Dine & Stay at The Goring - The Last Word in British Luxury Hospitality

Name: Dine & Stay at The Goring Hotel and The Dining Room

Where: 15 Beeston Place, London SW1W 0JW, http://www.thegoring.com/food-drink/the-dining-room/

Cost: The Dine & Stay Package priced at £520 for two includes overnight accommodation, a three-course dinner for two in the Goring Dining Room and a full English or continental breakfast.

For those who do not want an overnight stay but still enjoy a meal at The Goring, there is a three-course lunch menu at £49.00 or £55.00 on Sundays. The three-course dinner menu starts from £60.00, and there is also a two-course pre-theatre menu priced at £35.00.

About: Built by current owner Jeremy Goring’s great-grandfather Otto in 1910, The Goring has been run by the eponymous family since it opened. The Goring remains a favourite address for international travellers and locals alike seeking a quintessentially British luxury hotel in the centre of London, close to Knightsbridge, Mayfair and Sloane Street.

The closest hotel to Buckingham Palace, The Goring has been a firm Royal favourite since it first opened its doors. The coronations of George VI and Queen Elizabeth II saw the hotel filled with royalty attending from all over the world. More recently, Kate and William chose it as their hotel for friends and family attending their big day. 

With 69 luxurious suites and rooms, each uniquely decorated, and public rooms with fine English furniture, Gainsborough silks on the walls and sparkling chandeliers, The Goring exudes the chic of a grand country house. 

The hotel is rather intimate, with just one restaurant, the elegant Lounge Bar where afternoon tea is served (which I hear is fantastic) and a fitness centre. 

Awarded a Royal Warrant for hospitality services in 2013, The Goring is the only hotel to be recognised in this way.

The London Foodie was at The Goring to experience and report on their Dine & Stay deal, which includes overnight accommodation, a three-course dinner for two in the Goring Dining Room, and a full English or continental breakfast.

Ours was a comfortable garden room, elegantly but not ostentatiously furnished with salmon-pink silk-lined walls, plush cream carpet and upholstery, and a smattering of cute cuddly toys. 

The marble bathroom was kitted out with ultra-soft Egyptian cotton towels and bathrobes. The bed was comfortable and I had a great night’s sleep, but best of all was the view of the stunning private garden on opening the curtains in the morning. 
  

What We Ate: Awarded its first Michelin star as recently as September 2015, The Goring’s restaurant, The Dining Room, is headed by Executive Chef Shay Cooper, and as might be expected, he is a real champion of British ingredients and cooking. 

The Dining Room was designed by Viscount Linley (the Queen’s nephew) - restrained and elegant, the room has plain white walls but for a few coats of arms and two strategically placed bouquets of flowers. It is a large, airy room with luxurious cream-coloured carpets and chairs, and plenty of natural light. 

This was the perfect spot to enjoy a glass of refreshing Billecart Salmon Rosé from the restaurant’s Champagne trolley. I love the idea of a Champagne trolley – it excites me nearly as much as a cheese trolley, but more on that later.  

There were so many starters on the menu that tempted me, that I was torn between choices. But one dish just had to be ordered – The Goring’s signature Eggs Drumkilbo.

The Queen Mother’s favourite, Eggs Drumkilbo was invented at Drumkilbo, a grand house in Perthshire, Scotland in the 1950s. Not your everyday prawn cocktail, this fine seafood concoction was a light mélange of lobster chunks and langoustine, soft quail egg, an aspic of seafood consommé, topped with fine radish slices, micro herbs and caviar. This was heavenly – refreshing, delicately seasoned and exquisitely textured. 

Our second starter was equally impressive - luscious poached Loch Duart salmon against crispy rock oyster tempura, served with a smattering of cucumber and green pepper brunoise, all brought together by a delectable oyster mayo.

Indecisive as I was in my choice of starters, I was thrilled to see my runner-up choice of beef tartare sent with compliments of the chef as an extra dish! This was a delectable number, made from hand-chopped Hereford beef fillet, seasoned with beer-pickled onions, mushroom ketchup, all topped with Parmesan and baby rocket.

The salt marsh lamb came as two perfectly cooked cutlets, with preserved lemon, grilled leek heart and a velvety smoked garlic potato mash. 

Better still was the saddle of Cumbrian fallow deer, served with roast Jerusalem artichoke, cavolo nero, venison sausage and curled pork crackling, pine nuts and quince dressing. This was a well-conceived dish, not only for the quality of its British ingredients, but also for how artfully and seemingly without effort all this came together.

The cheese trolley at The Goring is a thing of beauty. Crammed with a delectable spread of artisan British cheeses from every corner of the isles, I just couldn’t resist it. 

Offered as a dessert option, I begged the waiter to let me have it as a pre-dessert course on its own, and judging by my experience I would urge you to do the same. It will cost a little more but it’s money well spent. It was hard to choose among the dozens of options but we had five choices each of hard, blue, goat’s and sheep’s cheese. 

And now to dessert proper. The bitter chocolate ganache served with milk jam and milk ice cream was rich, not overly sweet, and just the right size. 

Also excellent was the black fig trifle - gorgeously presented, it was served with gingerbread, caramel and creamy buttermilk. Atop was a paper-fine ring of dark bitter chocolate studded with green pistachios and candied fruit. 

I was glad I did not have far to go after this meal, but to climb a flight of stairs to my room at The Goring and fall straight into bed. I don’t about you, but whenever I have a large meal in the evening I wake up starving next day. And how fortunate that breakfast awaited so close at hand. 

As part of the Dine & Stay package, guests can have either a continental breakfast (fresh juices, hot beverages, cheeses and ham, and a selection of breads and pastries) or a traditional English breakfast served in The Dining Room.

The latter included all of the above, plus a cooked option, and this was my choice. This was the full, traditional English breakfast, but a far cry from its greasy spoon cousin. With Burford Brown fried eggs, Lincolnshire pork sausage, bacon, black pudding, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms, it was a paean to all that is great in today’s British food and agriculture, and I savoured every mouthful of it. 

Likes: The Queen Mother knew a thing or two about food as those Eggs Drumkilbo were the business! Our meal at The Dining Room was exquisite and at £60 per person, it was also excellent value. The cheese trolley was legendary.

Dislikes: None.

Verdict: The Dine & Stay at The Goring is the last word in British luxury hospitality. Chef Shay Cooper is at the top of his game and I cannot think of a better place to try some of the finest British ingredients and cooking right now in London. Very highly recommended.