Scallops with pea mash and bacon
See our first part on the bar here
When it comes time to dine we are led into the restaurant section of Gillrays. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling and Gillray’s caricatures hang on the wood panelled walls. Everything from the furnishings to the staff are very smart. The same quality and attention to detail we found in the bar continues here.
Our table has wonderful panoramic views of the river Thames and London Eye. We are greeted by Paolo our friendly waiter who immediately puts us at ease despite the grand setting.
Surrey Duck Egg Salad
We are first served with the biggest Yorkshire pudding I have ever seen, which has cheddar cheese in it what a brilliant idea, why has it never been done before?) with horseradish sauce. Full marks for originality and taste.
For a starter I have scallops, with pea mash and bacon. A combination that really works. Everything is done perfectly and the bacon is crispy and is done to the perfect degree. My colleague has the Surrey duck egg salad with bacon and spinach. The poached eggs are perfectly cooked. The bacon is very crispy and excellent just as my bacon was. His only criticism was that there could have been a bit more bacon but the dish was a delight.
For my main I have sirloin steak, which comes with a portobello mushroom, topped with three cooked cherry tomatoes and a wide choice of sauces. I had the peppercorn sauce.
Sirloin steak (this picture doesn’t do it justice)
According to the menu the beef used is 35 day aged Yorkshire Hereford Cattle reared on the Duke of Devonshire’s Bolton Abbey Estate. The quality of the meat really shows and my steak is fantastic.
I greedily tucked into my delicious lamb rump before taking picture as you can see!
My partner deviates from the steaks and instead goes for the lamb rump which is equally good. He is given a generous portion of superb lamb, perfectly cooked.
Our meal was accompanied by an excellent bottle of Sauvignon Blanc
On the side, we had the parmesan and truffle chips, crispy and thick yet also light with the parmesan and hint of truffle they were superb. We both agreed they were some of the best chips we had ever had.
Warm Chocolate Pudding
Gillray’s Trifle
For dessert I had the warm chocolate pudding, which came with a marmalade ice-cream.
My colleague has the traditional sherry trifle, which Gillray’s is obviously proud of, since it takes up half the space on the dessert menu. It comes in a large jar. Paolo, our waiter, unscrews the jar and pours sherry into the trifle. A brilliant and fun experience. It tastes great too.
The service throughout was excellent. Our waiter, Paolo was friendly, professional and knowledgeable. Our food came at the perfect time and Paolo was always there when we wanted him.
This was a wonderful night and an incredible experience. It was hard to find fault with any part of our evening. A lot of effort has clearly gone into the new look Gillrays and it shows. The staff throughout were brilliant and everything we were served from our cocktails through to our food was first class. There aren’t many restaurants, with as good a food, in as good a location as this one. Make sure to insist on a window seat, when booking, as it will make all the difference and not all tables have a river view. You will be hard pressed to find better steaks in London. It will be an experience you will remember.
Food 10/10 Service 10/10 Atmosphere 10/10
London Marriott Hotel County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 (020 7928 5200). Open daily 6.30am-10.30pm (7am Sat & Sun)