Under the guidance of British foodie favourite Mark Hix, HIX at the Albemarle offers up old fashioned favourites with style and class.

The Venue
Brown’s Hotel has seen a lot since it opened as the first hotel in London in 1837, from the first ever telephone call (courtesy of Alexander Graham Bell) and honeymooning Roosevelts to a £24 million renovation in 2005. It’s one of the most respected hotels in the capital and, as such, boasts an award winning tea room, The English Tea Room, and a restaurant, HIX at the Albemarle, overseen by Mark Hix.

HIX at the Albermarle is a sophisticated, upscale place, with lovely dark brown wood panelled walls and pretty, vibrant green seats. Tables are covered with crisp white cloths and there’s an effortless, stylish air about the venue. Some interesting artwork adds a touch of quirkiness but otherwise all is smart, classic and professional.

The Atmosphere
The service is professional as well, friendly but not overly so and capable without having to hover. The clientele varies and seems to be a mix of businessmen and hotel guests, either holding court at meetings or having a leisurely meal, plus a well behaved child or two having a lucky lunch with their mum – or nanny.

The Food
The menu, by executive chef Marcus Verberne and Mark Hix, features old fashioned British dishes sourced using UK produce. There are several sharing options as well as a daily changing lunch trolley, which ranges from roast saddle of Kentish lamb (£23.75) to roast rib of Hereford beef with Yorkshire pudding (£24.50).

Starters feature oysters (Maldon or Carlingford Lough rocks), soups and a trio of options featuring Wye Valley asparagus as well as dishes like De Beauvoir smoked salmon Hix cure with scrambled Burford Brown eggs (£13.75), gull’s eggs with celery salt and mayonnaise (£6.50 each) and Cornish lamb’s sweetbreads with wild boar bacon and ramsons (£9.75). Perhaps the most traditional of them all is the potted Morecambe Bay shrimps (£12.75), a large portion of the tiny, tangy shrimps with a creamy mayonnaise that tastes indulgent but not overly rich.

Mains are divided into grills and fish, such as fish and chips with mushy peas (£14.50), whole roasted St. Ives mackerel with shaved fennel, radish and caper salad (£14.75), a 300g Aberdeenshire 28-day aged filled steak on the bone (£34.75) or chargrilled Kentish lamb cutlets with spring bubble and squeak (£23.50). If you’re a fan of venison it would be a crime to miss out on the fillet of Kingairloch red deer (£22.75), which is pink, tender and meltingly soft. It’s served, interestingly, with neeps and haggis, with add a sweet and salty element to the dish. The haggis is especially impressive and has a thick, almost stew-like consistency.

Instead of a usual dessert you can opt for a small savoury snack – also available at Hix’s Soho restaurant – like Angels on Horseback (oysters wrapped with bacon, £6.50) or Scotch woodcock (scrambled eggs, anchovies and toast, £6.25). Traditionalists with a sweet tooth, though, will be pleased to see the signature ginger parkin cake (£6.50) and Trinity burnt cream (£6.75). For a more unusual choice, the sea buckthorn berry posset (£6.50) is tart, sweet and refreshingly light.

The Drink
The impressive wine list features over 400 choices from around the world, with all the usual wine producing companies thoroughly represented along with a few more unusual areas, such as Hungary, Portugal and Canada. By the glass, wines range from £7.50 to £11 and bottles range from the mid-twenties to well over £5,000. Should you be overwhelmed, the sommelier is more than helpful – a recommended Cotes de Provence 2005 works well with the deer, thanks to its rich, spicy flavours.

The Last Word
An impressive restaurant that remains modern and stylish despite – and indeed, perhaps thanks to – its traditional menu, HIX at The Albemarle is a great example of how to use British ingredients to their fullest.

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