seafood at scott’s

I’ve been showing T the sights in London, and this tour naturally has to include some of my favourite restaurants. So yesterday we trotted down to Mount Street for a lovely lazy lunch at Scott’s. Sandwiched between Marc Jacobs and Christian Louboutin (fantastic location!), this seafood restaurant is an institution, opened in 1851 and recently lavishly refurbished by Caprice Holdings (owners of Ivy, Le Caprice, et al).

I fancied some bubbly and T wanted a rosé so we met in the middle with a Bruno Paillard Premiere Cuvee Brut Rosé NV. After a minor blip ordering it (a newbie waiter advised me the Bruno Paillard was a prosecco even though I insisted it was not – his more experienced colleague quickly stepped in and rectified the situation), we were given our menus and told (by at least three of the wait staff) to ask if we have any questions while we perused. The service staff really are attentive to a fault – a gentleman was seated at the table to our left and he was promptly offered a newspaper to browse while he waited for his guest. Having ordered, our champagne was served (in old-fashioned coupes which I love as they look so pretty although the champagne does tend to lose its fizz and warm up quicker than in flutes) and we sipped and chatted away happily until our starters arrived.

Our first courses were simply presented but cooked perfectly. My lobster mayonnaise, which also came with a side of cocktail sauce (a nice touch), was sweet and tender, delicious paired with the delicate champagne with red berry and citrus notes.

My dining companian also liked her selection, it was her first time eating smoked eel and she thoroughly enjoyed it, noting that the bacon and potato really complemented the smoked eel.

For my main I bypassed my usual choice of grilled dover sole (which never disappoints) and opted for the sole goujons with tartare sauce and a side of sprouting broccoli. The generous portion of goujons were light, crispy, and not at all greasy. I went through the tartare sauce (which had just the right amount of pickles and capers) quickly and was swiftly brought another helping when I asked for more.

T chose the Slip Soles with brown shrimps and purslane and a side of of steamed spinach. She was mistakenly given peas and carrots but when we flagged this to the wait staff, it was replaced with the spinach within a minute. Although T liked the fish, she did find the sauce a touch salty and the portion quite large and struggled to finish it all. Not used to such decadent weekday lunches myself, I was also pretty full after the mains.

Despite this, we were tempted to have something sweet and when I saw that Bakewell Pudding was on offer I could not resist. The pudding as always, was spectacular – the pastry beautifully flaky and buttery, topped with a thin layer of raspberry jam, a delicious almond filling, flaked almonds and a scoop of almond ice-cream (served at the table).

We ended the meal with tea and coffee and a big smile on our faces. A meal at Scott’s, although pricey (justifiable given the quality of the seafood) is always a pleasure – the service is impeccable, the seafood spectacular and the cooking exemplary.

Scott’s
20 Mount Street
London, W1K 2HE

t. 020 7495 7309

~ by gourmettraveller on September 16, 2009.