The Balcon London | cheriecity.co.uk

Le Brunch at The Balcon, Sofitel London St James

June 1, 2015 by cheriecity

Weekends don’t get much better than when brunch is involved. Especially when it’s a lazy, late and luxurious brunch, so you can catch a few extra hours of beauty sleep (or recover from the excesses of Saturday night).

If you like your Sunday brunch with an air of sophistication, The Balcon at Sofitel London St. James has just launched its fabulous new Le Brunch menu. Classic French dishes are given a creative twist and feature alongside brunch favourites, American-inspired dishes and lighter, healthy options.

We visited the elegant Russell Sage-designed restaurant for a long, mid-afternoon brunch and were seated at a lovely corner booth with views over elegant Waterloo Place. We were warmly greeted by the delightful staff, who explained the menu and chatted to us about our weekend.

The special brunch drinks are just as exciting as the food, including a Kir selection from the Champagne Bar, potent coffee and rum-based cocktails, alcoholic milkshakes and frappé coffees.

I chose a Kir with Pear Liqueur and Bulgare tea (£10), which was sweet, fragrant and refreshing, served chilled in a large wine glass with fresh raspberries. I really enjoyed the white wine in the Kir, but you could ask for a Kir Royale if you prefer to start the brunch with Champagne.

Steven tried the Black Russian milkshake (£8) made with dark rum, Mozart chocolate liqueur, chocolate ice cream and milk. It was decadent yet light and milky and just boozy enough.

To start, we were brought two slices of savoury cake – a bold Mediterranean-style black olive tapenade flavour and a richer, more French ham and cheese. We were fans of both and thought they were an interesting alternative to the usual bread basket, however a mountain of freshly-baked bread rolls with French butter soon followed too!

While we were waiting for our first dishes, we had a long chat with our lovely waitress Neslihan about her native Turkey and she recommended a contemporary Persian singer that she had recently seen live at Barbican. She kept us entertained until our food arrived and it was so nice to build a rapport with the staff – everyone in the restaurant was treated like regulars.

I couldn’t resist trying the Duck Eggs Benedict with Bayonne ham and green asparagus. This was one of the best Eggs Benedict I’ve ever had. The duck eggs were poached to perfection with runny, vibrant orange yolks and were perched atop fluffy toasted English muffins, steamed chunky asparagus spears and a generous amount of flavoursome, freshly-carved Bayonne ham.

Steven went for the more indulgent Grilled jerk marinated steak and fried egg with cornmeal waffle and home-made barbecue sauce (£4 supplement). The juicy, succulent medium-cooked steak was well-seasoned and had a delicious flame-grilled taste. It went well with the crispy, grainy and slightly sweet cornmeal waffles and the fried egg and tangy, smoky barbecue sauce finished it nicely.

To follow, I ordered a quintessentially British dessert with a French flourish – Raspberry macaron Eton Mess. It was a heavenly, whimsical dessert with lightly whipped, vanilla-scented Chantilly cream, fresh raspberries and soft, chewy raspberry-flavoured macaron pieces. I couldn’t help thinking of Marie-Antoinette with each mouthful – she certainly would’ve approved of this dessert.

Warm chocolate and ginger tart with milk ice cream was another high point of the meal. The luxurious chocolate fondant had a soft cake texture and oozed molten dark chocolate infused with aromatic ginger. As it that wasn’t mind-blowing enough, it was set on a fine, buttery pastry base and topped with cool, light milk ice cream.

We finished our brunch with pots of Earl Grey and Jasmine Pearl tea, which were served in my favourite Sofitel Asian-style cast iron teapots (one day I will have one of my own, as well as a Sofitel SoBed).

Le Brunch at The Balcon is a fabulous way to make the most of your weekend. The menu is full of tempting dishes and the top notch food leaves you feeling full and satisfied without being too much. With such chic surroundings, notable service and a relaxed atmosphere, it’s the perfect choice for a memorable brunch.

Le Brunch at The Balcon is priced at £20 per person for two courses and is available from 12pm to 4pm every Sunday.

Chérie City was invited by The Balcon

Photos by Chérie City (interiors by The Balcon)

Afternoon tea, Hotels, Hotels - Luxury, London, Restaurants

Le Gouter Pierre Hermé at The Balcon

November 14, 2013 by cheriecity

Every London luxury hotel has its own take on the quintessentially British afternoon tea, however, Pierre Hermé brings a much-loved French tradition to The Balcon at Sofitel St James with a very decadent ‘Gouter’.

The ‘quatre heures’ is an everyday after-school snack for children, usually consisting of fresh baguette, brioche, jam and chocolate or a pain au chocolat. Le Gouter Pierre Hermé is a much more decadent, grown-up affair, offering signature chocolate delicacies served with the finest tea or hot chocolate.

I visited The Balcon recently and enjoyed a leisurely afternoon gouter in its elegant surroundings. There are two Gouter plates to choose from (both £25) and if you’re visiting with a guest, I recommend ordering one of each to share (it’s impossible to decide between macarons and moelleux au chocolat).

Le Gouter Pierre Hermé includes two slices of fluffy Brioche Mousseline served with a smooth, rich Pâte à Tartiner Infinitement Praline Noisette with whole caramelised hazelnuts (a luxury alternative to childhood Nutella). This is accompanied by four perfectly crumbly and buttery Sablés Infinitement Chocolat and two indulgent Moelleux Quatre heures in different chocolate flavours.

Le Gouter Mogador features the same Brioche Mousseline served with a zesty Confiture Mogador (orange, apricot and pineapple jam). The gouter is nicely rounded off with silky, melt-in-the-mouth milk and dark Chocolate Bonbons and a selection of Pierre Hermé’s world-famous Mogador and Porcelana Chocolate Macarons.

I enjoyed my Gouter with a cup of delicate, fragrant Thé Ispahan – black tea flavoured with rose, lychee and raspberry (£5). As if there wasn’t already enough chocolate, I couldn’t resist finishing with a Chocolat Chaud Infinitement Chocolat (£6). French hot chocolate is hard to beat and this one was as delicious as I expected – velvety, not too sweet and ever so slightly bitter from the high cocoa content.

Also available is a cold chocolate and an iced Sencha Green China tea flavoured with almonds, cardamon and jasmine.

Le Gouter Pierre Hermé at The Balcon is a delightful indulgence that instantly transports you to the grand cafes of Paris. It’s simple and uncomplicated yet incredibly luxurious and satisfying – a perfect afternoon treat.

For more information, visit: www.pierreherme.com

Chérie City was a guest of Pierre Hermé

All photos by Pierre Hermé

Afternoon tea, Hotels, Hotels - Luxury, Restaurants, Spa

A Relaxing Day At Sofitel St James London

January 29, 2013 by cheriecity

One of my favourite things about living in London is how close it is to Paris and all of the delightful French things that make their way across the channel. Sofitel St James is a little corner of Paris in historic Mayfair – a perfect marriage of French elegance and English refinement.

Housed in the former Cox’s and King’s bank close to Piccadilly and the private members clubs of Pall Mall, the five-star Sofitel St James complements the building’s original features with chic yet homely interiors by Pierre-Yves Rochon and Russell Sage.

I was invited with London Unattached and Lela London to experience a day of relaxation and indulgence, like true Paris-London ‘ladies who lunch’.

So SPA

We began the morning in So SPA, a stylish urban retreat with an impressive reception area and treatment rooms set across three floors, filled with natural daylight. So SPA uses Carita, Cinq Mondes and Mamma Mio skincare products and treatments are designed to appeal to the five senses.

On arrival, we sat at the large communal table and were welcomed with a neat little tray of lavender tea, a fruit jelly and a warm flannel to freshen up.

I was given the usual health consultation form to fill in, but So SPA also requested my preferences for music, scent, temperature of the room, if I liked a heated bed and so on. This was a thoughtful touch and I loved that the treatment room was tailored exactly to my wishes.

We began the de-stressing process getting rid of toxins and relaxing the muscles in the hammam and jacuzzi. There are no clocks in the spa, so we relied on the therapists to call us for our treatments and this was done seamlessly.

With the Spa Butler’s help, I chose the signature So Rejuvenating Facial Treatment (60 minutes, £90). The therapist began the sensory journey by spritzing a delicate rose fragrance in the air and applying a layer of warm honey on my lips. My bespoke facial using Cinq Mondes products included a double foam cleanse and tone, exfoliation, a hydrating mask and a kaolin mask applied to the t-zone, lymphatic drainage massage and a relaxing hand and arm massage.

She very gently pinched and tweaked the skin around the eye area, cheekbones and jaw to expel impurities and reduce puffiness. A nice surprise was hot stones smoothed along my arms and placed under each palm.

Relaxation Room

After the treatment, I felt blissfully calm and was offered some great skincare advice before being guided into the well-equipped Relaxation Room. I ordered a Mediterranean Rose tea, which came with another lovely fruit jelly, and was left to continue my spa journey on the comfortable bed with magazines and an iPod system with soothing music to choose from. I could have happily lingered in the Relaxation Room, but lunch beckoned.

Lunch at The Balcon

Before sitting down to a delicious three-course lunch at The Balcon, we met with Executive Chef Vincent Menager (formerly of Brasserie Roux, Sofitel New York and Alain Ducasse) at the Charcuterie Bar to sample the finest cured and air-dried meats from France and Wales with a glass of Charles Heidsieck Champagne.

True to the Anglo-French philosophy of the hotel, the marble charcuterie bar focuses on meats, cheeses and terrines from Mas le Rouget in Cantal and Trealy Farm in Monmouthshire in Wales. Guests can stop by for a light indulgence or share a tasting platter before moving on to The Balcon.

Designed by Russell Sage, The Balcon combines the elegance of the Parisian grand brasserie and London’s modern-classic approach. The high ceilings, large windows and light colours make it an attractive spot for all-day dining.

The test of an authentic French restaurant is how good is the soupe à l’oignon gratinée, so I just had to start with the Normandy onion soup with Roskoff onion and Aspall English cyder.

The Food

This Normandy-meets-Suffolf onion soup was one of the best I’ve ever tasted. Served in a traditional French bowl, the soup was rich, dark and packed full of soft caramelised onions and topped with a baguette crouton, melted Gruyère and fresh herbs. It’s a comforting dish for when it’s cold outside, or particularly for home-sick Parisians in London.

For the main course, I was tempted by the Rump of Devon lamb, French green beans, pequillo peppers and sweetcorn. The lamb was tender, juicy and pinkish in the middle, cooked perfectly medium as requested. I enjoyed the accompaniment of glazed green beans, soft slivers of pequillo pepper, buttery sweetcorn freshly cut from the cob and rich jus. While the dish was colourful, it was presented in a simple, unpretentious way, which seems to be the concept at The Balcon.

Dessert

The Blackberry financier with green apple sorbet came highly recommended, so I was keen to try the restaurant’s most popular dessert. The freshly-baked financier was crisp and golden on the outside with a light, gooey almond cake centre. It went well with the sweet blackberry coulis and I adored the luscious, home-made apple sorbet.

To finish the meal, I ordered an English Breakfast tea, which came in a Japanese-style cast iron teapot with Gavottes (French caramelised wafer biscuits) on the side.

I loved the bright, elegant design and refined atmosphere at The Balcon and wish I’d discovered it sooner. It’s now on my list of stylish, central London eateries.

Hotel Tour

To walk off the lunch, we took a tour of the hotel and viewed the temporary collection of sculptures by Daphne du Barry and the hotel’s current Limelight exhibition, featuring photographic portraits of Barack Obama, Mick Jagger, Valentino Garavani, Francoise Hardy and Dita Von Teese.

We also had the chance to take a peek inside the Presidential Suite, with a stunning bed that looked so inviting for a post-lunch snooze. I particularly liked the romantic, dusky St James Bar, inspired by the interiors of Coco Chanel’s 1920s Paris apartment.

The Rose Lounge

We ended the day of pampering in the stylish surrounds of The Rose Lounge for afternoon tea. The intimate lounge is a treat for all the senses with an enveloping rose scent as you enter, heavenly music by a harpist each afternoon and beautifully-designed interiors.

Lunch was a long, leisurely affair, so rather than attempt the full afternoon tea, we enjoyed a pot of Postcard Earl Grey tea and warm, freshly-baked plain, raisin and apricot scones served with clotted cream, lemon curd and the most heavenly strawberry, rose and geranium jam.

I’ve experienced afternoon tea at The Rose Lounge before and the combination of delectable pastries in a relaxed, luxurious setting make it perfect for a post-shopping treat.

Sofitel St James is a beautiful, calming place to spend time in London, whether it’s unwinding with a treatment in So SPA, a leisurely meal in The Balcon or catching up with a friend over afternoon tea in the exquisite Rose Lounge. When you’re feeling nostalgic for Paris, it’s the place to come for a bit of la vie en rose.

For more information and booking, visit: www.sofitelstjames.com

Chérie City was a guest of Sofitel St James

Photos by Chérie City and Sofitel St James