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Angler Restaurant at Moorgate South Place Hotel – Ian Westcott writes

By rotide
Created 10/12/2017 - 10:12
Angler boss.jpg

Angler is not a new kid on the block. Restaurant group D&D London's first hotel has played host to Angler since September 2012. What has changed however, is the evolving menu since new head chef, Gary Foulkes, joined from The Square of Mayfair just two years ago and was appointed executive chef in 2016. The restaurant has held its Michelin-star since 2013.

As the name suggests, the menu is predominantly fish based. There are meat dishes on the menu, and vegetarians are catered for, but this is certainly a place best visited if you enjoy seafood. The interior styling is a mix of white tablecloth sophistication, combined with trendy and ornate mirrored surfaces, a ceiling designed by Grace and Webb amidst floor to ceiling windows. It's on the relaxed side of formal. The Summer terrace is an attractive area for pre-drinks, weather permitting.

My colleague and I were offered the tasting menu, coming in at £90 per person, with the wine pairings a further £65. This may strike you as being a weighty price point, but in comparison to many Michelin-starred restaurant tasting menus, seemed competitive for what is essentially ten small courses and excellent wines to go with them.

Beginning with an amuse-bouche of wafer thin squid-ink cracker, followed by a miniature truffle-shaving coated arancini, the tasting menu took about two hours from start to finish. Staff were excellent, allowing us digestive pauses between courses when required. A tuna tartare prepared with creamy avocado was a fresh, mild flavour cut through by the wasabi. Vesuvian bulls-heart tomato with goat's curd and elderflower was an interesting starter that I hadn't been able to picture. The elderflower stuffed within it had been candied and  our sommelier selected an excellent white to contrast.

Other highlights included roasted octopus with baby squid, taramasalata, and red wine bagna cauda, a red mullet main followed with bacon and jersey royals. Presentation of all of the fish dishes is artful, with vibrant colours and purposeful placement. Both of our mains, the red mullet and cod were meaty and satisfying, with perhaps the only negative being that the cod was perhaps a little salty for my personal taste.

Both the English plums and buttermilk, and the chocolate, banana milk and caramelia desserts were light, perfectly executed compliments to the menu, stylish and accompanied by excellent desert wine choices.

Angler is a classy place for a city lunch or dinner, but importantly it has the substance to match the style. Generous portions of high quality ingredients have allowed Gary Foulkes to create a menu as easy on the eyes as on the palate.

Cuisine: British seafood

Address: South Place Hotel, 3 South Pl, London EC2M 2AF

Reservations: 020 3215 1260

www.anglerrestaurant.com [1]


Source URL:
https://www.newbusiness.co.uk/articles/lifestyle/angler-restaurant-moorgate-south-place-hotel-%E2%80%93-ian-westcott-writes