Chez Rose

French themed social 

Red prawn, tomato, amalfi lemon

Chez Rose is the sort of restaurant that feels as though it has arrived in Mayfair with a fairly clear idea of what it wants to be. Located on Pollen Street, in the former Little Social site, this is a French restaurant with a distinctly London sense of polish, combining the familiarity of classic French cooking with the quality of ingredients and level of refinement you would expect from a serious Mayfair address.  It is also a deeply personal project for chef Spencer Metzger, who created Chez Rose in partnership with Jason and Irha Atherton and named the restaurant after his late grandmother, Rosemary. Metzger spent 12 years cooking classical French food at The Ritz before becoming executive chef at the two-Michelin-starred Row on 5.

Brixham crab, avocado,charentais melon

Tomatoes, peach, basil

Steak tartare, pomme gaufrette

Poulet rôti, vin jaune, morel, frites

The menu has enough confidence to let good ingredients do much of the work, and seasonal touches, including the use of tomatoes and other fresh British produce, give the cooking a sense of time and place rather than making it feel like a static exercise in French nostalgia. One of the most talked about dish at Chez Rose is the poulet rôti. It is perfectly enjoyable and technically sound, but the morels and vin jaune combination doesn't quite have the depth of flavour I was hoping for. There is richness, certainly, but not quite the layered intensity that could have turned an already good dish into a truly memorable one. The dessert course is where Chez Rose really announces itself. The 70% chocolate soufflé is something very special. It has the theatrical quality you want from a soufflé, but more importantly, it delivers on flavour. The intensity of dark chocolate gives it enough bitterness and complexity to avoid becoming cloying, while the texture provides that contrast between the delicate, airy centre and richer chocolate character that makes a properly executed soufflé such a satisfying finale.

Grilled John Dorey

Cutlet of veal, salsa verde

Strawberries 3 ways

70% chocolate soufflé, vanilla ice cream

Chez Rose is not merely trading on Spencer Metzger's reputation or the Atherton connection; there is a real restaurant here, with a warm personality and a kitchen capable of producing memorable food. It is already a very solid, classy French restaurant, and there is plenty here to admire. The setting is attractive, and the cooking is founded on strong classical technique, and the use of seasonal ingredients gives the menu freshness. There are restaurants where every course is spectacular, and Chez Rose isn't quite there yet. Instead, it is a restaurant with a strong foundation, several genuinely excellent dishes and a clear sense of identity. At its best, it delivers exactly what you want from a polished French restaurant in London: excellent produce, proper technique, generous portions, elegant surroundings and food that understands the pleasures of simplicity.

Food 3.5/5

What I paid: £110 per person with wine 

Average cost without drinks and services: £80

5 Pollen St, London W1S 1NE

https://www.chezroselondon.com/