Tried & Tested

Restaurant check: Galvin at Windows

25 Oct 2014 by Jenny Southan

BACKGROUND

Opened by brothers Chris and Jeff Galvin in 2006, Galvin at Windows is a Michelin-starred restaurant overseen by Joo Won, who was promoted to head chef last year. It is located on the 28th floor of the London Hilton on Park Lane hotel.

THE RESTAURANT

I waited for my dining companion in the ground floor lobby of the hotel, after which we attempted to take a lift up to the restaurant. This was confusing as you had to press the button for the floor you wanted before getting in – once inside, there was nothing to press except the alarm, which is obviously best to avoid.

Upon arrival on the 28th floor, there is a welcome area where staff take coats and bags, a bar to the left and the restaurant to the right. The stand-out feature of eating at Galvin are the 360-degree views of London you have through its floor-to-ceiling windows. The atmosphere is calm and convivial, with tables draped in elegant white cloths and staff eager to offer you an aperitif as soon as you are seated.

Our table was facing Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace, allowing us to see right down on the palace’s gardens and lawns behind, which was amazing. It was very beautiful, especially as the sun was going down. The interiors are grand yet conservative so as not to distract from the views. I didn’t really notice much around me as I was mainly looking out at the city.

For groups of up to 30 people, there is a semi-private dining area called the Balcony in the bay window of the restaurant, which offers 180-degree views from your seat.

THE FOOD

Won’s dishes are described as “seasonally inspired modern French haute cuisine”, with a menu of about half a dozen starters, mains and desserts. The food is not particularly cutting-edge; neither is it particularly French, as there are various international flavours and ingredients woven through. I also thought the dishes were lacking in proficiency at times. I was surprised that it had managed to retain a Michelin star for four years.

While presentation was generally attractive, I found some of the dishes and garnishes to be repetitive, such as the use of miniature vegetables. The portions were also quite small but that is typical of this kind of cuisine. With so many incredible restaurants to choose from in London, I would only go out of my way to come here for the views.

So what did we eat? I started with the green pea velouté, which came with a delicious piece of soft yet crisp toast topped with light, fluffy goats’ curd, and drizzled in honey and olive oil. This was the most enjoyable dish, in my opinion, the soup being a rich in colour and flavour, and the textures complementing each other well.

My companion, HP, went for the ballotine of rabbit, foie gras, ham hock and pistachio with cauliflower purée and pickled carrots. Its seemed to go down nicely but he didn’t rave about it.

We also both (greedily) tried the scallop ceviche – they exploded with tangy lime and were soft and wet. I didn’t enjoy the consistency much but liked the Asian direction it took.

For the main, I chose the roasted monkfish with lemongrass crumb and a piperade of finely chopped roasted red peppers (the dish normally comes with veal tongue as well but I asked for it without). I found the two small pieces of fish to be a little on the chewy side and could have done with some more substantial carbs to go with it – but it was fine.

HP requested the summer vegetable tart with quinoa, mozzarella and aged balsamic vinegar. It looked pretty but it was rather insubstantial and the pastry disappointingly dry and flaky.

Dessert was a more satisfying – the caramelised tarte tatin tasted bitter-sweet and looked mysteriously dark but was offset nicely with a smooth oval of Tahitian vanilla ice cream. The white peach soufflé was delicate and moreish.

With space left for something else, we shared a selection of seasonal cheeses (£18) with candied walnuts (scrumptious), grapes and biscuits, and finished with a fiery Hennessy XO.

VERDICT

Despite having eaten better food in many other restaurants, I had a thoroughly enjoyable time – we were the last to leave, at around midnight. The staff were very attentive and informative, and made our experience a pleasure. The views made it memorable. It's a good choice for entertaining clients, especially if you are staying on-site.

FACT FILE

OPENING HOURS 12pm-3pm Mon-Fri, 11.45am-3.30pm Sun (no lunch Saturdays. 6pm-10pm Mon-Wed, until 10.30pm Thurs-Sat (closed for dinner Sundays).

PRICES There is a three-course Sunday lunch for £45; a two-course set midweek lunch for £26 and three courses for £30; and a seven-course tasting menu for £99 (£169 with wine pairings).

CONTACT Galvin at Windows, 22 Park Lane at the London Hilton on Park Lane hotel; tel +44 (0)20 7208 4021; galvinatwindows.com

Jenny Southan

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