CIPRIANI RESTAURANT REVIEW, MAYFAIR, LONDON

OK, here’s the thing….the whole point of Cipriani is absolutely not the food despite the fact that it should be given the prices….I have eaten here, courtesy of my rather lovely and very rich best friend several times and the bills we have managed to rack up between us have been staggering… (ranging from £330-440 depending on the wine/champagne consumed) and whilst the food is never memorable the ambiance and enjoyment always is.

The last time we ate there was for my birthday and a typical example of a lunch at Cipriani….I arrived there 12.30pm and was showed to gorgeous banquette table by a very elegant and polished maître d who immediately asked if I wanted a Bellini in a way that broached no arguments, he was just the right side of flirtatious…not outwardly so but just enough to make me feel that the effort I’d made to look good was worth it….he disappeared to get my drink and looking round the restaurant I spotted Sarah Ferguson (much prettier in real life) and Roger Moore and his new wife (both looking very thin and soignée). The whole atmosphere is very ‘moving and shaking’ and feels in part akin to a very exclusive club.

My Bellini arrived courtesy of a white coated waiter, really nice champagne, really fresh peach juice…all fine except it’s served by the thimble full rather than in a proper champagne flute…a little stingy to say the least but it was very nice though never seems to be quite chilled enough but maybe that’s just my own personal taste. The menus and bread were bought as the place started to fill up with lots of ‘meedja’ types and pretty (and some not so pretty) ladies who lunch adorned with handbags and shoes that just screamed (or in some cases screeched) money…but not necessarily class…(ouch…who knew I could be such a bitch) and I noted that nearly everyone had a Bellini to start with….that’s some racket they got going there.

To the food….I had the crab salad….nice…ok nice rather that swoon nice…lacking in seasoning and presentation nice…my friend had the Tagliatelle gratinati…AMAZING..AMAZING AMAZING…home made pasta cooked al dente then tossed with a cream, ham and cheese and served gratinated…every mouthful must contain a thousand calories but ohmygod…..it was soooooooooooooo good……..for main course I had the starter portion of Tagliatelle….see above and my friend who specifically ordered a Dover sole to be served on the bone was disappointed by the filleted fish that was literally dumped on a cold plate and placed before him….it was a minnow…or at least it looked that way…he sent it back and requested another one…served on the bone this time and on a warmed plate…after a little huffing and puffing the waiter agreed although not before a colleague of his had come over to argue the case….the second fish arrived and was just as small….at around £30+ a pop it wasn’t as it should have been…the side orders were all good, a nicely dressed salad, fries and really good zucchini fritti.

We sat drinking perfectly chilled champagne all afternoon and had a lovely time as no one rushed us along etc and the atmosphere was lovely throughout the lunch….the service is very good, officious and occasionally snooty but everything arrives as and when it should and there is a feeling of being looked after.

To get to my original point I always have a fabulously gorgeous time here and sometimes nothing else will do when I’m in the mood for the glitz and glamour and want to dress up and feel like part of the Eurotrash jet set but if I want good Italian food then there are much much better restaurants in London. Oh I nearly forgot….half way through lunch Kelly Brook walked in….A or Z list depending on whether you’re male or female but either way an absolutely stunning woman.

CIPRIANI RESTAURANT, MAYFAIR, LONDON
23-25 Davies Street, London W1K 3DE

Phone: 020.7399.0500

http://www.cipriani.com/locations/london.php