IN BRIEF:
- Food: 9/ 10
- Service: 9/ 10
- Atmosphere: 9/ 10
- Overall: 9/ 10
IN DETAIL:
The Experimental Group, which was opened by three childhood friends in 2007, remains one of the great small independent groups operating cocktail bars in London. Now, they are applying their approach to a boutique hotel, with sublime results.
A recent residency with Jackson Boxer of Beaufort House and Orasay demonstrates perfectly what they are all about.
I’ve never tried Jackson’s food before dining at Henri, but I’ve always been intrigued by his reputation, having come from a family of well-known food aficionados, and has worked in some of the great kitchens of our time.
The Parisian-inspired, candlelit bistro has been described by the chef as a love letter to Paris, where he learned the ‘art of eating’.
There is no stuffy staid hotel atmosphere here. Instead, a warm welcome is given and you find out rather quickly that their approach to food and beverage is not like most hotel offerings, which get it wrong time and time again.
The room is dark and cosy with candle-lit tables that have marble tops, lending itself very much for date night dinners, along with the possibility of a business lunch once the lights are turned up.
For starters, my guest and I had the oyster with apple and Chartreuse. I would never have thought this would work, but it is a seriously clever combination. The herbal liqueur pairs incredibly well with the saline oysters and a nice sharp apple to cut through the dish for a zingy acidity.
The snails with garlic and veal rice were incredible and crunchy with a salty meaty almost risotto-like rice.
The scallop with Champagne foam and Jerusalem artichoke butter was perfectly cooked and it was great to have this dish with something a bit different.
The only letdown on the starters was the quail egg with mushroom salt. The egg was in its shell which was a bit fiddly, and the mushroom salt was very heavy on pepper.
Alongside the menus, there was a chalkboard of specials. I love to give these a try when I do see them, and if they are worthy hopefully get to see them on the main menu.
And boy was I in for a treat! The 325-gram beef short rib that I ordered, is a dish that will stay with me as one of the very best dishes I have ever eaten. Perfectly cooked, the meat melted in the mouth. The seasoning verged on a 5 spice one, and I couldn’t get enough of this, I was advised this was for 2 but had no issue finishing it on my own and wanting more. I have lost count of how many people I have told to go there just for this dish since I visited.
We also had a roasted cauliflower with green olive and hazelnut which was again perfectly cooked.
The Duck fat chips that were ordered to accompany the mains were lacking in crispness, which was a shame the tables around us that got them all looked to be of a superior level.
For pudding, we had the Tart Frangipane which was very well baked.
We were then tempted by one of London’s best Cognac lists, the mega-passionate Amy gave us a couple of her recommendations which were their own Hine Cognac Blend and a Fanny Fougerat 2011 vintage Fin Bois from one of the lesser-known areas of Cognac both of these had me in Brandy heaven.
Service is friendly and efficient which matched the venue superbly.
If you are looking for something charming, cosy and with some of the best dishes to be had in or out of a hotel restaurant head to Henri at the Henrietta, you won’t be disappointed.
ADDRESS:
14–15 Henrietta Street WC2E 8QH – London
OPENING TIMES:
Open every day
Breakfast – 7am to 10.30am
Lunch – 12pm to 2.30pm
Pre theatre – 5pm to 7pm
Dinner – 5pm to 11pm
Related: Restaurant review: William IV Dining Room, Shoreditch