Davies and Brook

 US fine dining import

Grilled duck with Kohlrabi, Poppy Seed, and Apple Dumplings

You can not get a name that is so unoriginal than US chef Daniel Humm's London restaurant called Davies and Brook, purely because the restaurant is located by Davies Street and Brook Street in Mayfair. Serious foodies would know Daniel Humm's New York restaurant was once voted the best restaurant in the world by the 'World's 50 Best' guide and held 3 Michelin stars to these days. His London outpost was launched in winter 2019 and quickly become one of the hottest tickets in town. Fast forward to 2020 on the back of COVID 19, the restaurant has reopened with more or less the same menu, which is modern European in principle but with many international influences. Diners can pick either the 4-course alc menu or a long 8-course tasting menu. 

Foie, Black Truffle and Apple Chutney

Roasted black cod with Kale, Turnip, and Miso

Lobster, Squash, Mushroom Purée, and Lobster Bisque

I opted for the 4-course menu which being with a pleasing foie gras that stuffed with black truffle slices, it was very smooth and creamy, not overly earthy but still retained that wonderful umami taste. The roasted black cod was far superior to the version at Nobu. It was cooked perfectly and super flaky. The miso and turnip garnishes accompanied the cod beautifully with that mellow sweet taste. Fish cooking wise, that is as good as you can get in London. The dry-aged lavender duck is supposed to be the signature dish of the restaurant but I found it was not as good as it was hyped up. The seasoning and texture were fine but I found the lavender flavour didn't really add much to the duck, in fact, I had a more peppery tone than anything else. While still a great tasting dish, it was really nothing special for me.

Grilled monkfish,  Kohlrabi, Poppy Seed, and Apple Dumplings

Poached pear

Chocolate Coconut Tart

My dinner at Davies and Brook was all about fine dining in simplicity form for me, all the dishes were easy to understand visually and most are just a combination of a protein with a garnish. The kitchen used top-notch ingredients and has done a good job of bringing out interesting fusion flavours without confusing the diners. I found the food quality overall totally deserves a Michelin star easily. The service, while not spectacular, has done a good job as far as 5 stars hotel goes, pretty informal and is not a bad thing at all. I would love to return in the future once it updates its menu, but it seems the restaurant is happy to stick with the same menu for a while.

Food 4/5

What I paid: 
£162 with wine

Average cost without drinks and services:
£110

Claridge’s, Brook St, Mayfair, London W1K 4HR

https://www.daviesandbrook.co.uk/