Rating
Appeals To
Suited, booted and financially sorted Mayfair types who want what is almost a one stop shop for a variety of high end culinary experiences
High powered types wowing a client (again, suited and booted might be the theme) – those really taking this to it’s logical extreme may want to opt for the silver service area upstairs, but make sure you expense that shit!
Foodies who want to spend half a day in one place. You could do that here, if you showed up early enough in the day, when everything’s still open and waiting for you…
In A Word
Complex
Cuisine
Modern European
Amusing Mews
I never really do any research before I go to a restaurant, in an attempt to limit my preconceptions (and because I’m deadly afraid of subconsciously regurgitating the words/opinions/foibles of another writer who’s come before me)
And with Mews Of Mayfair, I’m glad I don’t.
This is a surprise. What the absolute fuck. I expected a restaurant – and what I got was more akin to a mini, luxury food resort (not an exaggeration).
As the name suggests, Mews occupies a Mews…in Mayfair – occupying it in the true sense of the word. The company owns every outlet within there, barring one, which I believe is taken up by a salon of some sort.
And, occupying everything means that they’ve got a lot of space, and consequentially a lot of different offerings (mostly food related). I spent a few hours there, running around with a camera, and I didn’t even manage to see all of it.
Asides from The Brassiere (second floor), and ground floor club – there’s a pizza restaurant (Mayfair Pizza Co.) A wine boutique/merchant/private room (La Cave), The Dining Room (a silver service dining area), a nightclub in the basement (The Lounge) and maybe/probably something else I can’t remember. Oh, there’s an art gallery too.
This means that, if you go to Mews, don’t just go for a drink. Go and eat a pizza, smoke a cigar, drink champagne, dance, buy art, eat a sit down meal, drink something else, dance a bit more, meet a client, eat a bit more then eventually ASPLOD
Anyway, at the risk of this getting any more tangential, I’ll get back to the food – which is, I am happy to say, worth telling you about.
Jack Finally Talks About The Food
I headed down to the The Cocktail Bar and The Brasserie, opting for the ‘standard’ dining experience – the art gallery was closed, I’m a bit crap at cigars, and they wouldn’t let me into the silver service area.. :3
The Atmosphere
Around 7pm I appear, underdressed (which seems to be a recurring theme) – and, as you can see, the place is all chandeliers and blokes in sharp suits standing next to said chandeliers. It’s also heaving with people. It looks like Mews does well, as there are almost no empty spaces in all the areas I visit (until much later in the evening, I assume people have to go home and y’know…sleep)
The experience on floor 1 resembles what you get in a VIP member’s club, but with more reasonable prices, it’s more inclusive and there’s actually a proper food offering too. Also there’s a lower probability of getting a lapdance :3 At this point, it’s a bit full for my liking, but we do get a seat. Speaking of seats…
There are big luxurious seats which are ideal for submerging into, but cause some backache when you try eat a meal off the adjacent table. On that subject, we accidentally eat the first two courses of our meal downstairs, unaware that we were supposed to be ushered to The Brasserie upstairs after drinks. We’re enjoying the food a little too much to care, though the ‘shouting to be heard in conversation’ thing gets a little trying, so upstairs turns out to be an eventual relief.
The Brasserie itself is a different experience entirely. More spacious, and the atmosphere, music and ambient level of conversation is softer, making it much easier to hold a conversation. Aligned with personal preferences. The theme/decor seems to be nautical, and it very much feels like a proper French Brasserie (or, what my limited experience of them says it should feel like).
This evening I’m catching up with a friend Hannah. She weighs in on the drinks and courses she ordered…
The Drinks
The drinks selection is just amazing. I define ‘amazingness’ based on how much choice a place gives you, and the quality of the stuff they serve. Mews does both. Oh yes. In succession we ordered
Remy Martin XO
This is my first experience of ‘proper’ Cognac. Served on the rocks it tastes quite similar to a good scotch – warming. My limited experience of cognacs gives me little other references to compare it to – perhaps I could say it’s like Eaux De Vie, but without the omnipotent mouth burning horror that accompanies every taste. Inspired by this experience, a few weeks later I acquire a cheaper bottle of Remy Martin (which is also excellent with ice)
Moscato Dindarello
Hannah: “a honey-tinged dessert wine that was very warming on the pallet”
The Food
The food selection isn’t quite as immense as the drinks selection, but there was nothing, asides from prices, I could find fault with – you usually get what you pay for, and ‘hunger is the finest spice’ – right?
Caesar Salad
(sorry, no picture 🙁 )
Hannah: “a glorious mix of sweet lobster with crunchy, slightly bitter salad leaves, the soft boiled egg was a wonderful touch.”
Pork belly with ‘a whole lot of apples and crackles’
Hannah: “The pork belly was perfectly cooked, very moist and tender. As for the ‘whole lot of apples’ there was indeed a whole lot, possibly a bit too much, but it was served in various ways (such as dried or as a jelly) which gave some variety to the dish and made it very exciting to eat.”
Side of Steamed Spinach
Hannah: “The spinach was a perfect accompaniment, very buttery and sweet. I’ve never tasted spinach cooked like that before, it really was lovely”
Sticky toffee pudding with date ice-cream
Hannah: “Absolutely divine. The pudding was soft, sweet and was packed with toffee sauce (although the top was a little bit burnt) and the date ice cream was lovely and delicate. It was a wonderful combination of hot and cold that I enjoyed very much.”
The Verdict
Well, I’ve only really had one variation of the many possible Mews Of Mayfair experiences – and I enjoyed it hugely.
The place has plenty of character and plenty to see. I think next up I would head back and either ‘do’ the Mayfair Pizza Co, or go to one of the wine tastings at La Cave and continue to expound my views on the superiority of Southern Italian wines. And I might even pretend to enjoy a cigar!
If you have a need to flash your cash (and this is not a need I have ever experienced), this is a good spot to do it in. Come smartly dressed and don’t forget to bring your ‘need for new experiences’ with you.
