Alex Dilling At Hotel Cafe Royal London

There was a single set menu for £175 per person. The canapés were well-crafted and tasted great, with the prawn and seabream tartare being the standout. The fried base beneath it added a good contrasting texture to the softness of the seafood. The oyster and asparagus starter was refreshing. Despite, HATING oysters and finding them beyond unbearable, this dish, for me, was actually very eatable and rather nice. This was the first time I had ever thought this way about an oyster dish so very well done!! A smart dish of duck paté with an artistically crafted croissant followed. The real highlight of the meal was the smoked salmon, which was without a doubt, one of the best fish dishes I have eaten. The warm piece of salmon had a gorgeous, buttery texture. There was a lovely touch of sweetness in the flavour and the distinctive notes of the oak used to smoke the fish were clearly there. It was complemented perfectly by a smooth, vibrant wild garlic sauce and a stuffed morel. This was a beautiful dish, all around. The stuffed turbot was well-cooked but would have been better if it was easier to determine all the ingredients' flavours. It was difficult to pick up on the mild flavours of turbot and cuttlefish. The flavours of the prawns and chorizo were more dominant. The veal sweetbread was served tableside, adding some entertainment. The peppercorn sauce served with it was intense and flavoursome but unfortunately, I wasn't massively keen on the sweetbread itself, mainly due to its texture. The asparagus beside it was fresh and had a good crunch. The caramel, coffee and chocolate dessert was light and delicate. There were a variety of pleasant flavours but I personally would have preferred it to be slightly sweeter, especially the coffee ice cream. Nevertheless, it was a nice dessert that had that desired level of decadence, without being excessively rich or heavy. I was generally pretty satisfied with my meal. But I think one of the biggest disappointments was the service. Despite being swift, efficient and in no way rude, it came across as rather robotic and impersonal. Shyness perhaps? Also, I feel the wine prices were steep; the starting point for a glass of champagne was £28. But maybe for a restaurant located slap bang in the middle of Piccadilly, these prices are inevitable. Dined on 27/04/23