Bellamy's
Mayfair, London
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The fact that the late Queen Elizabeth chose Bellamy’s for a rare private meal says a lot about this archetypal Mayfair brasserie. Run with consummate grace and decorum by ever-present Gavin Rankin, it feels as if it has been around forever – even though it only arrived on the scene in 2004. Inside, the green banquettes are almost an institution in themselves, and everything about the beautifully appointed dining room speaks of discreet civility and understated class – no wonder Her Majesty felt right at home here. In fact, everyone is most welcome and the whole place exudes genuine warmth – thanks in part to ‘truly exceptional’ staff and classical service of the old school. The menu is built on precisely executed, canonical specialities with Provençal overtones – think smoked eel mousse, watercress soup and foie gras terrine ahead of veal entrecôte, pot-au-feu or poached skate with sauce mousseline. Many dishes have impressed of late: luxurious iced lobster soufflé; devilled eggs, rich and creamy, on lamb’s lettuce in a ‘caringly spiky’ and satisfying vinaigrette; red mullet, cooked to near perfection with grilled courgettes and olive tapenade. Desserts are well-tried classics, from île flottante, Marina’s chocolate cake and tarte tartin to Bellamy's famous 'soft' ice creams. Otherwise, a bowl of Minstrels (often brought by Rankin himself) provides the final satisfying flourish. The lunchtime table d’hôte is a steal, and the fiercely Francophile wine list (from £29) offers terrific value across the range.
