TWOTWENTYTWO MAKES A REAL MARK
LONDON’S LANDMARK HOTEL IS FAMOUS FOR ITS FIVE STAR OLD-SCHOOL LUXURY IN THE CAPITAL. ITS NEWEST ADDITION, RESTAURANT AND BAR, TWOTWENTYTWO CERTAINLY DOES LIVES UP TO ITS NAME, KEEPING UP ITS REPUTATION FOR IMPECABLE SERVICE IN LUXURIOUS AND STYLISH SURROUNDINGS.
The basement of the Landmark Hotel is the recently refurbished home of twotwentywo, a short walk from Marylebone tube. Named after the address the hotel’s situated at – 222 Marylebone Road, you may be surprised at the light, airy space that twotwentytwo delivers.
Upon entering you may be surprised by what you find. Red wooden panelling covers the walls, in keeping with the heritage of the space, highlighted by the ornate white ceiling. At the far left is an ornate heavy-wooden bar with wine bottles attractively set up behind. Casual low tables and chairs line the periphery of the space around a central area of Champagne tables: a central section of booth-like chairs nestled around tables with the middle cut out for keeping Champagne on ice.
The dining area is made up of low-key dark wooden tables, pushed against a long tan leather sofa. Beside this small space are large armchairs that you can sink into after your meal with a digestif or settle in for the whole evening as you work your way through the cocktail menu. The set-up is more gastro pub than an upmarket bar and restaurant, although therein lies its charm. Opulent twists such as beautiful chandeliers with delicate chains hanging low beneath them remind you where you are.
What stands the decor apart are carefully thought out touches that you’ll notice the longer you stay. Large gilt mirrors surround the space, and attractive Victorian lantern-style lamps can be spied with candles inside, creating a decorative appeal. The real pièce de résistance, however, are two specially-commissioned paintings depicting landmarks of London (think The Eye, Gherkin, Big Ben, St Pauls, Tower Bridge, and a London bus – number 222, of course).
The atmosphere here is surprisingly upbeat and relaxed. Local office workers visit for a post-work drink, relaxing in the attractive surroundings. The din of conversation is pleasantly high as people chill out without a hint of pretension. In the background, the music changes as the night progresses – earlier in the evening relaxed chill out tunes play, changing to jazz with Latin tones, then pop and commercial songs through to house and even RnB as the night wears on. It’s a clever way of reflecting the mood of the crowd as the drinks continue to flow.
That said, this is still an undeniably upmarket spot. The staff ensures you don’t forget where you are, their service is impeccable although it’s lined with a warmth and friendliness.
The menu at twotwentytwo is simple with dishes like fish and chips and steaks to choose from. Starters (£3-£8) include dishes such as a shellfish basque and beef carpaccio with rocket, black truffle oil and freshly shaved parmesan. However, it’s an idea to order the sharing platter instead, which is just £12 for three well-sized dishes, ideal for sharing or as a starter to your meal. Recommended is the delicate calamari with a light batter that offers no hint of greasiness. Also good is the gravadlax – slim strips of delicate salmon with a delightful saltiness underlying each mouthful and a fresh citrus dressing. Finally, try the smoked aubergine puree with mini pitas. Although the fluffy, light pittas could do with being warm, they do provide an ideal accompaniment to the fresh, creamy puree with a pleasant smoky aftertaste.
Mains include a range of dishes from salads to grills. Particularly good is the seafood risotto (£16.50) with generous helpings of softly cooked calamari and plump, rich king prawns although there’s little evidence of the promised crab. There are also large mussels that slip out of their shells with ease. The risotto is a pleasant consistency. Although creamy, it doesn’t taste like rice pudding, instead highlighting the strong flavours of the seafood.
If you want to go all out, then the fillet steak is a house specialty although at £25 it’s not the most credit crunch friendly dish. Nicely presented, although not a hearty portion, it comes with a metal pot filled with chips. The chips are lightly salted and delightfully crisp on the outside with a soft, fluffy middle. It also comes with a delicious homemade béarnaise sauce that offers a creamy, rich undertone to each mouthful. The medium-rare steak was juicy, tender and full of rich flavours that pleasantly filled the mouth and was brilliantly complemented by the creamy béarnaise.
There are a few desserts on offer (£5.50). The apple crumble with homemade custard is a little disappointing. The crumble isn’t as sweet as it could be and the fruit is a little too gloopy. However, the delightful custard is creamy and light with a rich vanilla flavour that lifts the flavours nicely. The chocolate fondant with butterscotch ice cream, however, is a real delight. The chocolate is smooth, soft and rich and is well complemented by the sweetness of the ice cream, which has a strong butterscotch taste that works in tandem with deep chocolate flavours. Delightful.
For an impromptu inexpensive night out, twotwentytwo also offers special food deals such as a burger and chips with a glass of wine for a tenner.
There’s a lengthy drinks list in the bar with a good choice of cocktails (priced at the £11 mark), premium spirits, aperitifs and digestifs. They also offer some well-priced Champagnes, especially nice if enjoyed at the Champagne tables. A glass of Taittinger Brut Reserve (£15) is especially good with a fresh, clean taste that slips down a little too easily.
There’s a decent selection of wine by the bottle, although it’s not the lengthy tome of drinks you may expect from a venue like this. The helpful staff are happy to make recommendations and really know what they’re talking about. A highlight of the menu is the Gavi di Gavi Casetta 2007 (£30), a dry fresh and fruity white wine that has a wonderfully clean flavour. Also excellent is the Petit Chablis Chateau de Maligny 2007 (£34) with a delightful pale straw colour and a clean finish with lemon and apple flavours coming through.
For a bar and restaurant located within a five star hotel, twotwentytwo is surprisingly relaxed and offers a few lower priced deals if you’re watching the pennies but want to go somewhere upmarket.
For more information visit twotwentytwo-london.com or landmarklondon.co.uk. Opening hours: Monday to Friday 11:30am – Midnight, Saturday 12pm – Midnight. To make a dining reservation contact dining@thelandmark.co.uk.
twotwentytwo ,The London Landmark Hotel, 222 Marylebone Road, London, NW1 6JQ
Words Graham Gartside
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