It’s always a pleasure to find a restaurant in London that suits you personally and ticks all of the boxes for a perfect night out. This is how I feel about Pont St, the stylish all-day dining restaurant at Belgraves, a Thompson Hotel.
Overseen by celebrity chef Sophie Michell, Pont St is a chic, low-key spot that feels a million miles away from Knightsbridge’s flashy restaurants. I love its sleek design, cosy velvet booths, calm atmosphere and lighter approach to cooking.
This summer, I had the pleasure of a staycation at Belgraves and raved about the fantastic breakfast in Pont St, so I was delighted to be invited back to try out the dinner menu last night.
We had a lovely booth by the window and were swiftly served a light, milky brioche roll (plain or blue cheese) with French butter and flaked sea salt while perusing the menu. To begin the meal, we ordered two plates from the nibbles menu and one starter to share.
Hot Cheese Balls with quince jelly (£8.50) were comforting and delicious with gooey, oozing mild cheeses encased in crispy, golden breadcrumbs. The richness was lightened with a sharp, sticky and fragrant quince jelly.
Pork Belly with maple and bourbon glaze (£5.50) was a little plate of heaven with tightly-packed layers of lean meat and melt-in-the-mouth fat. The bites were well-seasoned with subtle flavours of anise and the sweet, smoky glaze caramelised the edges.
They were quickly followed by the Seared Beef Carpaccio with truffle cream, Parmesan crisps, turnip and watercress (£13.50). The thin slices of high quality beef had a very clean, pure flavour and were topped modestly with a few dots of silky truffle cream (the truffle flavour was very subtle), flavoursome Parmesan crisps, slim and crunchy turnip and fresh watercress.
For the main course, I was tempted by the Roasted Label Anglais Chicken with celeriac gratin, heirloom carrots and pickled cherries (£19.50). Some may say that chicken isn’t the most dynamic dish to order at a restaurant, but this was an absolute delight with complex flavours.
The premium chicken breast was tender and juicy (though the skin could have been a little crispier) and accompanied by the most visually-pleasing, fragrant heirloom carrots. I loved the delicious squares of slow-cooked celeriac gratin, which were infused with fresh herbs and not too heavy on the cream. The dish was punctuated with tart pickled cherries and a mouth-watering chicken and onion sauce.
Steven’s ‘Cod & Chips’ with plancha cod, crushed peas, tartare salad and polenta fries (£17.50) was a healthy take on the classic comfort dish. The substantial piece of cod was beautifully cooked on the plancha grill for a crispy skin and a succulent, flaky fillet. The freshly-crushed peas had just a touch of fresh mint and the generous amount of polenta fries were light and creamy with a golden, crunchy outside.
The desserts at Pont St are particularly tempting and I couldn’t resist trying the Doughnut Balls with salted caramel and vanilla milkshake (£6.50).
The five plump mini doughnuts were on the larger side of bite-size and were filled with molten, super-sweet salted caramel. The gorgeous vanilla milkshake added a nostalgic touch and perfectly complemented the indulgent doughnuts.
Steven tried the Nutmeg Custard Tart with poaches apples and sultanas. The cool, luxurious custard was thick and ever so creamy with plenty of fresh vanilla, though I didn’t detect much nutmeg. The buttery pastry was exceptionally good and we liked the addition of spiced, stewed apples.
We finished with pots of Earl Grey and Jasmine JING tea and lingered a while to enjoy the calm atmosphere. If you want to carry on the evening, head to the bar or outdoor terrace at Belgraves.
Pont St is a gem of a restaurant and its intimate, relaxed vibe feels just right for this well-heeled, villagey part of Belgravia. The staff are friendly and efficient and the maitre d’ is a quite a character, who really livened up the dining experience. It has definitely joined my list of favourite restaurants in London.
Chérie City was a guest of Pont St
Photos by Chérie City (interiors by Pont St)
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