Simpsons-in-the-Strand, 100 Strand,
London WC2R 0EW
23/12/2012
She said: This British eatery and part
of The Savoy Hotel, has been around for over 170 years. Originally a chess and
coffee house, the ‘Grand Divan’ dining room serves as a trip back in time with
oak panelled walls, chandeliers, high, stuccoed ceilings and a piano playing
American classics (although the depressing song from ‘Les Parapluies de
Cherbourg’ was playing when we were seated). Waiters are dressed in ‘proper’
waiting attire and tables are laid exquisitely. Cheekily I discovered after that there
is a set menu but you need to know to ask for this…So we chose off the a la
carte. I opted for an Ocean Trout with came with a lobster sauce on lobster
mash; the side of spinach I ordered was a good accompaniment. As we did not
order starters we were given an amuse bouche which was a nice touch. My trout
was soft and juicy and the sauce complimented it perfectly. I created some room
in my stomach for pudding and opted for the chocolate mousse with stewed
cherries. This pudding was delicious – high quality chocolate all the way
through with bitter-sweet cherries that offset the chocolate taste perfectly.
Alongside I had a piping hot latte – just the way I like it, which also came
with a plate of various biscuits. Simpsons-in-the-Strand is an institution
that I recommend making time for. With pre-theatre menus also on offer there’s
plenty of variety in choice and price and it serves as a timeless escape from
the chaos of London.
He said: Hands up if, like me, you
occasionally get bored by the endless striving for novelty and the Sisyphean
race to win the gold medal in `Cool’. Simpsons is the perfect antidote. For the
past fifteen years I’ve lived in London just the name was a turn off, enough to
quicken my step walking past countless times without ever looking in. What a
mistake! The fact that it has barely changed in the 100+ years it’s been opened
is exactly what’s so appealing, so comforting about this place. The room is
cathedral-like, vast, double-height, wood-panelled, deep upholstered booths
line both sides, chefs criss-cross it pushing roast trolleys about, waiters
uniformed in various styles based on seniority, etc. The food is pure comfort,
the only concession to tradition made for vegetarians (stuffed Romano pepper
with courgette flowers). You are guaranteed to get echoes of Jeeves and
Wooster, and all sorts of connotations of England of Yore. On a Sunday the piano
player is in the corner bashing out all the guilty pleasures. It’s just
wonderful. As you’d expect there are a lot of older gentlemen wearing club
ties, but on a second visit I happily saw that the booth next to ours was
filled by Bright Young Things. Even if, as perhaps they did, you go to indulge
some knowing irony, you will walk out delighted by the tradition. A bit like
watching Kate and Wills get married on the telly.
