Verru

Verru is a very positive and nice restaurant in a convenient location. It combines a pleasant atmosphere – in the evening very nice lighting – with truely superb scandinavian food. With its roots accross the baltic in Estonia, the kitchen has a self-assured take on northern Euroean cooking, an executes it to a very high standard. This might just be the best scandinavian cooking in London at the moment – especially with some formerly famous places having let their guard down recently. The service is very good and the overall experience pleasant. For friends of Herring, Verru's own Herring starter is a fantastic choice. Even the wine list manages to be interesting and reasonable at the same time. Let's hope the team keeps up the good work!

It was with anticipation that one booked this small but well appointed “Skandy” restaurant which is tucked just behind the South end of Marylebone High Street.

On arrival one realises that it really is a very small venue which has been optimised by the designer to allow this to be a full fledged restaurant at all. There is a front section with around 3 or 4 tables and similarly another section in the lower back where a banquette of tables are set against the back wall. The design is slick and modern contrasted against brickwork and low lighting and the overall effect works well

And so to the food and service, both of which were delivered to a standard expected of an establishment which is “sur chef” ed by someone who is ex Pied a Terre. We ordered from the small succinct menu and had scallops, shrimps, sea bass and cod, which were all cooked well and with interest, and presented much like a Kandinsky masterpiece, colourful and rhythmically picturesque, each course filling the entire landscape of its plate as it were.

The clientele were congenial and a mixed international crowd and seemed all to be engrossed with enjoying the food rather than finding the restaurant in anyway too cramped, which it does keep reminding you of being if you have to go to the restrooms or move around. The waiters seem to do very well in this respect and there is never any bumping into chairs or the sort.

Definitely a good-to-know on the Marylebone High Street and not only that, given the cuisine is though not yet completely stellar, it certainly is inspired with some interest and flavours, and showing burgeoning pedigree.

Hidden away, behind the bustle of Oxford Street lies a tiny gem of a restaurant. Verru is fairly new to Marylebone and being so tucked away relies on word of mouth and recommendations to fill its small dining area. Step inside and taste the wonder that is Baltic food, in a beautiful romantic setting with excellent service all for an extremely reasonable price. Drop in for lunch and try their set lunch menu, (2 courses for £10.95 or 3 courses for £12.95) or if you have a bit more time then reserve a table at dinner time.

With only 26 covers, Verru feels exclusive. You step through a heavy curtain into the main restaurant and if you’re lucky you may get escorted down a short flight of stairs to an even more private section of the dining room where the knowledgeable and extremely friendly maitre’d, Anke will give you excellent recommendations on the food and will be able to answer any questions you have regarding the menu or the wine list. Complimentary bread, olives and gherkins arrive on the table after your order has been placed, leaving you to enjoy the relaxing instrumental music played in the background, the rustic, charming decor and a glass or if you prefer a carafe of one of the excellent wines on offer. (The Vermentino accompanies the smoked salmon perfectly).

Food presentation is clearly important to the chef’s here at Verru, every dish is presented beautifully and is almost an art form. Our starters looked almost too good to eat, although we managed to get past this and thoroughly enjoyed Norwegian cold smoked salmon with potato blinis, horseradish sour cream and caviar and Roasted quail, boudin noir, mandarin and almond. The salmon had a gorgeous colour and it looked and tasted extremely fresh whilst the quail was meaty and flavoursome.

After a good size gap between courses we were presented with mains of grilled rib of grass fed beef, spruce roast shallot, dauphinoise and peppercorn sauce (served in the dinkiest little saucepan) and sea bream with horseradish potato cake, leeks and mussels. A top up of wine was brought and without further ado, we ate, and it was delicious. Finally for dessert if you have room I would recommend the Praline mille feuille, apples and vanilla which really was a little bit of heaven.

Executive Chef and owner Andrei Lesment clearly knows what he’s doing and you can sense his experience through his dedication to quality rather than quantity which is reflected not only through the food but through the choice of running such a tiny restaurant in which every customer receives impeccable service that really transports your evening from good to memorable. Highly recommended if you’re looking for somewhere to take your loved one on a romantic night out and perfect for smaller parties of 2 and 4.

Thank you very much for your hospitality Verru. I must say that the food was absolutely fantastic!! My regret was that I couldn't try every single dish!! The Scallops with chicken oysters was exceptional very tender and full of flavors, the beef and Lamb especially could have been cut with a spoon! Amazing food! The desert was also exceptional in both presentation and taste! The different levels of tanginess in the apple and rhubarb pudding dish was very impressive, not to mention the bitter sweet balance achieved in the chocolate and macadamia nut – again fantastic!

There was also something else in between dishes; I think maybe smoked foie grass between two chips if I can remember? I can only describe this as a Subaru impreza wrx! Or maybe a roller caster! :-) The flavors seemed to change and amplify and get more intense the longer it stayed in my mouth.

A brilliant evening, with great food, an intimate atmosphere and great service!

visited with our family “ foodie ” who, having just completed a “ superior ” course at nearby Cordon Bleu cookery school, has very high standards. She was very impressed. The restaurant is small, and the upper ( street level ) dining area is better than the lower level, but the ambience is very friendly, as is the service. The food was excellent, my pork on the bone was the most tender pork I have ever had. ( I have since read that it is slow cooked for 8 hours, which explains it ) We found the portions more than adequate, and needed no extra veg. Excellent value for money, would definitely return.

There are few superlatives that could be added to the quality of food at Verru. We went there with a mixture of European and Asian guests, and while the menu was small, everyone was highly satisfied with the cuisine on offer.

The Fusion Scandinavian offerings were excellent, the Norwegian Smoked Salmon was beautifully presented with a sumptuous horseradish sour cream cannot be underestimated. Likewise, rave reviews came from our fellow diners in respect of the Foie Gras specialty which was sizeable for a restaurant of such billing , as well as the beetroot salad and pumpkin soup.

This was further reflected in the mains, the beef was beautifully cooked, with an excellent mushroom sauce to complement. Although, this was trumped by the pork offering, served on the bone, with fabulous sauerkraut to match: the side dishes were similarly excellently received, as was the sea bass.

Likewise, the selection of cheeses complemented the offering perfectly, and with drinks all for approximately £40 per head, this is a superb dining experience.

The only slight blemish on the stellar performance of the chefs, is the service. The small nature of the restaurant did lead to accidents when we were there; spilling drinks over one of our diners jackets and dropping the entire tray. One would recommend, that one would be better served in the back basement area rather than in the front portion of the restauran. Nevertheless, the waiters were very polite, and were helpful rather than intrusive and gave enough space for us to enjoy our meals.

Overall, in terms of value for money, Verru really is excellent and we would happily go again.