Luxury five-star hotel The Stafford in St James’s is home to this contemporary British restaurant, The Game Bird, where seasonal ingredients and simple yet elegant dishes are served in comfortable and relaxed surrounds. It’s headed up by acclaimed British chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen, who joined the restaurant in 2021 and works collaboratively with executive chef Jozef Rogulski to create its innovative menu. Lisa brings a ton of experience with her to The Stafford, while drawing on her time spent at Michelin-starred Northcote in Lancashire.
The menus all champion the finest British produce and artisan producers, while recreating familiar family favourites with an elevated spin. The main menu begins on a luxurious note, with diners able to whet their appetite with a choice of oysters or Exmoor caviar with English crumpets. A concise selection of starters features the likes of hand-cut aged west country beef tartare with beef fat onion, horseradish crème fraîche and crispy sourdough, or vine tomato consomme with home dried tomatoes and basil. You can also opt for something from the ‘smoked and cured’ section of the menu, which includes a H Forman & Son smoked salmon or house-cured chalk stream trout gravadlax.
Mains dishes offer indulgent takes on old-school classics: think steak and ale steamed suet pudding with potato puree or triple cooked chips, Orkney scallop tempura with garlic and tarragon emulsion and chips, venison wellington for two with sour cream potatoes, grilled asparagus and truffle, and goat's cheese ravioli with asparagus, toasted pine nuts and watercress. The pudding menu is not to be missed, with amalfi lemon meringue gateau, rhubarb crumble souffle and crepes suzette flamed tableside all on offer.
There are also separate Sunday lunch, afternoon tea, breakfast and set menus available.
The drinks list features a collection of signature, all-day, classic and after-dinner cocktails, as well as a dedicated negroni list. Wines can be ordered by the glass or bottle, while vintage Champagne, premium spirits and an impressive whisky collection complete the experience.