A dining room designed to soothe rather than shout, inspired by the light and tones of the French coast // Image: James McDonald
As a child in the 1980s, I watched my parents’ generation fall headlong for French cuisine. This was the socially mobile’s two-fingered salute to the beige flans and kedgerees of their own youth. At the time, their appetites for haute and nouvelle cuisines were swelled by the red-wine-swilling Keith Floyd in his joyously Francophile series Floyd on France. So much so that many of my memories of that period are soundtracked by ‘franglais’, then a sort of yuppie lingo that encouraged dinner-party questions such as the eternally cringeworthy ‘anyone for encore un drop of vin rouge?’
Mayfair, but without the usual visual assault – beige, caramel and conversation-friendly calm // Image: James McDonald
In London, this helped boost the popularity of French restaurants (a borrowing of its own, of course) – among them the now recently closed Le Gavroche and one of Princess Diana’s favourite haunts, L’Escargot. From these sprang today’s foodie culture, and London’s hard-won reputation as one of the culinary capitals of the world.
A mix of whimsy and curiosity, then, as news of Mazarine arrives. Opened in early December on Mayfair’s chi-chi Hannover Square alongside the new Mandarin Oriental (no relation, despite the near homophone), it promises a modern French dining experience and an escape from the increasingly unbearable flashiness that now defines so much of the West End.
Seafood treated with a light touch // Image: Justin De Souza
On paper, the credentials look good. Behind it are Khaled Dandachi and Fred Srouchi, the restaurateurs who brought Sparrow Italia to Mayfair, while the kitchen falls under the jurisdiction of former Le Gavroche head chef Thierry Laborde. Much will be expected of it. Spear’s went to check it out.
Design & Interiors
An ambiance that tells the story of coastal French cuisine was the brief given to Mazarine’s US-based interior consultants, Bolt Design. As a result, Mazarine is not the visual assault on the senses that so many London openings now are. Instead of walls lathered in works produced by an artist on an off-day between shock-therapy treatments, you get a sea of beige and soft caramel hues and textures.
Take the gently undulating ceiling – it’s painted a golden, almost sandy colour, intended to conjure the crepuscular light of a coastal sunset. Does it? Not strictly, no, but I’d rather that than eat in the dark, or be surrounded by the contents of the Kew Gardens gift shop.
Coastal French cooking, with shellfish centre stage // Image: Justin De Souza
I suspect some will find it a little tepid, mind, but then again, if you like your food drizzled in statement word art and flambéd in 2am beats, you have plenty of options. Personally, I found Mazarine’s calming palette entirely convivial, and a natural environment in which to conduct something we middle-aged folk call good conversation.
Food & Drink
Mazarine’s seafood-leaning menu is designed ‘comme tu veux’, with the option to plot your own way through as many as six courses, or to order for ‘la table’ and treat the menu as a list of sharing plates.
Content from our partners
We encouraged the waiting staff to pick the dishes they expected might one day make them famous, and a raft of colourful but delicate plates arrived over a two-hour period, ranging from sprightly raw scallops with gently caramelised tangerine slices and a terrine of creamy, extremely gobblable foie gras, to a dish called ‘poivrons rouges marinés, marjolaine’ – a marinated and garlic-infused take on the humble pepper that proved the unexpected hit of the entrées we tried.
Bluefin tuna, one of the menu’s quiet standouts // Image: Justin De Souza
There were oysters, too, an acquired taste as ever, while a plate piled high with Scottish smoked salmon and salmon roe ticked a few more of our boxes. Yes, Scottish – the net is cast north as well as south, and none the worse for it.
Mains included a decent crab ravioli in a lobster and lemongrass broth and a succulent filet of beef in a red wine jus that lingered nicely, but it was the bluefin tuna steak in a classic peppercorn sauce that proved more than the sum of our expectations.
Speaking of which, the really unexpected triumph was the grilled savoy cabbage in an anchovy sauce, which, at a mere £9, would make a peculiarly enjoyable light lunch washed down with a glass of oaky chardonnay. Honestly, I’d go back for the cabbage – a review line I never thought I’d write.
A menu that encourages diners to share, roam and linger // Image: Justin De Souza
As for the booze, the house martini with a dash of Chartreuse was a smash hit, but I’ll be honest, I was so lost in conversation when the red wine appeared alongside the beef that I completely forgot to clock what it was. It was light and delicious, I do remember that. What I also remember is that the chocolate soufflé dessert was terrific without leaving me hankering after a second portion. Order that.
If there was a disappointment, it was that the Dover sole, the fish dish du jour, it seems, was unavailable. Whether it’s worth the eye-watering £125 tariff it comes with, I couldn’t tell you.
Service
Going French entertains the possibility that the waiting staff will be waspish and, where possible, patronising. But we found little evidence of that at Mazarine.
A phalanx of well-trained crumb-scrapers was organised by a trio of individually attired senior staff, each of whom carried gravitas and welcoming brio that made our evening go down with a smile – one we never had to force. Warm handshakes all round on departure, always a good sign.
A room where dinner matters more than personal branding // Image: James McDonald
The crowd
Oh, London. With each passing week, the rise of the fashion influencer bimbo – flimbo? – creeps. Hotel lobbies, bars, restaurants, the pavements outside luxxy boutiques – everywhere you go now there are pouters and preeners vying for the attention of Lord only knows who, wardrobes gifted, empty smiles fixed, heads tilted at the ‘pick me’ angle.
Take away the two tables whose diners were working hard on their personal brand, and the crowd seemed reassuringly discerning and equally disapproving.
The verdict
Perched on Hannover Square and so located away from, but comfortably within reach of, Mayfair’s centres of mayhem, Mazarine is an elegant addition to the London dining scene, drifting into the city with the gentle and welcome insouciance of an Atlantic breeze. And I’ll repeat: go for the cabbage. Really.
Mazarine’s discreet exterior on Mayfair’s Hannover Square // Image: James McDonald
More information
Mazarine, 22 Hanover Square, London W1S 1JA / mazarinerestaurant.cominfo@mazarinerestaurant.com
Dining and Cooking