Ormer Mayfair

Hidden gems in Mayfair

Canapes

I first encountered Ormer back in 2016 when it just opened, it was headed up by Shaun Rankin, a talented chef who has a Michelin star in his Jersey restaurant. 8 years later, many things have changed, with head chefs coming and going. In the last 3 years, the platform belong to Sofian Msetfi. A British chef with Moroccan heritage who appears to have a habit of mixing Japanese elements into his modern European-style cuisine. Ormer landed a Michelin star in the 2024 guide and I was interested to see how much has it changed since my last visit. The restaurant offers a tasting menu and for dinner occasions only.

Waldorf

Warm Ibérico ham jelly Parmesan, Bramley apple

Cured Cornish mackerel sesame, kombu, spiced nage

Scottish Langoustine yuzu, saffron sabayon

The warm Iberico jelly showcased a classic ingredient combo in the form of apple and pork but was done creatively. The jelly, along with the parmesan had delivered such bold savoury taste with the apple adding a touch of sweetness. I could see some Japanese infusions in the mackerel dish, the seaweed dashi element, as well as sesame, created a lovely harmony that managed to deliver richness on the plate, as well as freshness at the same time. The star of the night without a doubt was a melt-in-your-mouth lamb dish. It had such a buttery soft texture and the lamb was cooked perfectly, when meat is of such an outstanding quality, all you need is some simple garnishes in the form of lettuces and lime.

Milk-fed Pyrenees lamb cucumber, lettuce, lime

Cheese selection

Preserved English cherries buttermilk, pine

Tuma yellow mille-feuille brown butter, Tahitian vanilla ice-cream

Mayfair is loaded with fancy and expensive restaurants, plenty with style over substance, therefore I was pleased to see that Ormer can deliver some great tasting, creative food, as well as a reasonable price within an elegant 5-star hotel (and the cocktails there are outstanding!). As far as Michelin 1 star level at around the £115 mark, I can't really think of many other places that are better in London within the domain of modern European cuisine. For sure Ormer is a beautiful hidden gem.

Food 4/5

What I paid: 
£210 with wine

Average cost without drinks and services:
£115

7-12 Half Moon St, London W1J 7BH

http://www.ormermayfair.com/