There are loads of fancy new sky-high restaurants with views these days, but Galvin at Windows, on the 28th floor of the Hilton Park Lane Hotel, has been quietly doing its thing since 2006. Being smack back in the middle of London, the views of the city’s skyscrapers, parks and palaces are pretty spectacular, especially on a summer’s evening.
Inside the décor is old school glam, the service slick and the dishes beautifully presented – all things you’d expect from a Michelin-starred joint. The food is mostly classical French in style, meaning lots of big flavours and rich ingredients – such as our starter of white garlic veloute, native lobster, confit egg yolk and black garlic cream. A more delicate scallop ceviche with Aquitaine caviar, orange, pomelo and pickled kohlrabi was much lighter but no less satisfying.
Roasted fillet of halibut, with meaty braised octopus, seaweed pomme puree and a lime beurre blanc was intensely flavoured and very rich, but the winner had to be the cutlet of Iberico pork with carrot and cumin puree and addictive pig’s head croquettes. All this only left room for one dessert to share, a chocolate mousse with blood orange curd and passion fruit sorbet.
For a special occasion or a blow out treat we think Galvin is ideal – and as it’s not an over-hyped new opening at the top of a glittering skyscraper, you’ve got a good chance of getting a table too!
London Hilton on Park Lane Hotel, 22 Park Lane, London W1K 1BE
www.galvinatwindows.com