London

Caprice is dead; long live Charlie’s!

Recently, while in London, I took the opportunity to have a toot (as they say in Lancashire) at what had been Le Caprice restaurant in Arlington Street. It was a sad sight and I wish I hadn’t done it. A place that generated so many happy memories was now just a shell of what it had once been. I wrote about the demise of Caprice here, so I don’t intend to bleat on about it again now.

Part of the reason for being in London that day was to see what Jesus Ardono and his team were now doing for Rocco Forte, in Brown’s Hotel in Mayair. The flagship restaurant in Brown’s is Charlie’s and in appearance it’s the antithesis of Le Caprice, against which I was inevitably comparing it. Caprice was designed on a monochrome palette whereas Charlies’ is a riot of colour with decoration, in what I can only describe as ‘jungle’ style. The room is large and at first glance seems more formal. The design was the work of Olga Polizzi, daughter of the later Sir Charles Forte after whom the restaurant is named. Olga is Director of Design for Rocco Forte Hotels. Personally I find she often takes good ideas a little too far. The plates in Charlie’s seem not to show off the food to best advantage and are too busy. Give me a round white plate any day.

Immediately on arrival in the dining room there was a huge wave from Jesus from across the bar area and a very welcome surprise as Paul Stabbins, who had looked after us so well on many visits to Caprice, crept up behind us to give us a very warm welcoming hug. Immediately I felt at ease and gained certainty that the spirit of Caprice was alive and well and would soon dominate Charlie’s. With these two, front of house, I’m certain that the journey to create something special is being driven forwards with gentle determination and a sense of generous hospitality.

Jesus offered us a choice of tables, both in prime position at the end of the room. He was particularly proud of his decision to install semi-circular banquettes at some of the tabs around the perimeter of the dining room and so we chose one of those, a great spot, he said, for people watching.

The menu is fairly classic with modern twists and the kitchens are led by chef Adam Byatt (of Trinity in Clapham). I was pleased to see that some Caprice classics had made the move to Mayfair and sit alongside the carve-at-the-table roast meat trolley.

I had Omelette Arnold Bennett with English Lobster to start, followed by Chicken Kyiv the price of each one sold being donated to the British Red Cross to help Ukrainians displaced by the current Russian war of aggression. Both dishes were enjoyable and well prepared but I would have liked my Kyiv to have given up more unctuous butter when I cut into it. Next visit I’ll try the Calves Liver and Bacon which is always a good litmus test

The hospitality industry has taken big hit because of the Covid Pandemic with many good staff leaving the industry for more flexible and better paid jobs. Recruiting, training and retaining front of house staff, even in the best restaurants must be very challenging at the moment. Charlie’s has a little way to go to before it delivers the über efficient, yet friendly and appropriately infomal service we saw at Caprice. I’m confident that they will get there though and will certainly go again next time I’m in London to see how things are progressing. In the meantime, I wish Jesus, Paul and their team ‘in bocca al lupo”. See you soon my friends!

April 15, 2022 0

A lament…

Hospitality is where its at. It is what I try to offer friends and visitors to my home and above all else it’s what I look for when I go to a restaurant. Food and drink may be an important part of the mix but the expectation of being in a restaurant which ticks all the boxes, goes well beyond that and it is why the ‘poshness’ factor isn’t really that much of an indicator. Plenty of simple trattorie make the hospitality grade for me and more than a few of the (supposed) best restaurants in the world fail.

For many years I’ve become increasingly frustrated as I’ve watched the big names in the restaurant sector loose focus on hospitality in favour of big business. I can think of Jamie Oliver and Antonio Carluccio. Oliver began his career in the Neal Street Restaurant, which Carluccio ran with Terence Conran, in Covent Garden, London, before moving to the River Cafe in Hammersmith. Carluccio and Oliver expanded to most of the market towns of England, whereas River Cafe is what it always has been. Of River Cafe the Red Michelin Guide says, “Little has changed at the iconic River Café since it opened thirty-five years ago: the welcome from the staff is just as cheery, the atmosphere as warm and comforting…”.

Both Oliver and Carluccio moved away from offering hospitality as their raison d’être to running businesses which expanded with off-shoots linked to their famous names to the point, in the case of Oliver, to catastrophic collapse.

One thinks also of the internationally famous chefs like G Ramsey, skilled cook and even more skilled multi-national business man. I don’t particularly like his food and even less so his aggressive personality but if I did, I would much prefer to go a a restaurant where I could eat food that Ramsey had been closely involved in creating – or even cooking (as was once possible)! I’ve scarcely more chance of eating food cooked by Chef Ramsey in my own apartment than I have by going to one of his very many restaurants around the world. His saving grace is that his model has produced some amazing chefs who have gone on to create their own style of hospitality without becoming mini-Ramseys themselves, chief among them, in my view, is Angela Hartnett.

I’ve written in the this blog previously that one of my personal favourite restaurants of all time, was Le Caprice, in St James’ in London. Le Caprice was first opened in 1947 by a former maitre d’ from The Ivy, Mario Gallati, then in 1981 it was given a new lease of life, when it was take over by Chris Corbin and Jeremy King (now running Brasserie Zedel and the Wolsey).

*Diana, Princess of Wales leaving Le Caprice*

Le Caprice was a fixture of the London dining scene throughout its history and all returning clients, whatever their level of celebrity, were welcomed by one or all of the maitres d’ like old friends. Regulars like Princess Diana, Mick Jagger and Elizabeth Taylor, sat cheek by jowl with more common-place folk, like me. As it happens I was at the next table on the day that Lord Archer (Jeffrey Archer) had his first restaurant meal there after his release from prison in 2003. On another occasion I had to facilitate a frail Earl Snowdon (former husband of the late Princess Margaret) navigate between the tightly packed tables on his way to the loo. Despite the sometimes high-end clientele, we more regular folk were always treated with the same sense of welcome and generous hospitality. This to me is a very good thing – almost priceless and very rare.

Caprice had stable mates in London; Scotts, Daphnes, The Ivy, Rivington, 34 and J Sheekey. They were different from each other but with a common stylistic feel and that essential spirit of hospitality, paired with simply good food. Then the rot set in.

I first became suspicious when I noticed that more and more people on social media were claiming to have eaten at ‘The Ivy’. Of course they didn’t mean THE Ivy in West Street, Central London but one of a number of provincial spin-offs under the auspices of The Ivy Collection. As a brand within the Caprice Holdings portfolio, it is doing well, recording a £94.8m turnover in 2020 but without a doubt this is diminishing the original Ivy name. Le Caprice and Rivingtons paid the price as both are now closed. Richard Caring, the mega-rich owner of Caprice Holdings said that Le Caprice closed in 2020 because the lease had expired (what, all of a sudden?). The abrupt closure took the world of restaurant critics by surprise as people like Tom Parker-Bowles and Jay Rainer tweeted Jesus Adorno, the face of Caprice to many, to find out what the hell was going on. The effects of Covid and lock-downs on the hospitality industry has also been cited as a reason. We have to question the lease expiry explanation when the site of the restaurant has continued to be used by Caprice Holdings as a training facility. The official line of the company is that Le Caprice will return, but at a different location; time will tell. Certainly Jesus has closed his tenure at Le Caprice which began in 1981 by moving to Browns Hotel and the Forte Group.

Why, oh why can’t local restaurants, doing sterling work, stay as they are? Has no one heard of the phrase, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. Of course restaurants are businesses and need to turn a profit but please, let’s keep the expansionist business advisors and venture capitalists away from the places where we love to eat and put the masters and mistresses of hospitality back in charge. At its heart a restaurant is a kitchen skilfully preparing yummy food and a dining room delivering a warm welcome and excellent service.

I’m becoming more and more keen to search out the lesser well known restaurants that are sticking to what they do best and I’ll say more about this in my next post.

February 20, 2022 0

On a whim!

I’ve written elsewhere on this blog that Le Caprice restaurant in London is on my list of top favourites and I was really pleased to be able to visit for the first time in 2 years the other Sunday for lunch (or brunch as they call it). I was passing through London on my way to Cambridge and then the North East of England.

I’ve eaten at Le Caprice many times, too many times perhaps in relation to my income and I hope to do so many times again. It is one of the very few places where repeat visits do not disappoint.

The original Le Caprice was opened in the West End of London in 1947 by Mario Gallati, who had opened The Ivy some 30 years previously. The Ivy, in ‘Theatre Land’ is the haunt of actors playing in the West End theatres and their celebrity friends. It’s sister restaurant Le Caprice is also described by some a celebrity restaurant, and its not uncommon to recognise a face or two from stage or screen; it is however much more than that. It’s a ‘home from home’, generally devoid of tourists and where regular customers are remembered and welcomed as old friends.

The current incarnation of the restaurant began in 1981 when it was bought by restaurateurs Chris Corbin and Jeremy King who relaunched it and it was following that that its fame spread. It is now owned by Caprice Holdings Ltd who have a portfolio of great London restaurants, including The Ivy, 34, and Scott’s.

Tucked away at the end of a cul-de-sac behind the famous Ritz Hotel, it attracts little or no passing trade. It survives, thrives, on its reputation for high quality, simple food expertly prepared and served in its clean-lined, black and white-themed dining room, reminiscent of something in downtown New York.

The Director is the equally famous, Jesus Adorno, who began his career as a waiter. Jesus has immense charm and when he’s on duty greats every familiar face with sincerity, seemingly as pleased to see an EFL Teacher as a famous actor or an Earl.

Nothing much changes at Le Caprice, yet everything seems fresh. Sure there are occasional minor changes to the decor yet the strong black and white theme with chrome highlights remains, as do the David Bailey black and white photographs which adorn the walls. The menu changes with the seasons, but imperceptibly so. Even after a gap of two years or more the menu to me was discernibly the same and yet updated. There are no radical changes which seemingly respond only to the current foodie fashions, whatever they may be.

Le Caprice makes the best Bloody Mary in the world, in my view. I usually precede a meal there with one, especially if it is Sunday Brunch. Imagine how disappointed I was, when, a few years ago, they made some small changes to how it was prepared and served. Recognising my disapproval at the time, they have, on almost every visit since, remembered my ‘special needs’ and prepared the cocktail accordingly. Now that’s personalised service!

And so to the food. Having been given one of the two best tables (the benefit of being ‘known’) it was a joy to browse the Brunch Menu which ranges from dishes at the breakfast end of things, such as eggs, bacon, smoked salmon etc to a Sunday Roast with Yorkshire Puddings.

I chose Mackerel and Green Apple Salad for a starter, which was served with horseradish mousse and lovely peppery nasturtium leaves. It was presented in an ‘ok’ sort of way – nothing flash to look at and without the over the top, technical flourishes of some places but what an amazing taste! This is the essence of Le Caprice. Taste is king. The crispy skin on the fish gave way to moist, succulent flesh with a flavour that was so incredibly fresh. There was an appropriate amount of background heat and creaminess from the horseradish, cleanly cut-through by the sharpness of the green apple slices. How I wish I could cook like that!

Next up was Slow Roast Suckling Pig which was accompanied by winter vegetable hash and more apples, this time caramelised. I hesitated about ordering a second dish with apples but I adore suckling pig so much that I couldn’t resist. The vegetable hash was a bit like bubble and squeak and packed with earthy flavours, the apples firm and sweet and the pork spectacularly juicy. Maybe I was a bit sad that the skin wasn’t as crispy as it could’ve been but it didn’t stop me being tempted to lick the plate clean.

I love chocolates but I rarely order chocolate puddings. On this occasion through I was tempted enough to order Four Chocolate Fondant with Toffee Popcorn. If I’m honest I don’t think I’ve eaten a Chocolate Fondant before so fed up am I of seeing them on TV cooking competitions. This was a revelation.

Rich, warm, soft (with a suitably crunchy top) and yet not overly heavy (truly). Yum! Yum! Yum!

My only thought now is of when I can return to this most special of places.

March 2, 2017 0

My favourite places to eat

When people ask me to tell them what is my favourite restaurant I hesitate for two reasons. Firstly I hate the ‘favourite’ type questions such as what is favourite colour, music, TV programme and secondly, how to decide. Always for me the answer has to be ‘it depends’.

There are restaurants that I return to time after time, or would if I could, so I suppose they could in some way be classed as favourites. The first of those is a restaurant in London where I first went 15 years or more ago. Le Caprice is legendary in certain circles and has been around in one form or another for 35 years with a host of celebrity, royal and hip clients. For sure the former husband of the Queen’s late sister could always be certain to get the best table but Le Caprice serves its ‘ordinary’ regulars exceptionally well too. After only my first couple of visits I was always ‘known’ and my Bloody Mary preferences always anticipated. The food is a fusion of modern American, British and European cuisine, the service friendly and relaxed but uber efficient. It’s not cheap but it’s not too expensive either (this is Mayfair!) but it is consistently good and I miss not being able to go as often as I used to do.

Over the years I’ve eaten in one or two of Rome’s ‘best’ restaurants but have always, in some way, left feeling disappointed because they never quite lived up to my high expectations. The higher the price the higher the expectation is my thought. Trattoria da Luigi though has hardly ever disappointed. It has no pretensions whatsoever. It is what it is, a simple family run Roman trattoria frequented mostly by Romans and those visitors to Rome who like me have been eating there for decades. My first visit was probably 30 years ago and every visit to Rome since then has had to include one, two or even three return visits. The staff are always welcoming and whilst the food could never be described as ‘fine dining’ it is undoubtedly fresh local food cooked well and served with enthusiasm. I’ve seen the generations of the family grow up in the business and work hard to ensure that nothing much changes from year to year. Perhaps occasionally the umbrellas or table lines are replaced or the wall re-painted but the abbacchio al forno or the fiori di zucca stuffed with mozzarella and anchovies remain delicious.

A relatively recent addition to my list of places to return to requires a bit more commitment in terms of cash and advance booking. Osteria Francescana in Modena is owned and run by Massimo Bottura in the streets where he grew up as boy. He’s a remarkable chef with a social conscience. During Expo Milan in 2015 he organised Refettorio Ambrosiano to ensure that the chefs working at Expo didn’t forget the poor by using their talents and excess produce to feed the poor. Osteria Francescana is Number 1 in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2016 and boasts three Michelin Stars. “Our Cooking is collision of ideas, cultures techniques and gestures” says their website. For me my dinner there was visually challenging – one of the presentation techniques is to throw the food onto the plate – and deeply rewarding in terms of flavour and especially the combination of flavours.