The Northall

One of two restaurants at The Corinthia Hotel, the other being the highly-lauded Massimo, The Northall restaurant shouldn’t be overshadowed by its sibling as it’s more than able to hold its own in terms of the food it turns out from the kitchen - and the room’s a looker, too.

The Venue
Positioned opposite the cocktail-toting Bassoon bar, The Northall is a huge space that starts with a cavernous bar area before winding round into a full-on formal dining space with starchy white table linen, caramel button-down banquette seating with matching armchairs, and beautifully restored white pillars with intricate cornicing. Gaping floor-to-ceiling windows allow views out over Embankment and Whitehall and there’s even a mezzanine level offering further covers, although at present these sit unoccupied.

The Atmosphere
Given that Massimo has the Michelin-starred Italian chef Massimo Riccioli at its helm, Northall is in danger of playing second fiddle in its own hotel. Numbers, on a recent visit, are still to pick up and the room is noticeably quiet. Staff, it has to be said, do their upmost to make your visit an enjoyable one and the room is so grand and impressive that you can’t help thinking it would make an amazing wedding reception venue – especially given its location next to the Thames and so many iconic sights of London.

The Food
The menu is a fantastic showcase of the best of British ingredients. From short horn cattle steaks from the Lake District to seafood from the Cornish coast, this is a celebration of everything that’s good about indigenous produce. Another plus point are the prices. Yes single dishes can amount to upwards of £20-£30 a main, but there’s a two course daily market menu available for £18 and a Cumbrian beef burger and fries is £16, which represents good value considering the surroundings and the quality of the ingredients.

Starters include a classic red mullet soup (£8). This is poured into a bowl at the table by a member of staff and it has a rich terracotta-colour, a silky smooth consistency and a lingering sweetness on the tongue. It comes with condiments including brittle crisp breads and grated gruyere cheese. The extras definitely improve the flavour and it’s the sort of dish that continues to please until you’re finished.

It’s hard to ignore the steaks when you get to your main course. Taking pride place on the main course section of the menu, you can choose from rib-eye, sirloin, fillet, or even bone-in rib for two people to share. The rib-eye (300g) is a fine specimen, with distinctive marbling and lots of fatty, unctuous bits. A side of triple cooked chips (fine) and a perfectly decent béarnaise sauce (no extra charge) combine with the meat for a very satisfying plate.

It should also be noted that, to their credit, they admirably provide for diners who need to eat gluten-free. Despite not knowing in advance, gluten free bread is proffered and advice is given throughout on suitable dishes. Very commendable.

The Drink
The wine list may not be as biblical in proportions as some of the top restaurants in London, but sometimes that’s a good thing. Laurent Perrier is the house champagne and glasses cost £14 each. Wine by the glass includes a clean, minerally Gerard Tremblay Chablis (£12) and a stunning Palacios Redmondo Rioja (£18) but entry level glasses start from £7.50, and bottles from £26.

The Last Word
As one of two restaurants in the lavish Corinthia Hotel, The Northall may not win as many plaudits as its more illustrious sibling, but it is without a doubt a very fine specimen in its own right. A great location, lovely surroundings, high quality food and drink – it’s got it all covered. Now it just needs more bums on seats to make the room fizz. If they manage that, it’ll be well on the way to earning that extra star.

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