High dining was a craze in London, and Aqua Shard was the 'go to' restaurant for sampling premium food with a quality view. Despite being pricey, was it any good? Time to find out...
Ideal for:
Dining with a spectacular view
Dining somewhere quirky
City Slickers
Ambience & Décor
Upon entering, the panoramic views hit you. The wood and glass combination gives Aqua Shard a chic and contemporary look. From the table, we could see the City and St Paul’s – surveying historic London from a modern, contemporary setting. The close proximity to the bar meant that making conversation was tricky at times, which was not appreciated by my dining companions.
Service
Our waiter Massimiliano gets special mentions. He started off by selling us the last remaining scallops, usually a main, as a sharing starter. Great salesman. Despite a full house, his unwavering attention was great personalised service. However, he did serve us bottled water when asked for tap.
Food
The five scallop pieces (left) paying homage to different cooking styles and preparations from around the world. My choice was the South East Asian variant with vermicelli. It was different, yet delicious. The vermicelli was a nice touch However, at £35, it is obscenely expensive as a main given the scant portions.
My actual starter was foie gras with cranberry chutney, chocolate canelé and candy beetroot (right). The flavours complemented each other to give a well-balanced dish. The sweetness from the cranberry combine with the bitter undertones of the canelé served with the savoury foie gras, rounded off by the slightly sour beetroot.
Accompanying the confit suckling pig (left) was compressed pear and pink pepper, potato and truffle gratin with a side of black cabbage. The generous portion of suckling pig was well cooked throughout. The sides of gratin and cabbage gave a wintery, rustic tinge. Would have liked more of it. Special kudos to the compressed pear & pink pepper ensemble, with its subtle taste and distinct texture marrying with the pork well.
However it must be noted that my dining companions were not too thrilled with either their starter and/or mains. The differing portions meant some dishes are better value for money.
The David Mess (right) was presented beautifully. One half of the ball had guava sorbet and fresh raspberries, with the other having a medley of raspberry preparations and Chantilly cream. The tangy guava sorbet was a lovely twist, and a great palate cleanser. Raspberries are not sweet, so the Chantilly cream gave the dessert much-needed sweetness. Best course of the night. However, once again, the desserts of my other dining companions lacked wow factor, and felt bourgeois, given the price.
The hit and miss dining coupled with the steep bill at the end meant I derived more value from the meal that my friends. Some dishes are far better value. However, Aqua Shard's cool look, outstanding views and cracking service meant it is still a good restaurant. My advice is come as a two as you get the tables right near the windows. Overall an A- rating.
Photos of Aqua Shard and more can be found on Instagram here.
Final grade: A-
Final comment: The best panoramic dining views of London. Must try.
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