Spring

Had a fabulous meal and the wine pairings were amazing. 6 people at dinner and everybody was sharing taste’s because their meal was the best. Coming from the U.S. made this the most expensive meal of my life but cannot complain for a second.

If Spring is not at the top of your London restaurant list, it very well should be. It is well known by my Australian friends because the head chef Skye Gyngell hails from Sydney, who then made her name at Petersham Nurseries Café before leaving and opening Spring, but seems to have avoided the mainstream crowd (perhaps intentionally given Skye’s background). The restaurant is located in the New Wing of Somerset House, which I didn’t even know existed and was home to a HMRC office until 2013. I booked it for my friend’s birthday, and a friend that had just dined there the week before recommended that I request to be seated in one of the booths in the window, which is a bit more romantic and intimate. That was such a great tip! The booth could have seated at least 3 people comfortably, but probably not more.
For starters, we had the carne salata with buffalo ricotta and agresto, and the tagliolini with white truffle butter. The carne salata was exactly my type of salad; it had a beef carpaccio on the bottom, a large, beautiful ball of ricotta, and this lovely agresto sauce. The tagliolini was great but not very well presented; it was basically pasta with a truffle alfredo sauce, served in a few clumps, but definitely could have been arranged better in balls with a garnish or something. I think if I were to choose again I would recommend the carne salata. Strangely enough, none of the other starters called to me… there was an eel salad, a turnip soup, or raw Brussel sprouts… I am a bit curious about the latter, but not curious enough to try it at that price point.
For the mains, we ordered the fillet of beef with Jerusalem artichokes and the grilled lamb with farro and cavolo nero. Both were served medium rare and wonderfully tender; the beef had a lovely crust on top and the lamb came sliced. I spent the longest time trying to figure out the root vegetable served with my dish because they looked like potatoes but did not taste starchy, and I had to ask the server and she reminded me that they were Jerusalem artichokes. The farro and cavolo nero were so interesting as well; I haven’t had much experience with farro and was wary of a barley like thing served with meat, but it was more of a base for the green sauce served with the dish. If I had to associate a cuisine with Skye’s cooking, I’d say it is Italian inspired, though honestly it is hard to tell.
Because it was a birthday, the staff brought out a cute cup of ginger and milk sorbet with a candle on top. It was such a nice touch. The service was stellar throughout the whole evening and we had a long conversation with our friendly sommelier, who told us a lot about the Ribera del Duero we enjoyed and happily answered all our questions. He decanted the wine, which hasn’t happened to me in so long in a restaurant, but then also brought out the bottle, which had a beautiful label. The interiors of the restaurant are wonderfully decorated in a pastel palette and I can imagine that during the day, the sunlight streaming through the windows must be stunning. I think this is as good of a fine dining restaurant that you will find anywhere in London. But it is definitely under the radar and there seemed to be empty tables that evening; come soon before the secret gets out!

A beautiful restaurant, that’s slightly more upscale than many venues nowadays. Serving up refreshing cocktails and light dishes, this places feels very romantic and intimate. The food itself was great but I felt there could’ve been a bit more explanation behind the main I ordered. I went for a lamb dish and it arrived semi warm. Only after it arrived and asking the staff they said it’s served more like a salad than a main. If I had known I may have ordered something different. Quite expensive and service was slow in parts (drinks). Otherwise a great place to come on a special occasion. (Visit — 03/​08/​2015 Dinner)

Of all the wonderful restaurants we enjoyed in London, including the River Café, this was by far our favorite. The room is glorious, the food sublime, and our waitress, Grace, knowledgeable and professional. A friend who is a top chef told us that this is the favorite place for chefs to eat in Londoners and I understand why. It has only been open a few months so get reservations while you still can,

Given I work a hop skip and jump away from Oxford Street — fighting my way through crowds during most of the week, there are very few things that compel me to leave my Shoreditch stomping ground for central London on the weekend. Annually, my girlfriends (the noodle girlfriends, if you feel compelled to read other posts) find a special place to have our Secret Santa brunch. Years past have included Paradise by way of Kensal Rise (can’t quite remember how that ended) and Smokehouse (delicious) in Islington. This year, my friend was raving about chef Skye Gyngell (formerly of Petersham Nurseries) who just opened up Spring at Somerset House.
Interior: Great atmosphere. I would suggest asking to be placed in the smaller bright open sunroom right next to reception. The high, completely glass ceiling made it feel like it was still summer in London (though if you visit in the winter months, you may want to book around 1PM to enjoy some sun before a 3PM sunset).
Food: The menu changes frequently so I can’t give an absolute review on it — but I can say that if the papperdelle happens to be a starter that day — you should have it! For a main, the pigeon was suggested and I normally LOVE LOVE pigeon. I have to admit I wasn’t a huge fan. It comes out beautifully presented but was a complete pain to cut up and the waiter looked at my like I was absurd when asking if it as possible to get it cut up. Instead he brought me a little bowl of water to wash my fingers after breaking it apart (note: I come from upstate NY — which means Buffalo wings — I know how to ravage poultry and this was not easy). My girlfriends, conversely had the veal and lamb and were literally wiping their plates clean. Choose wisely. For dessert, I usually go a bit more savoury so had the Pouligny Saint Pierre cheese with Martin Sec pears. It was the perfect way to end the meal — esp as cheese desserts can often be hit or miss.
Price: Not inexpensive — Starters average between about 8 – 14 quid with main dishes between 24 – 34.
Final thoughts: My list of restaurants to try in London is long and ever growing — though this wouldn’t be on my top 10, if you are in the area or planning be and want something a bit higher-​end, keep Spring as an option. The food was presented beautifully and for the most part really well done. I would suggest going here with a larger group as the ambiance was’t totally romantic and the day we went there seemed to be a number of families, but would be a great option for a business dinner or a higher-​end pre-​theatre option.