The Montagu Kitchen Review

Nestled in the heart of Mayfair is the new Montagu Kitchen, inside the famous The Hyatt Regency Hotel. The restaurant stretches wide, offering plenty of seating. The lighting is soft, and there is a floral theme to the décor – designed to capture the essence of Churchill’s former home, the Chartwell Gardens.

The new dining destination celebrates the best of British produce, and is led by Kent born Executive Chef, Mark Sainsbury. The restaurant serves up seasonal British flavours inspired by Chartwell, bringing flavours of the country to the city. The menu features a number of options, from cured salmon, to guinea fowl breast, prawns for fish lovers, Portobello mushrooms as well as beef tenderloin to name a few.

To start, the poached lobster immediately grabs our attention, its arrives with the sapphire potato salad, grapefruit, nasturtium and vanilla mayonnaise. The lobster is gentle, falling off with ease. The surprise is in the nasturtium. Usually edible flowers are sweet in taste, however this one packed a peppery punch adding a satisfying twist to this dish.

My guest tucks into her starter – Rabbit Loin Roulade, accompanied by sweet caramelised figs. She eats quickly, with the figs going down particularly well, claiming she could eat a bowl of these figs alone.

Our waiter at this point recommends a favourite of his, a cheese and potato fueled bread. Had I of known potato was in it before saying ‘yes’, I may have said no, and what a shame that would have been. The bread was heavenly, ‘what is this bread?’ I asked, he replied ‘I know’.

For the main course, my friend chooses the Homemade Marmalade Glazed Pork Belly. The 12-hour slow cooked pork arrives braised with kale and herbs. The Salsa Verde is artisanally dotted over the pork, posing a pleasant contrast to the sweetness of the marmalade.

Being an avid fish eater, I went for Dover Sole which had been baked in a beech and oak charcoal fired oven. Decorated with capers and lemon for zest, I felt satisfied. Keen to try ingredients straight from Chartwell, I opt for the Chartwell Garden Salad starter. The salad was a mix of clawson blue stilton cheese, walnuts, granny smith apples and crunchy lettuce. For sides, we went with potato and spinach. The potato is a bit drier than expected, however with a bit of sauce, it goes down well and the spinach tastes fresh.

For dessert – we decided to go for Montagu’s own Sticky Date Pudding topped with a toffee sauce, and a scoop of Cornish vanilla ice cream. In addition, the English Custard Tart with earl grey & Churchill port poached pears, berries and vanilla sauce. The tart has a beautiful fragrance, and the raspberries plays well with the creaminess of the custard. Both of these deserts will satisfy those who have a sweet tooth perfectly.

You can book the Montagu Kitchen in advance at: https://themontagurestaurant.co.uk

Written by: Hena Husain