The Cumberland Hotel,
Great Cumberland Place,
Marble Arch,
London,
W1H 7DL
(020) 7616 5930
The ViewLondon Review
Located within the very grand Cumberland Hotel in Marble Arch, Rhodes W1 Brasserie just about manages to feel like its own entity, far enough away from the top and tails of the concierge and with enough of its own character to avoid being one of those typically sterile hotel restaurants.
The Venue
Rhodes W1 Brasserie is simple yet refined, with rust coloured, velvety fabric lining the chairs, mahogany woods set against deep purples and softened sky blue slats injecting a bit of colour along one wall. It’s all lit seductively by gentle spotlights and golden chandeliers, making it feel elegant and alluring yet modest enough to let the excellent food do the talking.
The Atmosphere
Thanks to a lack of any partition between the bar and the restaurant it does at first feel a little open, but the warm colours, soft din and exemplary service swiftly ensure you’re made to feel surprisingly relaxed, secluded and at home. Fellow diners with accents from all around the world are often the only reminder that you’re in a hotel restaurant, but such is the excellent spacing of tables and the perfectly-pitched hum of the musical accompaniment that you don’t really hear them anyway. All in all, everything is unrushed and easy - this is one restaurant that gets its atmosphere, service and ambience well and truly spot on.
The Food
Considering Gary Rhodes is so well known for his love of British cooking it comes as something of a surprise that the menu features a whole host of influences from across Europe. What’s not surprising though is the quality, which goes to further cement his reputation as one of the country’s favourite and finest chefs.
Starters begin with aplomb, with an Italian salad (£7.50) of roasted red and yellow peppers, rocket, courgette and creamy Bocconcino cheese beautifully paired with fennel salami and coppa, a delicious cured cut of pork. The octopus carpaccio (£9) is an immaculately balanced combination of raw octopus, micro cress, pink grapefruit and creme fraiche – just make sure you get all the components on your fork.
Mains are every bit as impressive, with an exquisite lemon sole (£21) boasting fresh, flaking flesh and a perfectly crisp skin, served with plump shrimps and a light pistachio butter. The slow roast pork fillet (£19) is even better, with the tender meat stuffed with sweet and fragrant apricot and sage and served with a creamy butter potato fondant, a remarkably flavoursome pea puree and a pork and apricot jus.
You should expect any dessert by Gary Rhodes to wow, and thankfully these don’t disappoint. The apple and hazelnut cake (£6) shows a surprising restraint with the sugar and butter but it’s all the better for it, with the delicate flavours being accentuated by honey caramel and a very good sour cream ice cream. Probably the finest part of the whole meal though, is the fruit salad (£6) - an astoundingly well-balanced combination of fresh fruit, a light and airy prosecco sabayon and a zesty raspberry sorbet, dressed with a sweet elderflower syrup that brings everything together beautifully. It’s worth the trip alone.
The Drink
There’s a long wine list that’s made a great deal more approachable thanks to good categorisation and excellent advice from the ever-knowledgeable staff, enabling even novices to pick something they’ll enjoy. Prices ensure you can go from affordable (£19.50 for a decent merlot) right up to £95 Bordeauxs and beyond, with plenty of choice in between. Of particular note though are a very light, dry and crisp Albarino from the Bodegas Castro Martin (£35); a velvety and fruity Argentinean Malbec from Familia Cassone (£31); and a very drinkable, light and crisp Montrose Rose Vin de Pays (£24).
The Last Word
An excellent dining experience all round, Rhodes W1 is highly recommended.
Rhodes W1 Brasserie has been reviewed by 1 users