The Gallery (10-11 Austin Friars, London, EC2N 2HG) Great space tucked away behind Old Broad St, one of the city's last secret gems. Was brought here by a client for lunch, greeted by a gorgeous lady at the door & shown to a table in the quieter room at the back, apparently informed it was a client lunch they appreciated we might be talking business & need privacy, and considering the throng at the bar, it was a consideration we we grateful for! I started with the Scallops on a squash puree with a fantastic bacon & egg tartare, my companion had the pan fried chicken livers on toasted tomato brioche, both were delicious, the prices for starters are average for the city, err'ing on the more expensive, we got value for money, the scallops were fresh, cooked to order, beautifully seared & at £7.50 the portion was a good size. Moving on to the mains, feeling the need to be healthy i chose the steamed seabream with asian veg & misu broth, beautiful, filling & fresh. The 2nd main was chosen from the fish special, char grilled mackeral fillets on a herb & mustard potato salad., with a side of veg, huge portion, equally satisfied diner. the one point we felt needed addressing was the heating, being such a big space it felt chilly, the service was good, not outstanding but friendly & informative, the bill wasnt outragous but it was a client lunch so that helped!
Link to this reviewFebruary 2009 |