Quaglino’s: Golden-age glam the perfect antidote to lockdown
It is fair to say that good old fashioned glamour has not been in vogue during months of endless lockdowns.
Cocktail dresses abandoned for athleisure. Black tie (which you can read all about in this excellent piece by our resident sartorial expert) for three days without a shower.
But London is back, and open-ish, and so City PM whipped out the dust-covered ironing board to glow up for a night of Golden Age glamour.
Quaglino’s has a wonderful history – a Gatsby-esque favourite in the thirties, it was also the first restaurant that the Queen ever dined in. John Profumo and his wife made a rare appearance after the Profumo affair to tell the press that all was well (friends, it was not all well). And Barbara Cartland once found a real pearl in an oyster there.
Read more: Another defence of Chardonnay, which is better than you think
Fast forward to 2021, however, and Quaglino’s is a thoroughly modern restaurant, albeit with more velvet than your average St. James’ brasserie.
A glorious staircase leads down from the bar to the dining area, a stage at one end and a gargantuan bar the centrepiece.
With jazz musicians piping up, City PM tucks into a new spring menu – six chunky Jersey rock oysters on a bed of ice alongside a gloriously salty steak tartare to start.
The food, masterminded by Head Chef JaCK Smith, harks back to the glamour of years past – City PM declines to sample the extensive caviar menu, but plenty around us are indulging their post-lockdown cravings.
A compelling merlot takes us through to a spiced magret duck breast with black cherries and a beautifully-pink saddle of lamb only slightly let down by its pairing with celeriac. We have enough celeriac in the world. There is no need for more (there is, frankly, no need for celeriac).
It’s wonderful, hearty fare to match the setting – exaggerated, extravagant, and a wonderful antidote to the enforced smallness of recent months. A cherry & white chocolate creme brulee sums up the evening nicely.
Sat in plush chairs, listening to live music, and tucking into a wonderful meal that somebody else has cooked and somebody else will wash up. After lockdown, what more could anybody want?
Mind you – there isn’t a very public feature staircase to climb when you finish your meal at home.
Read more: Cafe Biltmore’s new terrace is a leafy oasis in the heart of Mayfair