By Denis Sheehan FIH: Kerridge’s Bar & Grill follows Negroni’s at ‘Velvet Alfresco with CAMPARI’, tick, tick.
As you enter Corinthia London, you know you are in for something special, and as you weave your way through to the hotel that feeling intensifies.
Located on an exclusive, hidden terrace above the central courtyard of The Garden restaurant, on the first floor of the hotel is ‘Velvet Alfresco with CAMPARI’. Opened back in June, taking a seat you find yourself occupying a deep space of courtyard seemingly hewn out of the middle of the building.
Velvet Bar Manager, Christian Maspes and the CAMPARI team have created an amazing alfresco environment to enjoy a summer cocktail. The list is extensive, but for me the classic Negroni (Campari, Vermouth, Gin) really is the only choice. It arrives with one square of ice that just sits within the circumference of the glass. The taste is complex and takes time to register, the combination of sweet and fruity, then bitter, then spicy unfolds, one of the base spirits is gin, so juniper, lemon and coriander account for much of the notes. My verdict, it deserves the classic prefix. If you get the chance to visit Velvet Alfresco with CAMPARI before it closes at the end of this month do.
Next stop dinner at Kerridge’s Bar & Grill
The restaurant promises big and bold as you arrive, it’s like an ultra-posh pub, and immediately gets away with it. It’s different to much of the hotel slightly darker, as you sink into your very comfortable red leather chair you feel you are in for a treat. It looks and feels like a place to indulge.
On arrival you are immediately greeted and welcomed by one of the front of house team, service at Corinthia London is its trademark, simply exceptional, never servile, always authentic, the front of house team at Kerridge’s Bar & Grill extend that same ritual elegantly.
For starters I ordered the Quail’s Egg and Mushroom Tart with Hollandaise Sauce. It arrives on a plate with what I think is a line map of the River Thames, all the way from Marlow and all that. This is a theory, and I might be trying to be too clever. Back to the tart, the pasty is buttery and the perfect host for the rich and creamy egg. The mushrooms are well salted and add bite, the dish looked great and the taste combinations compliment well.
For main course I plumbed for Pan Roasted Monkfish on the bone, sea vegetables green peppercorn sauce. All mains arrive with new potatoes and seasonal rotisserie vegetables, and I ordered a side of triple cooked chips.
The fish was cooked to perfection, light and easy to cut, with a firm meaty texture. The fish was slightly sweet, and mild enough for the creamy savoury flavour of the sauce to shine through but not overpower, a clever combination presented with simplicity and style. The sauce was also ideal for dipping chips.
Onto dessert, and what a choice, it was a case of narrowing down. I settled in the end for the Gary Rhodes bread and butter pudding with chocolate ice cream. I remember back in the 90s eating at The People’s Palace restaurant Rhodes operated in the South Bank Centre, it was oh so good, could the name nod to such pleasure again. It’s of course impossible to contrast and compare, but I hope sufficient to say the bread and butter pudding was comfort food personified. Creamy sauce laden bread with raisins galore baked golden brown, more please.
Corinthia London is always a pleasure to experience, the service is always just right and just as you enter knowing you are in for something special you leave more than satisfied. So, my verdict on Kerridge’s Bar & Grill and ‘Velvet Alfresco with CAMPARI’, tick, tick.
