BOOKATABLE FEAST ON LONDON: THE GILBERT SCOTT

Everyone loves a good deal in London, and I particularly love having a browse of the Bookatable Star Deals and discovering new and old classic places to try out. For the month of April, Bookatable is offering limited edition Feast on London deals that feature a selection of hand-picked dining experiences to celebrate the city’s culinary heritage. With numerous mouth-watering options to choose from, I finally decided on The Gilbert Scott that I have been wanting to visit for the longest time. Set within the 19th-century surrounds of the majestic St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, this grand dining experience from Marcus Wareing is known to showcase the finest British seasonal produce.

We were welcomed with a complimentary sweet aperitif Bee Keeper cocktail: lavender infused Bombay Sapphire gin, Melfort Farm honey, sloe gin, lemon, hibiscus and elderflower.

I ordered the smoked salmon pâté which was really smooth and creamy, the richness cut through by the fresh cucumber and lemon jam, served with a couple of pieces of crispy rye toast. The duck ham was equally tasty with calçot onion, iberico tomato and Cornish little leaves. Both the starters were light yet satisfying and perfect for this sunnier spring/summer weather that is slowly but surely creeping up on us.

I like to have a mix of fish and meat options, so for my main, I went for the pork belly, and the truffle mash on the side had also certainly caught my eye … Sliced with precision, there was a juicy layer of fat in between the tender layers of meat. The crackling on top had a nice golden colour to it but wasn’t quite as crispy as it appeared and was a bit hard to bite/cut through, but that pork jus was delicious. I undoubtedly enjoyed the creamy truffle mash, with a slight tanginess from the piccalilli sauce.

The harissa marinated lamb rump came with a £6 supplement, but it was definitely worth ordering – served medium rare with a lovely pink centre, complemented by flavours of the mint chutney. The yoghurt added a nice balance to the dish and I liked the added texture from the ground pistachios.

We also orderd some extra sides with our meal, because I love my veg … : chestnut mushrooms sauteed in classic garlic & herb butter, and tenderstem broccoli with salsa verde.

I was initially tempted by the chocolate nougat (because who doesn’t love chocolate?), but the sunshine in my face swayed me towards the lighter option of lemon, meringue and blackberry. That perfectly quinelled blackberry sorbet was very refreshing and definitely what I needed to offset the richness of the pork dish.

The caramelised banana soft serve was just as tasty as it sounded, topped with a sweet and crunchy honeycomb – ice cream on a sunny day is always a winner.

Overall, we enjoyed our experience at The Gilbert Scott, and it was just as pleasant as I had imagined it to be.

The Feast on London menu at The Gilbert Scott which includes a cocktail and 3 courses is priced at £30 (excluding service charge) and is available from 1st – 30th April 2018 – you can check availability via Bookatable and maybe have a browse of other participating venues which include some of the best restaurants in London. Happy feasting!

The Cheekster, signing out x

• Written in collaboration with Bookatable