The Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge’s centre point has captured our attention in more ways than one recently. From appearing on Channel 4’s A Very British Hotel to its closure following a fire days after reopening from a lavish $130 million refurbishment; whether good or bad, this famous hotel never fails to slip off the radar.
To the left of its iconic marbled entrance lobby within this both iconic and historic London hotel, you will find The Rosebery – an all-day dining destination with the namesake of Lord Rosebery: British Prime Minister and Liberal Statesman between 1889 and 1929. A daytime destination, The Rosebery is situated within a bright and colourful room that reflects its refined Victorian origins and is dappled with contemporary touches which include specially commissioned one-of-a-kind art pieces.
Within a very English setting, primarily you will find highly stacked English afternoon teas accompanied by delicate flutes of champagne, however, the lunch menu is more so internationally inclined. Leaving evening extravagance to the likes of its partnering hotel restaurants – Heston Blumenthal and the Mandarin Bar, The Rosebery is a place that is very much for daylight hours and its menu reflects this.
Playing with Asian flavours and dishes inspired by its Mandarin origins, its menu spans from snacks onto vegetarian, meat and fish specials. Exotic eats featured include crispy aromatic duck rolls with quinoa and hoisin mayonnaise, vegetarian dumplings – one filled with shiitake mushroom the other spinach with roast tomato and sesame dip. The highlight snack recommended to us by the team is the tuna tacos served in open wonton shells with yellowfin tuna tartare, wakame and sesame dressing.
If you choose to continue with this Asian culinary theme, juxtaposed within the very English setting of The Rosebery, then also available is a salmon poke bowl made with cured Scottish salmon tartare, royal quinoa, avocado, edamame, spring onions, mango, crispy shallots, sesame seeds and wasabi yuzu dressing. Sourced from the Atlantic, is a bluefin tuna tataki with soya glazed and roasted coconut crust tuna with aubergine caviar, asparagus, prawn and rice croquette with coriander, lime and chilli salsa. Meanwhile, a Thai favourite also features proudly on the menu: a green curry with lemongrass, kaffir lime, ginger, coconut milk and south Asian spices served alongside Thai rice with a choice of with vegetables, chicken or tiger prawns.
Sitting more so in tandem with its quintessential English environment are dishes that celebrate British produce. These for example include the Cotswolds corn-fed chicken supreme: marinated chicken with warm Bulgur salad, fennel mousse, grilled garden vegetables and chicken jus. Sourced a little further west of the country is the grilled south-west rack of lamb with cumin-scented carrot puree, snap peas, grilled asparagus with quinoa and mint chimichurri sauce. Whilst inspired by the restaurant’s neighbouring landscape is the Hyde Park garden salad: a salad that cuts no corners complete with mixed leaves, salt-baked beetroot, soft quail eggs, cucumber, cherry tomato, crispy shallots and shaved baby carrot with a citrus-mustard yoghurt dressing.
Factbox
Address: 66 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7LA
Phone: 020 7235 2000
Website: mandarinoriental.com/london/hyde-park
