The Capital

My first visit for maybe fifteen years, and certainly no disappointments at lunch yesterday. Each of the six courses we tried between us was nicely flavoured, well-presented and cooked just right, and at £29.50 for three courses its certainly not overpriced.

Overall I'd say that the food may lack a little of the creative spark and intensity that you might expect at say Royal Hospital Road or even Tom Aikens, but the food is excellent.

I wish I could be as complementary about the values in the wine list as I have been about the food, but the entire list seems to me to be extremely expensive and poor value. For example the least expensive glass of red I could find was £10.50. I've downrated the vfm score because of this- for food alone it would rate more highly, but they badly need a selection of decent wines in the £20 -£30 range, and explain to the wine buyer that there's no point offering a great value lunch deal if you don't cater for a compatible budget on wines.

The atmospherics are sober and bland- the usual blond woods and plenty of glass. A bit short of character really, but improved as the place filled up.
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David Henderson
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 7
Friday, August 22, 2008

My wife and I visit London at least annually and enjoy trying wonderful restaurants. Over the past 15 years, we have dined at The Capital four times, and returned again last week. While we appear to be in the minority, we were terribly dissappointed. The decor has been changed since our last visit and is not the lovely classical setting that we used to enjoy. It was also surprising that on a Saturday evening. many guests wore jeans, and only two of us wore jacket and tie. I may be old fashioed, but it just seems appropriate to dress a little for a two star Michelin restaurant. That said, I did not feel as though I dined in a two star restaurant. I had the lamb, which was served as three small medallions, two of which were so fatty that I could not cut or eat them. My wife had the same and her meat was fine. When the waiter removed the plate she must have noticed the uneatten chunks of fatty mass, but said nothing, nor did she ask if we enjoyed our meals. Contrary to another review concerning the sommelier, we ordered a wine at 85 GBP over which the sommelier seemed to sneer. The wine was not decanted and was poured heavily to avoid the need for return trips. This was a sad contrast to the prior visits which were so memorable.
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Stuart Finestone
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Monday, November 26, 2007

We were thinking about spending Christmas Eve at The Capital and so went to have lunch there to try it out. What a gastronomic experience! The food was delicious and the presentation outstanding. The service was attentive and professional without being overbearing. The wine recommended by the sommelier was a real find and at £69 for the bottle, really reasonable considering the quality. We so enjoyed our experience that we have booked and confirmed for Christmas Eve.
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Kelly
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Sunday, October 14, 2007

I would echo the sentiments of some of the other reviewers here: The food and service are truly excellent; just what you would expect from a two-star establishment. At under £30, lunch has to be one of the best deals in London.

As mentioned by other reviewers, the wine list is very steeply priced, with some pretty outrageous markups (even by London restaurant standards). There is, however, a good selection of wines by the glass which probably represent better value for money.

The decor in the dining room itself is hard to describe - quite conservative, it's a bit 'civic-centre' circa 1985. It can also be very quiet if there aren't many other customers, making your normal level conversation feel boomingly loud. This doesn't detract, though, from what is a great eating experience - well worth a try in my opinion.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 7
Sunday, September 30, 2007

i am a regular customer of London's main best restaurants and haute cuisine is my hobby.

The Capital is a mystery to me: the room is not very well lighted. The atmosphere a bit dull. The noise level rather low, ie, not so lively. And it is part of an hotel which is a negative for many people. In a word, this is the restaurant, i was told, you would not bring your young girlfriend but you grand mother! But that would be a shame!

The Capital and Eric Chavot is one of the best restaurants I know in Europe: the cuisine from the always innovative mise en bouche (try to find elsewhere such a well-researched/thought, delicate mise en bouche) to home-made chocolates as mignardises. How come this restaurant is not so well known in London and that more often than not, it is not fully-booked is a mistery for me. One of the key points of this quality is that the room can contain a max of 30-35 guests. And you dont cook the same quality cuisine -"cuisine minute"- when you serve 25 guests vs 75. That's obvious. The lunch menu on Sunday is a joke in terms of value for menu: it shoud be overbooked every sunday for a year in advance! and it is not!

i don't want to be lyrical as it would descredit my critic. there is one mistake at the Capital: the wine list: good but way too expensive. I am lucky enough to be willing to spend money on my hobby but any decent Burgundy is priced at above GBP 200. that is not right.

the service is very good and discreet.

this is London's best kept secret. in fact it reminds me of la Tante Claire and Pierre Kaufmann before the restaurant was closed in December 2002 when Petrus moves in. The mistake of Eric Chavot is that he is not marketing-oriented enough. this is his mistake but our luck as we have really high quality cuisine. but for how long? go there before it closes or Eric Chavot leaves. because he will.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Well, the food was superb, lunch on a Sunday at The Capital. One of the best meals I've had, and at £30 for three courses (albeit £7.50 supplement for cheese) that's pretty good.

Wine markup is a bit OTT though - the Rhone we had was £55 - list price £12! Bit of cross-subsidisation going on there methinks.

Restaurant was only half full as well, which I was surprised to see for a two star place.

Despite reservations, worth it for the food experience.
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Simon
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 7
Monday, July 30, 2007

My husband and I where yesterday for dinner in this awesome place. We had the tasting menu along with the wine degustation and it was fantastic. The place is lovely, the staff extremely friendly and the atmosphere incredible. I woul definetely go back there and I would encourage anyone to go and try. Excellent.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Sunday, July 29, 2007

Wow what a wonderful restaurant.

I came here for a business lunch and it could not have gone better. We were a group of ladies and the food was light and filling. The flavors were amazing and for the price, nothing compares in London. I mean £29.95 for three courses where else is there such an offer for Lunch in a two star Michelin restaurant especially in Knightsbridge.

I will definitely be back...and as for recommendations we all had something different and no one was disappointed so I would say be adventurous! Also if you have a thing for chocolate then you will think you have died and gone to heaven when you get to the deserts and mignardise.
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Jacqueline de Mer
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Wonderful, wonderful restaurant. I took my husband there last night to celebrate his birthday and couldn't have a picked a better place. The food is outstanding - as is the service. They even prepared a litle cake with a candle for the end of dinner - unfortunately we were so full by that point we couldn't really do it justice! Additionally, they put some of their amazing chocolates into a box for us to take home.

Cannot speak more highly of this gem and would recommend to anyone looking for an evening with exceptional food and knowledgeable and friendly staff.
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JD
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Thursday, April 05, 2007

My partner and I also had the degustation menu with accompanying wines - absolutely amazing. The service was impeccible, the atmosphere was a felt a little clinical, but the food spoke volumes.

A thoroughly fantastic experience and I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys their food, the fine balance of flavours and textures with amazing wine to compliment the creativity of the Chef! Walked out with a spring in my step and warmth in my soul!
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Sam
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, February 28, 2007