Review: Boyds Grill & Wine Bar
published by
Jun 10, 2016
Great British Food
6 minutes to read
Dishing up perfectly cooked steaks and fantastic wines in a majestic yet unfussy setting, Boyds is our kind of place
London certainly isn't lacking in grand dining rooms, from the palatial grandeur of The Ritz to the genteel beauty of Claridge's, but there's a new player in town – and we're big fans.
Hidden away inside an unassuming hotel on Northumberland Avenue, just off Trafalgar Square, is the truly breathtaking Victorian marble dining room of Boyds Grill & Wine Bar, complete with sparkling chandeliers, lush furnishings and some seriously exciting cooking.
The building couldn't be more classic, but the relaxed, informal atmosphere, sprawling layout and fun, artistic decor make the restaurant a thoroughly modern affair.
Guests can pop in for all kinds of occasion, whether you want to enjoy a cold glass of Croatian Riesling at the bar, curl up on the padded leather sofas with a cocktail and a cheese board, or splash out on a lavish three-course meal in the more formal dining room.
General manager Fabien Babanini, a real character in restaurant circles with 25 years experience front of house in some of London's finest restaurants, is a bundle of enthusiasm and was on hand to help us navigate the extensive menu.
To start we were tempted by the British charcuterie platter (recommended by the couple next to us) which comes piled high with salami and air-dried ham from Welsh producer Trealey Farm, but in the end went for a few small plates to share. Practically every dish on the menu is a crowd-pleaser – always a great sign – so you might struggle (as we did) not to let gluttony take over and order way more than you can manage.
Salmon cured in London gin was tender and perfectly balanced, with a refreshing daikon and buttermilk sorbet served on the side, while both the sticky glazed pork rib and braised beef sliders managed to be both utterly comforting and full of earthy, rich flavour.
On the mains menu, British meat is king, with Norfolk black chicken, Blythburgh pork from Suffolk, Angelsey lamb and even British Wagyu beef all making an appearance. Unpretentious dishes like cottage pie, hot dogs and pork chops dominate the menu, and while they're unlikely to win any awards for innovation, when simple dishes are cooked with such care, love and attention to flavour and texture, they're impossible to beat.
We went with Fabien's recommendations from the steak menu and the results were truly knock-out; an exquisite fillet steak of Hampshire water buffalo sliced like butter, but was also packed with rich, complex and slightly gamey flavour that often alludes the same cut of beef.
A juicy, succulent rib-eye of Sussex Wagyu also impressed, but the real stars of the show were side dishes of garlic and brown butter mash, mac & cheese made with mature Wookey Hole Cheddar and Parmesan fries; as full as we were, we just couldn't stop picking at them.
For pudding, we pulled up a stool at the Ice Cream Bar (yes, dreams can come true), where for £12.95 you can gorge on an ever-changing assortment of unique and unexpected flavours of Nitrogen frozen ice cream, including Jack Daniels and vanilla, bacon, sweetcorn, chilli and mango and Calvados with Apple. The perfect end to a stunning meal.
boydsgrillandwinebar.co.uk
The building couldn't be more classic, but the relaxed, informal atmosphere, sprawling layout and fun, artistic decor make the restaurant a thoroughly modern affair.
Guests can pop in for all kinds of occasion, whether you want to enjoy a cold glass of Croatian Riesling at the bar, curl up on the padded leather sofas with a cocktail and a cheese board, or splash out on a lavish three-course meal in the more formal dining room.
General manager Fabien Babanini, a real character in restaurant circles with 25 years experience front of house in some of London's finest restaurants, is a bundle of enthusiasm and was on hand to help us navigate the extensive menu.
To start we were tempted by the British charcuterie platter (recommended by the couple next to us) which comes piled high with salami and air-dried ham from Welsh producer Trealey Farm, but in the end went for a few small plates to share. Practically every dish on the menu is a crowd-pleaser – always a great sign – so you might struggle (as we did) not to let gluttony take over and order way more than you can manage.
Salmon cured in London gin was tender and perfectly balanced, with a refreshing daikon and buttermilk sorbet served on the side, while both the sticky glazed pork rib and braised beef sliders managed to be both utterly comforting and full of earthy, rich flavour.
On the mains menu, British meat is king, with Norfolk black chicken, Blythburgh pork from Suffolk, Angelsey lamb and even British Wagyu beef all making an appearance. Unpretentious dishes like cottage pie, hot dogs and pork chops dominate the menu, and while they're unlikely to win any awards for innovation, when simple dishes are cooked with such care, love and attention to flavour and texture, they're impossible to beat.
We went with Fabien's recommendations from the steak menu and the results were truly knock-out; an exquisite fillet steak of Hampshire water buffalo sliced like butter, but was also packed with rich, complex and slightly gamey flavour that often alludes the same cut of beef.
A juicy, succulent rib-eye of Sussex Wagyu also impressed, but the real stars of the show were side dishes of garlic and brown butter mash, mac & cheese made with mature Wookey Hole Cheddar and Parmesan fries; as full as we were, we just couldn't stop picking at them.
For pudding, we pulled up a stool at the Ice Cream Bar (yes, dreams can come true), where for £12.95 you can gorge on an ever-changing assortment of unique and unexpected flavours of Nitrogen frozen ice cream, including Jack Daniels and vanilla, bacon, sweetcorn, chilli and mango and Calvados with Apple. The perfect end to a stunning meal.
boydsgrillandwinebar.co.uk
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