Novikov (50 Berkeley Street, London, W1J 8HA) Went there for a business lunch (Italian Side). The space decor is impressive, bringing that famous Novikov's Moscow feel to Mayfair. We shared a Caprese for a starter which was very nice (mozzarella texture was very fresh and delicate). Very nice selection of breads in a basket. For mains, char-coal grilled Mackerel was lovely, if a bit too fatty (but to be fair you can't expect a mackerel to be skinny!), and char-coal beef Tagliata was delicious – a perfect medum-rare pinky texture, made even more succulent by some light oily sprinkle. I would highly recommend deep fried courgettes as a side as they offered a perfect combination of fluffy inside and crunchy skin. For desserts, i'd sell my soul for another slice of the divine white soft merengue cake (goes down really well if you ask for a shot of limoncello to go with it), and I'm told that green tea dessert with icecream was equally delightful. Service – very Italian and gracious, although given the number of staff on the floor they could provide a bit more attention. The Lounge bar downstairs is also very worth a visit. Overall – a pleasure, and valuable addition to the sometimes bland and boring London high dining scene.
Link to this review24 January 2012 |