We check out the quirky intimacy of Gauthier Soho and enjoy the fish dishes at Jason Arterton’s Michelin-starred establishment.
Address: 21 Romilly St, London, W1D 5AF
Intimate, charming, sophisticated and yet understatedly quirky are just some of the qualities attributed to the classic Michelin star French restaurant Gauthier Soho. Tucked down a side street at the bottom of Soho there is no way of knowing that such a gem is hidden behind its intimidating black front door.
Located in an old London townhouse, the restaurant is set over two identical floors (the ground floor replacing what was the drawing room, and the first floor replacing what was the master bedroom), with a quintessentially French design seeping into every corner. White wash walls, high ceilings, large windows, intricate mirrors, round white table clothed tables and stunning flowers on every space work surface are all fused together to create the sense of romantic intimacy. Narrow staircases guide you to and from one floor to the next and are adorned with eclectic art on every wall. This is then matched with the warming and comforting smell of freshly baked bread which rises from the kitchen (located in what was the cellar) to entice the diner further.
Head chef Alexis Gauthier’s keeps the menu simple, splitting it down into four different sections and offering set prices dependent on the number of courses (£35 for three, £45 for four and £55 for five). Uniquely, each dish has a calorie count (who knew that the plate of unpasteurised French cheeses with garnish and biscuits racked up fewer calories (376) than strawberry vacherin (487). And the menus are changed regularly to ensure that only the freshest produce is used.
Alexis Gauthier’s previous restaurant, one-Michelin-starred Roussillon, was always a go-to for creative vegetable dishes and this theme is continued here in Gauthier Soho with such delights as sautéed green and yellow summer squash, tomatoes jam and courgette flower tempura as well as their signature truffle risottos. For a vegetarian eight course set menu expect to pay a very reasonable £60, whilst the meat alternative is only eight pounds more. Meat is still very much a part of this new venture, with highlights including the filet of Welsh lamb with fennel, thyme and parmesan gratin and Anjou Pigeon and confit lemon.
Head up to the second floor and the rafters of the restaurant and you will find two private dining rooms - the Games Room and Hidden Room both of which have seating from 4-16 people. If you are looking for something extra special and almost completely unique to London however head down to the wine cellar, which can be adapted for a romantic dinner for two people only.
Gauthier Soho has a magical and unusual feel to it and is ideal for those looking for something a bit different whilst maintaining a Michelin standard of food. Situated very close to the West End theatre hub, this is also a perfect restaurant for pre or post theatre dining, offering a set dinner (5.30-7pm, 9.30-10.30pm) at £18 for 2 courses or £25 for 3 courses.
Address: 8 Pollen Street, London W1S 1NQ
After a stint at El Bulli and picking up a Michelin star for Gordon Ramsay’s Maze in 2005, Jason Atherton opened his own venue in central London in April. Tucked away in a narrow, nondescript street in Mayfair, the reservations list is filled nightly by smartly dressed gourmands, descending on foot or by taxi to see what all the fuss is about.
Sitting on fabric-covered stools at the long bar, sipping a Greenwich-brewed Meantime lager, there is the unmistakable buzz of a new and contemporary restaurant with a reputation to cement or break here. Making a point of cooking in the kitchen every night, Jason is frequently on hand to chat to diners at the bar and looks very much at ease in his new domain. Despite the snappy attire, the venue remains casual enough to appeal to anyone with a decent budget and an appetite for great cooking.
Led through by what would turn out be the first of several highly attentive waiters, the main dining room is light and spacious, featuring black leather sofa seats against the white walls and square-cut smoked Scandinavian oak throughout. There is also a glass-walled private dining room downstairs, which seats up to fourteen and also doubles as a sommelier’s room for wine tastings and a classroom for cookery lessons.
With a concise menu that is biased towards fish dishes, starters are from around £10 and immaculately presented. Ones worth recommending include the brilliantly paired cauliflower and squid and the Full English breakfast, with a beautifully poached egg and tomato compote, miniature bits of bacon and tiny croutons playing the part of fried bread. Among the mains (averaging around £21), the black bream with prawn bisque is wonderfully fresh and delicate, and the vast wine list contains a wide range of labels and prices. For example, a modest bottle of full-bodied Dr Burklin Wolf Riesling Trocken from the Pfalz in Germany weighs in at £35 and goes very well with the bream.
Desserts (at around £7.50) are more inventive than their names suggest – the red fruit and vanilla cheesecake relies more on the texture of a nutty crumble and the flavour than resembling the dish you were expecting to see. This last course is rounded off with a beautiful dark wooden box containing rich petit fours.
Mr Atherton’s talents were put to the test just six months after the restaurant opened and it is with the ease of success that they were awarded their first Michelin star, which has only furthered the popularity of this excellent Mayfair establishment.
Coutts World Concierge delivered by Ten Lifestyle Management can make restaurant recommendations and bookings all over the world, as well as often secure the best tables and last minute reservations not publicly available. For more information or help with a specific query call 0808 1000 887. If you would like to find out more about the Coutts World Card and its benefits, please speak to your private banker.
