Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Les Deux Salons
FRENCH/BRASSERIE The third venture from Michelin-
starred Anthony Demetre and Will Smith is the kind of smart brasserie that will have
the French reaching for their smelling salts. It's large, bustling, decorated with the
requisite amount of polished brass, mirrors, and dark wood, evokes the Belle Epoque,
and offers a standard of cooking that is now rare in Parisian brasseries. The upper
floor is more intimate; the ground floor swings along in style. A well-drilled kitchen
produces impeccable dishes like snail and Herefordshire bacon pie; ravioli stuffed
with veal; bavette of beef; daily specials like rabbit in mustard, plus such tongue-in-
cheek desserts as rum baba, and floating islands. Service is spot on; prices are reason-
able; Les Deux Salons is a palpable hit.
40-42 William IV St., WC2.
&
020/7420-2050.
www.lesdeuxsalons.co.uk. Reservations recommended.
Main courses £14.50-£23.95. AE, MC, V. Daily noon-11pm. Tube: Charing Cross.
Rules
TRADITIONAL BRITISH This is the place for a genuine taste of tradi-
tional London. Established in 1798 as an oyster bar, the gorgeous, red plush Edward-
ian interior with drawings and cartoons covering the walls is much as it was when
feeding the great and good of the theatrical and literary world—like Charles Dickens,
H. G. Wells, Laurence Olivier, and Clark Gable. What keeps Rules alive today is its
devotion to top, traditional British cooking. Native Irish or Scottish oysters; the best
game only served in season—wild Highland Red deer; grouse; snipe; pheasant and
woodcock; and beef from the owner's estate, skillfully prepared and cooked. Puddings
(not desserts in this most British of restaurants) might be a rib-stickingly good Golden
Syrup sponge pudding, a winter blackberry and apple crumble, or even rice pudding,
bringing back childhood memories.
35 Maiden Lane, WC2.
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020/7836-5314.
www.rules.co.uk. Reservations recommended. Main courses
£18-£32. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Sat noon-11:45pm; Sun noon-10:45pm. Tube: Covent Garden.
Savoy Grill
TRADITIONAL BRITISH Opened a few months after the
glorious Savoy Hotel reclaimed its place among London's icons of discreet luxury, the
Savoy Grill, run by Gordon Ramsay, is everything we hoped for. The Art Deco-
inspired interior is a real gem, with sparkling chandeliers, walls that gleam a deep
amber, and black-and-white photographs of past stars like Bogart and Bacall. The
menu balances the classics with a touch of the modern: Cornish crab mayonnaise
with apple salad, wild celery, and wafer-thin Melba toast, scallops with leeks and
shrimp butter; or go for a grilled venison chop. This is a return to past glories.
In the Savoy Hotel, Strand, WC2.
&
020/7592-1600.
www.gordonramsay.com. Reservations required.
Main courses £18-£39. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Sat noon-3pm and 5:30-11pm; Sun noon-4pm and 6-10pm.
Tube: Charing Cross.
Moderate
Giaconda Dining Room
CONTEMPORARY EUROPEAN Tucked among
the guitar shops of Denmark Street, just off Tottenham Court Road, the Giaconda
comes as a surprise. Run by husband and wife Australians, Paul and Tracey Merrony,
its bistro-like atmosphere, good cooking, and down-to-earth pricing set it apart. Dishes
like salad of baked beetroot and leeks vinaigrette with goat curd to start followed by
sautéed duck breast with celeriac purée and beetroot with a cherry sauce have Gia-
conda regulars purring with pleasure. A reasonably priced wine list, relaxed atmosphere,
and pleasant staff complete the attractive package.
9 Denmark St., WC2.
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020/7240-3334.
www.giacondadining.com. Main courses £11.75-£31.50. AE,
MC, V. Mon-Fri noon-2:15pm and 6-9:15pm. Tube: Tottenham Court Rd.
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