The last dinner outing here was a shambles, but I heard murmurings the updated menu was a big improvement. As such, I thought I would give it another go. Was it any good? Time to find out…
Ideal for:
Casual dinner with mates
After work drinks
Date night
Ambience & Décor
Quaglino’s interior has a 'wow' factor with the viewing gallery overlooking the entire dining area. The decorative central bar, ornate staircase and polished fixtures all fuse to create a classy affair. The ornate columns and glass panelled ceiling make the occasion feel special. The bar was more sleek and contemporary with its black and marbled finish. The ambience has always been buzzing, and it gets even more so once the live entertainment starts at 9pm. The live band belting Sinatra classics was a beautiful end to the night.
Service
Service has been hit and miss the few times I have come. Whilst they were courteous to show us to the table, the service became increasingly sparing as the night wore on. Settling the bill was a chore.
Food
For starters, the Chicken liver parfait (left) was a beautifully soft quenelle, rich in flavour. The parfait was supplemented with burnt apple, apple celery & walnut salad, toasted brioche but these felt and tasted superfluous as they did not add much. The apple did give some zing and acidity, but it was a whimper. The brioche and parfait would have sufficed.
The Sirloin 300g, charred piquillo pepper, chimichurri (right) fared well as the steak was perfectly cooked, but the quality of meat felt a bit cheap. The pepper and chimichurri added some bold, fiery and exotic flavours to an otherwise bland dish. I thought both were great foils to the meat. The side fries provided a great mechanism for mopping up the stray juices and relish.
The Panna Cotta dessert was forgettable, but the post-dinner cocktail was special. I told the bartender I loved an Eton Mess and he made an Eton Mess cocktail (left) which had ample sweetness, strong essence of strawberry and the meringue showpiece atop. This was the digestif I was searching for. Cracking way to finish.
Happy to report that dinner at Quaglino’s has improved since my last visit, and there was still a lot to like. The décor and ambience are the absolute bankers, and I think this still has the wow factor for dates with the delicious cocktail and suave venue. The food was a big improvement but it still is not value for money, and therefore this outing is a solid B Rating.
Photos of Quaglino's and more can be found on Instagram here.
Final grade: B
Final comment: Improvement on the previous outing but food still needs work
Hashtags: #B #Expensive #Continental #GreenPark #Quaglinos #Cocktail #PoorService #ChickenLiver #Parfait #Meat #BurntApple #Apple #Celery #Walnut #Salad #Brioche #PiquilloPepper #Chimichurri #Steak #Beef #Potato #Fries #PannaCotta #Plums #Hazelnut #IceCream #AllOccasions #BrilliantDécor #BusinessMeetings #Casual #Contemporary #Cosy #Drinks #Eclectic #Elegance #LiveMusic #Modern #Multicultural #Dates #FineDining #Japanese #Fusion #Quirky
Comments