Serving up safe, traditional food, The Wellington is certainly a decent spot, but not somewhere to cross town for.

The Venue
Situated a short walk from Bayswater and Queensway Underground stations, the Wellington restaurant is located in the intimate terrace dining room of the Blakemore Hotel. The Blakemore hotel is nearing the end of a renovation period that has seen each and every room extended and refurbished and should see the hotel upgraded to a four star rating. Thankfully, the work has been carried out without interruption to the dining room, which is located on the ground floor and looks out onto Leinster Gardens. As well the dinner options, the restaurant is also open for Sunday lunch with traditional roast options available.

The Atmosphere
The Wellington has an intimate dining atmosphere and with capacity for a relatively small number of customers, each table receives close attention by the waiting staff. The dining room adjoins the hotel bar but the two are suitably separated to ensure that the dining experience is not mixed with that of hotel guests enjoying a night cap.

The Food
The menu consists of recognisable staples and diners of all tastes should find something to their liking. Starters, which are priced around the £6 mark include prawn cocktail, garlic breaded mushrooms, mozzarella salad, calamari and a soup of the day. For the main course, diners can choose from dishes including breaded fish and chips, homemade lasagne, chicken curry, grilled salmon fillet and rosemary and garlic grilled lamb chops with red wine jus for between a reasonable £10 and £15.

The dessert options are similarly recognisable, with options such as apple crumble, sticky toffee pudding, four layer fudge cake and profiteroles for under £6. The standout offering here though is the red velvet fudge cake; a sumptuous raspberry sponge cake with layers of raspberry sauce, covered in a delicious, but surprisingly light, white chocolate fudge icing.

All of the food is well presented and delivered, with well-chosen portion sizes ensuring that you should be able to comfortably enjoy three courses. The eponymous Blakemore steak is cooked according to preference with a pepper crust that adds just the right amount of flavour without masking the natural tenderness of the cut. The lamb chops are delicious, with just the right amount of red wine jus to avoid drowning the meat.

The menu delivers taste and should certainly please the taste buds of hotel residents, but the options lack the style and ambition of a destination restaurant. Having mastered these traditional favourites, hopefully the Wellington can branch out with more signature dishes, losing some slightly outdated choices in favour of new flavours that will make its name as a restaurant with a hotel attached, rather than a hotel restaurant.

The Drink
The Wellington’s wine list is well stocked, with a mixture of red, white and sparkling wines to accompany their menu starting at around £15. The waiting staff are able to offer recommendations to complement the menu, with fruity whites to accompany fish dishes and sweet, plummy reds to accompany meat choice. Supported by a well stocked bar, the usual soft drinks and spirits are also on offer, however a cocktail menu would add something to the drinks list and offer diners more choice.

The Last Word
While the food hits the right spot in terms of taste and appearance, the menu options play it safe. As the hotel is renovated from top to bottom, the food menu too will need refreshing to keep up with some stiff competition in an area of London renowned for the finer things in life.

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