Early March may seem like a crazy time for terrace dining, but the newly-launched, toasty warm Dalloway Terrace in Bloomsbury is a delight all year-round.
Located in the chic Bloomsbury Hotel, Dalloway Terrace has the feel of a charming secret garden but with the comforts of powerful outdoor heaters, stylish wool blankets and of course, a retractable roof. It definitely wins the prize of London’s prettiest new restaurant and I love the reference to Virginia Woolf’s literary heroine Clarissa Dalloway (I can’t count how many times I read Mrs Dalloway at university).
We visited for a sneak peek before its opening and it was already a slick affair with friendly, attentive staff and a warm ambiance. The all-day, seasonal menu is filled with a good selection of tempting dishes and there are also daily specials and small plates for sharing.
Our meal started with some delicious cocktails – a refreshing jasmine tea and elderflower cocktail for me and a potent, sophisticated Honeycomb Old Fashioned for Steven.
I thoroughly enjoyed my starter of Grilled tiger prawns, harissa aioli and lime (£15/£22). Four plump, succulent whole tiger prawns were perfectly grilled with a slightly smoky taste and served with a subtle, aromatic harissa aioli that wasn’t overly heavy on the garlic.
Steven’s Longcut organic smoked salmon, Guinness bread and lemon (£9) was ever so tasty and flavoursome. The high quality smoked salmon had an oaky flavour and was well complimented by the springy, sweet Guinness bread and punchy capers.
To follow, I tried the Grilled poussin with lemon and rosemary (£18) with a side of mashed potato (£4.50). The tender, juicy poussin had a golden, well-seasoned skin and I loved the creamy, comforting mashed potato. The dish could however be improved by adding a light salad or vegetable garnish for a contrasting flavour – it definitely requires ordering a side.
Steven went for a classic with a twist – London Meantime beer battered sea bass and chips with mushy peas and tartare sauce (£16). The seabass was so fresh with a more distinctive flavour than the typical cod or haddock and the batter was crispy and light. The slim home-cooked chips were so moreish and the dish was finished perfectly with tasty mushy peas and an intense tartare sauce.
I couldn’t resist a final bit of indulgence with the Valrhona dark chocolate fondant and vanilla ice cream (£3.75). The freshly-baked fondant had a yummy cake texture with a decadent oozing centre and was presented nicely with smooth ice cream, biscuit crumble, chocolate sauce and nut brittle.
Steven’s Bloomsbury Bakewell tart and pistachio ice cream (£3.75) was just as delicious, with buttery pastry, fluffy almond frangipane and sweet strawberry jam. We finished our (well-priced) desserts with pots of Earl Grey tea, which were served elegantly in pretty china cups with a silver tea pot.
Dalloway Terrace is a real hidden gem in historic Bloomsbury and I can’t wait to go back for breakfast or lunch, hopefully while basking in the spring sunshine. It’s also a prime spot for a quintessentially British afternoon tea with sweets by pastry chef Mariatu Kargbo (formerly at The Dorchester and The Lanesborough) – see you there!
For more information and booking, visit: www.dallowayterrace.com
Chérie City was a guest of Dalloway Terrace
Photos by Chérie City (interior images by Dalloway Terrace)
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