The Booking Office – Review
Firstly, let me say this, the Booking Office is one of the most relaxing, beautiful and atmospheric restaurants in London. It can be found in St Pancras station`s original ticket hall and it is quite spectacular. With high ceilings, original wood panelling and deliciously dark décor, the restaurant makes a perfect setting for any meal. As you enter you are struck by the height of the ceilings, a feeling of warmth and the sight of a sweeping bar, which stretched this iconic hall.
According to the bar menu: `The bar team expertly mixes punches and cocktails recreated from long-lost Victorian recipes such as `Soyer au Champagne`, which was served at the original hotel in the 1800s.` Keen to see if this was the case, we tried many of the cocktails on offer and our favourite was the gorgeous Orchard Sour. The Orchard sour is a fine blend of citrus flavours; combining Apple gin, Elderflower liqueur, apple juice, fresh lime, sugar syrup and egg white. It was quite simply delightful.
In addition to an extensive drinks list, a selection of bar snacks are also served late into the night (the bar has a 3am licence), some of these include Haggis Bonbons, Truffle & Parmesan Chips and Pigs In Blankets.
The dinner menu is a whistle stop tour of some British favourites; taking influences from the Midlands and Yorkshire, the cuisine celebrates the best dishes from the Victorian era. Highlights, such as Gressingham duck leg and the freshly caught Catch of the Day, which make for a plethora of hearty English fare. In addition to this hearty feel, the food has style, panache and class.
To begin we all went for the scallops with chorizo and chorizo oil, and boy, we were impressed. The scallops were tender and cooked perfectly, they were then perfectly complimented by a wonderfully flavoursome, yet not overpowering, chorizo oil and chorizo. It was certainly one of the best scallop starters we have ever had, and all three of us were agreed on that.
We then moved onto a fabulous Rib Eye grass fed Yorkshire steak – it oozed with flavour and taste. But the best dish we sampled was the slow cooked belly of Tamworth pork with Parsnip puree and luxurious caviar lentils. The pork and its accompanying lentils were rich and bursting with flavour. Furthermore, the dish was perfectly balanced and all of the flavours were allowed to stand tall.
Deserts are also a Victorian affair and a particular mention goes to the Rhubarb crumble with a sublime honeycomb ice cream – it was the perfect way to end our British feast. Furthermore, the service was impeccable and we were at ease as soon as we walked through the doors.
To make your booking, click here: http://www.bookingofficerestaurant.com/
