Staying and Eating in London: The Cavendish Hotel

Today's post is a bit of an addition to my Eating in London series where I look at the restaurants in London and review them from a vegetarian and pescetarian perspective. I was invited to come down and stay at The Cavendish Hotel in Mayfair* and have a meal in their restaurant the Petrichor. I was so excited for this and I can tell you already I wasn't disappointed, quite the opposite actually. 

As you can see from the images above, the room was incredible. I'm talking the comfiest bed with a gorgeous bathroom and a massive bath. We had an executive room and it was perfect. I felt like an excited child heading to Disneyland, my smile was from ear to ear... and the rest. 

We checked in early, around 2 to make the most of the day and of course the room. Although I might live in London (about an hour away from the hotel) there's just something that bit more exciting about staying right in the centre, in the middle of all of the buzz. After getting over the excitement of the room, we eventually left and had a little wonder around Piccadilly and headed to the pop-up Jamie Oliver diner and grabbed some lunch, the burgers were delicious. If you're ever in the area you should definitely go, and if you know someone that loves dinosaurs then you must take them! Dinosaurs, everywhere. We wondered around a little more before wondering back to the hotel, we just couldn't stay away from the luxury of it all. And, you know, there was plenty to keep us amused in there. From the TV, the coffee machine and the amazing bathroom, I had plenty to keep me amused before heading out to dinner later in the evening. Guess what though ladies? I'm talking the mini's in the bathroom. They were The White Company! How exciting?! I think I might have squealed a little bit, as if it could get anymore luxurious right?

Onto the food and the Petrichor was the most luxurious restaurant I've ever eaten in. With a bottle of their house white wine, we ordered and just took in the atmosphere and the restaurant itself. I had expected it to be a little busier for a Saturday night but I was pleasantly surprised and it was pretty quiet which was really enjoyable. While we were waiting for our starters to arrive, one of the waiters came around offering freshly baked bread to the tables with a trio of butters. This was heaven and the truffle butter was the most amazing butter I've ever tasted. I never thought I'd say that about butter? 

For starters we were both torn between two so decided to order both and share. We went for the Breaded Tunworth (a vegetarian option) with grilled limequat, tartare sauce, quail egg, crushed green peas and cherry tomato and the Scottish Scallops (the one you pescetarians need to order); pan fried scallops with a celeriac and truffle puree, poppy seed and apple, truffle foam, glazed kumquat and micro leaves. Both of these were incredible. When these came we were honestly blown away. Probably the fanciest of meals we'd ever eaten and the excitement was only being egged on from our recent love of Masterchef as this was totally to that standard. We were getting to eat the fancy kind of food we had been watching on the TV and salivating at. It was so much better than I had imagined and I honestly cannot recommend it enough. It's the perfect special occasion restaurant and I'm in love. Out of the starters though, I'd probably go for the Breaded Tunworth again if I had to have the one, but I loved having a bit of both. Amazing!

For the mains we both ordered the Seafood Stew as it sounded so amazing. The Seafood Stew included Loch Duart salmon, a gurnard fillet, king prawns, a crab meat croquette, chargrilled route, quail egg, caper berries, seafood broth, potatoes and saffron aioli. It was heaven. This is honestly the nicest thing I've ever eaten. In fact the whole meal is. The broth was poured at the table and the food tasted incredible. You can see from the pictures how beautiful all of the plates were. Think about how beautiful they look and imagine that level of gorgeous-ness but with taste, and a bit extra added on. 

For desert we went for the Vanilla Creme Brule with rhubarb jelly, rhubarb compote and compressed rhubarb and the Chocolate Avalanche with milk chocolate ganache, pistachio ice cream, honey comb and a vanilla cream sauce. They were both amazing but the stand out had to be the Chocolate Avalanche. Imagine a chocolate ball in the middle of your bowl and a hot sauce being poured over it and the chocolate ball melting to reveal what is inside. It was exciting and tantalising and the taste was that bit better. Everything you could want in a meal was this. 

Not only was the restaurant gorgeous alongside the food but the service was amazing too. I honestly cannot fault it at all. The whole thing was incredible. 

After the amazing meal, we headed back up to the room for an amazing sleep in the comfiest of beds. We picked what we wanted for breakfast and wrote it on the card and hung it outside of the room to be delivered in the morning. We went for the full works and just like the dinner the night before it was incredible. But imagine that incredible, but in the softest and fluffiest and comfiest of beds. We went for a vegetarian full english with the most amazing vegetarian sausages I've ever tasted. Can I go back just for those please? That alongside the croissants, fruit bowls and yoghurts we were stuffed and ready the rest of our relaxing Sunday. The perfect relaxing Sunday morning if you will? 

I am absolutely blown away The Cavendish and I honestly couldn't recommend it anymore. If you're looking for somewhere amazing to stay then I'd recommend this spot time and time again. And the restaurant, oh the restaurant. Though, if it's not in your budget, have a look at their pre theatre menu which is a whole lot more affordable for the same amazing food. 

Treat someone to a trip here, or treat yourself, it's so worth it... and the rest. 

Lorna x

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