Elysee Restaurant Review

Elysee
13 Percy Street
London
W1
Tel: 020 7636 4804

It was a strange feeling to leave a restaurant at around midnight on a mid-week evening and to feel something of a party pooper. But as I was collecting my coat to brace myself for the freezing night outside there was group after group filing in past me heading the other way. Elysee is a restaurant with something of a split personality. By day and into the evening it’s a restaurant specializing in traditional Greek cooking with a refined twist. Whilst later on it becomes more of a nightspot. Complete with a live jazz band, singers, dancers, bouzoukis, and a license to party until 3.30am, six days a week. This is one of the oldest Greek restaurants in London and after a year-long refurb has recently re-opened.

A family concern, the restaurant was started by a great uncle back in the 1930’s and it is now being run by a third generation of cousins who are as passionate about the business as their forefathers. Located in what is now trendy Fitzrovia, which, (if this has left you scratching your head), is not far from Goodge Street tube. This is a part of London full of great independent shops, bars and cafes and an antidote to the sterile West End experience.

We ate downstairs in the 1930’s inspired restaurant, attractively decorated in shades of brown hues, with low lighting, elegant mirrors and banquette. Upstairs there is a private dining area, a stylish cocktail bar and a huge heated roof terrace with a retractable roof, which is no doubt essential for the great unpredictable British summer.

We began with a medley of starters including Uncle Meli’s secret recipe for Taramasalata. This was almost white in its colour and very delicately flavoured with a lemony bite. We also tried the charcoal grilled squid with courgette, chilli, garlic and parsley. This was terrific, the charcoal flavour really coming through and adding bite to the tender flesh of the fish. We also tried some grilled halloumi cheese served with grilled watermelon slices for a refreshing contrast on the palate and some tasty spanakopita parcels filled with feta cheese and spinach. With this I tried a glass of the house wine, Heritage de Baron Louis 2009, reasonably priced at £5.50 a glass, £20.50 a bottle and pleasing both on the palate and wallet.

To follow, our feasting included some sweet beetroot tart with a light filo crust, de-boned tender and scented lamb kleftiko that came with kritharaki, a herb scented semolina based pasta, plentiful greek salad with a salty moreish feta cheese and some lemony scented sea bass with some very good spinach. To finish, we could only nibble at our dessert, a plate of nutty and rich baklava and some pistachio and vanilla ice-cream flavoured with ouzo which gave it an added kick.

Before I left I was introduced to Uncle George, the nephew of the original owners in his mid – eighties. He told me how he had worked in the restaurant all his adult life, and still to this day pops in on a regular basis. He was known back in his younger days for his party piece – when he could carry up to 19 glasses on his head and dance at the same time. He also told me some fascinating stories, how he had subsequently learnt that The Great Train Robbers had planned their infamous plot in the upstairs bar in the 1960’s and that the 1966 English Football Team celebrated with them the day after their victorious World Cup win.

Elysee is a place that celebrates life, with a passion that its people seem to have in spades. Remember, as you get ready for bed with your slippers and cocoa, that down in Percy Street the party has only just started.

Louise Elgin. November 2010.

A meal for two with 4-5 sharing plates and wine is around £50.00 a head.
Set lunch menu available at £15.00 a head.