Tried & Tested

Restaurant check: Oblix

22 May 2013 by Michelle Harbi
BACKGROUND The latest venture from Rainer Becker – the restaurateur behind the Roka and Zuma chains – Oblix opened on the 32nd floor of the Shard this month. It takes up the whole floor and comprises a restaurant serving a “New York grill-inspired menu”, and a bar and lounge. The executive chef, Fabien Beaufour, previously worked at New York’s Eleven Madison Park. THE RESTAURANT Oblix has its own entrance at ground level, and you shoot up to the 32nd floor via a speedy nonstop lift. The restaurant’s design is clever and has been conceived to showcase the spectacular view. You exit the lift into a dim reception area where glamorous staff check you in on iPads, take your coats and then lead you down a darkly lit walkway to the restaurant, through bustling open kitchens on both sides – with heaps of luscious, colourful produce on display – before, finally, the big reveal, the capital and all its landmarks unfurling before your eyes. The 32nd floor is not even halfway up the Shard – which stands 72 storeys tall, with its View from the Shard attraction (£25 in advance) located at the top – but this is a fantastic vantage point from which to take in the detail of the vista. The restaurant looks to the north and west – my window table faced directly on to the Thames and St Paul’s Cathedral – while the bar and lounge, with its views to the east and south, offer a great view of Tower Bridge. Book a window table at sunset if you can – it really is wonderful watching the city transform below you. The 100-cover restaurant is designed not to distract, with unadorned tables and plenty of dark wood. THE FOOD Oblix is certainly a departure from Becker’s Japanese restaurants, with rotisserie-cooked rosemary chicken and duck, and Josper-grilled meats and seafood among the dishes, along with the likes of clam chowder and mac and cheese. The Asian influence is still there, though, not just in some of the flavours but also in the sharing concept – staff explain that dishes are designed to be shared and will be brought out to you when they are ready, rather than together, unless you specify otherwise. With that in mind, we ordered three starters. The crab cakes came first, and were fresh and zingy but very modest in size for the £19 cost. The burrata, olives and Datterini tomatoes, recommended by the waiter, was worth every penny of its £15 price tag – the cheese deliciously creamy and viscous, and served with pieces of sweet, crunchy pistachio granola. The iceberg lettuce, blue cheese and pancetta (£9) was crisp and nicely potent. We followed that with the 300g rib-eye (£29) and 250g sirloin steak (£22), augmented with grilled green asparagus (£7), French fries (£5) and macaroni and cheese (£4.50). The steaks came out first, pre-sliced for sharing, followed by the sides a few minutes later – in retrospect, I would probably have asked for it all to be served together, so perhaps some of the dishes are more suited to being served traditionally. The steaks were well cooked and full of flavour, as was the asparagus, which had been finished on the Josper grill, and the mac and cheese was perfect. We ended with a decadent pecan nut and chocolate bar with crunchy bourbon ice cream. Service was friendly and attentive throughout. Our sommelier was a bit of a character – on seeing us peruse the menu, he asked us what type of wine we were thinking about ordering; we replied a Malbec, to which he declared that we could buy that in a pub. We took his recommendation – L’Espressio del Priorat, 2011, Spain (£42), and enjoyed it. There is a wide selection of wines available by the bottle and 20 by the glass, with prices starting from £24 and £6 respectively. THE BAR At the end of our meal we had a cocktail in the bar. A jazz band was playing on this Friday night (there is a £12 cover charge for reservations after 9pm) and there was a lively buzz. Service was a little slow but sipping a bellini (vine peach puree and prosecco, £14.50) with that view was a lovely way to round off the evening. VERDICT A great experience. Delicious food served against a wonderful London backdrop. Recommended, especially at sunset. OPENING HOURS Restaurant daily 12pm-2.30pm (Sat-Sun 3pm), 6pm-10.30pm. Bar and lounge 12pm-late daily (à la carte menu served during same hours as restaurant; smaller menu available 3pm-late; brunch Sat-Sun 12pm-4pm). PRICES Starters £7-£19.50; mains £16-£54 (wagyu beef tenderloin/sirloin £36 per 100g); sides £4-£7; desserts £6-£9; 12.5 per cent service charge. Lounge deli option (main and sweet selection) £25. CONTACT Oblix, Level 32, the Shard, 31 St Thomas Street; tel +44 (0)7286 6700; oblixrestaurant.com Michelle Mannion
Loading comments...

Search Flight

See a whole year of Reward Seat Availability on one page at SeatSpy.com

Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Be up-to-date
Magazine Subscription
To see our latest subscription offers for Business Traveller editions worldwide, click on the Subscribe & Save link below
Polls