It's not often that you'll find me dining in Mayfair, as it's usually a little out of my price range. So when I was given the chance to experience a luxurious three-course brunch at stunning Turkish venue Ruya restaurant? You best believe I jumped at it.
This sleek dining destination can be found just a short stroll from Hyde Park, down a quiet residential street that's full of enviable houses. An enticing golden front leads into a spacious dining area, lined with colourful tiled walls, huge, striking pieces of art and ornate, modern chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. There's also an open kitchen at the front of the eatery, alongside a huge flatbread oven, allowing you to watch as the chefs whip up a storm.
Ruya London reviews promise elegant interiors, and you won't be disappointed.
The long chef's table stood out to me as we walked through the restaurant, and I was definitely intrigued by this experience. However, we were here to sample the Serpme bottomless brunch from the extensive Ruya menu, so we were led through to the main seating section where cosy armchairs awaited us.
This set menu (£49 per person) comes with 90 minutes of unlimited cocktails, mocktails or prosecco, so of course we took full advantage of this and ordered a round of passion fruit martinis straight away. This generous measure of the classic concoction was a fruity, refreshing start to things, with a shot of fizz to cleanse our palates before jumping into the Anatolian feast that awaited us.
'Serpme' is the Turkish word for sharing, stemming from the Middle Eastern love of communal dining, and Ruya's brunch menu encourages just that. Their offering begins with a selection of small plates brought to the table as and when they're ready, and though these are considered starters, it's really the main part of the meal and we continued to eat from these dishes throughout our time there.
Enjoy all kinds of mouthwatering sharers on the Ruya London menu.
The three primary platters here began with filo pastry parcels known as Börek - filled with tangy feta cheese and gratings of carrot, courgette and walnuts. These crunchy treats were incredibly moreish, and though I don't usually mix sweet and savoury, they tasted even better when dipped in some of the honey served on the side. Next up was Sucuk: a traditional, hand-made spicy sausage that was flattened and had a slightly oily texture, with a fiery kick to the meat. The final dish to arrive was the Kuymak - a three-cheese fondue originating from near the Black Sea, with an oozing, stretchy texture and surrounded by pan-roasted greens.
Our selection of sharers came alongside smaller bowls filled with freshly-baked bread, crisp green salad, olives, home-made jam and a further selection of Turkish cheeses. This made for a picnic-style experience where we are able to dip in and out of different plates and combine some of the items together, which we both found to be a really enjoyable way of savouring our food.
The filo pastry-wrapped feta was a strong favourite from the Ruya restaurant menu.
We switched to bellinis after our first drink, and stuck with these throughout the afternoon as the fresh peach juice used was so delicious, mixing perfectly with the prosecco to create a sweet but not too overwhelming flavour. It was at this point that we also received our mains, although these just worked as an extension to the sharing feast we were already devouring. I decided on the scrambled eggs, which were peppered with small pieces of onion, pepper and tomato, all topped with fresh dill. These were the perfect consistency - light and fluffy but not too runny, and the added vegetables provided an omelette-like taste, just without the firm texture. My only complaint with these was that there was no bread element, and as we were only given a small selection of bread at the start of the meal there was nothing to scoop up the eggs with. My friend opted for the grilled chicken thighs instead, cut into tender chunks, marinated in a chilli sauce and coated in creamy yoghurt, served with slices of red onion on top of a thin, crispy flatbread.
Finally on the Ruya Mayfair menu, we chose a scoop of ice cream each, homemade on site and served once again on a sharing platter. Our first pick was pistachio, a smooth, nutty blend with a vibrant green colour, topped with a scattering of chopped up pistachio. Secondly, we tucked into a caramelised milk sorbet, providing a sweet, sugary end to the afternoon.
The DesignMyNight Digest
This place certainly lived up to my expectations of a classy Mayfair restaurant, but given the location and the amount of food we were served, I'd say that Ruya London's prices are actually quite a bargain at £49 per person. I would definitely recommend the serpme brunch to anyone looking to try Turkish cuisine for the first time, as you really get a good mix of signature dishes, and the communal dining style makes for an enjoyable bottomless meal.
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💰 The damage: £98 for two, including three courses and unlimited drinks. 📍 The location: 30 Upper Grosvenor Street, London W1K 7PH. 👌 Perfect for: An elegant twist on bottomless brunch. ⭐ Need to know: The serpme brunch is served between 12:30 and 3pm on Saturdays. |
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