Petrus Awards

Petrus Restaurant Review:

The setting is what you would expect from a top restaurant; nothing to frighten, just solidly comfortable decorated in neutral beige with a cylinder-shaped wine cellar as the centerpiece, stocking, amongst other wines, some 30-plus Pétrus vintages. The cuisine is modern European, very good and very self-assured with exciting flavoring added to classic cooking. From the à la carte menu, start with seared Orkney scallops with braised kombu and bacon and egg sabayon, then move on to Royal Estate venison loin, celeriac bread sauce and cavolo nero. On the six-course seasonal lunch menu at £60, expect the likes of foie gras parfait with marinated figs and glazed pistachio, fillet of Cornish hake with mussels and Merlot sauce, and lemon meringue. The wine list is exceptional, majoring in Champagnes, but the raison d’être here is the Pétrus list, with bottles going back to 1924. If you’ve won the lottery, think about the 1945 vintage at £19,500. This is a wine list to seriously impress, though there is still room for lesser mortals with a small selection at the lower end, beginning at £36. Service is professional. 3-course dinner menu £75; 6-course chef’s menu £95; 3-course vegetarian menu £65.