Five-star dining
WHEN you think of dining out in Knightsbridge, it’s unlikely that pub grub springs to mind, but The Aubrey, The Mandarin Oriental hotel’s newest restaurant, offers exactly that. Specifically, ‘izakaya’, a Japanesestyle room that translates to ‘stay-drink-place’.
Low-level lighting guides you down from the ground floor to where Bar Boulud once was and into what feels like the private rooms of their namesake, the decadent artist Aubrey Beardsley. Gilt frames and silk screens, imported from Japan, jostle for space on the walls. This is the place for special occasions, decadent cocktails (try the Volpone with a splash of wasabi liquor) and private affairs —some of the booths can be veiled off with velvet curtains. There’s even a separate, secret bar, which hosts special cocktail experiences.
There are small plates of sushi and topgrade Robata grill—iberico pork cooked to perfection and whopping prawns coated in airy tempura batter. The restaurant is particularly proud of the Karaage chicken, coated in activated charcoal, a very upmarket deep-fried treat. I assume that the charcoal counteracts the cocktails… Best of all, the service: these folks seem pleased to be here, serving up creative fare against an opulent backdrop. At weekends, the music ramps up and a house-party atmosphere ensues, but a calm Tuesday evening suited me perfectly.
HL (www.mandarinoriental.com/london/ hyde-park/fine-dining/japanese-izakaya/ the-aubrey)