The Square

Address:	6-10 Bruton Street W1J 6PU
Tel	020 7495 7100
Email:	info@squarerestaurant.com
Website:	Visit The Square website
Price: £90.00	Wine: £18.00	Champagne: £42.00
Opening Hours:	Mon-Fri 12N-3pm Mon-Sun 6.30-10.45pm (Sun -10pm)

Square Meal review of The Square:

The first restaurant to win The BMW Square Meal Restaurant of the Year Award for a second time, this thoroughbred of the London dining scene raised its game to new heights in 2007. Scores of readers write in tribute to an establishment they declare offers exemplary attention to detail when it comes to both service & food. A dedicated front-of-house team ensures meals run smooth as silk, while chef-proprietor Philip Howard turns out immaculately presented French-rooted dishes, perfectly portioned, timed & seasoned. Lasagne of Devon crab with a cappuccino of shellfish & Champagne foam; slow-roasted rib of dry, aged Ayrshire beef with a puree of truffle & a croustillant of bone marrow & girolles; fondant of chocolate with malted milk ice-cream, hazelnut oil & espresso pearls – a selection of recent highlights from a menu that never boasts a dud. For some, the openness of the large, square room is a slight downer, but, to The Square’s credit, the atmosphere is fun & far from worshipful, while the set lunch (2/3 courses for £25/£30) is a bargain.

Wine List: As ever, this is right up there with the best in Europe. It is a mouth-watering array of established classics, mixed with the weird & wonderful. There’s a huge collection by the glass & half bottle, while a group policy of laying down wine leads to some irresistible older bargains. In fact, for wine, this is the best value two-star restaurant in the country. Best Buy White 2001 Macon-Pierreclos, Domaine Guffens-Heynen, Burgundy, France, £45. Best Buy Red 1998 Christine’s Vineyard Grenache, Rusden Wines, Barossa Valley, South Australia, £39.50

Chef: Philip Howard

In 2008, Philip Howard celebrates his 17th year as chef-patron of The Square, the Mayfair restaurant he first set up with business partner Nigel Platts-Martin in 1991. A chef’s chef, Howard is rarely away from the stove & has won numerous accolades including two Michelin stars (awarded in 1998) & the BMW Square Meal Restaurant of the Year 2007. After studying bio-chemistry at university, he signed up for an apprenticeship at Roux Restaurants before working with such heavyweights as Simon Hopkinson & Marco Pierre White. Known for his classy, but seasonal French food, he has spent much of his career nurturing young chefs & enjoys showcasing his protégé Brett Graham at his other restaurant, The Ledbury in Notting Hill.

The Square Location: