Review: Hix Mayfair
I love Brown’s Hotel. At the risk of sounding odd, I especially love the floor. Whenever I visit I use any excuse to walk up and down that beautiful mosaic tiling and pretend that I am the grand lady of a grand Victorian house. One can dream.
The walls, of course, are equally impressive, none more so than in the hotel’s restaurant, Hix Mayfair. The wooden panelled walls are spruced up with a variety of impressive artworks, and with the tables so generously spaced, you are always in a good position to ponder at least one masterpiece. The overall effect is that you’re eating in a dining room. A rather grand dining room, admittedly – but still much more intimate than the standard restaurant.
With such pleasing aesthetics, it’s only fitting that the food should follow suit. Mark Hix and his Executive Chef Lee Streeton pride themselves on using British, seasonal fare, and the menu changes every two weeks. The drizzly evening in October was certainly lifted by the vibrant array of dishes. To start I tried the ham hock salad, which was itself assembled with artistic flair. Lettuce, apple, celery, and the tenderest of meats were threaded together in a generous portion. My guest enjoyed the Albermarle smoked salmon (smoked on site) which was arranged with similar precision on the plate.
The main course selection brings together the wood, land and sea of our fair isle with a diverse selection of dishes. It seems that the chefs exercise their arty side with the starters, and really hone in on the flavour with the mains. My guest’s partridge on spelt grain was not especially good-looking, but the meat was expertly moist and made the most of that unparalleled gamey richness. My own dover sole was similarly elegant in its simplicity. Pan-fried to crispy perfection, it was melt-in-the-mouth stuff. (Incidentally it was also removed from the bone at our table, which is always a nice touch).
No sterling British meal is complete without a good pudding and they are worth the indulgence here. The chocolate mousse was wonderfully decadent, while my foul was a return to prettiness with a very pleasing swirling of cream and al dente rhubarb.
With an atmosphere buzzing with satiation, Hix Mayfair is certainly a destination restaurant for those desiring classic cuisine. There is a time a place for small plates, quirky flavour infusions and the other culinary gimmickry popping up all over London, but for a spot of good old-fashioned dining, Hix is your haunt. As supper came to a close with the lightest of chocolate truffles served on a silver dish, my inner Victorian grand lady was brimming with delight – as, needless to say, was my stomach.
For more information www.thealbemarlerestaurant.com
The walls, of course, are equally impressive, none more so than in the hotel’s restaurant, Hix Mayfair. The wooden panelled walls are spruced up with a variety of impressive artworks, and with the tables so generously spaced, you are always in a good position to ponder at least one masterpiece. The overall effect is that you’re eating in a dining room. A rather grand dining room, admittedly – but still much more intimate than the standard restaurant.
With such pleasing aesthetics, it’s only fitting that the food should follow suit. Mark Hix and his Executive Chef Lee Streeton pride themselves on using British, seasonal fare, and the menu changes every two weeks. The drizzly evening in October was certainly lifted by the vibrant array of dishes. To start I tried the ham hock salad, which was itself assembled with artistic flair. Lettuce, apple, celery, and the tenderest of meats were threaded together in a generous portion. My guest enjoyed the Albermarle smoked salmon (smoked on site) which was arranged with similar precision on the plate.
The main course selection brings together the wood, land and sea of our fair isle with a diverse selection of dishes. It seems that the chefs exercise their arty side with the starters, and really hone in on the flavour with the mains. My guest’s partridge on spelt grain was not especially good-looking, but the meat was expertly moist and made the most of that unparalleled gamey richness. My own dover sole was similarly elegant in its simplicity. Pan-fried to crispy perfection, it was melt-in-the-mouth stuff. (Incidentally it was also removed from the bone at our table, which is always a nice touch).
No sterling British meal is complete without a good pudding and they are worth the indulgence here. The chocolate mousse was wonderfully decadent, while my foul was a return to prettiness with a very pleasing swirling of cream and al dente rhubarb.
With an atmosphere buzzing with satiation, Hix Mayfair is certainly a destination restaurant for those desiring classic cuisine. There is a time a place for small plates, quirky flavour infusions and the other culinary gimmickry popping up all over London, but for a spot of good old-fashioned dining, Hix is your haunt. As supper came to a close with the lightest of chocolate truffles served on a silver dish, my inner Victorian grand lady was brimming with delight – as, needless to say, was my stomach.
For more information www.thealbemarlerestaurant.com