I usually try to resist going to a restaurant which is at the top of a tall building and offers panoramic views. Often the quality of the food had to be compensated by the view. However, a few friends have recommended Galvins at Windows and so I thought I’d give it a try. I went there on the Friday when Pope Benedict happened to be visiting London, and so it was a real nightmare trying to find parking in Mayfair that evening because all the on-street parking spaces were suspended. So I ended up paying a fortune for the parking at Park Lane Hilton – thanks Ben!
The restaurant was very busy that evening – it was a fine September evening, when the sky was clear and there was an excellent view of London.
Ordering the aperitif was hard work – the staff was obviously so busy trying to serve all the tables and I nearly stood up and went to the bar to serve myself. So that was not a promising start.
For food, this was what I had:
Starter: Seared Scottish Scallop, cuttlefish, chorizo & “paella”. The scallops were overcooked, which was unfortunate. However, the dish was full of flavour and the rest of the ingredients were delicious.
Main: South Coast John Dory, oranmge braised endive, cauliflower puree, curry oil & golden raisins. This was a very impressive dish – the presentation was beautiful, the fragrance of the curry oil rose to the nose and just made me want to eat it straight away. The melange of flavours worked well also.
Dessert: Hot soufflé of banana, chocolate & caramelised peanut – I was looking forward to this dessert. However it was somewhat disappointing for me. While all the flavours were there, the hardness of the peanuts did not compliment well with the softness of the souffle, and the whole thing came out a bit dry.
In conclusion, it was not a bad dinner. The main course was memorable and it was worth the visit, but I’d rather like to forget about the dessert.
Address: 22 Park Lane, London, W1K 1BE, United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7208 4021
Website: www.galvinatwindows.com/
Opening Hours: Lunch: Monday-Friday 12.00 – 14.30 , Saturday closed , Sunday 11.45 – 15.00 ; Dinner: Monday-Wednesday 18.00 – 22.30 , Thursday – Saturday 18.00 – 23.00 , Sunday closed
Food: 8/10
Ambience: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Total: 15/20 [Based on visit in September 2010]
Chow With Chau 