THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
Raffles London at the OWO, 57 Whitehall, London SW1A 2BX
The Old War Office in London is commonly known as OWO. O WOW might be more appropriate! The transformation of the historic 1906 government building into a Raffles Hotel is absolutely stunning. Known for their mix of landmarks and luxury, there could hardly be a better choice. The £1.5 billion restoration is an astonishing blend of respect for the grade II listing with contemporary refinement. Such quality requires a chef of equal caliber. Chef Mauro Colagreco more than qualifies. His restaurant Mirazur in Menton, France was awarded 3 Michelin stars and won the top spot on the 2019 World's 50 Best Restaurants list. In this wealth of riches, quelle surprise, I fit right in!
Saison is located in OWO's former library. Two stories of white latticed walls climb up to the spectacular skylight. A mural and splashes of greenery give the room an al fresco feel. Linen and plush upholstery make an 'old school' impression but a warm and welcoming staff dispel any hint of stuffiness and a fantastic playlist brings it all into 21st century harmony.
Chef Mauro's use of British ingredients in Mediterranean dishes pays homage to Britain's passion for the French Riviera, which began with a visit to the region by Queen Victoria. Mauro's style is light and fresh. Never overly complicated, his combinations of few and often simple ingredients belie a discerning sense of balance coupled with brilliant technique.
Like a sip of late summer, a glass of Louis Roederer Collection 244 Brut (£24) was full of peach, a touch of oak and soft bubbles. Soft pillows of salty focaccia with slightly bitter olive oil brought out the sweet fruit.
Sea Bream carpaccio (£21) highlighted Mauro's subtlety. Dressed so lightly with olive oil and lemon, the delicate fish was able to shine, with a scattering of pistachio for a sweet, earthy crunch.
Sliced with the skin on, thin slivers of courgette created an elegant zebra of a zucchini tart (£19). A dark, short crust gave crunch to the soft veg, goat cheese and sundried tomato. A buttery sabayon added luxury.
Spaghetti alla chitarra (guitar) gets its name from the tool that's used to make it. Its square shape is much better at clinging to sauce, in this case, a lobster Bolognese (£48), vibrant with tomato and rich with butter.
Smoked bacon flavored a meaty halibut (£52) in a substantial fish dish with coco beans, pistachio and saffron butter sauce.
After all this healthy food, we felt entitled to a chocolate fondant (£16). The lightest cake just oozed with rich, dark chocolate, cut beautifully with fior di latte ice cream.
The wine list is extraordinary. £45 to £15,000 and everything in between. After a flawless service with her colleagues, our sommelier, Claudia, graciously gave us a little tour, including the wine cellar. I kicked myself for not bringing a rucksack. I guess she wouldn't have fallen for the “what's that over there” routine anyway. Instead I mumbled, yet again, O WOW!
