Ormer - Mayfair, London

Flemings Hotel used to be one of our favourite redoubts when we worked out of Mayfair, the perfect place to repair to for an intimate meeting or after office martini with the team. However, we had no idea that the boutique hotel was going to receive the refurbishment that it did, and almost felt as if we were entering a new venture entirely when we revisited Ormer. The jewel in the crown of the hotel, it shares a name with his Michelin-starred eatery in St Helier, Jersey. Rankin's mission is to bring his seasonable, sustainable and foraged ethos to the centre of London. Mission accomplished.

However, the dining room is a far cry from the rusticated environs Jersey. Designed by Tony Filmer, who also wears the mantle for refreshing the hotel's 129 rooms, the restaurant offers a masterclass in Art Deco opulence. It abounds in aged oak wood panelling, geometrically patterned marble flooring that is almost bafflingly baroque, and a bevy of forest green chairs and banquettes. There's a very cosy yet gilt ambience pervading the room. In short, it's very much Mayfair.

We opted for the tasting menu which jumped from excellent selection to excellent selection. Heritage tomato with burrata blended cream with sweetness, laden with spiced fruits and basil. Yellowtail ceviche was served with a piquant Vietnamese dressing. Glazed rabbit loin was a paean to spring weather, served alongside English asparagus, peas, truffle and gnocchi. Challans duck was one of our favourites, bedding down with barbecue foie gras, pin grapefruit, cabbage and granola. We wrapped up the meal with Yorkshire rhubarb, white chocolate, candied ginger and pistachio.

Ormer lives up to the Michelin-starred prowess of its elder sibling, with a healthy dollop of Mayfair chic stirred in for good measure. It's well worth a visit for those looking for a grown-up central London restaurant that is serious about its food.

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