There’s nothing understated about this London restaurant! Brasserie of Light located within the city’s prestigious Selfridges is an Instagrammer’s dream.
Famous for its artwork by Damien Hirst – the 24ft crystal encrusted statue with a 30ft wingspan, it’s nothing short of incredible, commanding the full attention of its diners in this beautiful art-deco dining space flooded with natural light.
The food as you’d expect is just as theatrical, and while every dish is beautifully presented, we found it also tasted as good as it looked with high quality and innovative ingredients.
When it comes to Brasserie of Light cocktails, try the Phoebe if you like sweet lychee concoctions – this one is made with Kwai Feh Lychee and Absolut Vanilla and we can guarantee it’ll be gone before your starter arrives!
For a more sophisticated drink, the Queen of Time is a dreamy combo of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne, Crème de Rose, Crème de Cassis and Lemon juice. Sharp and chic, this is definitely one for sipping.
The salmon tartare starter is served on ice in a gold caviar tin and it’s a fun dish – requiring you to snap off shards of the gigantic rice cracker and load them up with a moreish combo of hand diced salmon in a chilli and garlic dressing. The wasabi mayo gives it a subtle kick and fish tobiko (Japanese roe) elevates the flavour with delicious salty notes.
Dorset crab is dressed for the occasion and there’s no shortage of crab meat making it well worth its £19.50 price tag.
A nicely timed gap before our starters and main courses made us suitably hungry for the large plates which followed. Miso cod is served wrapped in a banana leaf – a delightfully delicate piece of fish packed with amazing umami flavours.
The sirloin steak was cooked as requested, served with a side of perfectly cut chips – crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. A pot of creamy bernaise sauce had us salivating before we’d even tasted it and because the steak is dry-aged in 21 day Himalayan salt, it had so much flavour and seasoning, with a slightly crisp exterior but deliciously juicy on the inside.
Show stopping desserts at Brasserie of Light include The Orbit with dark chocolate mouse, milk foam and salt caramel ice cream for a luxuriously rich and decadent end to the meal. Honeycomb and popping candy gave it a playful feel and added some texture to the smooth mousse.
Chocolate Bubbles was as divine as it sounds, made with high quality Valrhona Guanaja dark chocolate – a grown up hit of the good stuff, but too rich to finish it all!
Brasserie of Light is part of the Caprice Holdings group with The Ivy, Ivy Asia and Harry’s all under the same umbrella. This restaurant certainly doesn’t take itself as seriously as its sister restaurants, while the quality of food, along with the service and no expense spared on the interiors make this a stylish stop off for food pre or post shopping or for a special occasion.
Try the Pegasus Afternoon Tea which has just launched at Brasserie of Light priced at £49pp – a well deserved treat in the very heart of London.