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| Celeste |
Once in a while you visit a restaurant that really puts a smile on your face and Thursday evening courtesy of a Booktable offer was one of those occasions.The restaurant in question is based in Lanesborough hotel right on the corner of Hyde park. When you do walk into Lanesborough hotel’s Celeste restaurant and set your eyes on the beautiful large hanging gold chandeliers and exquisite ornate furnishings, you immediately feel like this was going to be one of those special places you make a pilgrimage to year on year. The placed screamed opulence but you never felt out of place and that was in part due to the very welcoming staff. They actually looked happy to see you and it felt like they were keen to just have you experience this dining heaven.The ambience which also deserves a mention was in part created by a very good pianist over the course of the evening.
Having settled down on the comfortable sofas in the dining room, we were greeted with a glass of champagne and some deliciously baked warm bread and truffle butter. The bread didn’t last long on the table as it was all gobbled down fast while we patted our backs in disbelief at how lucky we were to have found such an amazing restaurant on Booktable‘s feast of London deals. The offer in this case was 3 courses and a glass of champagne at £38 per head. However my friend decided that we simply had to pair each course with matching wine as you do in this post brexit Britain , so the food and wine came up to £68 total. I would definitely recommend the latter as the wines elevated each course on the menu.
The bread on the table was soon followed by a pre dinner treat I can only describe as a fish and chips amuse bouche. The grilled fish was quite tasty and it made you wanting more.
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| Fish and chips or should I say crisps style amouse-bouche |
Next on the Menu was the Cornish mackerels and a Burford brown scotch egg. when I did split my brown egg, the perfectly runny yolk flowed into black truffle mayonnaise resulting in a feeling I can only describe as almost orgasmic. The mackerel with its charred skin, kohlrabi and wasabi vinaigrette was also delightful.
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| Delicious mackerel with a wasabi vinaigrette |
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| Runny yolk and lick your plate truffle mayonnaise : Burford brown scotch egg |
For mains, my friend went for the day boat cod on a bed of crushed potatoes and lemon confit surrounded by a watercress sauce. The flamed cod was soft, tasty and went well with the lemon confit and potatoes. I particularly remember this dish being paired with a lovely light and citrusy 2015 salta, torrontes, Colome. She loved this dish and I thought it was okay, but am all about very punchy flavours. The braised lamb dish I had, served with oven roasted eggplants marinated in olive oil and chilli all festering in a pool of jus that was a day or two in the making delivered the punchy flavours I mentioned earlier in bucket loads. The jus was very moorish with every taste delivering messages from the chef that says … the only thing you need in your life right now is this jus.
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| Light and flavourful: flamed cod on a bed of potatoes and lemon confit surrounded by watercress sauce |
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| Divine jus : Home country lamb with egg plant and green olives coulis |
Feels like someone’s giving you a comforting warm hug while a piano plays in the background was how my friend described her hazelnut praline cream, caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream dessert, the aptly named Paris-Brest. She said a bit more, but alas am not sure Google allows such content. My dessert was a delicious poached ruhubard with vanilla, Greek yoghurt emulsion and lemon meringue called the rhubarb fool. If you love rhubarb, then for sure this transports you to rhubarb Valhalla. Luckily I love rhubarb, so I managed to spend a while in Thors presence. He mentioned something about how I had to go back to earth because it wasn’t my time, so begrudgingly i came back down and ceremoniously plotted plans to come back to Celeste.
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| Comforting hug : hazelnut and caramel sauce dessert |
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| Visit to Valhalla : Rhubarb fool |
At the end of the evening, a chocolate sphere gets cracked open in front of you to reveal marshmallows, nuts and fudge. The petit fours were definitely a nice touch.
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| Nuts and marshmallows treats : petit fours |
Dining at Lanesborough hotel’s Celeste restaurant was definitely a memorable experience. The friendly staff, stunning decor , quality cooking and well thought out tasty dishes makes it deserving of that Michelin status. I would definitely visit again without a doubt.
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| Celeste dining room |