In my opinion Simon Rogan is one of the most exciting chefs in the UK. Yet up until recently his media coverage was low, perhaps because of his slightly demure shyness. His restaurant, L'Enclume, was featured in the BBC Two show 'The Trip' with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, and looked dreamy. Who wouldn't want fine dining in the beautiful surroundings of the Lake District.
Following Simon Rogan on TV has become somewhat of a habit. Having seen him on The Great British Menu and then setting up his restaurant in a Manchester hotel, when I googled and found out that some of his culinary genius was spreading to London I genuinely couldn't wait. My taste buds tingled in a way that was last felt when Heston Blumenthal opened Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental.
Fera opened in 2014 but I needed an excuse to go hence its appearance on the list. What is more, I was able to treat a very good friend who has been with me through my very highest and lowest points in London, and even at school (thank you Katy). We chose the very reasonably priced set lunch menu on a Sunday and booked around 2 months in advance. If you are also planning on a visit, I would recommend booking as early as possible.
My first impressions were very good. The surroundings are as salubrious as you my think for Claridges and the waiting staff were as courteous and helpful as you would hope for (hiding my Primark bag for me). Actually that is a joke, but it appeared nothing would phase them.
We ordered a crisp glass of champagne to start - which went down very nicely. We were then treated to a very nice three course menu full of the fresh flavours and floral garnish that Simon is renowned for. I had a chocolate mousse style dessert (sadly I have forgotten the precise name) but it was delicious and my absolute highlight. It had smokey undertones and amazing accompaniments.
Disappointing to readers as this may be, the atmosphere was rather too sophisticated to whip out my phone to take some pics of the phone. There is no photographic evidence.
At the end of the meal, we both agreed that we were not overly full, but very satisfied. A light, fresh meal. We particularly liked that we were not instantly moved from our table when we had finished... in fact there was a gap before I was presented with the bill. It's a fairly sedate, luxurious and relaxed place to spend a couple of hours before returning to the hustle and bustle of central London.
Definitely recommended. The three course lunch is particularly good value but my top tip is to book in advance.