MAIN COURSE
presented with expansive views across the kitchen where they can watch
restaurant serves popovers (crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside)
a team led by Head Chef Gabriel Belmonte preparing meat, fish and
at the beginning of lunches and dinners. “The popover is always one of
vegetables on a traditional parrilla grill. Immediately on the left is a cosy
my signature dishes given that it is present across my restaurants,” says
sushi bar, while the kitchen sits between the two main dining spaces,
Tourondel. “It is my own version of a Yorkshire pudding. It is made with
both of which feature a restrained colour palette of dark brown, grey and
two different types of cheese – Cheddar and Gouda – and we serve it
bronze. The first is a self-contained room with a towering backbar at
with warm butter in place of bread at the start of the meal.”
one end and a private dining table at the other; it’s proving popular with
to the mix; diners can try lighter sashimi, sushi and raw fish dishes
light flooding in from Regent Street. The second, which welcomes
like Kamchatka king crab nigiri poached in lime butter with British
plenty of dinner guests, overlooks the hotel’s new ground-floor lobby,
wasabi and golden Oscietra caviar. The dessert menu continues the
with seating around the outside and a 17-foot Murano glass chandelier
innovative theme with creations such as a rich milk chocolate peanut
weighing more than 350 kilogrammes by Vistosi in the centre. This
butter croquant with melt-in-the-mouth banana ice cream, and coconut
chandelier is a key part of the overall design vision for Lissoni, who
meringue and wild strawberries with orange butter and passion fruit.
explains that the “minimalist yet opulent piece will give a sense of space
Each menu item is presented on stylish dinnerware by Goodfellows,
and glamour that marries the building’s gilded past with its patrons’
which worked closely with Tourondel to achieve the desired effect.
contemporary lifestyles”.
Earthy tones of cream, charcoal and green were chosen to complement
The parrilla grill exerts a strong influence over the lunch and dinner menus, with diners able to choose from umami-rich steaks and
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The new sushi bar, meanwhile, adds a completely different element
breakfast and lunch guests in particular, helped no doubt by the natural
the dishes and interiors, including a combination of matte and glossy finishes alongside oak wooden boards with brass accent trims.
spatchcocked poussin ‘diablo’ (a real favourite of the chef, served with a
The food is supported by an extensive wine list overseen by Head
vinegar-based sauce, juicy cherry peppers and tarragon leaves), as well
Sommelier Sam Heathcote which, inspired by Café Royal’s oenological
as seafood dishes such as king prawns, Dover sole and swordfish, and
history, has a particular emphasis on French producers. And the bar,
vegetarian items like cauliflower couscous with za’atar-roasted carrots,
headed up by Bar Manager Robert Judd, offers a range of classic cocktails
charred aubergine purée, currants, almonds and harissa yoghurt. And in
as well as beer and sake options that pair well with Tourondel’s cuisine.
an interesting move inspired by Tourondel’s New York experiences, the
As an all-day dining concept, Laurent at Café Royal aims to attract