Lovely ambience and very good and attentive service, second time here and although bot very hungry tied a small small meal- the carpaccio. Quality of food is great and consistent
Caxton Grill at The St Ermin’s Hotel has been open for a while now but last weekend was the first time Mr S and I made it there, despite the restaurant being only five minutes walk from our flat! I love exploring all the great restaurants in my local area of Victoria, and now I’m happy to add this one to my list.
Chef Adam Handling is seriously inspiring. At 27, his portfolio of successes to date includes a fistful of “Chef of the Year” awards from industry leaders including the British Culinary Federation. His eponymous restaurant, located at St Ermin’s Hotel in Westminster has garnered three AA-rosettes in its first year.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
I recently booked a table for dinner at Adam Handling at Caxton, well known as the runner-up in Masterchef: The Professionals 2013, who has also gained many awards since.
We both went for the tasting menu, which consisted of six courses priced at £70 per person.
To start off, we were served a loaf of warm sourdough bread. I usually try not to overdo it with the bread course at the beginning, but that chicken butter and duck liver parfait was just too good to let it go to waste.
The doughnuts with dressed crab were tasty little mouthfuls albeit with a slightly denser texture then I was expecting. I would have gladly had a whole plate to myself.
The beetroot snack were little delicate wafer rolls with a sweet and slightly sharp beetroot filling. It was really light and crisp, and dusted in a beetroot powder.
The chicken skin was very moreish, and a favourite for both of us.
The first course was the salmon, with pea, sweet and sour wasabi, apple and dill. A bit of molecular liquid nitrogen show as our server brought over a pot with frozen violas and poured the contents over our dishes. I do love tartare dishes, and did enjoy the lamb tartare, served with beets, fermented red pepper, chilli and sorrel. I just wished that there was more.
The chicken and lobster was served with a fragrant yellow curry and palm sugar sauce. The lobster was fresh with a nice, springy texture, and the chicken really tender.
The ashed beef rump is apparently his signature dish, served with burnt artichokes and cabbage. A tender piece of beef with a lovely pink centre, and you could really taste the strong smokey flavours in it.
For dessert, we were first served the apple with cucumber and gin, which was very cooling and refreshing. A nice way to cleanse the palate after the rich courses that were had before. The second dessert was more sweet and indulgent - a yuzu-based dessert with milk, crumble and meringue.
The restaurant itself was thankfully not too crowded on a Friday night, and service was generally pleasant. The menu is reasonably priced and the dishes were beautifully presented and satisfying.
I would be happy to return again to try out their a la carte menu, or their tasting menu again when it changes.
Check out my blog for the full post with photos x
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
February 20, 2015 - Sunny London What happens when there’s a few fabulous warm, sunny days in London during mid-February? The seasonal Spring afternoon tea menus starting sprouting! And, I was super excited to be one of the first bloggers to enjoy the St. Ermin’s Hotel ‘Flights of Fancy Champagne Afternoon Tea’ which is offered until the end of March. This Spring tea is the work of Chef of the Year and MasterChef finalist Adam Handling. It includes choices of Newby of London’s award-winning fine teas and a flight of Laurent Perrier champagnes for £45 per person. The very historic hotel is located on a quiet street just around the corner from the St. James Park Underground Station. If you haven’t been there, you’re truly missing a great experience. It’s inches from Buckingham Palace, St James Park, Westminster Abbey, Parliament and Big Ben. The St. Ermin’s Hotel entrance screams wedding photography. When my friend and I walked in, we both instantly commented to each other about how beautiful the staircase is for wedding portraits. Hmmmm. Maybe Mr. Sunny and I should renew our vows? The stairs lead to the first floor mezzanine Tea Lounge. And the views from the top of the staircase are equally as entrancing. The Tea Lounge sits just at the top. Its ambiance is perfect for a date with the girls to catch up and sip on elegant glasses of champagne, and tea of course. My friend from Florida and I met to review the champagne afternoon tea, which features pairings by one of this blog’s favourites… Laurent Perrier! We were a bit nervous about an afternoon tea that features three glasses of champagne, as we went on a weekday. She’s working on her doctorate in the me
![4]( "Recensione")
As I ventured into Caxton Grill, discreetly nestled inside St. Ermin's Hotel, I couldn't help but marvel at the ample space that it offered. The layout, featuring intimate corners, high tables, and of course, the inviting bar, provided the perfect cover for covert meetings.
The intimate areas, well, they held secrets just as well as they held conversations. The high tables, where one could exchange documents without drawing suspicion, were strategically placed. As for the bar, let's just say that its counterintelligence was as impeccable as its cocktails.
Speaking of cocktails, the selection was somewhat limited, but the mixologists had an uncanny ability to concoct anything one desired. A trait that any spy would appreciate; they never blinked an eye, even when my requests grew more complex.
The food, considering the context of a hotel bar, exceeded expectations. It was satisfying, providing the sustenance needed to keep my espionage endeavors on track.
Now, the service – it was truly amazing. The staff operated with such precision and discretion that I couldn't help but wonder if they had been trained in the art of espionage themselves.
And here's the twist – the bar was so good that I couldn't help but think about changing sides, much like the ebb and flow of wartime allegiances. The atmosphere was so inviting that even a seasoned spy could find themselves contemplating a different path.
As I savored my drink, I couldn't help but notice the number of Americans patronizing the establishment. It felt as though there were more of them than secret agents in wartime Berlin. I suppose you could say it was a "friendly invasion," much like our American allies during World War II.
In conclusion, Caxton Grill at St. Ermin's Hotel is a place that could make even a spy consider a change of allegiance, all while enjoying excellent service, intriguing spaces, and, of course, cleverly crafted cocktails.
This is a really lovely place to spend an evening having dinner! The only reason I give four stars instead of 5 overall is because of the size of the starters we had. The quality of the food was wonderful but would have loved more of the starters we had! The non alcoholic cocktails are really yummy and the service I received once I had told them I am currently 7 months pregnant was brilliant. They double checked everything they needed to with me and all staff were very friendly! I had the Welsh Lamb rump as my main and my partner had the Caxton burger as his main and we can both say we really enjoyed our food!
We had dinner at this restaurant couple of times during our London stay at St. Ermin’s Hotel, overall a great experience, food was great, I wish would have a bit more desert diversity. The staff is very friendly and customer friendly. I would definitely be back!
Very hospitable staff, wide selection of wines. Food was lightly flavoured in general but still tasty. Battered fish was crispy outside but soft inside, yummy. I'm satisfied with experience I had in this restaurant. Great atmosphere for special occasions.
Lovely restaurant. All food cooked to perfection and a nice Pale Ale on tap for those connoisseurs who prefer beer to wine. Cod was excellent and sides were good too. Didn't have steak but the people who did said it was great.
Make a reservation
Order online
Find the best restaurant in London
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes