Michelin Star Counter Dining: Our Review Of Pavyllon London In Mayfair

Despite only opening last year, Pavyllon London has already earned itself a coveted Michelin star – but it comes as no surprise really, as the restaurant is the brainchild of Yannick Alléno, one of the world’s greatest chefs. Famed for reinterpreting traditional French cuisine, he now proudly holds 16 Michelin stars across his 17 restaurants found across the globe, including a 3 Michelin star restaurant in Paris. But, staying closer to home, I set my sights on his Mayfair outpost, which sits within the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel, to try out the Immersive Mayfair menu (£85 for four courses).

Pavyllon London is a Michelin restaurant you don't want to miss out on.

After dropping my coat off with the hostess, I was taken to the plush velvet seats lined up by the counter overlooking the kitchen - I’m a sucker for counter dining, so this was an absolute treat. I love the intimate nature that comes with watching your dishes be made right in front of your eyes and interacting with the chefs, and this was a well-oiled operation that was impressive to behold, with whisks going at ferocious speeds and obedient "yes chefs" calling out in the background. The restaurant itself was utterly gorgeous, with soft, natural but undeniably upmarket decor, mixing visual textures throughout - a striped carpet somehow harmoniously paired with a marble-style wall and partitions made of bronze beads.

Our feast kicked off with help from the knowledgeable sommelier, who elegantly poured us a glass of fizz from Rafthinny, a lovely vineyard in Sussex that, in my opinion, produces some of the finest English sparkling wine going. Between sips of this glorious, soft-on-the-tongue bubbles, we nibbled on bites of chewy, crunchy sourdough rye bread slathered in rich, dream-worthy butter. Then came our first official dish – poached obsiblue prawn. This delicate little number was, first off, a stunner; two huge, juicy, deshelled prawns curled around each other like yin and yang, relaxing in a pool of smooth white bean puree. A drop of chorizo oil brought a smoky paprika hit, while parsley oil gave it a lovely fresh essence, and the crispy puffed rice offered an inviting medley of textures.

Everything on the Pavyllon London menu was a tour de force of flavour and presentation.

The steamed comte cheese souffle was served with a flourish, and an announcement that it was one of the restaurant's most famous signature dishes. The fluffy, creamy mound was so soft I could have used it as a pillow, and offered layer upon layer of flavour - the slight bitter twang of the watercress married with the sharp comte and nutmeg beautifully, all balanced with a dash of indulgent cream.

Then came the Creedy Carver Farm roasted duck magret. The breast meat was cooked to utter perfection; the fattiness of the juicy, medium-rare slices was fragrantly cut by the slices of marinated daikon – and the meat jus brought the whole dish together. On the side, we also had a bowl of the creamiest mash I’ve ever had – it was honestly like silk. To finish, we dug into the Sweet Spiced Cloud, made with hazelnut praline ripple ice cream, coffee and cardamom sauce, which together tasted like a chai-spiced ice cream.

The DesignMyNight Digest

There are some places that you just can't fault. And Pavyllon London? It was certainly one of those. My experience was seamless, from the gorgeous interior and fantastic counter dining experience (the chef and sommelier were incredibly knowledgable and attentive, and had great sense of humour which is always a plus) to the incredible food and wine - every bite and sip was a masterpiece of flavours. Yes, it's a little pricier than your average meal out, but let me tell you - it's so worth it.

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