Ham Yard Hotel, Ham Yard, London W1D 7DT

Ham Yard Hotel, Ham Yard, London W1D 7DT

www.firmdalehotels.com/hotels/london/ham-yard-hotel

29/08/2014

She said: Mum’s 78^th so I needed something on the Piccadilly Line within a two-minute walk of the station. The new Ham Yard Hotel, part of the Firmdale group which owns a number of style hotels in London seemed to provide a varied menu in a smart but relaxed setting. From the outset, service was friendly and our particular waitress was exceptional in making mum feel special. We were seated at a banquette in the middle of the colourful dining space which my parents loved. They all ordered starters but as nothing appealed to me I thought I’d save room for dessert and ordered a delicious martini instead. The bread presentation was a bit odd: a lady came round and placed a mini baguette on each plate. In restaurants of this ‘positioning’ I’m used to being offered some sort of choice (brown or white for example) and certainly checking if indeed we’d actually like bread at all. Still, I tore the rather chunky baguette and took a couple of bites to pass the time. My main was perfection: a good portion of juicy trout, with perfectly cooked roasted potatoes and courgette. Though I was hesitant over pudding as there was no sign of chocolate on the menu, I went with the blueberry tart which was a wonderful surprise; sweet, juicy, crumbly pastry and a dollop of clotted cream, much of which my diabetic dad dug into with repetitive praise (it contained fruit so he figures that’s okay). Though mum ordered a crème brulee which she enjoyed to the last spoonful, the staff brought out a pretty cupcake with a candle as they sang Happy Birthday. This was a really lovely touch and my mum was delighted as she made her wish and we forced this additional piece of pudding into our bellies (absolutely delicious incidentally). There was a mix up with my latte so I had to chase for about 15 minutes after the other coffees arrived but the petit fours it came with were very good despite my sugar overload. At around £35 per head including two cocktails, Ham House offers good food in a good location at a good price. Great for celebrations, business lunches or more casual get-togethers. A welcome, smart addition to the rather mixed end of Piccadilly.

He said: The name’s pretty much the only thing I don’t like about this place. Ham Yard; that only makes me think of abattoirs and gay clubs. But other than that it’s a really good middle of the road option. The room’s done in a bright, updated version of the postmodernism of the late 80s: a lively mishmash of different influences, done in an opulent but not exclusive way. Bucking the trend dominating nearly every London eatery, the portions here are very generous – what you would expect from a country pub, and big enough to silence the greediest, grumpiest uncle. And Ham Yard is set on its own inner courtyard, a spit away from Piccadilly Circus, the hideously busy tourist roundabout which is pretty much a dead zone for anywhere good to eat. On a fine summer’s eve the large terrace outside the restaurant is definitely one of the area’s best hang-outs. Ham Yard does not tick all the boxes, the menu is not especially imaginative or as good as it could be, and the cocktails are far too expensive compared to everything else, but it’s excellent value and a very attractive, convenient spot.