Evermore glorified as one of 2018’s most bedazzling restaurant openings, the twinkling habitat of London’s Brasserie of Light continues to radiate in its glamorous art nouveau backdrop, right under the fierce guardianship of a mesmerising and colossal winged stallion while basking in its bon-vivant class, as one of London’s most photogenic dining destinations.
Brought to light on the first floor of the ultra luxe shelter of Selfridges department store on Oxford Street, this chic saloon takes immense delight revelling in its all-day dining hours, a first in Selfridges’ 109-year history, within its glamorous W1 abode that was created as the concluding act of the department store’s bountiful £300 million investment.
This rests in billionaire tycoon Richard Caring’s saporous, epicurean empire of the Caprice group, which is responsible for the celebrity institution of Le Caprice, before ultimately belonging to the grand cuisine inventory of Troia (UK) Restaurants Limited which is behind the decorous Italian trattoria of Harry’s Dolce Vita, and the urbane eatery clique of the Ivy Collection.
Rejoicing in its glittering stature as a destination restaurant and bar, Brasserie of Light zeroes in on a wholesome bistro style affair, showcasing British classics and international delicacies from the sun kissed interval to the dusky hours, all the while swirled with a fetching sprinkling of voguish finesse equally desirable for elite family fêtes, and café-society revelries at a refreshingly modest value for your well and truly earnt pennies.
Ever true-blue in living up to its given luminous title, diners are welcomed to the vision of a intricately cut glass wall embellished with the glowing letters of this classy eatery, before being escorted into the bonny habitat where gazes were fixated onto the ravishing centre stage of the cocktail bar partitioned from the restaurant, to create an air of intimate cocktail time.
No high-brow eatery of Richard’s would ever contemplate a grandiose reveal in the absence of the iconic interior aesthetics sewn up by his steadfast collaborator and visionary Swedish design intellect, Martin Brudnizki. Martin has perpetually been idolised for his meticulous artistic mastery of vivacious extravagance, with a dabble of bold eccentricity as showcased within the silk-stocking members sanctum of Annabel’s, and Mediterranean odyssey of Bacchanalia.
Playing to the core gist of light and lustre elevated with a drizzle of Art Deco adornments, the bar makes for a shimmering aperitif eye candy. Rosy hued bar stools shelter the ornamentations of a pristine metallic, surface set with tableware bearing the Pegasus motif (more on this stallion in a jiffy), mini tabletop lamps and glass bar toppings against back mirrored bejewels, castings its rays on a handsome attire of deluxe spirit tipples to quench one’s thirst.
Ever so gracious and courteous, the mixologist brigade endeavour to engage their cocktail connoisseurs with an eclectic catalogue of eye gratifying concoctions, destined to kindle one’s Instagram rhapsody while proving equally pleasurable to the tastebuds.
The starlet medley of the Royal Griffin saw a winsome creation of deep bodied, rich creamy notes from the Absolut Vanilla Vodka, swirled with a melody of dainty fresh sweetness from the Kwai-Feh lychee liqueur all finished with a floral burst of fragrant, raspberry tinted rose foam for a luxuriant drinking experience. Serving as an equally fetching potion, the Unicorn made for a magnificent formation, as a delectable fusion of fruity hints and earthy aromatic spice through Whitley Neill Rhubarb and Ginger Gin, had swirled with the tropical burst of pear essence, orange blossom, and honeyed berries from the luscious brew of lillet rose and guava juice.
To dine within this lustrous nouvelle cuisine oasis, makes for a spellbinding escapade of picturesque culinary and mixology pleasures. A backdrop of soft glowing orbs, miniature winged wall horses and sapphire blue banquettes and mustard seating sync in harmony against the intricate gold leaf garnishes, flickering over polished mirrored tables. Not to neglect the glimmering tour de force of the majestic, winged horse we call the mythical Pegasus who, according to ancient legend, sprang from the blood of Medusa’s neck.
Reaching a monumental 24ft with an epic pair of 30ft wings, this herculean sculpture soars over its debonair diners armoured in a glimmering end to end cloak of icy white crystals, glistening with ceremonial fervour and bewitching devoted admirers with its lucent beauty. Damien Hirst, the artistic maven and creator of this bejewelled winged equine, rejoices in his treasured magnum opus that rests as one of his largest scale artworks in London to date. He has previously stated: “I love the myth of the Pegasus and this is such an exciting project and I love the scale of it. I hope it’s always going to look like something beautiful from another world.”
The menu plays to spirits of optically sensational style with flavoursome piquant substance, focused on fresh seasonal produce showcasing a mix of native and internationally inspired dishes. These cooking theatrics are all the while served by the besuited hosts, bearing exquisite diamanté horses stitched onto their waistcoats as they wittily reject all bribes (and flirts) to claim their crystal trimmings for oneself.
Appetite whetted with a warm helping of soft crispy sourdough with light whipped butter, a silver coated metal crab unveiled a shell bearing floral topped, finely diced tender white and brown crab meat, lightly enveloped in a herb tinted mayonnaise and generous avocado chunks, not to neglect the net wrapped half lemon ideal for cutting through through the richness of this otherwise delicious appetiser.
Just as toothsome to the sights as well as palate, the butter supple scallops unearthed a nutty toffee-like touch from the sear, further enhanced by the silken sweet pea puree. The Imperial caviar had however proven an appetiser champ, as creamy almond tinted roe lay on rich bite sized quail eggs, topped on airy fluffed, morsels of blinis, and all impeccably paired with South Africa’s pink raspberry perfumed, Graham Beck sparkling.
My bias for first-rate red meat had me steering towards the lamb, where a lean, succulent rump cut released an abundance of caramelised juices, mingling into the mellow red wine jus. The prawn curry brought in a flair of far-flung pizzazz to the table, with hearty fresh prawns sinking into a velvet curry bustling with silky coconut milk, and fragrant tangs of lemongrass, chilli and nutmeg from the Malaysian spices.
With permission to depart explicitly refused sans a sweet ending climax, the blooming beauteous confection of the Butterfly Flutterby made for a fluttering final delight. Presenting colourful sugar butterflies merrily resting on a wispy whipped balm of zesty lemon and moreish vanilla bean cream, dots of real vanilla seeds coated the creamed helping, all marrying graciously into the citrus gusto of passionfruit parfait, ending with a sugary pine finish from the scrupulous twirls of pistachio parfait. The team in the end then deemed it satisfactory for me to exit their scintillating abode, but not before my favourite cosmopolitan cocktail!
In a nutshell
In a world where visual snapshots influence and provoke our ways of living, Brasserie of Light gleefully basks in their shiny stature as a hedonistic, camera-ready jewel in the West End’s tinselled tiara owing to its resplendent architectural milieu, inviting gastronomical rendezvous and courtly gallant hosts, where nothing is ever a bother.
A beloved gem of a brasserie since its radiant debut seven years ago, this round-the-clock feasting establishment has triumphed in creating an ambience as exclusive as the couture glad rags below in one fell swoop, and faultlessly plays to the nature of light to blinding effect.
Factbox
Address: 40 Oxford St, Duke St, London, W1A, 1AB
Telephone: 0203 940 9600
Website: brasserie-of-light.co.uk
All imagery credit: Brasserie of Light
