On a bustling Friday evening my husband and I walked through the thriving watch department of Harrods; despite it being early evening and a glorious day the shoppers were in full swing.
However, away from the hustle we found what we were looking for; a grand marble staircase that led us to Chucs Restaurant, which specialises in flavours of the Italian Riviera, evoking the essence of yacht life and the Mediterranean Sea.
Chucs has five locations, four of which are in London and the other, the stunning St Tropez. With Harrods being the latest opening we were very excited to see what this well-known restaurant had in store.
We were greeted by the warm and friendly front of house staff who guided us to our snug little booth which looked out onto the whole restaurant.
Ciprian, the General Manager, came over to introduce himself and got down to important business – choosing our wine! Being a hot summers day we unusually opted for a bottle of white. I can be quite funny when it comes to white wine as I like it as cold as ice and as dry as possible. Ciprian seemed to understand my preference and brought over a perfectly chilled pinot.
The service in the restaurant was impeccable, the waiters were always on hand if we needed them and always discreetly topping up our wine. Following Ciprian’s advice, I have to say my husband stole the show when it came to his choice of food.
To start, he opted for the calamari fritti with chilli mayo, which I of course had to try. I’ll be honest, I could have eaten the entire lot if Dan had let me! I however, went for the just as scrumptious with the lobster avocado and chopped salad which was presented so beautifully; there was a part of me that didn’t want to ruin it. But a mouthful in, and with the lobster being delivered fresh that morning it’s safe to say I devoured the lot!
For main’s I had the asparagus risotto with goat’s cheese and hazelnut powder. It was utterly delicious, it was creamy and full of flavour, something I wish I could replicate at home.
Dan had the grilled harissa lamb chops with mint gel and burnt cucumber, which has been created exclusively for the Harrods restaurant by Executive Chef Alessandro Verdinelli. It was utterly delicious, with the flavours exploding with each mouthful – admittedly I was a little jealous even though mine tasted just as good.
By our third course I was beyond full but my husband managed to make room for the cheesecake which he assured me was just as good as his starter and main course.
Following dessert we enjoyed the rest of our wine as we soaked up the relaxed atmosphere. The staff’s enthusiasm is infectious and probably the best we have experienced in a long time. We left the restaurant in that happy haze of good food and fine wine.
From late night shopping or for a luxurious dinner spot that isn’t too formal – Chucs has the answer.
Address: 87 Brompton Road London, SW1X 7XL / +44 (0)20 7893 8370
