The First Review - Galvin At Windows, Mayfair: 8th of February, 2009

It may be a touch overdue, but the time it's taken to throw this thing together means that only now can we bring you the first review of our project. Here's what we had to say about our dinner at Galvin at Windows...

Maybe it was the atrocious weather. Maybe it was the late sitting. Maybe it was the lighting… Whatever it was, there was definitely something wrong at Galvin last night. Renowned for excellent food, fine atmosphere and quality service (and I should know; I’ve had all three there before), the hotel restaurant on the 28th floor of the Hyde Park Hilton was distinctly off form.

The evening was punctuated with small disappointments, most notably in the service, which was dismissive and disinterested from the start. We were coldly informed that there were no scallops left in the kitchen, and for the next couple of hours, waiters drifted around and past our table with perfunctory grace. The whole experience on a personal level was one of minimalist mechanical functionality. It can be easy to nit-pick such shortcomings when you’re in such delightful surroundings, however. Slinky drapes, warm yellow lighting and very glamorous tables and chairs make for a comfortable and cosy evening’s eating. The only issue being with the lighting: it was slightly too dim, thus creating a somewhat woozy feel.

The main function of a restaurant is to serve food. It would be churlish to simply whine about service and atmosphere without focusing on the product itself. Most of what we were served was very good. Some of it (the terrine of foie gras with warm brioche to start) was excellent. Creamy, strong and rich, it was everything a terrine should be. The oysters were also well-presented (strangely accompanied by toast soldiers) and flavoursome – exactly what you desire from such a starter (left). Less appetising was the seared blue-fin tuna. Perfectly cooked, it was hampered by some too-strong leaves and a distinct lack of creative imagination.

Impressive were some excellent cuts of beef which were dressed and cooked perfectly, yet under-supported by a small medley of vegetables. Some sensationally well-cooked pork belly was unnecessarily presented on a thickly sauced bed of lentils. The cabbage and clams were a sweet-‘n-salty accompaniment that worked, whilst the lentils near overwhelmed the dish. This pork deserved better, and the dish deserves a re-think. The star dish of the evening was a fillet of halibut which was achingly well presented (grapefruit vinaigrette drizzled on at the table) and perfectly constructed: the combination of flavours was rich and satisfying (right). Well accompanied with crab pommes écrasées and braised exceptionally, this was a dish you could savour for a good half hour.

Desserts were luxuriant without blowing us away. Dark chocolate palet d’or was swirly, seductive and full-flavoured (but a touch on the minimalist side), and a trio of crème brulées was enjoyable if a tad syrupy at times. Seven petit-fours between four didn’t quite divide, but the dark chocolates were rich and velvety: a sweet ending.

What Galvin At Windows needs to remember is that eating at an expensive hotel restaurant is more than just tasty food: they are selling an experience. It should (and can) be a combination of emotions, feelings, sensations, even, that can stun the senses. Unfortunately, on a grim and rainy Monday night, we found that it was anything but.

Galvin At Windows