Many restaurants in London simply do not live up to their hype; they look pretty on Instagram, but then the food is bland and inedible. And so I was slightly skeptical about visiting Dalloway Terrace, and it’s one of the main reasons I put off visiting for so long. And then I visited, and cautiously chose from the mildly interesting European menu, and was subsequently blown away.
Just as Instagram shows, the restaurant is beautiful. Set on the terrace of the Bloomsbury hotel just off Oxford Street near Tottenham Court Road station, the stunning floral display was so impressive we assumed it was real, until I attempted to smell a flower and promptly realised they were fake. My guest exclaimed in astonishment ‘But they look so real! Some of them are even drooping!’.
And then our drinks arrived, two St-Germain cocktails; Le Elderflower Royale, and En Vacances. Whilst Le Elderflower Royale was a nod to the British aspect of the menu with the mix of elderflower and mint, En Vacances was very much a French creation; featuring Absinthe and Suze, with a large splash of watermelon juice. Both were delicious and a welcome refreshment on a 32 degree C summers day in London.
As we both wanted the same two starters, we decided to share them both, and neither of us were disappointed in this choice. A fresh and zesty Octopus Carpaccio, and Heirloom Tomatoes Salad with Torn Burrata were chosen, and promptly demolished. Thick crusty bread coated in lashings of butter were used to pop up the dressings left at the bottom of each dish, and soon our main course arrived.
We enjoyed mouthwatering Grilled Whole Dover Sole (off the bone) and Pan Fried Duck Breast alongside truffle fries, sauteed spinach, and tenderstem broccoli with almonds. Everything was exceptionally good, and I struggled to find a single thing to complain about.
When dessert arrived I was certain this would be their downfall. It was an unusual dessert menu and I chose something I am an expert on; Lemon Tart. My own lemon tarts are a magical medley of sweet and tart accompanied by varying textures of gooey and crumbly. Lemon desserts are my favourite, and I am renowned for my lemon tarts and lemon drizzle cake among my friends and family. And then I took a bite of their lemon tart, and no sooner had I swallowed that first mouthful that I started raving about the flavours and textures. The perfect pastry mixed with the tart squidgy lemon and the caramelized creme-brulee topping crunching in my mouth. The dessert wasn’t too sweet, but wasn’t too tart. The perfect balance of both flavour and texture. I’m going to have to re-think my own lemon tart now.
Thankfully Dalloway Terrace surpassed all of my expectations and proved itself in both style and quality. Although not a restaurant for mind-blowing Michelin quality food, for simple European dishes with a twist, which are high quality and in a beautiful setting, you really can’t get better than this.
Make sure you book ASAP – the beautiful flower installation ends next week.
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Catherine Lux is a food and travel contributor at AGLAIA, and a luxury lifestyle blogger documenting her life on her blog, Lux Life London. With Lux Life London having a large focus on travel and food, she loves nothing more than long-haul flights, excellent restaurants, and relaxing with friends in the coolest places in town.
