February Newsletter

Author

Martin Seymour
February 28, 2025

Fellow Foodies,

I hope you have had a good February. 

Mine month was dominated by my mini Far East tour, which included Bangkok, Siem Reap, Hoi An, Hanoi, a overnight boat trip cruising around Ha Long Bay. There were so many highlights, and the Far East is a foodies' paradise. There’s an exciting atmosphere in the Far East, and the people are wonderful. I’ve posted many pictures on my Instagram and Facebook pages if you’d like to see and learn more about my trip.

I love this picture

However, despite being away for most of the month, I did manage to fit in a review of Entree, London’s only Tbilisi bakery based in the foodies' paradise Bruton Place. 

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Award-winning chef and author Maunika Gowarthan generously shared her recipe for stir-fried chicken with whole spices from her bestselling book, "Thali." I' have not cooked it yet, but as you can see from the picture, it looks great. See recipe here

Also, I added a recipe for gluten-free mac and cheese from a non-award-winning cook. I’m so pleased with this Mac and Cheese version, and although I say it myself, it tastes delicious!

Lastly, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jamie, co-owner of one of Mayfair's busiest restaurants, the Mayfair Chippy. If, you have ever wondered what it takes to run and manage a successful restaurant, you will find this interview fascinating.

Latest News

Michelin Star Awards

The 2025 UK Michelin Star Awards were announced on the 10th of Feb, and there are two new restaurants in Mayfair: Jason Atherton’s new flagship restaurant, Row on 5 and Dosa, a Korean restaurant based in the Mandarin Oriental. You can view the full list of Mayfairs Michelin starred restaurants here.

Le Gavroche/Gorden Ramsay

According to news from Gordon Ramsay's restaurants, they taking over the former  Le Gavroche restaurant site. No news as yet on when and what type of restaurant will occupy this famous venue; however, I have a hunch Mr Ramsay will throw everything at it. 

Masala Zone

Masala Zone West coast of India menu

/Masala Zone has taken the brave and exciting step of ditching its regular menu for the next eight weeks and replacing it with dishes from the West Coast of India. You can enjoy all the West Coast has to offer in Masala Zones' four London restaurants.

Dishes are from the Northwestern Coast of Gujarat to the Southwest tip of India in Kerala, passing through Mumbai and Goa. The new menu includes Mumbai Bombay Vada Pao sliders, Goan spiced crab cakes, a traditional seabream Goa fish curry, a Kerala Baby squid chilli fry, and an Alleppey Prawn Curry.

This is a great idea and will undoubtedly be a big success; you can try the new menu until 27 April.

Hakkasan Hanway Place

After 24 years, today is the last day of service for the original Hakkasan at Hanway Place. I remember going there about 15 years ago and being star-struck by the number of celebs dining in the restaurant. More importantly, the food was excellent. The Hakkasan in Mayfair will remain open.

Admiralty Arch project

Some exciting news was announced this week. Clare Smyth of Core by Clare Smyth, and renowned international restaurateur Daniel Boulud have been appointed as chef partners at the Waldorf Astoria Admiralty Arch, a new hotel scheduled to open in 2026. Each chef will launch a restaurant within the prestigious Grade 1 listed landmark, offering views along The Mall toward Buckingham Palace. This hotel will mark the first Waldorf Astoria in the UK as the Hilton group revamps the building into a luxurious 100-bedroom establishment.

Best value award

At the recent Good Food Guide Awards, The Devonshire desevedly won the award for Best Value Lunch Menu with it’s three-course lunch offering: starter, main, and pudding for £29, Seafood starter, Steak Skirt main, and treacle toffee pudding for dessert.

Here are my top three Mayfair alternatives,

Noble Rot Mayfair (daily set lunch menu three courses £28)

Mary’s (pre-fixe menu two courses £34)

Langans Brasserie (Three-course pre-fix menu £35)

On the theme of outstanding value, Osteria del Mare offers a happy hour special: 3 oysters and a glass of prosecco for a bargain price of £10, available from 3 pm to 6 pm.

New Restaurant openings in March

Officina 00

Officina 00 opened its third restaurant in Covent Garden, and we had the pleasure of reviewing their Fitzrovia restaurant last year.

 8-10 Dryden St, London WC2E 9NA

Nina

Nina is a new restaurant that has taken over Pachamama's previously occupied space. Like its sister restaurants, Zephyr and Bottarga, Nina specialises in Mediterranean cuisine. 

18 Thayer St, London W1U 3JY

La Môme, The Berkeley

A long-awaited opening taking over the space left when Marcus Wareing closed his Michelin-starred restaurant last year. La Môme brings the essence of the French Riviera to the city centre. Situated in the renowned Berkeley Hotel, a legendary and historic location, Antoine & Ugo Lecorché are launching their first international endeavour. With views of Hyde Park in the stylish Belgravia district, La Môme London embodies the grace and spirit of its forerunners, offering a delightful taste of the Dolce Vita.

Claude Bosi-Jospephine Bouchon

Chef Claude Bosi and his wife, Lucy, opened the French Bouchon Josephine in Chelsea last year to rave reviews. We’ve been hearing rumors for some time that the chef is planning a follow-up restaurant in a much more central location. 

Thanks to information from one of our sources, we now know exactly where the new Josephine will open. Bosi is taking over the space previously occupied by Daylesford Organic, a fairly large location on Blandford Street in Marylebone. Although few details about the new opening have been revealed, we will keep you posted.

Coming next month…

I will add more recipes (fingers crossed, another special guest recipe); I’m planning more restaurant visits, including a trip to taste Masalsa Zones' new menu.  Look out for my article  “Best Sunday Lunches in Mayfair,” which I hope to publish on the website soon. Also, I plan to write restaurant guides on Mayfair's neighbouring districts, starting with Marylebone; fingers crossed, I will be finished before the next newsletter.

Finally, I came across this film about the life of the great Keith Floyd. Floyd’s 1980s TV programme opened the door for celebrity TV chefs. His funny, chaotic, and unique style wasa huge hit with the British public and spiked interest in the world of food and travel. He was a natural in front of the camera. It is well worth a watch.

Well, thats is about for now; thanks as always for letting me take up a few minutes of your time.

Have a good March

Speak soon,

Martin