The English Grill (Restaurant, Hotel)

Top 10 things you need to know about The English Grill:

1) The redevelopment of Victoria may have been rumbling along for what seems like forever, but there is a corner of Buckingham Palace Road that remains peacefully unchanged and forever Empire: The Rubens at the Palace Hotel, home to The English Grill.

2) With hotel dining, strict etiquette must be observed, and it would be rude not to have a pre-dinner G&T in The Cavalry Bar. The choice of both gins and tonics is extensive, but never fear, your server will find your perfect pairing.

3) You want flashy? Modernistic? Exotic? Go somewhere else. This is a dining room celebrating what this country historically does best - nursery comfort food. Roasts, pies, and puds.

4) Cheese trolleys? For peasants, darling. May we present to you the smoked salmon trolley? Of course, we may. Why should the carving of a whole cured fish be anything but a spectacle.

5) Main courses are rich, but not over large, so you can definitely have a hearty starter, such as the impeccable black pudding Scotch egg.

6) The trappings may be as English as they come, but the heart of the wine list is in South Africa by way of France, heavy with Burgundian-style wines from the Bouchard Finlayson estate near Cape Town. The quirkily named Hannibal, a diverse blend of reds, is a good place to start, or the tropical Blanc de Mer, if you prefer white wine.

7) There’s only one word for the decor and that’s opulent. Dripping chandeliers, huge leather banquettes, gleaming silverware and glasses big enough to re-home small sharks; it’s all here.

8) One tiny nod to modern trends is the open kitchen, glowing brightly along one side of the dining room, but honestly, what is the point of owning a Josper grill if no one can see it?

9) Side dishes must be ordered separately, which seems annoying until you realise how good they are. Try and resist the urge to order everything, but if you don’t get the grilled carrots and creamed onions, you’re missing out.

10) Anyone can fry a steak correctly. It’s the little details that make a restaurant stand the test of time. Delicious bread and fresh crudités to nibble whilst you order drinks. Lightly but evenly dressed salad leaves. Each table’s personal cruet with a secret house seasoning to sprinkle like magic dust on everything. Homemade oatmeal biscuits with the cheese plate to finish. Simple things, but which, when done right, make you want to lean back and hum “Land of Hope and Glory” until the bill comes....read more