I like to think there are still a few hidden gems in London, places you can go where you aren't overcrowded, where the food is good and the service is outstanding. Currently, I find myself obsessed with such places particularly at brunch, where London has become more or less a version of New York where locals scamper for a place in line to get the city's hottest eggs Benedict. I'll tell you right now, it's found at 45 Jermyn St, it involves lobster and has zero chance of queues. That's actually how I discovered this beauty. I was taken here on a date and promised a breakfast I wouldn't soon forget. That was months ago and I recently found myself at a loss for an idea as to where to take a friend for dinner, so was scrolling through Velocity (more about this later) and was reminded of my hidden gem love. So, I booked a dinner at 45 Jermyn St to see what they had to offer for dinner.
Tastebuds and brain, please try and come together to pull off the following paragraphs in the perfect way, as 45 Jermyn Street truly does deserve a glowing recommendation, full of powerful prose and over the top adjectives. But I'm afraid, dear reader, I may just fail you in this department. There is truly no way to write in words the way in which each bite of perfectly tender and flavorful lamb changed my evening from ok to shooting through the stars magnificent. Surely there are no sentences punchy enough to articulate the way in which I wish somehow I had been born with two stomachs so that I could enjoy dish after dish without feeling full. Sadly, I just have to accept that I have the one stomach that seems to be growing to the size of two these days, after so many restaurant reviews.
We began our dinner in a rather civilized format. We ordered cocktails, caviar and foie gras. Ok, that's not civilized. That's downright decadent. The caviar is hard to get wrong, but the presentation at 45 Jermyn St will have you thinking that 10mg order sure does stretch far! The caviar comes with tableside prepared scrambled eggs, all the fixings you'd expect from breads to cream and more. It is a meal in itself. Careful here.
The food is delivered promptly at 45 Jermyn Street, but I would say they time it perfectly to keep the evening running as it should. We had time between courses to sip half a drink and we were back on the path to middle aged obesity in no time. Kidding, kidding.
The main course consisted of lamb, for me, and a pork chop for my guest. Portions were plentiful and the meats were bursting with flavor and perfectly cooked. This is most definitely a restaurant that wishes for you to leave feeling as if you've experienced a culinary delight, while also feeling like you have filled your tummy - a rarity these days and something that is most definitely appreciated when you are parting with a bit of a cash. The days of spending fortunes on a single scallop are hopefully long gone.
Now, to the crowning glory of the evening. Fittingly, it's called the Knickerbocker Glory and it was invented next door to 45 Jermyn Street, in Fortnum & Mason. This is a dessert that should receive a crown for it's incredibly presence. Even arriving at the table, it commanded the attention of the entire restaurant. And, yes, the first spoonful drew a response from me that was not dissimilar to Meg Ryan's "When Harry Met Sally" moment. I do so embarrass myself sometimes. I can't help it. I love food!
When the bill came, I will say it was exactly what I expected. It wasn't small, but it was on track with what we ordered. Thank goodness we were splitting it. And this is where I really do have to sing the praises of the Velocity App. Throughout the course of the dinner, we were able to see as the bill was adding up, so there weren't any awkward surprises. And then, without any sort of calculator work or annoying talk of how we would pay, we both just pressed one button on the app and it was split, immediately charged to our credit cards, which we had previously put into Velocity, and out the door we walked. In all my days of doing restaurant work, I don't think I've ever found anything easier or more impressive. I actually told two people, later that night about Velocity and insisted they download it right there, right in front of me. They proceeded to ask me if I held stock in the company. Nope. Just interested in making sure you guys know what's good for you! Download it!
