Set within the magical Mayfair Hotel, Amba Bar and Grill blows other hotels out of the water with a menu to rival most of London’s top restaurants.

The Venue
The Amba Bar and Grill is located inside the beautiful Mayfair Hotel. A stone’s throw from Green Park tube, in the heart of Mayfair, you won’t be able to miss the doorway – lit as it is with beautiful cascades of fairy lights.

To reach the restaurant, you need to enter via the gorgeous hotel lobby, which just screams elegance. Light and airy, the white marble and perfect furnishings state you’ve definitely made it into five star Mayfair luxury. The restaurant is a more demure but no less glamorous affair. Dim lighting creates a seductive atmosphere, perfect for a romantic meal, and the large dining room can more than accommodate a busy night. The bar area is more lounging, with comfortable armchairs and seating. The restaurant is made up of sofa seating around the outer edge, with comfortable high-backed chairs facing, with a few additional tables scattered around the middle. The tables are, as you’d expect, laden with spotless white tablecloths and gleaming silver cutlery and glasses. There’s even an open kitchen, tucked out of the way in the back corner, so you can see the chefs at work in their crisp white uniforms – always a good sign as to the cleanliness of the kitchen, although there will be no doubt that everything is of the absolute highest standard.

The Atmosphere
This is a far more formal affair than the Mayfair Bar, which is for the party crowd - come here to relax and dine in style. That said, it’s in no way stuffy; the friendly air is made warm by the staff. Highly professional, all service is with a smile and they spend time with each diner, recommending dishes and explaining the menu if needed. They put you at ease whilst still retaining a strict professionalism that sets this hotel apart as a 5 star venue. The diners are a mix of hotel guests and walk-ins, and they range from the young and beautiful enjoying a romantic date to the older, more distinguished diners, out to enjoy quality food.

The Food
The food at Amba Bar and Grill sets this hotel restaurant in a class all of its own. Expect only the best quality cuisine. It may come with a sizeable price tag, but considering the level of what they achieve and the consistency of the quality, not to mention the stunning surroundings, it is worth every penny.

Starters begin with a light and fresh series of dishes that come in at £8-£12 a go. This may seem a little steep, but it’s money well spent. Highly recommended are dishes such as the salad of red mullet and potato with an olive and anchovy crumble. The red mullet comes beautifully presented and, although not a large portion, it’s more than adequate. The fish is subtle in its flavour, and is cooked so it comes apart easily with a fork with no hint of toughness. The olive and anchovies could easily be overpowering, but instead they compliment the fish and don’t taste at all salty. Especially delicious as a starter is the vegetarian option of new forest mushroom tart, Isle of Wight tomatoes, poached quail’s egg and chive. Again, the portion is small, but perfectly packaged and just what you want as a starter. Rather than being bland like many veggie options, it’s full of flavour. The pastry of the tart is light and crumbly and the mushrooms filled with a distinctive earthy taste. The quail’s egg has a perfectly runny yolk and is just enough to add the much-needed richness to bring the dish together. Divine.

The mains just get better and are priced at a reasonable average price of £15. Trust the recommendations of the staff, a favourite of many is the roasted Aylesbury duck breast with squash, vanilla puree, slow cooked potatoes and blueberry sauce – and it’s easy to see why. The duck, in thick slices, dripping with juices, is perfectly pink in the middle, tender and full of flavour without being overly fatty. The blueberry sauce has whole blueberries and is cooked so as to be soft and not as sweet as you might expect. The mix of the rich duck flavours with the subtle sweetness of the blueberries is out of this world. Another popular dish is the grilled fillet of Devon beef with potato puree, sauteed kale, cep puree and garlic crisp - and it’s easy to see why. Again, the meat is perfectly cooked with great cuts of tender beef that practically melt in the mouth. Be sure to also try the sides such as slow cooked pink fir apple potatoes with garlic and rosemary or the grilled asparagus, lemon juice, cracked black pepper. The asparagus is particularly good, having an almost char-grilled flavour that really adds something to the mains.

Rather than being full of fat and overly filling, all the dishes are light, full of flavour and just large enough to make you feel comfortably full, so go one step further and get a dessert. A little taste of heaven is the Jersey cream trio for £7 – an expensive dessert, certainly, but well worth it. Not just ice cream, this is a rich frozen Jersey cream, which makes the tastebuds dance. It comes in three differently flavoured scoops, which change regularly but include coffee, chocolate and vanilla. It’s a fresh dessert, perfect for those who like creamy sweets. Highly recommended is the meringue with British berries and clotted cream ice cream; the meringue is light and sweet and mixes with the tangy berries in an incredible taste sensation. The clotted cream ice cream adds the balance with the creamy texture making each mouthful better than the last.

The Drink
The wine list at Amba Bar and Grill is comprehensive and remarkably inexpensive considering the quality of the restaurant. With a nice selection of whites, reds and roses, you can buy a decent bottle for around £20, which is great value for money. If you don’t want wine then there’s always the cocktail menu or bottles of beer. All reasonably priced considering the 5 star location and much better value than some nearby venues.

The Last Word
The Amba Bar and Grill is a masterpiece bringing together decadent surroundings and top class service with incredible food – at a fraction of the price of many of London’s top restaurants. If you want to sample quality then this is a great place to visit – highly recommended.

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