Restaurant Review - The Greenhouse, Mayfair

This elegant restaurant off Hays Mews in Mayfair, refurbished again after the departure of Bjorn van der Horst to soften the feel of the spacious dining room, is once again a relaxed setting for an haute cuisine lunch or dinner. Very much in the style of head chef Antonin Bonnet behind whose quiet and reserved personality lies a culinary skill and intensity that puts him among the top chefs in Europe. So expect a meal here to be a serious affair but one in which enjoyment is also paramount.

I visited for lunch recently with a few friends to sample the prix fixe lunch to test whether an haute cuisine experience like this could be had for £75 a head including a bottle of wine each, coffee and service. And if we had stuck to the script we certainly would have proved the point!

The prix fixe lunch menu was short - three choices for each course - but seemed to have made no concessions on quality or creativity and we were offered amuse bouches as well. To start we selected steamed tuna wrapped in Cornish greens with squid and sweet onion tempura and soy sauce and foie gras and partridge terrine with fig chutney, a chocolate reduction and sorrel leaf. The tuna was sumptuous and the tempura perfectly light, the combination of flavours distinct but integrated. The terrine was a good balance of meat and liver, the richness of the chutney and chocolate delivering an intensely luxurious taste sensation. A magnificent start!

Most of us chose the confit pork belly with pont neuf potato, apple, cider jus and mustard espuma while one chose the shellfish and butter seaweed risotto with samphire and herb jus. Although a comparatively inexpensive cut of meat the pork belly was lean with rich fat and crispy skin and beautifully presented. A generous quantity of fine shellfish lightly folded into the seaweed risotto and served with crunchy samphire made even this simple dish a work of art. These were dishes from the top drawer, visually exciting and a delight to eat.

At this point we slipped in a cheese course and, as expected, the selection was carefully judged and in perfect condition. It is available as an option on the prix fixe menu for a supplement but we also wanted to sample the desserts! I am glad we did. The black olive Madeleine with lemon curd, fresh pineapple and basil sorbet was worth it for the aromas alone and a fascinating combination of flavours. The milk chocolate mousse with crunchy praline and candied almond ice cream was a luxurious confection yet amazingly light.

In fact, lightness of touch is my abiding memory of this fabulous lunch from the magnificent cuisine of Antonin Bonnet, the friendly and precise service of Jean-Marie (together with the whole Front of House team) and the knowledge and enthusiasm of our sommelier Michael. There is no finer hommage to haute cuisine than you will find at The Greenhouse - Prix Fixe/A La Carte, Lunch or Dinner. I recommend you get along as soon as you can. Bon appetit!