Millennium Hotel,
39 Grosvenor Square,
Mayfair,
London,
W1K 2HP
(020) 7596 3399
The ViewLondon Review
Do not, if someone offers to take you to Avista, turn them down, thinking they mean Harvester. Not, you understand, that there is anything wrong with that venerable family chain, but Avista is so far removed as to be on a different planet; a planet of elegance and luxury.
The Venue
Part of the Millennium Hotel - but with its own entrance - Avista’s vast dining area is artfully arranged in a mixture of booths and tables, all with plenty of space between. The restaurant can seat 75, with a private dining room for up to eight people. In the main room, you can watch the chefs putting their finishing touches to dishes on a granite-topped counter. And if it looks vaguely familiar, that’s because it was featured in the BBC’s Masterchef, broadcast in March.
The Atmosphere
As you would expect from such a salubrious venue, the clientele is well-heeled and mixed — with more than a smattering of venerable gentlemen and suspiciously young-looking women. Doesn’t love conquer all? There are several hipper couples, including what could be Katie Price’s younger, less classy sister, if she has one. Avista is just the best place for people watching.
The Food
Once you do turn your attention to the food, however, you are in for a treat — and a conundrum; the menu sounds so enticing it’s difficult to know what to choose. If you are completely boggled, chef Michele Granziera selects a trio of antipasti (£22), with the same option available for pasta dishes (£24). Even on a chilly November evening, the crab salad with papaya, avocado and lemon and basil sorbet tricks you into believing you’re somewhere exotic. The salad of sweet crab, juicy papaya and cool avocado (£12) works beautifully, but the merest smudge of the sorbet brings it all to life. The sorbet is full of zip and zing, but more than a smidgen threatens to overwhelm the delicate crab. Smoked goose is served with radicchio and celeriac (£14), a colourful combination, but the bitterness of the radicchio is perhaps a little too heavy for the subtle goose. The wafer-thin slices are almost transparent and slightly thicker pieces might have fared better against the leaves.
There are no such quibbles with the mains, however. Pork cheek is presented simply and elegantly on a bed of potato puree (£18), nicely balanced with spinach and a simple red wine jus. But the star of the show is undoubtedly the beef fillet (£27), served with roasted pumpkin, caramelised endive and a silky foie gras jus. A side dish of buttered spinach (£4), recommended by the waiter, is a perfect match. The beef — requested blue - is full of flavour (despite being served rare) and the sweetness of the pumpkin and caramelised endive complement it. Each element on its own is delicious, together they sing. A masterful dish.
If you have any room for pudding, an intriguing sounding hot chocolate foam from the Caribbean with raspberries and ginger (£8.50) turns out to be (cold) chocolate sauce and chocolate ice cream. You have to rummage a bit to find the raspberries and the ginger is undetectable, but for a chocolate lover it’s heaven in a dish. A cheese plate (£9.50) is presented on a slate, a tasty mix of different cheeses including a nutty smoked Scamosa, Pecorino and chunks of Parmesan. The waiter is knowledgeable about the cheese and recommends which to try with the accompanying dollop of honey and which go with the fig marmalade.
The Drink
Avista’s lengthy cocktail includes the gloriously named Porn Star Martini, a concoction of passion fruit, vanilla vodka, passion fruit puree and Champagne. All cocktails are £9. If wine is more your thing, the extensive list leans heavily towards the Italian — reflecting Michele Granziera’s Venetian roots — and includes such gems as the splendidly flinty Gavi di Gavi (£42). There is a Gewurtztraminer Classico, from Trentino Alto Agide (£44), nestled among the more traditional Frascatis, Pinot Grigios and Orvietos.
Among the reds are four Barolos, ranging from £52 to a rather scary £260, but if you really want to live dangerously, opt for the Sassicaia 1999 from Tuscany — a heart-stopping £800. All wines are categorised by region and the only exceptions to the Italian rule are a Manzanilla and Champagne, starting with a Lanson Black Label at £55. But who’s complaining?
The Last Word
To borrow from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s iconic phrase: you have to go to Avista. Baby.
Avista Restaurant has been reviewed by 1 users