Autumn Lunching
With autumn on the horizon, a couple of restaurants provide a delicate, light touch that create a sense that nights are not closing in.
1 - Spring
Stepping into the restaurant after more than a year away, I was instantly enveloped by an atmosphere of serenity, sophistication, elegance, and space. Why had I stayed away so long? The moment you cross the threshold, a gentle calm settles over you, the kind that quietly welcomes and soothes.
Impeccable service sets the tone, while the wine list tempts with its breadth and broadness. Each dish delights the palate, whether chosen from the well-priced fixed menu or selected à la carte for the chef’s inspired touch. Hours slip by unnoticed, glasses refilled, conversation flowing softly. Here, the minimalist setting whispers relaxation, and time itself feels irrelevant.
Arriving at The Courtauld by 10 gives ample time to wander through its curated treasures before settling in at 12.30 for a lunch that invites conversation about the art just seen. Skye Gyngell’s vision shines through, her commitment to soil-to-table and seasonal simplicity promising that my next visit will come far sooner than a year from now.
Spring, Lancaster Place, London WC2R 1LA - link
+44 20 3011 0115
2 - The Sea, The Sea
Again, some time had passed since my last visit, and the restaurant/fishmonger had moved from one side of Pavillon Road to the other and more than doubled in size. Now just south of Granger, a few doors north of Mother Vine.
For clarity, after my first visit in early August, I have made two additional visits in the past month, eager to see if the magic would last. Each time, the experience dazzled just as brightly.
The fish here is nothing short of spectacular, prepared with such precision that it shines as the undisputed star. Dive into their specials for your main course. Forget the need for sides; the fish, bathed in a luscious sauce, is a solo act you will crave again and again. For starters, try the aged sea bream with delistar cucumber and shiso, or the fried seaweed and lobster dumpling.
Seating, you have two inviting choices. Outside, you can soak up the lively energy of the southern end of Pavillon Road beneath a generous canopy. Upstairs, the space is pared-back and almost Scandinavian in its simplicity. Both settings let the warm service and mouthwatering food take centre stage.
For a perfect prelude, share a glass at Mother Vine with your guest around noon, then wander over for a leisurely lunch at half past twelve.
One final option. The intriguing wine on both of these restaurant lists was Dermot Sugrue's Salt Éire. A very finely balanced English Chardonnay that resembles a very well made Chablis. Available from a number of retailers around the £30 mark. I can strongly recommend it. Here is the links to Fortnums - merchant link
The Sea The Sea, 243 Pavilion Rd, London SW1X 0AW - link
+44 20 7824 8090
