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.

1920s Glamour, Fine-Dining and Champagne - All Aboard the Belmond British Pullman

On a steamy Saturday afternoon in August, I found myself dressed in a dinner jacket I can still just about squeeze into, on a crowded Victoria station platform sipping a glass of chilled Laurent Perrier Brut NV Champagne.

For this is the dress code for the British Pullman service run by Belmond, owner of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.  I was there to sample of one of their "Celebrity Chef Dinners", on this occasion featuring the 2 Michelin starred British Chef Tom Kerridge.

I need not have worried, because once aboard the train, I found all the other diners (limited to a lucky 100) were dressed in their finery too and I soon became absorbed in the romance of this historic train and the tempting dinner we were about to enjoy.

Taking an 84 mile circular route that includes Egham, Shalford, Redhill, and Croydon before passing the stunning Battersea Power Station on its way back to Victoria, the journey includes a combination of urban landscapes and rural England, all in a journey lasting around 3.5 hours.

The carriages are each unique and original, dating back to the early 20th century, with sumptuous interiors - think veneered panels with exquisite art deco marquetry, art nouveau lamps, polished brass, bevelled glass, mahogany wood and velvet armchairs.  Purchased in the 1970s by James Sherwood, whose idea was to revive the legendary Orient Express, the 35 historic carriages were restored in Carnforth, Lancashire, before the train was launched in England in 1981.

But back to our dinner. We were served a spectacular 5-course dinner cooked by no-one other than celebrity chef Tom Kerridge with coffee and petit-fours, all on starched white linen, bespoke china and sparkling cut glassware.

We kicked off with a refreshing chilled parsley soup with smoked salmon, confit lemon and borrage. This had a veloute-like texture I really enjoyed.

The ham hock and pistachio terrine with apple caramel was a richly flavoured version of an English classic, served with a glass of 2012 Balthasar Ress Hattenheimer Engelsberg Riesling Trocken, from Rheingau, Germany.

The main event was a slow roast brisket with ratatouille and black olive cracker - with rich, tender beef, I particularly enjoyed the concentrated Mediterranean flavours of the ratatouille. With it came a glass of excellent, intensely fruit-driven Pinot Noir 2013 from Joseph Phelps Freestone Vineyards, Sonoma Coast, California.

The British Isles cheese included the wonderfully named Stinking Bishop as well as Cornish Blue and Lord of the Hundreds, served with a fine glass of Ferreira Quinta de Oporto 10 year old Tawny Port.

The dessert was one of Tom Kerridge's signature dishes, the whisky and rye pudding. Described in full in his book "Tom's Table", this sophisticated pudding was a cross between a rum baba and a baked doughnut, served with creme Chantilly. We enjoyed it with a fabulous glass of Tokaji, a 2003 Sauska Aszu 5 Puttonyos, with the sweet and bitter qualities of a fine marmalade.

Before the dinner and at the end, Chef Tom Kerridge came through the carriages, stopping for a chat with every table on the train. This was a rare opportunity to quiz the 22-Michelin starred chef on the menu, and he was warm and friendly.

Arriving back in Victoria at the end of the evening, I left the luxury train with dozens of happy, excited fellow diners, and stepped from the glamour of a bygone era back to the reality of late-night revellers trying to catch the last trains to their Kent, Surrey or Sussex homes.

There is a range of Belmond British Pullman experiences on offer, including the Christmas Lunch option I have previously reviewed (read here).  Fine Dining journeys, marketed as "The Dinner", are available throughout 2017.

As a glamorous way to celebrate a big birthday, anniversary or similar special occasion, I can think of few more memorable options than The Dinner on the British Pullman.

Travel Essentials

The Dinner is a series of special five-course pop-up dinners on the Belmond British Pullman heritage train, featuring modern British Cuisine. 

Trains depart from Victoria at 18.50 and return at 23.15. Tickets are priced at £510 per person. 

For more details, and to book, visit:
www.belmond.com or http://www.belmond.com/british-pullman-train/fine-dining-london

A Taste of Laos in London's Victoria

Name: Laos Café - A Pop-Up By Saiphin (Rosa’s Thai Café) 

Where: 25 Gillingham Street, London SW1V 1HN, http://rosasthaicafe.com/

Cost: Average cost is £15 to £20 per person (not including drinks). Small plates are priced from £5 to £7, main dishes for sharing cost from £6 to £15, sides of noodles or rice cost £3. The drinks menu is small, and includes Thai Chang Beer at £4 per bottle, and the Spanish house red and white wines at £18 per bottle.

About: Laos is very close to my heart as I have had a couple of wonderful visits to the country recently, you can read more about the gorgeous Luang Prabang (former royal cpaital) here and here and also the current modern capital Vientiane here. One of my favourite restaurants in Paris, Lao Lane Xang, is Laotian (read about it here), and so I was thrilled to hear of the opening of the Laos Café in London and hurried along to give it a try during its short life.

This Laotian pop-up in Victoria, a 5 minute walk from the train station, is the brainchild of Saiphin Moore, Head Chef and co-founder of the Rosa's Thai Café group. This is the only restaurant in London serving Laotian food and it’s surprising that none has opened until now. The food of Laos is varied and delicious, sharing many similarities with Thailand’s northern region of Issan (which has over the centuries been part of both Thailand and Laos), but it is also distinct for its own local produce and as a former French colony, for influences from French cuisine.

The small open-plan kitchen at Laos Cafe Pop-up

Taking up temporary residence in what will become the 7th Rosa's Thai Café, the pop-up will run until the end of February 2016, seating 25 people in a simply furnished but comfortable café.

The menu is designed for sharing, and features a total of 18 dishes from the land-locked country that once formed part of French Indochina. Nearly all the food is prepared on charcoal in the minute kitchen. 

What We Ate: We ordered a selection of 5 small plates and main courses to share, and dishes were brought to our table as soon as they were ready in no particular order.

We kicked off with a gorgeous chargrilled seabass (£15), stuffed with lemon grass and served whole and skin-on. There was a coating of sea salt over the skin making it deliciously salty and crisp. The fish was accompanied by a selection of fresh green herbs including basil, mint and dill, as well as noodles and a bowl of pounded spicy grilled aubergine with garlic, red onion, nam pla and chilli. 

We ate this by wrapping the fish up with noodles, herbs and the aubergine sauce in a lettuce leaf, making a great, spicy and refreshing start to our meal.  This was the star dish of our meal and great value at £15.

Next was the spicy grilled pork salad (£8) served with tender slices of pork, red onion, dried red chillies, toasted rice and herbs including mint, basil, dill, coriander and lettuce leaves. This packed quite a punch of chilli heat, balanced by the refreshing herbs and zingy dressing. I loved the toasted rice powder in the dish for both its flavour and added texture. A delicious dish I would love to try again.

The laab or laap had to be ordered - this is a traditional salad of minced pork, poultry and sometimes fish, served raw or cooked and highly seasoned – it is incredibly refreshing and one of the national dishes of Laos. The Laos Café’s duck laab version (£8) was served as is traditional at room temperature (but not raw), with tender grilled duck morsels, red onion, dried red chillies, toasted rice and mixed green herbs. We liked this dish, though sadly the flavour profile was very similar to the pork salad we had just eaten – had I been informed of this when ordering I would have chosen something else.

The seafood salad & glass noodles (£10) had many ingredients including prawns, squid, red onion, spring onion, Chinese celery, cherry tomato, fresh red chilli, coriander and dill but oddly no glass noodles! The seafood was lightly poached, and very tender, enlivened by a zingy lime, nam pla and chilli dressing and the accompanying herbs.

The papaya salad Laos style, known as Som Tum (£11.50) was similar in style to the Thai version (shredded green papaya, green beans, crushed tomatoes, peanuts and nam pla) except that it contained pounded Laotian anchovies and whole small crabs which had been roughly crushed. In my opinion this was the only downer of our meal – authentic though it may have been, my mouth got full of tiny, unpalatable crab shells with each spoonful making it difficult to eat. I was looking forward to crab when ordering this salad, but not its shell!

To accompany our meal, we shared two portions of white and brown sticky rice (£3 each), which were beautifully presented in banana leaves.

We shared 5 dishes and 2 portions of rice – in retrospect 4 dishes would have been enough as they were generously sized. This means that a meal at Laos Café costs around £15 to £20 a head (not including drinks), which in my opinion is excellent value. This is a unique opportunity to taste good and authentic Laotian cooking in London without breaking the bank.

This intriguing little Laotian café is only open until the end of February 2016, after which it will be refurbished as another branch of Rosa's Thai Café. If you haven't tried the food of Laos before, or even if you have, hasten over to Victoria to sample the food of Laos Café before it turns Thai. Rumour has it that if there is sufficient demand, Saiphin may open a permanent Laotian restaurant in Shoreditch!  So help me in this quest.

What We Drank: We had a glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (£6.60) and a bottle of Chang beer (£4). We were served plenty of tap water on request.

Likes: The seabass was spectacularly good as was the grilled pork salad. Friendly service.

Dislikes: The drinks menu is limited and it is unfortunate considering this is a pop-up that BYO is not available. 

Verdict: The Food at Laos Café Pop-up is deliciously zingy, spicy and authentic. It is well-priced too though sadly only available until the end of February 2016. Recommended.