Pavyllon London

Fine French cuisine with a lost soul
 

Prawn cocktail, cucumber, trout roe

I am one of those who usually avoid going to a restaurant when a chef is behind a restaurant, but he or she isn't actually there as they are just consulting chefs. There are just far too many in London lately, from Mauro Colagreco now having his name at Raffles and Claude Bois at Peninsula. Many high-end hotels now signing up star chefs to run their restaurants without them actually being there full-time. Four Seasons Park Lane has done the same with French chef Yannick Alléno, who is a big deal with more than 15 Michelin stars to his name. His London outpost Pavyllon is an interesting one, the space has a Zuma/Roka vibe to it, and feels high-end while very casual at the same time, with bar dining spaces and an open kitchen.

Comte souffle, foie

Mushrooms, foie, parsley

Red mullet, chorizo sauce

I opted for its tasting menu, and I found the overall cooking was of good quality but lacked any excitement and I found it almost too simple given the price tag. The 'Not so classic prawn cocktail' was 2 cooked cold prawns with a dressing of fennel and cucumber, while tasted alright, it didn't feel like a fine dining Michelin star aspired dish at all. The best dish of the day was the sliced duck magret, the winter berries and daikon turned out to be mixed well together, and the duck was tender with a lovely smoky aftertaste. The poached pear was a classic example of taking things too far. The pear itself was good enough but the chocolate sauce overwhelmed everything.

Duck, beetroot, daikon

Berries meringue, lemon, vanilla

Pear, tonka bean ice cream, pear liquor

I wanted to like Pavyllon as I did enjoy the decor and the drink offering was class, but the food side of things was far from anything special. I found this is the risk of hiring a big-name chef but he or she perhaps not able to give out full commitment. For a similar price tag in London, there are plenty of other places that are turning out better value for money fine dining cuisine. 

Food 3/5


Average cost without drinks and services:
£150


Hamilton Pl, London W1J 7DR

https://www.fourseasons.com/london/dining/restaurants/pavyllon-london/