Cuisine: French
Cost:
Rating:
Where?: The Berkeley, Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, London. SW1X 7RL
Closest station(s): Hyde Park Corner, Knightsbridge, Victoria.
Telephone: 0207 235 1010
Website: www.the-berkeley.co.uk/koffmanns
Koffmann’s is a welcome return for Pierre Koffmann to the London restaurant scene having previously held three Michelin stars with the Tante Claire on Royal Hospital Road. Following his break he has returned to the Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge with a more relaxed effort in the form of a French brasserie, this restaurant will not win three Michelin stars however it is not trying to.
The menu is a joy to peruse with little effort made to build up unnecessary pretention or theatre; from snails, bone marrow and wild mushroom to Gascony-style black pudding with Darphin potatoes and fig chutney – there is something refreshing and exciting about the menu. The a la carte sees starters around £12 and mains around £25; for this you get excellent produce cooked in ways that simply attempt to draw out the quality of the produce.
The pig’s trotter salad with which I started was fantastic, I can’t say I often eat salads in restaurants however the wafer thin slices of trotter with the artichoke and cauliflower worked wonderfully well and left me hugely satisfied. The calf’s liver with which I followed was also very good; I haven’t had liver that well cooked for quite a while. The wine list is again well thought out with something on offer from around £22; they also offer carafes which I found a welcome surprise – possibly for when that second bottle with the mains doesn’t seem quite necessary. On top of this the service was also of a very high standard without being intrusive, it also had a human edge to it which can at times be lost in a hotel setting.
It is the set menu that has drawn the largest crowds, ensuring that the restaurant has a healthy buzz at all times – at £21.50 for two courses it is excellent value. It is a shame that I now find myself coming to the one thing that lets Koffmann’s down, namely the décor. It is horrible. With so much going for it it is such a shame that you are forced to eat in such uninspiring surroundings. It certainly did not ruin my meal and I would recommend Koffmann’s however it has certainly fallen into the hotel trap that all too many restaurants do – seemingly believing that distinguishing features, or features at all for that matter, are unnecessary.
It is great to see Pierre Koffmann back in the capital and Koffmann’s is a positive addition; the cooking is excellent as is the service – just make sure you go there with good company so you won’t have a need to look round at the painfully bland interior.