the grilled kofta, but the pan-fried halloumi with roasted apricots and the crispy aubergine skewer are every bit as good, too. And if you have room for dessert, the chocolate cremeux is a sweet delight, with the baklava sandwich with pistachio ice cream a similarly delicious option.
This is a friendly, fun and generous-spirited place, full of pizzazz and vigour. Does it reinvent the wheel? Of course not, but it’s not trying to. So go by yourself, or with a group of friends, or someone you love. Whatever you do, you’re assured of a great time.
Brother Marcus, 81 Buckingham Palace Rd, London SW1W 0AJ. For more information, and for bookings, please visit www.brothermarcus.co.uk.
