Chiltern Firehouse, Chiltern Street,
London W1U 7PA
14/04/2014
She said: You can’t open a magazine
without Chiltern Firehouse being raved about. When our old Fire brigade was
turned into ‘the place to be’ and every celebrity seemed to have passed through
in its first week, I was apprehensive about booking this latest local addition.
But for the greater good of Adventures in Scoffing I called, booked the first
table available (a month away), put on a pretty frock and heels and walked down
the road and into this now unrecognisable, gorgeous building. I was expecting
pretension, affected service and food, being given the ‘oh, you’re nobody’
table and feeling like a spectator at someone else’s party. So I was delighted
and elated to find that from the moment I booked to bidding the uniformed
doorman good night, Chiltern Firehouse was absolutely lovely. Service was
friendly, efficient and professional. The food was original, good portions and
reasonably priced for such a joint (£100 for two including drinks). The table
we were given was a good one, at the heart of the main eating area, with cosy
cushioned corner seating. The room itself was interesting. For me, the
rustic-cum-industrial feel didn’t quite do it in the glamour stakes. Don’t get
me wrong, it’s a bright, smart, comfortable room and I love that it avoids the
deafening chatter that so many spaces generate whilst still being buzzy but the
ceiling looked like exposed insulation and it had a refurbished stable feel.
But that’s probably just me. More importantly
the food. All the reviews go on about the crab donuts; the praise is
well deserved. My mushroom and courgette risotto was a deep, electrifying green
and just amazing. The dark chocolate tart to die for. I even chose well in the
cocktail department with a sweet, citrus martini. Yes there were a few ‘names’
dining but all very understated and looking around, it was nice to see a mix of
people enjoying a Monday night out. I did ponder why I had not seen any of
these faces in my neighbourhood and how many were destination diners versus
locals. But looking forward to coming back when the weather warms up to enjoy
the stunning outdoor, enclosed terrace.
He said: Objectively there is nothing to
dislike about the Firehouse, starting with the nicest bouncer imaginable and
finishing with a very reasonable bill given, the quality and the location. To
pick-off a few negatives [since there’s plenty of gushing praise out there
anyways] the bar area is a little cramped, and the entrance into the dining
room is an awkward dog-leg leaving you unsure whether to turn right or left.
Otherwise it’s pretty much all good. The handsome design cleverly hints at the
building’s past (ceiling detail made of chopped-up firehose, etc.) and makes
the room feel open, like an extension of the fantastic outside terrace which
will definitely be the place for sundowners this summer. And there’s a whole
variety of tables to suit every need and personality quirk, including a long
counter along the open kitchen for the Masterchef fanatics, and a row of actual
tables overlooking the magic a little distance away for the more sensible
foodies [where I will book next] who want the buzz of the kitchen but also to
talk to each other. The food is faultless, as you’d expect of top perro Nuno
Mendes, ditto the cocktails, and the service is very efficient without being
hurried: no-one was nudging us to turn-over the table at the end. So why did I
leave silently ruminating, as if solving quadratic equations in my head? I’ve
never been to a restaurant before where I so clearly got the vibe that this was
the place to be; everyone there obviously knew it too. Firehouse is a spit away
from where I’ve lived for 10 years, but it’s so slick, and the hipness so
palpable that I felt thousands of miles away: it felt much more powerhouse L.A.
than laid-back Marylebone. But that shouldn’t stop you booking: this place is
great.
