THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
61 Jermyn Street, London SW1Y 6LX
Franco’s is what happens when old school becomes a breath of fresh air. The recent refurb blends contemporary with classic, the food elevates tradition to 2026 and service is perfection. Olde worlde charm with a facelift!
There is lovely al fresco dining on the street but it’s already too cold for my old bones. Inside, the lounge area is a perfect place to ensconce oneself for the all-day bar, from breakfast Beefeater to Negroni nightcaps.
The dining room is full of color, taking the edge off formality. Table lamps harken back to ‘50s and ‘60s chic. And the music? There wasn’t any. We were overjoyed at the prospect of actually conversing while we dined. Of course I’m deaf as a post so I still couldn’t hear a word. But I can read lips!
The staff were dressed better than I was and there was an army of them. I never lifted a finger. A class act, they know what you need before you know it yourself. Starting with Franco’s oak barrel aged Negroni (£16), a flashback to the ‘80s only better. Smooth and mellow with a lovely sweet note at the finish.
We started with a bread basket (£6.50) which leads to my only criticism of the night. It stood out for being merely decent because everything else was exceptional. At least it kept the Negroni from going to my head!
Tempura fried courgette flowers (£4 ea.) were another story. Light and crisp, filled with minted ricotta and served with a light tomato puree. Gorgeous. I should have ordered 4!
Head Chef Stefano Turconi showed his skill at merging classics with innovation in his hand-picked Devon crab and panzanella salad (£28). Croutons, tomato and frisée mingled with delicate, sweet crab, keeping it front and center.
Pappardelle with mixed mushrooms and black truffle (£42) was pure joy. Beautiful ribbons of al dente pasta with porcini, generous shavings of black truffle and a grating of aged Parmigiano could not have been better.
I can’t remember the last time I had a veal chop. I will certainly remember this one! Medium rare as ordered, it cut like butter. Garden peas, fondant potato and a sticky red wine reduction were well executed accompaniments. Classic cookery at its £54 best. We shared a 500 ml carafe of 2015 Brunello Di Montalcino, Musico (£80). Very elegant, full of cherry and silky smooth tannins. Pure Sangiovese.
We didn’t need it, but couldn’t resist a classic tiramisu (£14) with two spoons. It was so light, we could have ordered 2! I can’t remember having better. Savoiardi biscuits, egg yolks, mascarpone, sugar and coffee in perfect proportions with a light dusting of cocoa powder and no mucking about!
It happened to be my guest’s birthday. He was presented with a square of chocolate ganache, a discreet single candle and Happy Birthday written in beautiful chocolate script. He wrote, “I can’t think of a more civilized way to spend a birthday!”
