The Restaurant at One Ninety
our comments
The Gore Hotel is sited on Queen’s Gate, that big road behind which are buildings that house some of the most talented people in the country; The Royal Albert Hall, Imperial College London, The Royal Academy of Music and the Natural History Museum.
The first place we visited was the bar (quelle surprise) and what hits you is the way the décor has been completely left to its own devices. One element they have added recently is Cinderella’s Carriage, completely random it must be said, but with the DJ mixing desk on show at the end of the bar, hiring that for a minimum spend of £100 on one of the future Burlesque evenings could be the smartest idea yet. Take That! allegedly spent an evening in the new VIP area, but I’m sure they didn’t pay for the privilege.
So, out of the bar and directly opposite into the restaurant, and wow - pictures galore, large antique mirrors and brasserie-style seating. For starters we had the duck and foie gras terrine, wrapped in parma ham with bronze wood sorrel and rustic bread, which was really cold and a bit too hard for my liking, but the duck was particularly good. Also, the pan-seared scallops with pickled watermelon, wild cress and vanilla foam, all cooked to perfection and very tasty but we couldn’t quite work out the vanilla foam bit. The watermelon was a nice combo though.
For mains we opted for the noisette of spring lamb brushed with porcini and mustard with smashed celeriac, red kale, mint and tarragon, and the crisp roasted butterfish, with squid ink risotto and char grilled asparagus. The waiter suggested that my lamb should be cooked medium-rare, which I agreed to, but when it arrived, it wasn’t. The meat was very tender though, but for just under £20, rather disappointing. The butter fish was lovely and, like the scallops, cooked really nicely, but the squid ink risotto was way too salty. The presentation for all our dishes, it must be said, was pretty impressive.
Desserts were the luxury white chocolate cheesecake and bitter chocolate sauce, which was divine, and the lime pannacotta with peppermint syrup; good, but not ‘oh my God’, which is what most girls seem to say when eating it!
The wine list, certainly by the glass, does need looking at. The waiter, who was very attentive and helpful, offered us mostly what seemed to be available at the bar, so nothing that exciting there then. The core list , again set out the way I like it – in styles as opposed to country - had a predominantly old world leaning towards Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhône, plainly trying to please the locals with slightly longer trouser pockets.
One thing I must add though is that if you’re one of our country readers looking to spend a weekend in London, this is a place to recommend. The rooms, all fifty of them, offer the luxury that should come with somewhere in the middle of Kensington but for those of you wanting something slightly ‘out there’, the Tudor room is a must.
T.K-S. - March 2008
your comments review this restaurant and win a bottle of champagne
Good friendly service. Very convenient for the Royal Albert Hall. Prices can work out a bit pricey if you have drinks in the bar, 3 course meal with wine. Reasonably reliable food, but nothing special.
Comment on this reader review
Jenny
Overall rating 
Food 5 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 3
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
