HOTEL CHANTELLE PERMANENTLY CLOSED IN APRIL 2016
This upscale NYC import is a restaurant not a hotel, but from the strict 'dressy-chic' dress code (whatever that means) to the banging music, red-tinged lighting and overblown cooking, it all seems a bit wrong. The menu looks promising (if a little "over-engineered"), but the results are inconsistent: our sushi-grade tuna tartare 'cigar' arrived in soggy casing with a tasteless cucumber dip, while glorified chicken nuggets on a stick came drizzled with watery maple syrup. On the plus side, succulent grilled Ibérico pork was complemented by sweet beets and apple, and we also liked the chocolate fondant – although the peanut butter was superfluous. Drinks-wise, the cocktails are inspired and the global wine list should keep most people happy. Chantelle's transatlantic flashiness might make it popular among London's B-list celebs, but we fail to see the attraction.