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The Hedonist

Galvin Bistrot de Luxe – Review

June 5, 2017 by Adrian

Galvin Bistrot de Luxe                       Marylebone

66 Baker St, Marylebone, London W1U 7DJ
020 7935 4007/galvinrestaurants.com

I’ve always regarded Galvin Bistrot de Luxe as the spiritual home of Chris and Jeff Galvin’s restaurant group. It’s a take on the classic French Bistrot both in terms of the menu and the restaurant’s interior with an emphasis on the ‘Luxe’ in relation to the food offer.IMG_1026The brothers have recently taken over the restaurant at the smartly refurbished The Athanaeum Hotel (see my review) and also just opened is Galvin HOP, their pub in Spitalfields. So I’m pleased to have been invited to review the beating heart of their burgeoning gastro empire to see how it’s faring. IMG_1025The room is classical Bistrot style; dark wood and cream with comfy bentwood chairs and Art Deco touches. Fiona and I scan the menu which speaks of largesse and good sourcing whilst sipping on a citrussy glass of NV Galvin Grande Reserve Brut (£12.50)…IMG_1009and some deliciously light cheese Gougères. I should also mention the bread and butter; the bread had a wonderful texture and a light malted flavour and the crust was crisp and intense. The butter had that rich freshly made taste and wasn’t overly salted.IMG_1011My Lasagna of Dorset crab, Nantais butter sauce (£13.50 ) was a silky, eggy (in a good way) pasta with its fluffy crab and scallop interior doused in a soothing citrusy chive and butter sauce. It’s a cardiologist’s nightmare but who cares when it’s this good. The dish is a Galvin classic and I order this plate of wobbly deliciousness whenever I can.IMG_1012I moved on to a glass of 2014 Galvin Chardonnay, Vincent Girardin (£7.50). It was buttery and full bodied which could probably be a description of the whole meal! The Chardonnay was a great match with my poached Atlantic cod, orange braised endive, juniper and rock samphire (£24.50). The fish was firm textured and the bitterness of the chicory was sweetened by the orange.IMG_1013Fiona’s 2015 Galvin Rasteau, Domaine la Soumade Rhone (£7.50) was bursting with blackberry flavours and was perfect for her beautifully plated tender honey-glazed Magret duck breast, beetroot, the highly prized Grelot onion and pomegranate (£25). The mains were both classic dishes but served with an original twist.IMG_1015 IMG_1014Waxy Ratte potatoes were slathered with the iodine burst of a seaweed butter and ranks of green beans were crisp and …buttery!  (£4 each).IMG_1019Apple Tarte Tatin and Normandy crème fraiche (£8) was a sultry take on Les Soeurs Tatin’s classic dessert; thick slabs of caramelised apple sitting on a flaky pastry base.IMG_1023I really like Galvin Bistrot de Luxe. It is an eminently civilised space that delivers on all levels but with a twinkle in its eye. The restaurant offers an amazing value Prix fixe with 3 courses for £15.50 at lunch and £19.50 for dinner so de Luxe dining is for once accessible to all. Galvin Bistrot de Luxe is a place for grown up fun and we all need a bit of that every so often.

Galvin Bistrot de Luxe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Square Meal

Galvin at The Athenaeum – Review

February 17, 2017 by Adrian

Galvin at The Athenaeum          Mayfair

116 Piccadilly, Mayfair, W1J 7BJ
0207 499 3464/info@theathenaeum.com
IMG_0366
 Those Fabulous Galvin Boys, Chris and Jeff Galvin, have taken over the restaurant at The Athanaeum Hotel in swanky Mayfair. It opened in the summer having undergone a stylish 6 month refurb and serves
signature Galvin dishes with a West Country inflected British twist.
IMG_0368The interior is framed in a series of wood tones with parquet flooring and a hint of Art Deco. But on a cold winter’s night Fiona and I had come to eat and drink not to admire the soft furnishings. The charming Maitre D’ William Gambarini suggested matching our wines with the food and it would have been churlish not to agree. The wine list features English wines and stores them on tap in 25 litre tanks for freshness. To celebrate the burgeoning English wine scene we opened proceedings with a glass of Bacchus, made from the eponymous German grape variety, from the Kingscote Vineyard in  Essex (£7.50). It was a perfect aperitif with its elderflower notes and a well-balanced acidity.
IMG_0377Wheat bread with Neverend Farm butter (£3.50) was fresh out of the oven and had great texture and flavour.
IMG_0379Galvin cured smoke salmon, blini, sour cream, and caviar (£12.50) had a delicate smokiness and was enlivened by the sweet dill sauce, the salty caviar and the sour cream which was well matched by Fiona’s glass of Galvin Bourgogne Chardonnay Terroir Noble 2014 (£10.25).
IMG_0378My lasagna of Dorset crab with a Nantais butter sauce (£15.50 ) had really silky, eggy (in a good way) pasta and a soothing chive and butter sauce with an undercurrent of lemon. I was drinking a Beaujolais blanc from Maison Coquard, Burgundy (£6.90)  that was beautifully balanced with enough acidity to cut through the richness of the food.
IMG_0381Pan-roasted cod, cockle and potato chowder (£23.50) was a beautifully cooked piece of fish with a chowder that was more of a foam than anything too hearty and the delicate red fruit flavours of the
Elegance Rosé, Carteron, Côtes de Provence  2015 (£7.25) brought some welcome Provençal sunshine to the table.
IMG_0380I was really excited by the prospect of my main, a Yellowfin tuna burger with white cabbage slaw and avocado (£21.50) as I’ve never had a tuna burger before. I love to eat my tuna very rare but I think that in the context of a burger I should have ordered it a little more well done to bring some heat to the middle of the bun. As it was it would make a great summer dish. My accompanying glass of Crimson Pinot Noir 2014 Ata Rangi, Martinborough, New Zealand 2014 was full bodied bursting with cherry flavours.
IMG_0384Our sides of sauté spinach was fine but triple cooked house chips had a surprisingly molten centre unlike any chip I had eaten before (they were made with Maris Piper potatoes) and came with a poky spiced mayo (£4 each).
IMG_0387Dessert was another nod to the West Country with a poised take on a caramelised apple tart and a cider brandy ice-cream (£7.50). The caramel notes of the tart were beautifully picked up by my glass of
Domaine des Chénes Rivesaltes Ambré 2006 (£9).
IMG_0388Fiona enjoyed her sticky toffee pudding with Cornish clotted cream  (£8) given added rich raisin flavours by a tarry glass of  Nectar Pedro Ximinez.
IMG_0385To finish (us) off William suggested a glass of  Galvin 10 year old Tawny (£12) with an attractive label design from Chris Galvin’s daughter.
IMG_0389

I love the Brasserie Deluxe concept-with the comfort and sophistication of fine dining but without the sky-high prices. The menu at The Athenaeum is eclectic and accessible catering for the business traveller and tourist as much as the local business and residential crowd, but the Galvin’s commitment to quality shines through in every detail so its well worth a visit if you are in the West End.

Square Meal

Galvin- The Athenaeum Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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