56 Curzon Street,
London,
W1J 8PA
0871 971 3314
The ViewLondon Review
A posh restaurant in Mayfair is nothing new, but when celebrity chef Marco Pierre White is behind the helm, London takes notice.The VenueMirabelle may be plush, but for all its airs there’s quite a cool bohemian-esque Art Nouveau style to the decor. It’s a basement venue, with a stark beige staircase leading down to the reception area and into a swanky bar and lounge, with low velvet seats in green and maroon, framed sketches on the walls and a beaded divider into the restaurant area. This is a large, bright space, with ample tables, leather banquettes and large flower vases. The trompe l'oeil artwork is quite unusual – instead of the normal hanging paintings, the art is painted directly onto the wall and interspersed with painted letters and photographs, giving off the impression that you’ve stumbled into the house of a scatterbrained 19th century art collector. There's also a spacious outdoor patio area, with wooden chairs and big red umbellas.
The AtmosphereFor a restaurant as girly as Mirabelle, it seems a bit odd that the lunchtime crowd is mostly made up of older businessmen taking clients out for a meal. There are a few French patrons as well, which always bodes well for the authenticity of a French restaurant. Whilst the lounge has a bit of a funkier atmosphere thanks to Amy Winehouse on the stereo, the restaurant’s clientele is all Mayfair.
The FoodFrench food unsurprisingly dominates the menu, which is enormous both in its choices and its actual size. To sample the high life at a fraction of the price, however, there’s always the option of the daily changing set menu, which serves up delights such as a chicken liver parfait, deliciously lovely on its own and when combined with a sweet plum chutney and slice of crispy toasted brown bread. The sea bass main was well cooked and accompanied by an odd combination of sides. The figs, a crisp cheddar cracker, carmelised shallots and chunky mash were all tasty and strangely but surely complemented the sea bass with pea foam and a tapenade coating. Desserts run the gamut from fruit-filled tarts to creamy and chocolatey puddings, plus the ubiquitous cheeses.
The DrinkThe impressively vast wine list (there are literally hundreds to choose from) is made up of bottles from across France, plus a few lucky ones from other countries like Spain, Italy and the Americas. Whilst some are jaw-droppingly expensive, most bottles are around the £35.00 mark and there are a couple that are steals at under £20.00.
The Last WordMirabelle knows its Mayfair clientele through and through, and though the decor might be slightly hipper than the customers, the food is lovely enough to please all Londoners - and tourists - alike.