insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 13 - March 2016 | Page 35

LONDON

GALVIN AT WINDOWS
I WAS EXPECTING NOTHING SHORT OF LUNCHTIME PERFECTION AT MICHELIN-STARRED
GALVIN AT WINDOWS ON THE 28TH FLOOR OF THE LONDON HILTON ON PARK LANE.
WHEN THE WEBSITE GIVES YOU A FIRST IMPRESSION WITH THAT VIEW, AND THE
DESCRIPTIONS AND CORRESPONDING DROOL-INDUCING FOOD PHOTOS MAKE YOU
WONDER WHAT IN THE WORLD YOU’VE BEEN EATING YOUR WHOLE LIFE, YOU CAN’T HELP
BUT HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS. by Donna Martin

With over 1,100 five-star ratings on TripAdvisor
(only a handful of restaurants are on par with this
in London, out of a whopping 18,450 eateries),
Galvin at Windows truly is something spectacular.
It’s the prime place to celebrate a special
occasion, or perhaps impress a date. The
combination of awe-inspiring views, creative
French haute cuisine and impeccable service
makes for one exemplary establishment. London,
be proud.
And let me finish my introduction by letting
you in on a little secret (or maybe not so secret)…
The suave, blue-eyed Maître D' from Channel
4’s First Dates, Fred Sirieix, just happens to be
the general manager here. Need I say more?
We arrived slightly early – as you do when
you want to make the most of something – and
enjoyed a tipple or two in the lounge while
perusing the menu. Offering everything from
Champagne cocktails to vintage whiskies, the
bar was swanky and comfortable, but sorry to
say I didn’t pay too much attention to any of that.
Or to my dinner guest.
No, I’m not sliding into a spiel about Fred
– I’m talking about the views. The views were
just, wow; not only for the simple fact that both
the lounge and restaurant are surrounded by
sprawling windows, but the extra-long sofas on
one side of the lounge – which we were lucky
enough to sit in – jut up against the huge glass
panes, affording in-your-face views of everything
beautiful under the London skies.

After a glass of white wine and some posh
nibbles, we were whisked off to the restaurant.
I can’t imagine much that could compete with
the commanding views, but the designers of
Galvin somehow found just the thing: a gigantic
metal sculpture suspended from the ceiling,
running almost from wall to wall. Lucky for us,
we were seated in a choice spot with fantastic
views of the city and the sculpture, and promptly
ordered our first two courses with drink
recommendations from the sommelier.
I’m always fascinated when everyday
ingredients are turned into heavenly dishes (mostly
because it’s something I can never do), and head
chef Joo Won and his team are no strangers to
this transformation of the ordinary into the
extraordinary.
First up: velouté of wild mushrooms, poached
hen egg and potato cream; and cured Loch Fyne
salmon, Dorset crab, beetroot, horseradish and
dill. The velouté was love at first bite; you know,
one of those moments where you just can’t quite
grasp how something so simple could taste that
good.
First course cleared, we received a visit
from general manager Fred, who not only
complimented my fellow diner on his beard (the
ultimate man compliment) and proceeded to chat
about the best facial hair oils, but effortlessly
made us feel like we were the most important
diners in the restaurant. That’s 5-star hospitality
at its finest. Serve me a great meal, treat me like
I’m a celeb, I’m smitten.

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The food highlight for me was my main
course of roasted fillet of halibut, pomme purée,
shitake mushrooms, prawns and dashi broth. I
do enjoy fish for lunch, and order it quite often
when dining out, but most of the time fish is just,
well, fish. On a scale of 1-10, most fish gets a
6.5. Not at Galvin at Windows. This course
somehow had me thinking, again, how something
so simple (halibut even!) could taste so divine.
It’s not an easy task to find a London
restaurant that has ‘everything’, but I’ve found it
at Galvin at Windows – from the 28th-floor scenery
to the gourmet cuisine to the after dinner logostamped chocolates. Depending on when you
visit, diners can choose from the lunch Menu Du
Jour, the seasonally inspired Menu Prestige, the
7-course tasting Menu Degustation, or an
exceptional Sunday Lunch Menu – but whatever
you choose, you won’t be disappointed.

Galvin at Windows
22 Park Lane
London
W1K 1BE
020 7208 4021
www.galvinatwindows.com
/GalvinatWindows
@GalvinatWindows