London certainly is one of the culinary capitals of the world. Michelin stars and not easy to come by but talented chefs are working harder to impress. In search of a restaurant, that would satisfy the discerning gent, we were invited to Skylon. Located in Southbank, it offers fantastic riverside views just above Royal Festival Hall. A great central location which is easy to get to from anywhere in London.

 

Skylon restaurant has appointed Adam Gray as Executive Head Chef. Adam joins the restaurant after a period developing the restaurant at The Red Lion, an award-winning pub which he co-owned, and previously to this spent many years working alongside Gary Rhodes where he maintained a Michelin star for over a decade. Excitement of Adam’s move to Skylon had meant we approached with high expectations, we were not disappointed.

 

The Look, the Feel

 

Skylon Restaurant in London’s landmark Royal Festival Hall is well known by Londoners. Inspired by the emblematic sculpture of the 1951 Festival of Britain, Skylon is a stylish restaurant on a grand scale, with formal dining room, smart casual grill and centerpiece bar, each a blend of 1950’s-inspired chic and modern design, all with sweeping Thames panoramas through floor-to-ceiling windows. A fantastic venue that is dynamic; business dinners, parties or romantic meals are all accommodated by Skylon.

 

The Main Event

 

 

The menu is a modern British inspired menu – with a twist. For starters we opted for the Seared hand dived scallops with lightly spiced cauliflower cream and maple syrup dressing. An amazingly fresh but simple dish with a fusion of flavours that made a bold statement.  We also tried the Salmon tartare with English asparagus, caviar and crisp pumpernickel toasts. This was just as flavoursome as the scallops, the asparagus complemented the tartare and caviar well and maintained the simple theme. Impressed we knew it was time for the main course.

 

Seeking recommendations, the waitress was more than happy to accommodate. The staff were keen to ensure we were looked after, they were knowledgeable when tested on the menu and the sommelier paired the dishes with international wines. We opted for a plate of lune valley lamb, glazed breast, crisp sweetbread, roasted cutlets with buttered broad beans and creamy mashed potatoes for the main. It was a generous portion which was matched with a wine to bring out the rich texture of the dish. The meat itself was beautifully tender and well cooked, the roasted cutlets were also a great accompaniment to the creamy mash potatoes. A fantastic recommendation from the waitress – we were glad we certainly tasted, first hand, why it was so popular.

 

 

Having been presented with the dessert menu, we managed to find space of the Iced peanut butter and chocolate brownie pudding with salted caramel sauce. We were certainly glad we did as it was a very rich and tasty combination of peanut butter and chocolate, rich and strong in flavour it’s possibly not to everyone’s taste. However, we were impressed with the way it was created, presented and brought together indulgent flavours – along with a dessert wine.

 

Verdict

 

Skylon is located in a fantastic venue with great British history surrounding the restaurant. Every dish we sampled was a fantastic combination of fresh flavours simply put together to create a great dining experience.  The service is certainly worth recognising as every member of staff delivered – it was apparent that service was a key focus area for Skylon and the diners around us certainly were satisfied. Adam Gray has certainly done a fantastic job to ensure Skylon produces great, simple food using the best ingredients which matches the location and service.

 

Ratings:

 

Food: 5/5

Ambience: 4/5

Venue: 4.5/5

 

Style: British

 

Contact:

 

Skylon, Royal Festival Hall, London SE1 8XX

Telephone: 020 7654 7800

Website: www.skylon-restaurant.co.uk