An air of anticipation surrounded Mazarine as it opened its doors for the first time on the 2nd of December, suggesting London’s Hanover Square was ready for something new. As the restaurant from Khaled Dandachi and Fred Srouchi opened, it transformed an address in the heart of London into a small corner of coastal France. With the Sparrow Italia team and Michelin-starred chef Thierry Laborde at the helm, expectations for Mazarine were high. Channelling the glamour of the French Riviera and meeting London’s renewed appetite for elevated dining, the restaurant lives up to its promise.
Diners follow a hallway and pass the cocktail lounge bar, and then the dining room unfolds in a gentle, almost tidal rhythm. The interior’s soft curves and beige walls illuminated by a warm backlit glow create a quietly luxurious and minimalist elegance that is reminiscent of a sculpted seaside cove or the smooth interior of a clamshell. The roundtables that fill the room are dressed in crisp white linen, whose plush blue chairs are reminiscent of seafoam or shoreline mist, introducing a subtle coastal palette without resorting to clichés.
Mazarine: James McDonald ©
The personable service is what truly elevates a dining experience at Mazarine, as staff offer honest advice on portioning, pacing, and the plate combinations that allow their exquisite flavours to shine and complement one another. It is also beautifully intuitive, glasses seem to replenish themselves, plates are whisked away at exactly the right moment, and yet the pace remains entirely unpressured. A visit from a trained sommelier adds the final touch, offering knowledgeable, unpretentious advice on which wines suit each course, pouring tastings, and explaining what makes each pairing work.
A delightfully refreshing and smoked Nelly Rose cocktail chosen from their extensive mixed drinks menu, paired with marinated olives dusted with orange zest, made for the perfect palate cleanser, a small yet elevated hors d’oeuvre that definitely shouldn’t be overlooked.
The hors d’oeuvres were followed by a spread of outstanding Fruit de Mer entrées: bluefin tuna tartare, sweet and briny sea urchins served in their shells, and a half dozen Fine de Claire David Havré oysters arrived at the table beautifully plated. However, it was their smoked eel croquettes, Croque Mazarine, that truly stole the spotlight. A long-standing French delicacy, eel is given a contemporary twist at Mazarine, reimagined as croquettes that are crisp, smoky and true to its roots.
Croque Mazarine: Josie Sharp ©
The menu promised several classic French indulgences such as escargots, caviar, and langoustines, and their presence spoke to the breadth of Mazarine’s ambitions. However, on the night these particular dishes were unavailable. While a disappointment in the moment, it felt less a misstep than a reminder of the restaurant’s commitment to absolute freshness; when ingredients do not meet their standard, they simply do not appear. The omissions were handled with transparency and grace, and did little to dent the overall pleasure of the dining experience.
The sharing plate brought a Dover sole à la meunière with chou grillé, cooked with a light hand and plated plainly yet effectively. The dish was accompanied by a tableside filleting, a touch of theatre that honoured a classic French culinary tradition without distracting from the quality of the fish. The grilled Savoy cabbage with anchovy sauce far exceeded the role of a mere garnish, becoming one of the evening’s highlights and pairing beautifully with the delicate Dover sole, which all but melted on the tongue.
Tableside Sea Bass: Blanca Ruedas ©
The entrées came with a recommended glass of Muscadet Sèvre et Maine from Domaine Julien Braud, while the main was paired with a white Cuvée ‘Gyotaku’ from Alsace. For dessert, a Château Laville Sauternes provided a fitting, honeyed finish, perfectly complementing the frosted autumn fruit sorbet selection of walnut, chestnut, and passionfruit inspired by the Côte d’Azur. A final, generously sized single espresso drew the meal to a close, leaving diners to return to London with the taste of the sea lingering on the tongue and a quiet hope of returning soon.
Lead photo credit : Mazarine Banca Ruedas ©
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Dining and Cooking