Chiltern Firehouse: London’s best brunch?
Words: Fergus
For some time I had been trying to decide where to take a girl for a Saturday brunch. I wanted a restaurant which was going to impress and be a focal point for the date, somewhere which was off the tourist trail and possessed cache. After some googling, consulting with colleagues, friends and my flat mate, a eureka moment occurred – the Michelin starred Chiltern Firehouse. It was so the obvious choice I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought about it sooner.
The day finally arrived. To offset this finest indulgence we decided to first test ourselves a little bit, and so we embarked on a humbling Boris bike ride around Regent’s Park. After a few miles of cycling, and a few near misses to boot, we docked our bikes in the nearby Marylebone and entered the unmistakable oasis that is the Chiltern Firehouse, and were duly greeted and seated in the outside area.
Little did I know this brunch was to become quite the unsurpassable date, and I might indeed be a little worried about how to follow this one up! This really is a special place to treat someone, where every aspect of your experience is curated and executed exquisitely. The staff are kitted out in smart, but quirky and fun uniforms, with each role being visually set apart from each other. In appearance they are vaguely reminiscent of something from a Lord of the Rings movie (in a good way), and indeed their knowledge of the menus, both food and drink, is equally as wizard wise, as is their Jedi like ability to know the moment you might be in need of anything, even if you’re not quite sure you need it yet yourself!
And how can we forget the meal itself, let’s just say this was sublime – the infamous crab-stuffed donuts, these somehow work really so well, you really have to try these. Then, the Iberico Pork and seared salmon were from another planet. And before any thought crosses your mind about shying away from a puddling – DON’T! We very nearly did, but after initially being entrapped by our waiters mouthwatering descriptions, we went for the key lime pie and dark chocolate tarte, and oh boy sometimes it pays to be persuadable – they were delicious.
Every once in a while, it’s only right to treat yourself, and indeed a lady, to the finer things and experiences in life. We don’t work away obediently for most of our lives to not have a flutter from time to time. I can very strongly recommend the Chiltern Firehouse as one of those justified occasions.
Go treat yourself and someone special.
For more information, visit Chiltern Firehouse.
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